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A feast for the senses: "Bon Appetit, Your Majesty"
Watching the first episode of ‘Bon Appetit, Your Majesty’ at the RSA in London, with a plate of food classics recreated with Korean flavours in hand, was a highly immersive experience. The Curated Korea 2026 screening, presented in collaboration with CJ ENM, offered the perfect, flavourful setting to devour the first episode of the historical time-slip drama before sitting down for a fascinating panel with director Jang Tae-yoo.
Directed by Jang Tae-yoo, ‘Bon Appetit, Your Majesty’ stars Girls' Generation's Yoona as a modern fine-dining chef who finds herself transported back to the Joseon Dynasty. She stars alongside a towering 190cm Lee Chae-min playing the ruthless King Lee Heon. Adapted from an ongoing web novel, the drama series has created its own conclusive ending, complete with a tense political rebellion, while providing a multi-genre blend of romance, comedy and historical intrigue.
In director Yang’s words, the drama treats food as an entirely separate, vital character so he put great emphasis into the process of how it’s made, served and consumed (contrary to other dramas) because if
“It looked bad or not appealing to the audience, I would’ve considered the scene a failure”
Since modern staple ingredients like peppers, onions, tomatoes, potatoes and sweet potatoes weren't available in the Joseon era, the culinary scenes showcase an inventive, meticulously researched fusion of French fine-dining techniques and traditional Korean cuisine. The cooking process itself is highlighted in five distinct, visual stages making the visuals mouth-wateringly detailed:
Identifying who would be eating the dishes;
Deciding what should the menu include based to the previous information
How it should be made taking into consideration the accessible ingredients/equipment etc.;
How it should be plated in an aesthetically pleasing but still professional way
Then finally, how to express and describe the taste to ensure the viewers immerse themselves in the scene and come out craving them enough to want to eat it themselves.
Overall, the director wanted to convey a clear message - that these culinary elements actually connect the two protagonists and the story.
Image credit: CJ ENM/Netflix
Balancing the drama's shifting tones from lighthearted culinary comedy to heavy political tension, was a major focus for the production team. Director Jang noted the immense challenge of transitioning between these moods, praising the extensive work of the music directors who worked overnight to ensure the background score perfectly matched the atmosphere. The cinematography heavily utilises scenes with flying ingredients, extreme close-ups of the King’s expressions while tasting the food, capturing what the director playfully called an “exaggerated, visual fantasy of flavour”.
It's genuinely refreshing to see a time-slip drama where the protagonist’s modern skills are so practically tested by the stark limitations of the past. Seeing Yoona bring such delicacy and professional training to a chaotic royal kitchen adds a brilliant, grounding spark to the historical fantasy.
If you love a historical drama that doesn't take itself too seriously but still delivers high stakes, stunning visuals and a very literal feast for the senses, this is absolutely for you.
It's the perfect watch for foodies and rom-com lovers alike - just don't watch it on an empty stomach! 😅
My final review
Story
Acting
Music
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