Who knew the chemistry between a tyrant and a chef would be this addictive?
Time travel provides a great plot element in sci-fi genres. However, by adding romance as the main element, it creates a refreshing balance that keeps audiences invested. The period following tvN’s ‘Head Over Heels’ drama felt like a long, dull stretch without any truly interesting romance dramas. However, ‘Bon Appétit, Your Majesty’ stands out thanks to its clever and appealing storyline, as well as the leads’ effortless chemistry — the kind of drama you simply can’t miss!
Speaking of what not to miss, this week’s episodes are a must-watch. As King Yi Heon brings Yeon Ji Young to his palace and ‘special residence,’ the week is packed with dramatic events, appealing cuisine, and the very first sparks of ‘sseom-tada’ (flirting) between our main leads.
Episode 3
One of my favorite moments in this episode is the doctor’s comment while removing the arrowhead from King Yi Heon’s body, and the instant it became clear that Ji Young had actually saved his life. On the other hand, Im Song Jae (played by Oh Eui Sik), the Chief State Councilor, conspired with his father to manipulate Ji Young and have her on their side, so they wouldn’t have to take orders from Consort Kang Mok Ju.
Later, a masked man frees Ji Young and Seo Gil Geum (played by Yoon Seo Ah) — the sweet girl that our female lead met and became friends with — from their prison, aka the ‘special residence.’ However, it turns out this was all planned by King himself, who threatens the girls not to run away and even orders Ji Young to prepare a meal for him.
As she enters the royal kitchen, Ji Young meets the head cooks — Chef Um Bong Sik (played by Kim Kwang Gyu) and Chef Maeng Man Soo (played by Hong Jin Ki) — both of whom are repulsed by the idea of a female cook. Eventually, our female lead comes up with another visually appealing and delicious menu. Using deer meat from the king’s hunt, Ji Young introduces deer steak and French haute cuisine to Joseon, which blows the king away… again.
The very next day, fueled by Kang Mok Ju’s jealousy, rumors and chaos spread throughout the palace, as several ministers began resigning and demanding Ji Young’s execution. Furious, King announces Ji Young as the chief royal cook. Of course, being the tyrant king he is, he adds that if she serves him the same dish more than once, she will be sentenced to death.
Upon hearing the king’s decision, Kang Mok Joo tries to use Queen Dowager Inju (played by Seo Yi Sook) against Ji Young. Using her manipulative and cunning skills, she succeeds in convincing the queen to test the new head chef’s abilities. And so, the competition begins between Ji Young and the two main chefs.
Episode 4
Feeling insulted that the queen has questioned his choice, King Yi Heon arrives at the competition site and takes a seat on the judges’ panel, alongside Consort Kang Mok Ju.
At the start of the cooking competition, the queen announces that the theme is filial piety and that the main ingredients will be doenjang (soybean paste) and tofu. Upon hearing this, Ji Young thinks of making the soybean paste her father usually prepared for her. However, the competition soon turns into a battlefield, with the two main chefs taking most of the best ingredients and leaving the damaged goods for Ji Young.
When Ji Young learns about the queen’s favorite soybean soup — the last dish her mother made for her — she decides to make a soup instead of a paste. During the process, she needs an additional ingredient, a key component that makes it impossible for other cooks to replicate the dish. However, Consort Kang Mok Ju opposes her and does everything she can to prevent Ji Young from going outside to get it. This time, it’s really nice to see King Yi Heon taking Ji Young’s side, even if he warns that she will lose both arms if she loses the competition.
As Gil Geum brings the clams — the secret ingredient — King Yi Heon is amazed (while everyone else is repelled) by Ji Young’s cooking methods. When time is up, each chef presents their dishes. It’s genuinely funny how the king never missed a chance to challenge the reasoning behind the two chefs’ main dishes.
When it came to Ji Young’s simple but refreshingly savory soup, the queen began to weep as she remembered the dish her mother had made for her. Eventually, Ji Young won the competition and also managed to convince the king not to cut off the arms of her rivals, earning their gratitude in return. Another favorite moment for me was Ji Young’s thumbs-up to King Yi Heon. It is these little interactions between the leads that make the whole narrative so compelling.
Elsewhere, the king shows up in Consort Kang Mok Ju’s chambers and confronts her for manipulating the queen against Ji Young. Cunningly, she tries to evade the argument by reminding the king of his desire for revenge. The king steps out, feeling dizzy and having a fit. Kang Mok Ju tries to comfort him, but the king refuses and rushes out of the chamber.
A beautiful turn of events shows that, with her talented cooking and a bowl of pasta, Ji Young manages to calm the king. Later, upon receiving bad news, he gets drunk. And finally, that long-awaited moment — the kiss everyone had been waiting for — takes place as a drunken Yi Heon pulls Ji Young in… mwaah!
Final Thoughts
Don’t deny it — we all had our eyes glued to the screen when the kiss scene happened. However, what worries me is the ending. In the fourth episode, there is a scene where we see the king writing a book and mentioning Ji Young’s dishes. When he finishes writing, he remembers the name of the book she mentioned and decides to give the same title to his own book. Meanwhile, in Ji Young’s handbag, the original Mangunrok mysteriously vanishes into thin air.
What does it mean? Will we have another traumatizing time-slip drama, or will the tyrant king and the chef live happily together in the Joseon era?
Written by Diksha Gangadeen
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