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K-Drama paglus have made ‘Bon Appétit, Your Majesty’ top the charts of Netflix and rightly so. The non-English show is currently the most globally-watched, and people cannot keep calm ahead of its finale, to be aired on September 20, 2025. The show is based on a talented chef, Yeon Ji-yeong (played by Im Yoon-ah), who travels back in time and finds herself stuck during the Joseon dynasty when King Lee Heon (played by Lee Chae-Min), a tyrant and food connoisseur, is the ruler. While Yeon Ji-yeong manages to captivate the palates of the king, she lands in trouble after another. Amid cooking competitions, love is also brewing between the royal chef and the king.
Image Credit: Netflix Korea/ Instagram
The story has landed into controversy for a couple of reasons, but it has been hailed as one of the best shows in recent times. Not to mention how impeccably each actor has been playing their character. But what has stayed with the audience are the dishes cooked by Yeon Ji-yeong. Or was it Im Yoon-ah showcasing her culinary skills all along? It’s intriguing, and scroll down to know how the actor prepared for the role of a chef.
Im Yoon-ah Took Cooking Classes To Play Chef In Bon Appétit, Your Majesty
Several clips are going viral on social media in which you can see Im Yoon-ah cooking dishes, which have featured on the show, in a professional kitchen with a chef’s apron. Yoon-ah not only took cooking classes for three months, but she also perfected the dishes that her character was supposed to cook on the show.
Image Credit: Im Yoon-ah/ Instagram
According to reports, she has done the majority of the cooking scenes without a body double. The team studied historical sources that talked about the kind of food cooked and the ingredients used approximately 500 years ago. While Yoon-ah is preparing modern dishes for the king, royal family, and subjects of the Ming dynasty, she uses rare ingredients cultivated and imported during that era.
The production team has been quoted as saying, “We wanted to show global viewers how familiar techniques can turn local ingredients into something extraordinary.” To make the scenes appear real, Yoon-ah also mastered her knife skills and other cooking techniques, which is why the show has gained popularity among foodies, culinary maestros, and food writers. You cannot take your eyes off the screen when she is cooking. Some reports suggest that the actor watched vloggers and chefs, studied their expressions and movements, and witnessed their body language to portray Royal Chef Yeon Ji-yeong convincingly.
Image Credit: Bon Appétit, Your Majesty/ Instagram
Some of the most memorable dishes from the show include Gochujang Butter Bibimbap, Jaecheop Doenjang soup, Deonjang Pasta, Donkatsu, Joseon Schnitzel, Joseon Macaroons, Seafood Pancake, and Dongrae Pajeon, among others. Have you watched the show yet, or waiting for the finale to drop so you can binge-watch?
