‘Bon Appetit, Your Majesty’ ends with record ratings, confirming Lim Yoon-a’s star power
Lim Yoon-a as Yeon Ji-young in "Bon Appetit, Your Majesty" / Courtesy of tvN
Hit tvN drama “Bon Appetit, Your Majesty” wrapped up its run on Sunday with ratings surpassing 20 percent, marking a strong finish despite earlier controversies.
The finale followed chef Yeon Ji-young (Lim Yoon-a), who time-traveled to the Joseon period (1392-1910), and King Yi Heon (Lee Chae-min), once known as a tyrant with a perfect palate. After facing betrayal and rebellion, the two characters overcame their challenges together and were ultimately reunited in the modern era, bringing their story to a joyful conclusion.
According to ratings agency Nielsen Korea, the final episode recorded a 17.4 percent rating in the Seoul metropolitan area and peaked at 20 percent. Nationwide, the episode averaged 17.1 percent ratings with a high of 19.4 percent.
The drama, which began with a 6.6 percent rating for its second episode, quickly climbed past 11 percent by Episode 4 and maintained its momentum.
It also ranked No. 1 in drama buzzworthiness across TV and OTT platforms in Good Data Corp.’s FUNdex index, with leads Lim and Lee taking the top two spots in the actor rankings.
Industry observers attribute the drama’s success to the global popularity of Korean content, its focus on Korean cuisine and Lim’s performance.
Playing a chef who skillfully combined Western and Korean dishes within a fantasy historical setting, Lim led the show with charm and energy.
Her acting lent impact to cooking competition scenes, which could have felt cluttered, and reaffirmed her reputation as a bankable star.
Yeon Ji-young (Lim Yoon-a) and King Yi Heon (Lee Chae-won) in "Bon Appetit, Your Majesty" / Courtesy of tvN
The production was not without its hurdles. Originally cast opposite Lim, actor Park Sung-hoon withdrew following social media controversies, and rising actor Lee Chae-min joined the project at the last minute.
The show also drew criticism early on for a Chinese character error in its first episode and later for a scene depicting a Joseon prince bowing to a Ming envoy, which some called historically inaccurate. The issue subsided after writer Park Guk-jae cited Joseon’s official etiquette manual compiled in 1474 to clarify protocol.
Despite these setbacks, “Bon Appetit, Your Majesty” ultimately prevailed on the strength of its story and performances. The series secured a place in tvN’s drama lineup and added another milestone to Lim’s career.
A scene from "Bon Appetit, Your Majesty" / Courtesy of tvN
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.