How 'Bon Appetit, Your Majesty' created a K-food craze

A scene from "Bon Appetit, Your Majesty" / Courtesy of tvN

“Bon Appetit, Your Majesty,” the tvN weekend drama that has stirred a global K-food craze, has unveiled behind-the-scenes details of its elaborate food sequences.

The series has showcased a variety of fusion dishes that highlight the flavors of Korean cuisine as well as cooking scenes ranging from a royal chef selection contest to high-stakes culinary battles with national pride on the line. Creations such as sous vide steak, doenjang (soybean paste) pasta and Peking duck rolls — made with traditional ingredients and palace-inspired recipes enhanced by modern techniques — have given viewers at home and abroad a taste of Korea’s culinary richness.

Dishes showcased in "Bon Appetit, Your Majesty" / Courtesy of tvN

It is not only the food that has captured attention. The production also integrated traditional tools to substitute for modern kitchen appliances. For example, bamboo molds were used to shape raw beef in a haute cuisine course, and noodle presses were adapted to make pasta for doenjang dishes.

Subtle details, such as chefs personally preparing dishes in front of diners to whet appetites, further enriched the viewing experience. Yeon Ji-young’s plating style, using sauces and ingredients, contrasted with Ming dynasty chefs’ focus on elaborate carvings, adding another layer of spectacle.

Major international outlets have also spotlighted the food. A Forbes article said, “The real star of the time slip drama is the food,” while the New York Times noted that though it mixes genres, at its core it is a romantic comedy that conveys love through the language of food.

A scene from "Bon Appetit, Your Majesty" / Courtesy of tvN

The drama’s success in tantalizing global audiences stems from a combination of Im Yoona’s dedication to her role, the work of consulting chefs and director Jang Tae-yoo’s meticulous approach. Playing Yeon Ji-young, Yoona attended cooking classes and received direct instruction from chefs for three months before filming, personally handling nearly all the cooking scenes without using doubles. By carefully memorizing every process and gesture, she impressed the crew with her passion and precision.

Director Jang emphasized that “the real protagonist is the cooking itself,” ensuring that the culinary processes unfolded like stories on screen. The production team explained, “We studied historical sources to imagine what ingredients and dishes were available at the time, then built menus and props to create harmony.” They added, “Even though Yeon Ji-young prepares modern dishes such as pasta, steak and schnitzel (German noodles), she mainly uses Korean ingredients like doenjang, freshwater clams, ginseng and misugaru (mixed multigrain powder). We wanted to show global viewers how familiar techniques can turn local ingredients into something extraordinary.”

With its special royal table infused with modern culinary methods, “Bon Appetit, Your Majesty” continues to satisfy viewers’ appetites. The next episode airs at 9:10 p.m. on Saturday.

This article from Xportsnews is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.