Bon Appetit, Your Majesty

The Mangunrok goes directly to the Borgesian Library

It is a poem when a book is the end and the beginning of a nice story where we can enjoy the Korean cuisine adapting World famous recipes. And the book is a feast done by an in love man to an incredible cuisinier who teach and learn to love through an alternative story to real History. Is History being betrayed? We know for sure that Prince Sado real History was hidden and we do not know the real facts around Yeonsangun, we know only what the winners wrote in the Korean Chronicles. This is so Borges, my preferred author, that I cannot avoid to remember what Baricco said about TV series, "they are the new books". I understand this Bon Appetit series is based in a web novel that I could ever read if not made a TV series and I am grateful to be in this era where I can, in the other side of the world, follow the incredible story of Yeon Suksu and the more incredible arrangements to the well known 1506 Korean History. A world of the History that nerver were, a world of a novelist making her readers enjoy this parallel Universe. A world where we can salute to Borges so many times. Is there a previous Korean Borges I am totally ignorant of? It is deserved to be known if there exists.

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Bon Appétit, Your Majesty, 'A chopped bonny apples Joseon 'love' watch

Welcome to the time travel special of 'Chopped' Joseon style, ya'll!!! I have been waiting on this highly anticipated show since it began making its runs on the K-drama circuit. Then once it dropped...I had to suffer through dodging all the nasty little spoilers being shown. I sat in anxiety, hoping that I'd love this show, which, based on the previews, was giving me my other favorite time-traveling Joseon cooking rom-com show, "Mr. Queen," vibes. (I highly recommend that one.)

Interestingly enough...and this is a good thing, it was nothing like that, except in light homage of similar situational feels. That's it and that's all, but that's what sets the two apart for me, which makes me value Mr. Queen more. HOWEVER....Bonny Apples holds its own in giving me joy, laughs...early attraction and kisses, as well as all the different interpretations of food brought into the Joseon period. As a foodie, I was locked in. As a hopeless romantic, the recasting of our ML [Lee Chae-min] was PERFECTION (You all can look up the pre-production drama that happened with that; it was goofy, but eh). He gave all that needed to be given. Regal sex appeal, ruthless callousness...in needed situations and great fighting skills. Our FL [Im Yoon-ah] was an EXCELLENT contrast in bringing her modern sensibility, aloofness, and utter forgetfulness of the era she was in/disbelief in being in it, personality to his abrasive nature, which was being hidden purposefully due to royal intrigue. On top of that...sis could throw down in the kitchen, causing a PG version of my fave anime Food Wars, reactions.

I do recommend watching this show just for the escapism and food. I do have two lingering questions about that ending and epilogue as well. One is a minor little gripe related to my P.S. below. All in all, watch dis ish, and enjoy. My eyes were hit by onions at the end, because I'm a sap, go judge ya peoples!

RATING: As you see, I deducted a point...ONLY because of my two lingering questions, that are just 'wants' that I had. Otherwise, for moi, this drama is a solid 10.

P.S. Let me leave with my fave saying that only those in my Blaque K-drama group understand...

🗣️🗣️THAT SILVER-HAIRED BAMA!!! [Secondary actor: Jo Jae-Yoon] 😍

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This is no MR queen

In my opinion, the cast delivers strong performances. As for how open the world is, it's too early to tell after just two episodes, so I can't comment much on the setting yet. The plot has potential, but it could have benefited from a stronger writer. It feels like the writer was aiming for something in the vein of Mr. Queen, but didn’t quite hit the mark he or she totally miss it. The female lead comes across as overly ignorant of her situation, and it’s frustrating, she seems capable of nothing beyond cooking.

The first 30 minutes are particularly hard to get through. You’ll find yourself gritting your teeth, wondering why the story didn’t start differently and why the character is written to be so clueless. Sure, she’s in another world, but that doesn’t excuse the lack of basic awareness or adaptability. I did push through this rough beginning and hope she grows smarter and more strategic as the story progresses ,something she did in episode 2 what made me think she is the worse FMC ever written . You will now when that part come

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Expressive acting, hilarious

I’m a 30-year follower of East Asian films and dramas.
Chinese works, especially historical dramas, are often full-budget and intense with complex storylines and a large cast. Billions of views is not unreachable for China’s best works. One complaint is that more and more, capable actors have become zombie green screens for CGI.
Japanese films often explore spiritual conundrums, but the weekly serials tend to be insular and mundane. I’m avoiding the word “boring”. Japan’s public TV - NHK - is absurdly expensive and international audiences miss out on well-made non-fiction and dramatic content.
In contrast, Korean dramas are highly accessible. Facial expression, body movement and human-centered stories are the reason Netflix and other platforms have picked so many up.
“Bon Appetite…” is hilariously modern with a sarcastic nod to the historical genre. Super fun. Maybe I’ll expand my culinary repertoire.

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it’s cute but the ending was so rushed

The entire thing was not top tier or anything but I genuinely enjoyed it. I especially liked the way they portrayed the story, in the end the king was maybe bad, but even if he wasn’t he still would have been known as bad because that’s what the winner (prince jesan) decided. In the end, the ones who win are the ones who tell the story how they want. So I found that nice honesty.
Acting was good, both FL and ML played their roles really well for me.
The cooking aspect was enjoyable, I don’t know about other Kdrama watchers but maybe anime influenced me in this aspect so it felt like a slice of life cooking kdrama which made me unwind if anything.
However the ending… Ending it with “how he came to find me is not important cause now we’re together”..is very annoying. I don’t what happened with the production to want to wrap it up like that or maybe that’s how it was meant to be, but 1 more episode could have explained a few things, like what happened to his people who took over the palace? , like how he came to future? , and when he met her in the restaurant he was already well dressed in a normal outfit so how did that happen? , how did even find her?
So yea I enjoyed a whole 11 episodes of this, but the last part was so rushed it frustrated me.

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kinda reheated

I watched this with my dad since he really wanted to watch it, at first I was a little nervous it might be kinda inappropriate to watch with my dad because some kdramas get r rated for a little, but luckily there wasn't any. SO, if you're into that stuff, you probably won't like this show, but it was my cup of tea.
The cast was good, but idk how i feel about the ML, i think she did a pretty good job tho so idk. The male lead was great at being a petty king and the side characters were just as good.
My problem starts with this show lowkey being reheated nachos of Mr. Queen. It's not the exact same, but it had to have been somesort of inspiration. Or maybe the idea is so basic that they overlap? Both were good shows but they are so similar it's impossible to not think of the other a little. In the end they both end up in the modern world in some way.
I liked how in the end they reunited in the 21th century. Better than her having to be trapped in such ancient times for a boss lady chef.
I had a huge problem with his weird personalliy and lowkey anger issues. He was very cynical in his thinking, even if we can argue that maybe that is how he was raised, it's still gross how he thinks so little of a human life. Even treating the ml so terribly before he ends up falling for her... I also don't like how he cheats on his wife with the ML. I understand they dont love eachother but wth? Are we serious? Not even the slightest attempt to make him seem guilty of adultery. And the ML seems too okay with it as well.
I think a 9/10 is good enough and maybe even a little too generous.

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