This review may contain spoilers
Fantastic Premise Build Around Food, but Neglects the Meat of Story with Filler
As soon as the FL mysteriously traveled 400 years into the past there was instant intrigue. Her disbelief at her transition and resulting responses to the situations she encountered was highly entertaining and hilarious. Her journey to the past did not erase her love for cooking and food. Thus from the moment she arrived in this new world, food played an integral role in driving the story forward.Unfortunately, the story eventually gets lost in political mischief and cooking competitions. The latter of which didn’t hold the magic that was the earlier stories. And the former, having the potential to add some interesting layers to the ML and overall story but did not receive the attention needed to develop in a way that would make the audience care.
The leads had nice chemistry. But I wasn't particularly invested in their love, mainly due to the ML, who was the king, ill-tempered and immature. He spent more time threatening violence and feening for the FL’s tasty dishes than than being crafty and cunning when dealing with his enemies. He would leave the palace and venture into the out of regions and fly off the handle at the most inopportune times. Even worse, in the end, this guy abandoned his kingdom and his people, that was in chaos, to run to the future after the FL. Not a good king, nor a good character at all.
That said, the lead actor in this, Lee Chae-Min, was fantastic. He did a great job with the material. This was a great series to start but lost it's charm halfway through and was unable to regain it through the end.
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10% Romance – The love story never reached that “soulmate” depth. It felt more like “you’re my type, let’s see where this goes,” rather than a bond powerful enough to alter fate.
10% Palace Politics – The political intrigue was shallow and underdeveloped. Threads were left hanging, missing the chance to add richness and tension to the story.
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Pretty Plates; Plot on a Diet
Aesthetically pleasing visuals and good looking leads minus plot and character development gives us Bon Appetite, Your Majesty.If I had adjusted my expectation going into it, I might not have felt let down. Due to all the hype and buzz the show created on the internet, my expectations were way up there. The show did not deliver.
There is no plot to begin with. Because of that, there is no development for any character. Every character is a two dimensional version of themselves. It makes for rather a bland and spiceless (pun intended) rom-com. Rom part of the rom-com is missing, and the com part is okayish.
The visuals are aesthetically pleasing. Cooking and dishing scenes are fun to watch. Plus, we get a good looking pair as leads. They also play the parts assigned to them pretty alright, just not enough to make for a memorable show. Again, with practically no story to begin with, they have no way of showing much acting skills. Yoon ah has been doing similar roles for ever. So she effortlessly strolls through it. Lee Chae Min may have potential. He does his part well too, but I did not find anything extraordinary there. I think he may get better with time as he gains more experience. There was a lot of hype about their “sizzling” chemistry. I found it underwhelming. For me, it was like watching two good looking people in a frame. There was no particular spark. So when their inevitable kiss happened, it was no big deal for me. Meh..Kang Han na plays the same pretty, petty, plotting antagonist. No big challenge for her.
I loved Yoon Seo ah’s Gil Geum. She made me lol with her twitchy nose and unique bulldog like abilities. Innocent, faithful and loyal Gil Geum was like a breath of fresh air.
The music is alright. Costume and production are what you can expect from a Netflix show.
It’s not a bad show if your expectations are adjusted. Mine were not. So it turned out to be an underwhelming watch for me.
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This review may contain spoilers
Great language skill displays otherwise nope
If you're here for a kdrama with substance this isn't it. But there are gems that make some episodes worthwhile.Let's get the cons out of the way:
- The political plot is just the typical "royal relative wants to usurp throne because he feels more entitled to it" BS. Yawnfest.
- The romance angle fails to lift off from more than the suggestion of Stockholm Syndrome since the male protagonist had no qualms killing the heroine from the word go. Plus, can't say a married guy who has a habit of forcing women into sexual slavery makes for a winner.
- The heroine's reactions to many situations are just dumb and unrealistic.
- Many unrealistic behaviours occur at tense moments.
- Those above really made me want to quit the show on episode 1 however, the pros do make viewing with watching but only in the relevant episodes...
Pros (and it's really quite worth it, imho):
This is one of the few Korean shows that really put in an effort with correct language skills. The heroine's French isn't 100% but is closer to the correct diction then other kdramas I've heard. Moreover, the actors taking on Ming characters really put in a great effort with their Mandarin pronunciation, especially Jo Jae Yoon, as Tang Bai Long. Although his pronunciation isn't 100% comprehensible he nails the natural speaking tempo of the language way better than most attempts I've heard. It was a real pleasure listening to him each time. He cements his acting prowess when he speaks Korean back to his competitors, acting as though he's not a native Korean speaker by being "clumsy" in his speech with it. I was floored and impressed by his attention to detail. He really made the whole show worth watching for the cultural exchange aspects between the Ming and Joseon competitors
cooks.
Conclusion: If you're a language buff, it's worth watching the first and other episodes with the Ming cooks in them. If you're looking for a good kdrama, possibly give this a miss.
Jo Jae Yoon's acting is a 10/10 in an otherwise 1.5/10 series.
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Could be much better!!
Beautiful photography, very good actors but such a waste of quality when they begin to use endless clichés scenes of medíocre kdramas.I can't understand why they did that because they have a interisting story, fun dialogues, skilled actors, beautiful scenarys and a very good photography diretor! Such a waste of good resources!!!
The screenplayers seem to be lazy and uncompromised.
I hope the next episodes Will be more creative and varied.
Congrats to the ML for his performance. FL is always great!
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Promising Beginning Not lived Up To in the Closure
I love the characters and story set up by the makers. What hurts my heart is that the actors, especially the stars, are all so good and deserved stronger and more balanced closure—which they didn’t get. The writers, directors, and producers had a great idea, but let us down with a 5-minute wrap up of what could have been a thrilling final 2 or 3 eps. I would like to see them admit they squandered the gold they had in that story and give us a second season which focuses on those two wonderful stars and the dramatic, thrilling love story in the future that was right in front of all of them.Major Point: Even if some viewers do like the 10-minute ending, stylistically alone it is off balance with the rest of the series. Tons of time on pots of food for episodes, but hardly a whiff of the actual love story across time. They blew the opportunity to do so much more with our leads and the love story across centuries.
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The writer must be sick
I watched this drama because my boyfriend recommended that this show is fun and i need to watch this. Sorry for telling you this babe, but i won't trust your recommendation ever again. so, this show was starting strong in the early episodes, but again and again, the writer ruined the last 2 episodes! aarghh, like wtf dear writer, you waste so much potential with such beautiful with good-acting-skilled actors and nice osts!!!!! spoiler alert!!!
wtf with the ending??? at least show us glimpses of scenes of how the majesty goes to the future!! it was nonsensical and out of logic if the ending just finished like that. i know the writer must be already lazy enough to finish the story and just put all of the trivial things that usually happen in time-traveling drama. And all the emotions that i felt while watching this drama were all 'almost'. it is sad, but not sad enough to make me cry. it is happy, but the way the scene portrays the emotions was not good, so i'm not happy enough. The feelings of 'almost' make me not satisfied at all watching this drama. so sad that i wasted my time watching this.
Watching this drama feels like eating a good appetizer, but with a very bad main course and dessert. wasting time. will not rewatch this.
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A Feast for the Eyes, But Not the Story
This drama, essentially a MasterChef competition set in the Joseon era, is certainly a fun watch with an interesting premise. I was immediately hooked after the first episode, which masterfully showcased the great idea of a culinary competition. If you enjoy food competition shows, you will absolutely love the culinary aspects. The food styling is insane—it is impossible to watch without immediately feeling hungry, as the cooking and resulting dishes are undoubtedly the main character of the show. The popularity of the drama is understandable, driven by this appealing culinary theme and the presence of a handsome male lead.However, after that strong start, the show faltered as the focus shifted away from the great cooking and toward courtly intrigues. Where the show excels visually, it fails narratively. While the story is loosely inspired by real historical events, this is strictly a backdrop and not a properly explored historical drama. If you are looking for a deep storyline or compelling plot execution, this is not the right choice. It is an easy watch, but the story is not deep, and it suffers from being overhyped. There are far greater dramas that deserve this level of attention, which is a real shame.
The drama struggles significantly when the cooking and competition are removed. Chae Min was the only character that truly stood out, and if you take away the culinary element, you are left with a weak script. This failure of writing became painfully apparent in the final episodes. They were a real disaster—so boring and badly written that I was forced to skip scenes just to finish. It’s a huge missed opportunity; the show should have concentrated more on the actual story and explored the female lead’s potential arc, such as her attempts to change the future, instead of relying on the cooking spectacle. Ultimately, the miracle ending felt unearned, capping off a season where great visuals were let down by poor scripting.
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Lazy Writing: Tyrant to Softboy Overnight
Everything from romance, character arcs to plot was underdeveloped. The idea that she could cure illnesses instantly with food makes no sense. The tone swings from serious to comedic with no warning.A plot that wandered off course. Premise vs. Delivery.
The show begins with a compelling setup: King Yi Heon is introduced as a tyrant, the consort is a villain, and palace enemies. The promotional material including the trailer and official synopsis clearly paints him as a dangerous ruler: " She’s forced to cook for an infamously temperamental tyrant, King Yi Heon, a ruler with a killer palate and a deadly temper.” But after just a few episodes, his personality and plot direction flips. He becomes a softboy with barely any explanation. The show tricked viewers into watching! Expecting a slow-burn romance and emotional unraveling through food, only to deliver a rushed character rewrite. The show shifted direction fast, abandoning the premise.
A plot that feels like three different dramas stitched together.
1) Political danger, cold tyran king etc.
2) Then: Sudden romance shift. The king becomes a softboy. The Ming cooking competition begins and drags on.
3) Almost near the end: Whiplash back to political rebellion, betrayel, romance THAT DID NOT get explored.
Final episodes: tries to tie everything together in a rushed way.
Romance sucks, then "I LOVE YOU." all of a sudden
This drama is barely a romance. It teased a gradual emotional connection, her capturing his heart through food. Instead he falls too fast. Her perspective is glossed over, and she acts like a frozen robot pretending to be into it. There is no buildup.
Female Lead: Very hard to connect with.
Despite being the protagonist, she rarely showed emotional depth and wasn’t layered at all. She stops questioning her surroundings, doesn’t act on her knowledge. She was passive in romance scenes, often reacting with blank expressions or minimal dialogue. Was that the actor’s fault, or the script’s? Both. An actress who CAN NOT express emotions in a real way. Her character arc lacked growth: she didnt evolve, reflect,
Lacks depth: dilemma and his trauma.
The fl knows the historical consequences. She’s aware of the bloodshed and the villains. Her dilemma—whether or not to tell him—is a an important conflict. But the show forgets it.
The Ml trauma about his mother, his complicated relationship with the queen, and the palace enemies are not explored meaningfully.
The Ming Cooking Competition:
The Ming storyline did NOT fit in the story and dragged out way too long. Four out of twelve episodes—one-third of the entire drama—were wasted on a subplot that barely moved the story forward
This drama promised tension, emotional depth, and a romance. It delivered none of that.
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This review may contain spoilers
We were robbed
I went into Bon Appétit, Your Majesty with high expectations, but after completing all twelve episodes, I was left disappointed. What could have been a truly engaging historical-meets-modern drama fell short of its potential. Comparisons to Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo do this series no favors — it never comes close to delivering the same depth or impact.To be fair, there are many things this drama gets right. The cast, cinematography, storyline foundation, and costume design all showed promise. The series successfully blended comedy, emotion, and drama in the early episodes. However, by episode six, the momentum stalled. What began as a weekly highlight quickly became a chore, and I ended up binging the last half of the series simply to finish it rather than out of excitement.
As a fan of Yoona, I wanted to love her performance here. While her presence undoubtedly anchored the show, it was Lee Chae-min who truly carried the drama. His portrayal was compelling, confident, and full of charisma — he stepped into the role with the energy of a true lead. His performance makes me eager to see more of his future projects. Unfortunately, the writing didn’t give his character the context or depth he deserved, especially regarding how he ended up in the future.
Yoona’s character also felt underdeveloped. Her futuristic advantage seemed reduced to little more than her cooking skills, which, while charming, felt underwhelming given the stakes of the plot. For a supposed romance drama, her lack of urgency in pivotal moments — particularly surrounding the king’s fate and key political events — left the story flat.
The show’s biggest flaws came from rushed storytelling and glaring plot holes, which likely stemmed from its shorter 12-episode format. Instead of tightening the narrative, the limited run made the writing feel lazy and incomplete.
Ultimately, Bon Appétit, Your Majesty gained popularity thanks to its attractive leads, Yoona and Lee Chae-min, and the visibility that comes with a Netflix release. However, it struggled to rise above surface-level appeal. Many of the glowing reviews feel repetitive and uncritical, but for me, the reality is clear: this was a missed opportunity for something much greater.
At the end of the day, it was a visually appealing drama with strong performances — particularly from Lee Chae-min — but undermined by weak writing, unresolved plot points, and a lack of payoff.
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Started with Great Potential But Ending Ended Up Being Meh
If you're looking to play something in the background, this drama would be the one to play.I started off enjoying most of this drama, as the plot in the beginning had potential and all the food looked SO good. Honestly, I think the cooking and food is what carried this drama.
Without going into any spoilers -- in short, I felt like the drama fell apart as it approached the end. There was (of course) some historical political drama that occurs throughout the story and it just ended up being really rushed at the end as the writers tried wrapping this up in 12 episodes.
If you're looking for a good historical drama, look elsewhere. However, if you're looking for a drama to play in the background with drool worthy dishes, this fits the bill.
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Simple Yet Enjoyable
My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.I don’t often watch sageuks, but I tend to like sageuks that involve a female lead that goes back in time. I think I am just able to relate to them better that way – by watching someone from my generation figure out how to survive in a foreign world. I dropped The First Night with the Duke because the female lead from the modern world didn’t bring any modernity with her (aside from the cliché of a female lead being really good at mixing drinks and playing drinking games...and sexual promiscuity…). Fortunately, Bon Appetit, Your Majesty delivered on what I was looking for from this type of drama.
Acting/Cast: I didn’t like the male lead so much in the beginning because of his acting style, but he grew on me throughout the course of the drama. I thought I wouldn’t like the female lead, but she did a really good job. I think she fit the role very nicely. I liked the side characters – particularity Gil Geum. She was so cute. I really enjoyed her relationship with the female lead. Most of the characters are likable in general, aside from the villains. 7/10
Writing: I think the female lead was a very well-written character and I think that is what ultimately made this drama work as well as it did. She is fun, strong, talented, level-headed, and, most importantly, believable. Like I alluded to in the beginning, the female lead’s character brings aspects of the modern world with her to the Joseon era, such as hand gestures, vocabulary, and of course recipes. Instead of trying to just blend in with everyone else, she remains unique and even tells other characters that she’s from the future. I was very happy about that. The premise of the drama is simple. So simple that if you don’t enjoy the cooking aspect of the drama, then, there’s not much else to hold your attention. The majority of the drama is the cooking and in contest-like fashion. I didn’t think I would enjoy something like that, but I did. I was actually bummed when the cooking stopped towards the last couple episodes or so. Even though the drama focuses heavily on food, there is a consistent romance storyline as well as the typical plan to overthrow the king that persists throughout the entirety of the drama. It’s all pretty basic since this is a 12-episode food-centered drama, but I enjoyed all of it. One thing I dislike about sagueks is that they are typically very depressing with a lot of torture. This drama is not like that at all, which is a huge reason why I liked it as much as I did. However, I can say that I was hugely disappointed that more wasn’t done with Gil Geum’s character, such as her own love story. I was also disappointed in the ending. It’s not the worst ending, but it would have been easy to give us some sort of explanation. It’s like the writers gave up in the end. The characters suddenly felt lifeless—as if they only existed for the female lead instead of being their own unique individuals. 4.5/10
Direction/SFX/Music: This drama has a charming quality to it. It’s like a comfort drama. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and it looks nice. The food scenes are definitely the highlight of the drama. The OST didn’t stand out to me. It’s your basic K-drama romance songs. 6/10
Entertainment Value: I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this drama. This is the first time I’ve watched a food drama. Even though I’ve never been a foodie, I found it interesting and educational. I liked to watch while eating dinner. 7/10
Overall, I gave this drama a 6/10. A 6 or higher is in my ‘would recommend’ zone. It’s a pretty basic drama, but it has a certain charm to it. The female lead is a well-written and acted character and the other characters are likable as well. I would recommend this drama if you like happier and more family-friendly sageuks.
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