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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