Bon Appétit, Your Majesty: 5 reasons the Netflix K-drama became a global sensation

Right from the first episode, Bon Appétit, Your Majesty proved that it's not just a K-drama, but a feast for the eyes and heart of fans. Since Lee Chae-min wasn't always the first choice to play the male lead, many doubted how the K-drama would be received by viewers.

And soon after the premiere, the actor made headlines for his undeniable chemistry with Yoona, despite the age gap between the actors. Not just the chemistry, but also the mouthwatering food that Yeon Ji-young makes and other characters made the story both heartwarming and fun.

Recently, tvN has also released a special episode of Bon Appétit, Your Majesty on its official YouTube channel, but the English subtitles are currently unavailable. The episode brought back the main cast members to discuss the unanswered questions from the finale of the K-drama.

In one of the parts of the extra episode, Lee Chae-min can be seen reprising his role of King Lee-heon while having lunch and asking Ji-young what kind of dish he's seeing right now. The episode also aired live on the network on October 4, and remains a trendy topic to discuss online.

Let’s break down the five key reasons why Bon Appétit, Your Majesty became one of Netflix’s most talked-about K-dramas.

5 reasons behind the massive success of Netflix's latest K-drama Bon Appétit, Your Majesty

The King accompanied Ji-young at the village market (Image via tvN)

Bon Appétit, Your Majesty didn’t just attract K-drama fans. It pulled in people from everywhere. The story feels warm and fresh, mixing royal romance with a love for food in a way that instantly connects with viewers.

So, let's find out what ingredients turned this royal rom-com into an international hit:

1) The on-screen chemistry between Yoona and Lee Chae-min

Ji-young learns about the King's feelings (Image via tvN)

Casting Girls' Generation's Yoona opposite rising star Lee Chae-min gave Bon Appétit, Your Majesty immediate attention. Initially, fans were upset with Park Sung-hoon's exit from the show, as he was confirmed to play King Lee-heon.

However, the Squid Game 2 controversy resulted in Park leaving the K-drama, and the director cast Lee Chae-min. In one of his interviews, Lee shared that he only had a month to prepare and dealt with notable pressure.

Despite the challenges, Lee was able to give his all to play King Lee-heon, and as a result, he ended up becoming the most popular rising star in the K-drama world. At the same time, Yoona is a well-known actress, and the contributions of other cast members led to the huge success of the show.

Also Read: Loved Lee Chae-min in Bon Appétit, Your Majesty? Here are 5 K-dramas where you can watch him shine

2) Mouthwatering food scenes

Expand Tweet

The production team of Bon Appétit, Your Majesty treated every dish like a main character in each episode. The makers ensured careful plating, close-ups, and recipes that fans can recreate.

On top of that, the visuals during King Lee-heon tasting Ji-young's dishes for the first time also excited fans. As the chief royal cook made a new dish in every episode, viewers eagerly waited to watch the King and others' reaction to tasting food that didn't exist in the Joseon era.

Not only this, Yoona took a six-month training from a five-star chef to make food for the K-drama, and bring authenticity to the story. Her hard work paid off as fans flooded the social media platforms with Ji-young's food recepies.

3) High production values and a strong creative team

The King fell in love with Ji-young (Image via tvN)

Director Jang Tae-yoo, known for making hits like My Love From the Star, and more, helmed the director's chair along with Studio Dragon backing the K-drama. From eye-catching costume designs to cinematic visuals, the entire team ensured the Joseon court felt lush and modern at once.

4) Netflix + global visibility

The royal cooks form a gang (Image via tvN)

It wasn’t just Korea that embraced the series. On Netflix, Bon Appétit, Your Majesty rapidly climbed non-English TV show rankings globally. Every week, fans waited for new episodes to drop on the tvN local channel and Netflix for the rest of the world.

The availability of the K-drama on Netflix brought an impressive number of viewers and also contributed to the cast's popularity. Many are now curious to watch other shows featuring Yoona and Lee in major roles.

5) Unique genre mash-up and plot

Lee-heon and Ji-young reunite in the future (Image via tvN)

The show mixes time-travel fantasy with palace intrigue and a focus on cooking. That rare combo hooks viewers who like rom-coms, historical drama, and foodie content all at once.

Ji-young, who came from the future and specializes in French cuisine, had to adapt to the Joseon era cooking methods, and while doing so, she came up with tricks to bring the modern taste. Her skills and knowledge became a topic of discussion inside the palace, making the story even more engaging.