The TV series 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty' has surpassed a 17% viewership rating, and director Chang Tae-you has shared his thoughts in an exclusive interview.
As tvN's weekend drama 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty' continues to captivate audiences with various events, director Chang Tae-you expressed his gratitude to the fans for their overwhelming support. He also shared his admiration for the cast and revealed some behind-the-scenes secrets.
1. How do you feel now that 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty', which garnered much attention even before its premiere, has concluded successfully?
I am filled with gratitude. We started this drama with the idea of creating a historical Korean cooking drama where a chef's heartfelt dishes transform people (even a king). I'm thrilled and proud that it received so much love until the end. I'm also pleased with the comparisons to 'Jewel in the palace'.
2. The show received immense love for its diverse stories, from the romance between the chef and the tyrant to the delicious dishes and palace intrigues. Why do you think 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty' was so well-received, and did you anticipate such a reaction?
I prepared it thinking it was a story with mass appeal, but I didn't expect such overwhelming love. Perhaps it's because it was a familiar yet refreshing drama. The cooking and eating scenes were meticulously filmed, making viewers feel like they were watching a mukbang, which seemed to capture their interest and affection.
Palace intrigue is a popular theme. The familiar yet newly expressed palace intrigue in 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty' was adapted to be easily understood by young people or those unfamiliar with history, which likely contributed to its popularity.
3. The international response was also explosive. It became the first tvN drama to rank #1 for two consecutive weeks on Netflix's non-English TV show list, and foreign media highlighted it as a drama that revisits K-food after 'Jewel in the palace'. What do you think captivated international viewers, and were there any memorable reactions from them?
Food is a universal theme that transcends language and culture, allowing international viewers to easily immerse themselves. Following the journey of French chef Yeon Ji-young (played by Lim Yoon-a), who wins a cooking competition, viewers were naturally intrigued by the process of a modern chef blending French cuisine with royal cuisine from the past. I remember social media posts from international viewers recreating the dishes from the drama. I'm delighted that 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty' has lowered the entry barrier to K-food.
4. Before the first broadcast, you mentioned hoping viewers would feel hungry while watching the drama. Many viewers indeed reported feeling hungry while watching the dishes featured in the show. What were the special directing points you focused on to stimulate viewers' late-night cravings?
I constantly pondered what food to show at what moment and how to make it look most delicious. The gochujang butter bibimbap in episode 1 is the simplest and most ordinary dish in the drama, shared by the protagonist Yeon Ji-young and Lee Heon (played by Lee Chae-min) after enduring hardships. Since it's a familiar dish, we focused on filming the scene of gathering ingredients in the past to pique curiosity. We used special filming techniques for scenes like mixing gochujang and butter or making and breaking a poached egg to stimulate hunger from familiar flavors.
In the cooking competition scenes, we paid great attention to the cooking methods and final plating. Yeon Ji-young frequently uses the flambé technique, showcasing it alone in episode 4 and competing with Ming Dynasty chef Abisu (played by Moon Seung-yu) in episode 8. These scenes were designed to heighten anticipation for the completed dishes.
I thought of Yeon Ji-young's cooking as akin to a hero's superpower in a superhero story. The final plating had to be visually stunning and appetizing, so we held numerous meetings and demonstrations with consulting chefs to perfect Yeon Ji-young's signature dishes. The plating of the rival chefs was also crucial, with colorful and unique arrangements like the royal dishes eomandu and yeonpotang in episode 4. The Ming Dynasty chefs' plating featured 'ingredient carving', adding grandeur to dishes like 'Kung Pao Chicken' with cucumber flower decorations and 'Buddha Jumps Over the Wall' with a radish-carved dragon.
5. Besides the cooking scenes, the unique CG effects and humorous background music after eating scenes elicited laughter from viewers. Some viewers even said they watched 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty' for the CG. How did you come up with these CG effects, and do you have any anecdotes from the filming set?
While preparing the cooking drama, I realized that eating is as important as cooking. I decided to include fun CG effects to convey the shocking taste experiences of characters like Lee Heon, who taste Yeon Ji-young's modern fine dining for the first time.
When Lee Heon first tasted sous-vide cooking, I thought it would be fun to express the surprise of MSG flavor with fireworks-like joy. We filmed a scene with Lee Heon on a dolly, moving back and forth with the camera, changing the lighting to create the illusion of moving to a different space, which was one of the most meticulously crafted scenes.
When Lee Heon first tasted haute cuisine and ate 'Venison Beyond', we filmed a scene in a field in Jeollanam-do, where he sees a giant deer and bursts into laughter. The point was the enormous deer, which was intended to give a surreal feeling, symbolizing the shock of the taste.
6. The romance scenes between Yeon Ji-young and Lee Heon received praise for their beautiful cinematography. The confession scene at Unyeongjeong was particularly loved. What directing points did you focus on to maximize the romantic tension between Yeon Ji-young and Lee Heon?
The scene where Yeon Ji-young, who had been searching for Mangunrok to return to the present, realizes her feelings and kisses Lee Heon was set in the same pavilion as the drunken kiss in episode 4. By setting it in the same space, I thought it would better convey the maturity and depth of their emotions. This kiss was a perfect kiss, with both characters' feelings aligned, so cherry blossoms fluttered as if the whole world was celebrating. It was a festive atmosphere.
7. The interest in actors Lim Yoon-a and Lee Chae-min, who led the drama, is also high. What would you like to say to these two actors who created a culinary fantasy romantic comedy with you?
Handling either cooking or historical drama alone would have been challenging, but they followed through excellently from the cold winter to the hot summer, not neglecting any aspect of cooking, historical drama, comedy, or romance. I can't imagine Yeon Ji-young and Lee Heon as anyone other than Lim Yoon-a and Lee Chae-min. I'm incredibly grateful and thankful for their outstanding performances.
8. Besides Lim Yoon-a and Lee Chae-min, the performances of the actors playing the royal chefs, Lee Heon's people, and rivals, who had strong presences, were also praised. How was your experience working with them?
Since the royal kitchen is Yeon Ji-young's main space, we put a lot of thought into the roles and personalities of the chefs and the chemistry between Yeon Ji-young and the chefs from the planning stage. Due to the nature of historical dramas, most filming was done in the provinces, and cooking competitions often took over a week to shoot. This led to a strong bond forming among the actors, which was reflected in the growing unity between Yeon Ji-young and the royal chefs.
Suhyuk (played by Park Young-woon), Changseon (played by Jang Gwang), and Choi Sang-gung (played by Park Joon-myeon) are the steadfast supporters of the tyrant Lee Heon. Even without dialogue, their expressions convey deep emotions. Choi Sang-gung's moments of tasting Yeon Ji-young's dishes are particularly comedic yet create a warm, familial atmosphere. I'm glad viewers recognized this sentiment.
Prince Jesan (played by Choi Guy-hwa) pretends to be a fool throughout the drama but reveals his ambition to become king in the latter half, while Kang Mok-joo (played by Kang Han-na) remains loyal to him, leading to a tragic end. The schnitzel scene in episode 5 and the coup in the latter half have very different tones, but actors Choi Guy-hwa and Kang Han-na balanced them exceptionally well.
9. What kind of drama has 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty' been for you, and how would you like it to be remembered by viewers?
Although it's my fifth historical drama, it felt like my first due to the challenging and demanding nature of the work. I consider food dramas a completely new genre, separate from historical or modern dramas. While I'm satisfied with the success and ratings achieved through this new challenge, I also reflect on the shortcomings and areas for improvement as a director.
I want to express my gratitude once again to the viewers who loved our drama, which opened with a strong first bite of gochujang butter bibimbap. Although the drama has ended, I hope it remains a pleasant memory that brings a smile whenever a scene from 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty' comes to mind.
10. Lastly, could you share a message for those who watched 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty'?
I created the drama with the mindset of serving a royal feast with each episode. Thanks to the viewers who enjoyed the drama, I spend each day happily. Once again, I bow my head in deep gratitude, and I hope you enjoy a sumptuous meal tonight as well.
Tae Yuna, Ten Asia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr