Intriguing Emotions Unfold Between Lee Heon and Yeon Ji-young in 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty'

Lee Chae-min develops intriguing feelings towards Im Yoon-ah.

On the 5th episode of tvN's 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty' (directed by Jang Tae-yoo, written by fGRD), aired on the night of the 6th at 9:10 PM, the complex relationship between Lee Heon (played by Lee Chae-min) and Yeon Ji-young (played by Lim Yoon-a) was depicted.

In this episode, Lee Heon, while intoxicated, kissed Yeon Ji-young but failed to remember the incident the next day. Unable to contain her anger, Yeon Ji-young spent the night making hangover soup, pounding dried pollack, and served it for breakfast, pointedly saying, "See if you feel guilty, though you probably won't." However, Lee Heon nonchalantly replied, "Alcohol is for forgetting," and feigned ignorance when Yeon Ji-young pressed him about the previous night's events. Ultimately, Yeon Ji-young drew a line, stating, "You are not my type," and "You are not my ideal or preference," while Lee Heon also tried to distance himself, saying, "You are not a woman to me."

However, upon hearing from the court official Chang-seon (played by Jang Gwang) that he had kissed the head chef the previous night, Lee Heon was shocked and began to recall the memory. Conflicted, he pondered, "It might be easier to pretend nothing happened, but should I try to appease her?" Despite his attempts to rationalize, he couldn't stop thinking about Yeon Ji-young, even skipping meals.

Yeon Ji-young, too, was reminded of her father left in the future and worried about Lee Heon's health. She was flustered when Lee Heon's face overlapped with the moonlit night, and she was delighted when he finally requested dinner. As Lee Heon enjoyed the meal prepared by Yeon Ji-young, he mused to himself, "I can't tell if I'm hungry because I think of you or if I think of you because I'm hungry," and revealed his inner thoughts, "Why does my heart race when I see you?"

Meanwhile, Kang Mok-joo (played by Kang Han-na) was wary of Yeon Ji-young. Offering a chicken dish, Kang Mok-joo subtly suggested, "Stay away from women and focus on the country," which angered Yeon Ji-young, who retorted, "Are you calling me a hen?" Kang Mok-joo was already aware of the previous night's kiss and viewed Yeon Ji-young as a thorn in her side. However, contrary to Mok-joo's schemes, Lee Heon began to protect Yeon Ji-young, showing signs of growing affection.

Lee Heon, contemplating a gift to appease Yeon Ji-young, received her lost bag from Im Song-jae (played by Oh Eui-sik). He invited Yeon Ji-young to the world's first greenhouse garden, saying, "Feel free to use this place. Fresh ingredients are essential for good cooking," offering it as a gift. He then handed her the bag, saying, "I picked this up on the way," which delighted Yeon Ji-young, prompting her to embrace him.

Startled, Lee Heon apologized, "I'm sorry for what happened at the pavilion," and when Yeon Ji-young asked if the gift was to cheer her up, he internally confessed, 'Because you are starting to appear as a woman to me.' Outwardly, he deflected, saying, "I like the food you make," but as Yeon Ji-young pursued him, asking, "Why are you running away?" they both fell, intensifying the romantic tension between them.

Reporter Lim Chae-ryeong, Ten Asia syjj426@tenasia.co.kr