YoonA Embraces Culinary Challenge for Role in 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty'

Actress YoonA revealed she attended a culinary school to prepare for her role as a chef.

Recently, YoonA, who stars in tvN's 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty,' was interviewed at a hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul.

tvN's new weekend drama 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty is a survival fantasy romantic comedy about a chef who time-slips to the past and meets a tyrant king with an absolute palate. The show's finale achieved impressive ratings, with 17.4% in the metropolitan area and a peak of 20%, and 17.1% nationwide with a peak of 19.4%, according to Nielsen Korea.

In the drama, YoonA plays 'Yeon Ji-young,' a French chef who encounters the king with an absolute palate. To authentically portray her role as a French chef and the top chef of the royal kitchen, she attended culinary school for three months before filming and performed over 95% of the cooking scenes herself without a double.

YoonA shared, "I've always been interested in cooking since I was young and wanted to become someone who cooks well. This project gave me the perfect opportunity to learn properly, and I enjoyed the preparation process."

YoonA spent about three months honing her skills at a culinary school. She learned Western cuisine and plating from Chef Shin Jong-chul at the Ambassador Seoul Pullman Hotel and demonstrated the dishes featured in the drama. "I worked with the director, the food team, and Chef Oh Se-deuk, who participated as a consultant, to perfect the plating. Observing the cooking process and sharing opinions helped me understand it naturally," she explained.

YoonA added, "From the moment I received the script, I did image training with a list of cooking-related dramas provided by the director and practiced consistently at home. Including these efforts, I was immersed in cooking for nearly half a year. Although there was a double, I wanted to do as much as I could myself. Many scenes were performed by me, and I'm grateful they included my work in the project."

Support from her Girls' Generation members was also significant. "The members capture broadcast photos and send them to me with congratulatory messages. We always support each other and draw strength from one another," she said with a smile.

By Kim Se-ah, TenAsia Reporter haesmik@tenasia.co.kr