YoonA Reflects on Her Role in 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty' and Her Journey as an Actress

YoonA, who has achieved consecutive hits with MBC's 'Big Mouth', JTBC's 'King the Land', and now tvN's 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty', shared behind-the-scenes stories and her candid thoughts as the series concluded. She discussed her experience of performing over 95% of her cooking scenes without a double, her preparation process that involved nearly six months of culinary training, her chemistry with her first younger co-star Lee Chae-min, and her reflections on her year-long journey as the character Yeon Ji-young.

Recently, we met with actress YoonA at a hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, where she shared her experiences from tvN's 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty'.

The new weekend drama 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty' is a survival fantasy romantic comedy about a chef who time-slips to the past at the peak of his career and meets a tyrannical king with an absolute palate.

In the series, YoonA plays the role of 'Yeon Ji-young', a French chef who encounters the king with an absolute palate. Reflecting on the end of the series, YoonA said, "I've been preparing and filming as Yeon Ji-young since the end of last year, and it's already been a year. It's bittersweet to think that this journey ends with 12 episodes, but I'm grateful and proud of the love we've received. I have mixed feelings about letting it go so soon."

'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty' topped the TV-OTT drama buzz rankings for five consecutive weeks according to Fundex, and YoonA also ranked first in actor buzz for five weeks, showcasing its high popularity. Regarding the show's success, YoonA expressed, "I personally found the theme of cooking intriguing and thought it was a universally appealing subject. However, I didn't expect it to be loved by so many people to this extent."

She added, "Since food is a globally engaging topic, I hoped it could be a work that introduces it beyond Korea, like K-food. I'm grateful and delighted that it received great love overseas."

Initially, actor Park Sung-hoon was cast as the male lead in 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty', but he stepped down after a controversy arose over explicit content posted on his social media last year. The role was subsequently taken over by Lee Chae-min.

With the casting change, YoonA worked alongside Lee Chae-min, who is 10 years her junior. When asked if she felt any pressure working with her first younger co-star, YoonA shared, "I've mostly worked with senior or peer actors, so this was my first time partnering with a younger and junior actor. I pondered on how we could create good chemistry."

She continued, "Recalling moments when past partners were a great help and support, I tried to express those aspects. Not just with Lee Chae-min, but all the actors portrayed their characters well without needing much effort from me, and our combined efforts completed the work."

The atmosphere on set was also harmonious. YoonA said, "We freely exchanged ideas on how to make scenes more interesting and how to develop emotional lines. When fellow actors offered good ideas, it broadened my perspective. Ultimately, good chemistry with partners brings scenes to life, and those scenes collectively create harmony in the work. I'm grateful to have worked with such great actors this time as well."

Playing the role of a French chef and the top royal chef, YoonA attended cooking classes three months before filming to hone her culinary skills. She performed over 95% of the cooking scenes without a double.

Regarding this, YoonA said, "I've been interested in cooking since I was young and always thought, 'I want to become someone who cooks well someday.' This project gave me the opportunity to learn properly, and I enjoyed the preparation process."

YoonA spent about three months attending a cooking academy to build her basics. She learned Western cuisine and plating from Chef Shin Jong-chul at the Ambassador Seoul Pullman Hotel, where the interview took place, and demonstrated the dishes featured in the drama. YoonA explained, "I worked on plating with the director, the food team, and Chef Oh Se-deuk, who participated as an advisor. Observing the process of creating dishes and sharing opinions helped me understand naturally."

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 processes, 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 from start to finish. There are many scenes I performed myself, and I'm grateful that my contributions were included in the work."

Support from her Girls' Generation members was also significant. She smiled, "The members capture broadcast photos and send them to me or convey congratulatory messages, cheering me on. They are always a strong presence, watching over and supporting each other."

When asked if she feels any pressure in choosing her next project after the success of 'Big Mouth', 'King the Land', and 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty', YoonA replied, "There's no pressure in choosing my next project because the works have been well-received. I tend to choose projects that instinctively interest and attract me, and that hasn't changed. For now, I've expended a lot of energy, so I'm not rushing to decide or start filming my next project. I'm open to any genre and want to wait patiently."

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