? If you happen to find a centuries-old recipe book, perhaps it’s best not to read the incantation on the back during a solar eclipse. Starring South Korean actress and pop star Im Yoon-ah (aka Yoona) alongside Lee Chae-min, Bon Appétit, Your Majesty is a limited fantasy series that follows an acclaimed modern-day chef who finds herself whisked back hundreds of years to Joseon-era Korea after curiosity gets the better of her.
Having just secured her victory at one of France’s most prestigious cooking competitions, Yeon Ji-Yeoung (Im) boards her plane home. Chef Yeon is in the plane’s restroom when the plane experiences turbulence during a solar eclipse — moments after she reads a cryptic message on the back of an ancient cookbook. That, it turns out, is a recipe for disaster.
A solar eclipse is also taking place centuries earlier, coinciding with the Joseon King’s hunt. Upon first encounter, Chef Yeon mocks the infamous tyrant Lee Heon, believing him to be a shoddy cosplayer abnormally committed to the act, her insolence putting her in danger. But when he’s attacked, Chef Yeon takes him to safety, enlisting the help of a farmer girl called Gil-Guem, who has a stellar sense of smell — perfect for a kitchen aide, a position she’ll soon be appointed alongside Yeon.
After a series of misunderstandings and a modern-day meal that takes the king back to his childhood, Lee Heon brings the chef to the palace as the chief royal chef — a move that brings dismay to the entire royal court. There, Chef Yeon wonders if her presence might alter the course of history. Yet as the episodes progress, it seems it’s her presence that wrote it. As she settles in the palace kitchen, the chef and her staff navigate ludicrous plots where the fate of the kingdom depends on whether or not Yeon can dish out a mean entrée.
From politically-charged cooking competitions with Ming (China) to a fair share of ingredient hunting, the show doesn’t take itself too seriously — but when it does, it does. The series is essentially what would happen if you took Game of Thrones and aired it on the Food Network: you’ll get some killer recipes… and professional killers.
Bon Appétit, Your Majesty is camp. The visuals are exaggerated, the sequences are bizarre, and the soundtrack is reminiscent of early noughties’ Turkish dramas. It's bingeable and addictive, with each 90-minute episode feeling like a standalone movie. Just keep an open mind and try not to laugh every time the king goes into a trance at the scent of the food.
WHERE TO WATCH- You can stream Bon Appétit, Your Majesty on Netflix. Catch the trailer on YouTube (runtime: 1:11).