“Bon Appétit, Your Majesty” Reigns Supreme on Global Netflix Charts, Building Feverish Hype for the Epic Finale

As the clock ticks down to just two weeks before its grand finale, Netflix’s sizzling K-romance culinary sensation “Bon Appétit, Your Majesty” has rocketed to No. 1 on the Global Netflix Non-English TV chart, captivating over 6.8 million viewers in its fourth week and storming into the Top 10 in 65 countries from Asia to Europe and the Americas, proving once again why it’s one of the most addictive K-dramas of 2025. Premiering on August 23 on tvN and Netflix with a weekly Saturday-Sunday schedule, the 12-episode series—adapted from the web novel Surviving as Yeonsangun’s Chef by Park Guk-jae—has masterfully fused time-travel fantasy, high-stakes romance, and mouthwatering Joseon-era fusion cuisine into a binge-worthy feast that’s left fans worldwide salivating for more, with its latest episode drawing massive online buzz and culinary recreations flooding social media. Starring Girls’ Generation’s Lim Yoon-a (Im Yoon-ah) as the feisty modern chef Yeon Ji-young and rising heartthrob Lee Chae-min as the tyrannical yet palate-sensitive King Heon, the drama’s electric chemistry and innovative dishes—like Ji-young’s viral galbijjim-boeuf bourguignon fusion in Episode 8, layered with a poignant backstory of resilience—have turned it into a cultural phenomenon, earning raves from The New York Times as “a grab bag of genres, but at its core it’s a romantic comedy with cooking as its love language.” With Episode 9 dropping this weekend on September 20-21, promising a decisive culinary clash that could shift kingdom powers and intensify the budding romance, anticipation is at a fever pitch, as fans rally behind Ji-young’s palace kitchen team against scheming rivals and court conspiracies.

The series’ meteoric rise isn’t just numbers—it’s a testament to its irresistible blend of spectacle, emotion, and flavor that transcends borders, pulling in viewers from Manila’s bustling cafes to New York’s K-drama marathons. Ji-young, a perfectionist French-trained chef fresh off a televised culinary win in modern South Korea, tumbles through time during a solar eclipse, landing in the cutthroat Joseon Dynasty court of the infamous tyrant King Yeonsangun (reimagined here as the mercurial Heon). Captured and facing execution, her life hangs by a thread until she whips up a fusion masterpiece that saves her neck and earns her the deadliest gig in the palace: head royal chef to a king whose palate is as finicky as it is fatal. Directed by Jang Tae-yoo (My ID is Gangnam Beauty) and written by fGRD, the drama—produced by Studio Dragon and 9ato Entertainment—airs Saturdays and Sundays at 9:10 PM KST on tvN, with Netflix dropping episodes simultaneously at 11:00 PM KST, making it accessible for global binge-watchers craving that perfect mix of historical intrigue, rom-com sparks, and ASMR-worthy cooking scenes. Filming kicked off on January 23, 2025, with the cast finalized by January 24, including Yoon Seo-ah as the loyal palace maid Seo Gil-geum, who becomes Ji-young’s steadfast ally in the kitchen wars.

Lim Yoon-a, Korea’s rom-com queen known for King the Land and Big Mouth, shines as Ji-young, infusing the role with sharp wit, unyielding ambition, and a chef’s fiery passion that turns every dish into a declaration of independence. “Thank you so much for the love you’ve shown ‘Bon Appétit, Your Majesty.’ There are plenty more thrilling and heart-fluttering moments ahead, so please keep watching as Ji-young cooks her way through every challenge,” Yoon-a shared in a heartfelt statement, echoing the sentiment of fans who’ve flooded X with edits of her iconic flambé showdowns and fusion triumphs. Opposite her, Lee Chae-min (Crash Course in Romance, High Cookie) delivers a breakout performance as King Heon, evolving from a volatile tyrant haunted by his past to a man whose heart softens under Ji-young’s innovative flavors and unshakeable spirit. “I’m truly grateful for all the love you’ve given our series. I hope you’ll look forward to how Heon’s story unfolds as he slowly opens his heart to his chef, Ji-young. We’ll continue to share stories that are both warm and delightful,” Chae-min added, fueling speculation about their on-screen chemistry turning into off-screen sparks.

Supporting the leads is a stellar ensemble that elevates the court’s scheming dynamics: Kang Han-na as the scheming rival chef with a grudge, Choi Gwi-hwa as the stern royal physician, and Yoon Seo-ah as Gil-geum, whose friendship with Ji-young adds heartfelt levity amid the palace intrigue. High-stakes culinary duels—royal cuisine versus temple fare, daring flambé spectacles, and inventive fusions like bibimbap croquettes or kimchi-infused escargot—serve as metaphors for power struggles, forbidden love, and cultural resilience, drawing from real Joseon-era history like the era’s strict food hierarchies and the legendary chef Jang-geum from Jewel in the Palace. As TIME explored in its August 29 feature, the drama smartly reimagines the tyrant Yeonsangun’s reign (1494-1506) with fantasy flair, avoiding explicit brutality while nodding to historical tensions like court factions and culinary innovations during the Joseon Dynasty. These battles aren’t just plot devices—they’re visual feasts, with food stylist Kim Ji-young crafting dishes that pop on screen, inspiring global recreations from Seoul street food stalls to LA fusion pop-ups.

Fan frenzy has propelled the series to viral heights, with social platforms ablaze in fan edits of Ji-young’s kitchen triumphs, speculative theories about Heon’s hidden vulnerabilities, and recreations of standout dishes like the Episode 7’s spicy tteokbokki macarons. On X, hashtags like #BonAppetitYourMajestyEp8 trended in Indonesia (No. 1) and the Philippines (No. 3) on September 14, with users like @abcdqueen24 sharing Episode 2 promos and @Cindot_Fc tallying Episode 3 trends: Netflix Global Daily No. 5, Google Worldwide Most Searched No. 1 for Lim Yoon-a and No. 2 for Lee Chae-min, Daum Top Keywords No. 9 and 10, Instiz Real-Time No. 6 and 10, Kinolight Daily No. 1 overall and on Netflix/TVING, Hot Qoo 76k views, and Twitter trends in Indonesia (No. 13), Philippines (No. 30), and Thailand (No. 42). 13 @Angelwhite530 hyped Episode 1 with clips, while @yoona530support teased Episode 3’s airtime on tvN/Netflix. Bollywood Life on September 16 previewed Episode 9’s release, noting the “viral Korean drama” status. In the Philippines, where K-dramas reign supreme—think Squid Game’s record-breaking run—Bon Appétit has sparked a culinary wave, with Manila foodies at Bonifacio Global City attempting Ji-young’s recipes during Simbang Gabi prep, as ABS-CBN Lifestyle reported on September 10. The series’ 15+ rating and 80-minute episodes make it perfect for weekend binges, with Episode 9’s “decisive culinary clash” teased as a kingdom-shifting showdown blending romance and bolder, unprecedented dishes for emotional catharsis in the September 28 finale.

As the finale looms, the cast and crew tease more thrills: Yoon-a’s Ji-young will face escalating conspiracies from rival chefs and court schemers, while Chae-min’s Heon grapples with his tyrant facade cracking under her influence. Directed by Jang Tae-yoo and produced by Studio Dragon, the drama—filmed from January 23 in sets evoking Gyeongbokgung Palace—has not only topped charts but revived K-drama fever, with AsianWiki users like Arifa (September 8) calling it a “hilarious, entertaining” return to the genre, Lily (August 31) praising its light pace, and Beanpotatao (September 9) declaring it “LOOOOOOVE IT.” MyDramaList rates it 8.2/10, with fans raving about the leads’ chemistry and non-overhyped plot. In 65 countries, from Indonesia’s binge sessions to Europe’s rom-com nights, Bon Appétit has entered Top 10s, with 6.8 million views in Week 4 alone. As Yoon-a urged, keep watching—Ji-young’s fusion feasts and Heon’s heart-fluttering thaw promise a finale feast of spectacle and catharsis. Streaming exclusively on Netflix, it’s the ultimate K-romance palate cleanser for fall.