The Real History Behind the Time Travel K-Drama Bon Appetit, Your Majesty

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Enjoy Your Meal, Majesty, represents a captivating romantic comedy that tells the story of a chef who inadvertently journeys through time to the Joseon Era and becomes popular on Netflix as the latest Korean drama. Following its first two episodes, this cross-era tale, known in Korea as “The Tyrant’s Chef” (폭군의 셰프), climbed to the U.S. Top Ten and reached the number one spot in the Global Top Ten, demonstrating the enduring allure of a skillfully crafted star-crossed love story.

The love story unfolding between 21st-century chef Yeon Ji-yeong (portrayed by Lim Yoon-a in “King the Land”) and Joseon-era king Lee Heon (played by Lee Chae-min in “Hierarchy”), is indeed a classic case of star-crossed lovers. Given that these characters come from drastically different epochs, and the male lead’s character loosely resembles one of Korea’s most ruthless monarchs, their relationship promises to be filled with challenges and tension.

Let’s delve into the true-to-life events that inspired the series “Bon Appetit, Your Majesty,” and discuss why the Korean drama strategically avoids portraying a historical ruler in an overtly negative light.

Bon Appetit, Your Majesty’s Joseon Dynasty setting

In a surprising turn of events, Ji-yeong, fresh from triumphing at a notable cooking contest in France, finds herself deviating from her journey back home to Korea. Instead, she encounters a sudden shift in time, landing her in Joseon-era Korea during the reign of King Lee Heon. The specifics of this temporal displacement are immaterial but include elements such as a solar eclipse, a fortuitously timed flight, and a historical text Ji-yeong was bringing for her scholarly father. This unexpected twist leaves Ji-yeong, a contemporary individual, stuck in the annals of Korean history. Faced with this predicament, she relies on her culinary abilities to navigate and survive within the confines of this fictional kingdom.

The Joseon Dynasty, a long-lasting Korean kingdom that existed from 1392 to 1910, serves as a frequent backdrop for Korean dramas. Different eras within this dynasty have been showcased in series like “The Red Sleeve,” predominantly set in the late 18th century, and “Mr. Sunshine,” primarily set in the early 20th century. Alternate versions of this era are explored in genre shows such as the zombie drama “Kingdom,” which is mostly set in an alternate early 17th century. The popular Korean drama “Jewel in the Palace,” which aired in 2003, tells the true story of Jang-geum, who was the first female royal physician during the Joseon era. This period coincides with the historical timeline depicted in “Bon Appetit, Your Majesty.

In a different rendition of the Joseon dynasty’s chronicles, the story unfolds around the time of King Yeonsangun, who ruled during the early 16th century, specifically from 1494 to 1506. The phrase “Bon Appetit, Your Majesty” is used instead of a more traditional greeting or title.

Is Bon Appetit, Your Majesty based on a manhwa?

In simpler terms, much like many Korean dramas, “Bon Appetit, Your Majesty” is inspired by an existing narrative, specifically a web novel instead of a traditional Korean comic (manhwa). The series is based on the novel “Surviving as Yeonsangun’s Chef,” penned by Park Guk-jae. The story revolves around Ji-yeong’s journey through time to find herself in the royal kitchen serving King Yeonsan, a historical figure from ancient Korea.

In the adaptation from the web novel, the most significant variation so far is the alteration of the central tyrant’s name. The original novel features Yeonsangun, a historical figure, as one of its key characters. On the other hand, the Netflix series renames this character to King Lee Heon, thereby creating some distance between the narrative and actual history.

How the real-life King Yeonsan inspired the character of King Lee Heon

Enjoy your meal, Your Highness, as this tale draws inspiration from King Yeonsangun, one of the more infamous monarchs in the Joseon Dynasty, although our fictional character may bear a different name.

In the story of the fictional character King Yeonsan (similar to King Lee Heon from Bon Appetit, Your Majesty), it is revealed that his biological mother, Queen Yun – the second wife of the king – was executed when he was a child. As a result, King Yeonsan grew up believing that his father’s third wife, Queen Jeonghyeon, was actually his mother. It wasn’t until the early years of his reign that he discovered this truth.

Queen Yun’s death was a result of forced poisoning following her exile due to violent behavior. When King Yeonsan attempted to restore her titles posthumously, he faced opposition. In response, he executed or possibly had killed those he believed were responsible for his mother’s demise.

King Yeonsan’s actions extended beyond just hurting or killing people. As a ruler, he was infamous for his ruthless crackdown on freedom of speech and education. An example of this is when he shut down the prestigious Sungkyunkwan university to transform it into one of his personal recreational areas. During his reign, Yeonsangun was responsible for the widespread kidnapping of girls and women from various regions across the peninsula, whom he used as “entertainers.” This practice is depicted in the early episodes of the series Bon Appetit, Your Majesty.

During the reign of King Yeonsangun, he prohibited the use of Hangul, the Korean written language, due to its utilization by commoners for criticizing him through public posters. Moreover, he sought to minimize Buddhism’s impact in Joseon, shutting down Wongaksa temple and attempting to dismantle the hierarchy of head monasteries and examinations. Numerous protests against his actions were suppressed or met with violence. In response to questioning his rule, King Yeonsangun ordered two brutal purges targeting the influential Sarim scholar class. After 12 years on the throne, he was deposed by a faction of nobles and officials, replaced by his younger half-brother. Following his overthrow, King Yeonsangun spent his last two months in exile before passing away.

By altering the main character’s name in “Bon Appetit, Your Majesty,” a distinction is made between the actual monarch and the fictional King Lee Heon. This move proves astute, as the show primarily focuses on weaving an engrossing and amusing love story within a historical setting that serves as a fantastical backdrop, rather than recounting accurate history. Nevertheless, some plot points, like the forced abduction of women and the taking of homes for royal hunting grounds, are derived from genuine historical events.

If you’re intrigued, you can find more detailed portrayals of King Yeonsan in various Korean media productions. For instance, this historical figure has been prominently featured in films like “Prince Yeonsan” from 1961, “The King and the Clown” from 2005, and “The Treacherous” from 2015.

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2025-08-29 19:06