#BonAppetitYourMajesty mini review Part 2

Aside from Chae Min, another strength of the drama is the food preparation for each meal and in the cooking competition, showing the contrast between tradition and innovation; modern culinary knowledge meeting ancient ingredients and practices; the lavish palace banquets, the elaborate arrangements - all these are reflections of how food was used to project power, authority and status during the Joseon dynasty.  Not a popular opinion, but for me, even if there was no romantic plot line, if they gave more emphasis on the culinary theme and the skills of Ji Yeong, BAYM would still end up as a feast, highlighting food as a powerful catalyst for change, with the king and his chief royal cook collaborating to challenge the court politics and corruption. 

But of course, we cannot deny that the royal romance has more appeal, and to satiate that deep human hunger for love, we needed a more acceptable or believable way to soften a tyrant’s heart (on top of his stomach), providing a sweeter, more palatable ending.

And to those who wanted to know how the king time-traveled to the future, konting imagination na lang mga mhie, gusto ninyo pa ipakita bawat detalye, sabi na ngang secret eh hahaha naiwan ung punit na page, tapos paulit ulit si Ji Yeong sa pag-chant nung longing words sa Mangunrok:

"My dearly beloved, if you were to read this someday, may you come back to my side…"

Lahat na lang ba dapat spoonfeeding ihhhh mag-kimchi nga kayo, kaumay. Hahaha

📌BAYM is now tvN drama 's 7th drama with the highest rating of all time.

📌All 12 episodes of BAYM are available for streaming Netflix 

#BuhayKPam

#BonAppetitYourMajesty mini review Part 1

🍲The people who give you their food give you their heart.❤️

Every once in a while*, we are served with a k-drama that feeds all four: mind, body, heart and soul. Recall how we were saved and healed by:

• #CrashLandingOnYou, the star power and on-screen chemistry of Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin who later became a couple IRL;

• #HometownChaChaCha in 2021, starring Shin MinA and Kim Seon Ho, a feel-good story giving us hope and warmth during uncertain times;

• #LovelyRunner in 2024, offering a much-needed sense of comfort like a warm hug that resonated with many, significantly boosted Byeon Woo Seok's career, leading to his stardom, and gave Kim Hye Yoon her first ever Best Actress nomination at the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards; and 

• #WhenLifeGivesYouTangerines this year, with strong performances from leads IU and Park Bo Gum, tackling parental sacrifice, family bonds, and enduring love.

Abovementioned dramas won not just viewership ratings but also the thumbs-up of its global audience. And before 2025 could end, we were given a Chef’s Special: #BonAppetitYourMajesty.

(*Note: I am only citing dramas from 2019 to present, which I have watched. I am pretty sure there’s more.)

A drama that they didn’t expect to be such a huge hit, what with controversies from the get-go - the original male lead being replaced by a younger newbie actor, alleged historical inaccuracies, accusations / backlash from C-netz, and the 10-year age difference between the lead actors, BAYM tells the romantic story of a modern chef who time-travels to the Joseon era and becomes the chief royal cook. The series, known as The Tyrant's Chef in Korea, quickly gained international popularity, topping Netflix's Global Top Ten chart after its first two episodes were released. The plot centers on the unexpected romance between 21st-century chef Yeon Ji Yeong (Im Yoon-A #BigMouth #KingTheLand) and King Yi Heon (Lee Chae Min #Hierarchy #Crushology101  #CrashCourseinRomance), a tyrant ruler loosely based on a notoriously cruel historical figure. 

BAYM is a love story unfolding in a fictionalized version of Joseon history. While it draws on the reign of King Yeonsangun, 10th monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea, it takes creative liberties, interpreting historical events and characters to craft an alternate story, with food as a love language, the means through which the chef and the king - two people from completely different eras- connect.

While Yoona's performance has shown significant growth and her presence (being a member of Girls Generation, 2nd gen k-pop girl group) adding to its global popularity, it is really Chae Min's portrayal of the king that made the big difference, destroying the initial doubts on his last-minute casting and limited acting experience. This successful break-out role solidified his reputation as a rising star (reminiscent of what Lovely Runner did to Byeon Woo Seok, who incidentally is in the same agency, Varo Entertainment).  

• Emotional depth: He skillfully executed the king's violent, angry side and his deeper, vulnerable side, marked by grief, sorrow and sadness.

• Charisma and intensity: His intense gaze, strong voice, and steady tone (and loud guffaw), aside from his height and strong visuals, captured the hearts of the viewers.

• Dedication and hard work: According to reports, he was given only a month to prepare for the role, and he used that short time to learn skills such as horseback riding, archery, and traditional dance. 

I also loved how, despite the culture of venality during this era, loyalty and brotherhood can still grow and survive. 

• At first, we hated Royal Secretary Im Song Jae (Oh Eui Sik), but in the end, he and his father Im Seo-Hong (Nam Kyung Eup), along with the Chief Eunuch Chang Seon (Jang Gwang) and Chief Court Lady Choi Mal Im (Park Jun Myun), died for their loyalty to the king. 

• The friendship of Ji Yeong and Gil-geum (Yoon Seo Ah) due to shared hardships and experiences, and the transition of the royal kitchen crew into a team of innovation and harmony. 

• With appearances from Ko Chang Seok (craftsman Jang Chun Saeng). 

• And special mention goes to the hot yummy-licious court jester Gong-gil (Lee Joo Ahn) and Chief Royal Guard Shin Soo-Hyuk (Park Young Woon). 

To be continued...

#KimSeonHoinMNL2023

“Thank you so much for being with me even in the hard times.” - Kim Seon Ho

I was literally crying my heart out, hindi ko mapigil ang luha ko when he finally appeared on stage. Yung pagmamahal mo at paghanga sa isang taong hindi natin binitawan at iniwan. Inintay natin siyang maging ready. Maging masaya uli. And this is it!

Pila Serye – this is a Pila Day (wala pang 9am nasa MOA na po ako). Pero thank you at napaka-organized naman lahat (salamat Kim Seon Ho Philippines, Pulp and SM Mall of Asia Arena, mababait ang staff, guards and bouncers)

Pila sa umaga – sa Cupsleeve Event sa Coffee Bean, brought to us by Kim Seon Ho Philippines (got a 10am-11am slot).

Pila sa strapping – sa Pulp tent. Thank you, Inang sa freebies!

Pila sa pre-ordered merch

Pila sa Pancake House - Lunch muna ang tiyahin nyo, seree nemen

Pila uli pagpasok sa Arena.

Pila pati sa CR hahaha

Finally, I was insideeeeeeeee!!!

Shout out sa mga nakilala kong fellow Seonhohadas – Areezon, Eunice and jowa,sa mga nakatabi ko sa Pancake House, at sa mga seatmates ko sa napakasolid na LBP216 (Anna, Cel, and four more na hindi ko na nakuha ang names, thank you for taking my photos). Si Janis na nakilala ko sa Southmall nung nakapila kami for tickets, nagkita tayo uli pero sayang di tayo nakapagbonding. Salamat din sa lahat ng nagbigay ng free merch. Grabe! 

Kim Seon Ho – you are a dream come true. No regrets for choosing you as our preferred actor (sshhhh quiet lang, wag lang malaman ng iba kong Oppa hahaha). Hindi ko alam na I will feel this way hahaha sobrang saya and iyak at the same time, naku wala na ko pakelam haha sabi naman ng mga katabi ko, ok lang.  I was so worried dahil sa Hi and Goodbye Session, he was standing for more than 2 hours, kawawa naman. But napaka-consistent nya, he greets each fan the same way, hindi mo makitaan ng pagod or pagkainip. Kung pano mo siya i-greet (for example, bye or aegyo, ganun ka din nya igree-greet), na para kaming pumaparada sa harap niya (while he was behind an acrylic barrier). I think ako lang yata ang nag-bow sa kanya. He bowed back with his two hands together. Sorry hindi ko po nakita ang iba, if meron. Haaayyyyy saranghae His reactions, his expressions, his body language – napaka-real lahat. Such a warm and genuine person. Nahihiya nga lang magpapogi. Hindi niya alam na pogi sya huhuhu our DImple Prince. And I learned later na kagabi rin pala flight niya huhuhu

I did not take videos of everything, yung iba photo lang, while some of the moments, I just wanted to savor. Tuwing pipikit ako, si Seon Ho ang nakikita ko.

I went home sad kasi hindi mo alam kung kelan uli. But at the same time, smiling and happy and so grateful that this day happened. Luckily, the LED ad was still on when we passed by the globe.

Saranghae, Kim Seon Ho! Till your next visit to Manila.

More pix and vids in my K-Pam page https://www.facebook.com/KPamMyKWorld/

More of Kim Seon Ho in: 

https://www.instagram.com/seonho__kim/?hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/kimseonho_staff.diary/?hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/kimseonhodaily_/?hl=en