'Bon Appetit, Your Majesty' is sweeping not only domestic and global OTT but also its popularity.
Last week, the first two episodes aired amid high expectations, and the tvN weekend drama 'Bon Appetit, Your Majesty' (directed by Jang Tae-yu, written by fGRD, planned by Studio Dragon, produced by Film Greeda, Jung Universe) is captivating viewers with the delicious chemistry between the chef and the tyrant, achieving a steep rise in both ratings and popularity rankings.
The first episode's ratings recorded an average of 5.1% in the metropolitan area and a peak of 6.7%, while the national average was 4.9% with a peak of 6.8%, marking the highest premiere ratings for a tvN weekend drama in 2025. The second episode's ratings also rose to a peak of 8.7% in the metropolitan area and 8.6% nationally, ranking first across all channels in the 20-49 demographic in relation to tvN's target audience (based on Nielsen Korea data, including cable, IPTV, and satellite platforms).
Since the first broadcast, online communities have been flooded with positive reviews such as, 'The drama is really fun, and the direction is great,' 'I laughed so hard that I spat my drink,' 'Im Yoon-a's comedic acting is excellent,' 'The actors' performances are solid, making it very immersive,' and 'The explanations of the cooking scenes and visual effects are great.'
Thanks to this, the K-content competitiveness analysis agency Good Data Corporation's Pindex has announced that it ranked first in TV-OTT drama popularity. Additionally, Im Yoon-a (playing Yeon Ji-young) and Lee Chae-min (playing Lee Heon) also confidently secured the top two spots in the combined TV-OTT cast popularity rankings (as of Aug. 26, 2025).
Furthermore, 'Bon Appetit, Your Majesty' broke the record for the highest live viewership on TVING for a tvN weekend drama in 2025 as of the second episode, and on Aug. 27, 2025, it claimed the top spot on TVING today, achieving remarkable success in domestic OTTs. In just its first week on the air, it entered the global Netflix TOP 10 in the non-English TV shows category at number 4, dominating the global OTT space (based on the aggregation from Aug. 18 to Aug. 24, 2025).
According to the global OTT content ranking service Flix Patrol as of the 26th (Tuesday), 'Bon Appetit, Your Majesty' reached number one in the Netflix TV show category. It entered the TOP 10 in 93 countries and regions, ranking first in a total of 42 countries and regions, gaining immense popularity right from the start. It is currently number one in Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Mexico, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia, while also capturing the attention of viewers in North America and Europe with its rankings at 3rd in Italy, 4th in Germany and Spain, 5th in France, 7th in the United Kingdom, and 8th in the United States.
Notably, the cumulative YouTube views for the first week of airing reached approximately 80 million, approximately 233% higher than the average of tvN weekend dramas aired in the past year, making it the highest ever for a tvN weekend drama in 2025. This figure is about 170% higher than the average digital mentions of airing works in 2025, reflecting a palpable interest.
Especially in the upcoming 3rd and 4th episodes airing this week, chef Yeon Ji-young (played by Im Yoon-a) enters the palace, bringing a new turning point in her relationship with King Lee Heon (played by Lee Chae-min), adding to the intrigue. The audience is left wondering why Lee Heon brought Yeon Ji-young into the palace and whether she can survive in the icy atmosphere of the palace until the end. The next story of 'Bon Appetit, Your Majesty' is highly anticipated.
The delightful romance between chef Im Yoon-a and King Lee Chae-min will continue in the tvN weekend drama 'Bon Appetit, Your Majesty,' which will air its 3rd episode this Saturday (30th) at 9:10 p.m.
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