tvN’s fantasy romance Bon Appétit, Your Majesty, which debuted on August 23 and 24, has drawn attention for its main cast. Im Yoon-ah and Lee Chae-min lead the series, and the noticeable age difference between them has sparked online discussion. YoonA, born May 30, 1990, is 35 this year. Chae-min, born September 15, 2000, is 24. That creates an 11-year age gap between the two.With the former SNSD idol playing the central heroine and Lee cast as the male lead, the pairing quickly became a trending topic on forums and social media. YoonA is a veteran of both K-pop and drama, debuting with Girls’ Generation in 2007 and later taking roles in You Are My Destiny, Big Mouth, and King the Land. Lee, meanwhile, is considered a rising star, known for Crash Course in Romance and his stint as Music Bank host before landing this drama. The reactions are mixed. While some questioned the decade gap, many defended the casting choice, emphasizing that both leads delivered strong on-screen performances.♡Kia♡ @kiasiandramasLINKI didn't even know people had an issue with Yoona's age...lol ya'll do realize she's the most non-problematic actress. Good at her job. And so fu**ing beautiful?!?! Also, he's 24, not 18. YoonA also looks like she isnt a day over like 28...WTFFF #BonAppetitYourMajestyThe production encountered last-minute changes. The first script reading was scheduled for January 2 but was canceled when the original male actor, Park Sung-hoon, faced controversy. On December 30, 2024, the actor shared a Japanese adult video cover (reportedly a spoof of Squid Game parody) on his Instagram Story. Although he deleted it quickly, the post spread widely and sparked public outrage, especially during the week of mourning following the tragic Jeju Air incident. He later issued a formal apology during a media briefing with Korean reporters on January 8. Sung-hoon officially stepped down from Bon Appétit, Your Majesty on January 11. Lee Chae-min was confirmed for the role just two days later, on January 13. Filming started on January 22, and Lee recorded his first scene by February 11, only weeks after being cast. At the show’s press conference, he admitted to the challenges of the late casting.“It’s true I had little time, so the sense of burden and responsibility was heavy,” the actor stated (The Korea Times reported).Chae-min explained that the director brought him into group rehearsals before filming to help him settle into the role. Despite the backstory, the response to the drama’s launch has been mostly positive.Im Yoon-ah & Lee Chae-min's time-travel romance Bon Appétit, Your Majesty tops ratingsLim Yoon-ah and Lee Chae-min in Bon Appétit, Your Majesty (Image via X/@CJnDrama)Bon Appétit, Your Majesty features Im Yoon-ah as Yeon Ji-yeong, fresh from a French gastronomy contest where she roasted steak over grass, edging close to securing three Michelin stars. During a flight to Korea, she closes an antique novel and is suddenly transported to the Joseon dynasty. There, she meets Lee Chae-min as King Yi-heon, a disciplined monarch with a refined palate. The premiere episode attracted strong viewership, immediately drawing attention.The debut posted a 5.1% mean in capital-region homes and climbed to a high of 6.7%. Nationwide, it averaged 4.9% with a peak of 6.8%. The show ranked first among cable and general stations in its time slot and also recorded the highest debut ratings among tvN’s 2025 weekend lineup.Bon Appétit, Your Majesty broadcasts every Saturday and Sunday at 9:10 pm KST, with fresh chapters arriving on August 30 and 31, 2025. Global audiences can stream the K-drama on Netflix.