“Man is whipped so bad” - Fans gush over Lee Chae-min’s flustered and compliment-filled moments with YoonA on Bon Appétit, Your Majesty set

Lim Yoon-ah and Lee Chae-min (Image via Instagram/@l.c.m____, @yoona__lim)
Lim Yoon-ah and Lee Chae-min (Images via Instagram/@l.c.m____, @yoona__lim)

tvN’s drama Bon Appétit, Your Majesty is rising in viewership, but the off-screen cast dynamics are drawing just as much attention. Initially, the role of King Yi-heon was offered to 40-year-old actor Park Sung-hoon.

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However, after controversy over an incident where he "accidentally" shared an explicit Japanese adult film parody of Squid Game on his Instagram story, he exited the production. Just days later, the role was recast with 24-year-old actor Chae-min stepping in.

Lim Yoon-ah and Lee Chae-min in Bon Appétit, Your Majesty (Image via X/@CJnDrama)
Lim Yoon-ah and Lee Chae-min in Bon Appétit, Your Majesty (Image via X/@CJnDrama)

Lee's casting placed him opposite SNSD’s YoonA, 35, marking an 11-year difference between the leads. On set, that age gap shaped their interaction, with Chae-min respectfully calling YoonA “Noona,” a polite term for an older sister. Fans adored these moments, linking them to the phrase “Yoona noona neomu yeppeo,” which translates to “Yoona sister, you’re so pretty.” One fan on X wrote:

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"Man is whipped so bad."
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The remark carries a pop culture echo. In 2008, SHINee debuted with Replay, whose Korean title, Nuna Neomu Yeppeo, translates the same way. YoonA even featured in the Japanese version of the music video, a role that tied her closely to the phrase from the start.

Many fans pointed out Chae-min’s admiration for YoonA, as he often compliments her whenever he gets the chance.

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While discussing camera angles, Chae-min insisted on choosing the best side for YoonA, calling her beautiful. Despite her saying it didn’t matter, he kept prioritizing her comfort. When she asked about his preferred side, he said it's the left but still told her to choose.

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Fans kept commenting on the actor's admiration for YoonA.

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Bon Appétit, Your Majesty's top-charting popularity

Lim Yoon-ah and Lee Chae-min in Bon Appétit, Your Majesty (Image via X/@CJnDrama)
Lim Yoon-ah and Lee Chae-min in Bon Appétit, Your Majesty (Image via X/@CJnDrama)

tvN’s weekend drama Bon Appétit, Your Majesty is topping both viewership and buzz charts. Good Data Corporation’s FUNdex survey, released September 2, ranked the series first in the combined TV-OTT drama category for August 25 to 31.

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It also led the overall chart, which covers dramas and variety programs, surpassing Bill Gates’ guest spot on tvN’s You Quiz on the Block, which landed in third. This marks the second consecutive week the show has held the top position, following its lead in the third week of August.

In the cast popularity ranking, lead actress Lim Yoon-ah claimed first place, while co-star Lee Chae-min placed second. The pair also secured the top two slots across all TV and OTT performers, extending the drama’s dominance beyond its own category.

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The series, which premiered on August 23, tells the story of chef Yeon Ji-young, played by Lim Yoon-ah, who travels back in time and encounters Wang Yi-heon, portrayed by Lee Chae-min, a feared monarch with exacting taste. Ratings climbed steadily with each broadcast. The debut episode recorded 4.9% nationwide on Nielsen Korea’s paid platform.

Episode two rose to 6.6%, the third reached 7.6%, and the fourth scored 11.1%. The figure stands as the highest for any TVN drama this year. By the final weekend of August, Bon Appétit, Your Majesty also set the record among weekend mini-series across all broadcasters.

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Interested viewers can stream all four episodes of Bon Appétit, Your Majesty on Netflix.

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Edited by Shubham Soni
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