'Bon Appetit, Your Majesty' becomes 2025's breakout hit

Series sparks much-needed ratings rebound for tvN, boosts investor confidence in Studio Dragon

"Bon Appetit, Your Majesty," starring Lee Chae-min (left) and Lim Yoon-a (tvN)

"Bon Appetit, Your Majesty" has emerged as tvN’s breakout hit of 2025, breathing new life into a cable network that had long been celebrated as a powerhouse of hit K-dramas before a stretch of underwhelming ratings.

According to Nielsen Korea, the period rom-com logged a series-high of 12.7 percent nationwide viewership with its sixth episode on Sunday, marking the highest rating of any tvN drama this year. Out of the 12 dramas tvN has aired in 2025, "Bon Appetit, Your Majesty" stands as the only one to crack double digits in viewership.

The milestone marks a much-needed ratings rebound for tvN, home to series such as the "Reply" franchise, "Crash Landing on You," "Mr. Sunshine" and "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God." While 2024 titles such as "Lovely Runner," "Queen of Tears" and "Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born" delivered strong results both at home and abroad, tvN has been struggling to maintain the momentum in 2025.

The show’s runaway success has also reignited investor confidence in Studio Dragon, the production powerhouse behind many of tvN’s biggest hits, with its performance expected to climb after a sluggish first half.

In a Thursday report, Daishin Securities researcher Kim Hoe-jae noted that "Bon Appetit, Your Majesty" has significantly outperformed Studio Dragon’s long-term ratings average of 6.3 percent, with its fourth episode drawing 11.1 percent. Kim added that the numbers are even more significant considering that viewership of "Bon Appetit, Your Majesty" is split due to simultaneous streaming on Netflix and Tving.

"Bon Appetit, Your Majesty" stars Lim Yoon-a of girl group Girl's Generation as Ji-young, a top chef who finds herself traveling through time to the past and encounters Lee Heon (Lee Chae-min), a tyrant king with a refined palate.

The series' popularity has largely been driven by its ability to weave together key elements of Korean culture — from Korean cuisine and K-pop, anchored by Yoon-a, to classic K-drama romance tropes — into a single, compelling story, tapping into global buzz generated by other Korean hits like "Culinary Class Wars" and "KPop Demon Hunters." In addition, its distinctive focus on culinary artistry and comedic beats has also been credited for the drama series' breakout success.