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| ▲ These stills from the hit tvN drama “Bon Appetit, Your Majesty" is provided by the broadcaster. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- Actress Yoon Seo-ah said she put great effort into mastering both cooking and dialect for her role in the hit tvN drama “Bon Appetit, Your Majesty.”
In the series, which has become one of the network’s most-watched dramas, Yoon plays Seo Gil-geum, a talented kitchen maid with a keen sense of smell and remarkable knife skills.
“From the moment I learned that director Jang Tae-yoo would be helming the project and that I’d be working alongside YoonA, I was certain it would become a beloved show,” Yoon told Yonhap News in a recent interview in central Seoul.
To accurately portray a palace cook, she said she practiced knife handling relentlessly. “I learned how to grip the knife correctly and how to adjust my chopping depending on the ingredients,” she said. “The scene where I slice Peking duck was especially intense — we didn’t have much prepared, so I had to get it right in one take. It felt like competing in a cooking show.”
Her performance also drew attention for its authentic use of dialect. “My mother’s side is from Yeosu, but my family doesn’t really use the local dialect,” Yoon said. “So I asked actor Hong Jin-gi, who plays Maeng Man-soo, for help. He taught me where to place emphasis and how to sound natural.”
Although her casting was confirmed only three days before filming began, Yoon fully immersed herself in the role. “After eight months of filming, I felt like I had become one with Gil-geum,” she said. “It usually takes me a month or two to come out of character, and I still haven’t completely let her go.”
“Bon Appetit, Your Majesty” has been a major success, surpassing 17 percent in viewership to become tvN’s highest-rated drama since “Queen of Tears.” It also topped Netflix’s non-English TV rankings.
“I’m proud that even overseas viewers enjoyed the show,” Yoon said. “It’s wonderful that a Korean historical drama could help introduce our culture to a global audience.”
Yoon began her career as a child model and television host before debuting as an actress in the MBC drama “Bad Papa” (2018). She later appeared in modern-set series such as “Nevertheless” and “Today’s Webtoon,” but gained greater recognition through two historical dramas — JTBC’s “Lady Ok” and “Bon Appetit, Your Majesty.”
“In both dramas, I played loyal supporting characters who stay close to the heroine,” she said. “Those are the kinds of roles that win affection from viewers.”
Looking ahead, Yoon expressed a desire to continue acting in period dramas — but as a noblewoman next time. “If I get to return to a historical setting, I’d like to ‘rise in status’ and play a noble lady,” she said with a laugh. “I want to wear a beautiful ribboned braid and elegant hanbok.”
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