Season 2 confirmed? Bon appetit, Your Majesty the writer says: “There is much to say”

After dominating weekend TV all summer with its gripping cooking sequences, emotional romance, and sweeping historical tension, Bon Appétit, Your Majesty has emerged as one of the biggest dramas of 2025. And at the heart of its success is the original web novel, Surviving as Yeonsangun’s Chef, written by author Park Guk-jae.

Starring Im Yoon-ah and adapted by Studio Dragon, Bon Appétit, Your Majesty has become a certified cultural phenomenon praised for its strong performances, vibrant storytelling and delicious traditional dishes recreated on screen. As soon as the finale aired, fans immediately called for a second season, naturally shifting focus to the web novel that started it all.

The original story follows Yeon Ji-young, a modern Michelin 3-star chef who time slips into the Joseon era during the reign of the infamous tyrant Yeonsangun. While time travel narratives are common in Korean fiction, the surprising combination of a contemporary master chef and a feared historical ruler gave the novel a unique twist. Its detailed culinary descriptions and alternate history elements captivated readers and later inspired a drama adaptation and even a webtoon reboot.

Eyes Magazine caught up with author Park Guk-jae to discuss the drama’s success, the origins of the novel, and whether season two could actually happen.

How surviving as a Yeonsangun chef came about

When asked how it feels to see his complete novel rediscovered after the drama’s explosive popularity, Park Guk-jae responded humbly. “Honestly, the web novel wasn’t a huge success during serialization,” he said.

“But I’m happy that the drama brought new attention to it. I heard it became the most successful miniseries this year. I’m just grateful.”

Despite the novel’s eventual success, Park Guk-jae revealed that its beginnings were surprisingly simple. “There was no big reason why I started writing,” he shared. “I wasn’t a web novel writer or even a reader. I just wanted to write something. I thought, ‘Let me write what I know and create something appealing to a broad audience.'”

Write with adaptation in mind

Park Guk-jae explained that adapting the novel into a drama was always a possibility he had in mind. “Even from the first few chapters, I imagined scenes visually,” he said. “Many readers commented, ‘This sounds like drama.’ People even made fan-made versions.

Several production companies contacted me, but one key condition mattered most: “I wanted a company that could actually produce a dramatic adaptation. This was the hard part, but I finally met the actual production team.”

Surprisingly, the dramatic rights were acquired even before the novel reached its midpoint, an extremely rare case in the industry.

Casting of the live-action protagonists

Fans have praised the drama for its striking resemblance to the original characters, which Park Guk-jae wholeheartedly agrees with. “Im Yoon-ah was perfect. Yeon Ji-young is an almost impossible ideal character: a brilliant, compassionate, resilient chef. In a novel that works, but in live action, he needs credibility. Im Yoon-ah made him believable.”

As for actor Lee Chae-min, who played the drama’s crown prince Yeonhee-gun: “I didn’t imagine him at first, but he was wonderful. The drama’s prince was sweeter and more charming than the original Yeonsangun, who was more dangerous but secretly caring. Both versions worked well.”

Why Story Works in Novels, Dramas, and Webtoons

Park Guk-jae attributes the series’ multi-format success to its alternate historical structure.

“It’s historical fiction reinterpreted which is its appeal,” he explained. “I did endless research: history, food, culture. Real historical documents, folk tales and even legendary figures like Jang-geum, Gong-gil and Jo Gwang-jo appear. It’s familiar but exciting.”

Possibilities for Season 2: “We Already Have the Synopsis”

Fans repeatedly ask the same question: Will there be Season 2?

Park Guk-jae confirms that the possibility is real: “I have a lot to say in the second season. The synopsis and basic structure have already been completed. The details are still being developed.”

He also revealed ambitious plans: “If we move forward, the goal is to simultaneously release the second season of the original novel, drama and webtoon.”

“If a second season were to happen, the side stories could form the initial arc, particularly the mystery of how the tyrant will end up in the modern world.”

Spin-offs and a larger universe

Park Guk-jae is already shaping an expanded world: “There are many characters I could develop. I’m building the universe, so spin-offs are possible.”

Park Guk-jae revealed that several new projects are in development, both similar and completely different from Yeonsangun’s Chef.

Concluding the interview, Park Guk-jae expressed sincere appreciation: “I received more love than I deserve. The production team, director and global attention aligned perfectly. I want to repay readers and viewers by creating stories that make them happy.”

He added: “Please also enjoy the original novel. There are many stories that the drama could not include and they directly connect to why the second season is possible.”

Sources: Eyes Magazine, Naver Web Novel, tvN

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