I can’t believe it’s already time for the mid-season check-in for Bon Appetit, Your Majesty. The Korean drama is certainly delightfully entertaining, despite each episode being long enough to be a feature film. But I suppose with the 12-episode format, the directors are trying to fit in all that they can in 3/4 of what they’re used to. Episode 5, at first, suddenly feels like it’s gotten serious, and some of the political stuff definitely went over my head, but I think I have a vague understanding of what’s going on. There’s the plotline with the jester, the man who disappeared when he was looking for the truth about Yi Heon’s mother, and of course, at the center of it all, apart from the food, of course, is the romance between Ji-Young and Yi Heon. That is definitely moving quickly, and I can’t wait to see how it blossoms, even if it means heartbreak at the end. With that said, though, let’s jump straight into episode 5.
Spoiler Alert
Why Does The King Stop Eating?
Episode 5 of Bon Appetit, Your Majesty begins with Ji-Young being furious with the king, who kissed her and forgot about it. Ji-Young decides to make him dried pollock soup for his hangover, and takes out all her anger on the poor, dead fish. She then serves him with bags under her eyes, making him wonder what’s wrong. He asks her to be straightforward with whatever’s on her mind, but she can’t obviously tell him that he kissed her in a drunken state, so she tells him to be careful when he’s drunk, and he obediently says he shall do so. Ji-Young’s line of thought is then interrupted by the jester Gong-Gil, who seems to be interested in connecting with her somehow. Maybe he wants to use her in his regicidal schemes. So many people are after this man. He tells Ji-Young to look after Gil-Geum, because whoever tried to hurt her was a court lady.
Turns out, Gong-Gil had a sister named Ok-Dan, and she came back from the palace dead, but with a device called a “Binyeo” clutched in her hand. When Gong-Gil saved Gil-Geum, the court lady dropped the sheath of this “Binyeo,” which means it’s likely the same person who killed his sister. So he plans on watching the girls closely. Meanwhile, Consort Kang is eager to have a word with the king, but something makes him decide he doesn’t want to see anybody. Turns out the Ming Dynasty is trying to take all of Joseon’s ginseng, and there seems to be a shortage. It’s definitely a root that is very hard to come by. Turns out the leader of the Imperial Eight was a group of eight eunuch directors who sided with the Ming emperor. A person named Yu Kun is going to visit as the chief envoy for the Ming Dynasty, but he seems to be a problematic figure who makes the king angry.
But in the middle of the serious conversation, Sung-Jae also asks the king about the moment he “touched lips” with the chief royal cook the previous night. The king, who doesn’t remember this, now dismisses it as a drunken mistake. But one that’s messed up an already unattractive face (yikes). Sung-Jae suggests he should gift her something special.
At a larger meeting with all of the king’s advisors, the discussion about the envoy begins. The court has decided that they’re going to be giving the envoy 200 silver pieces as a send-off present, and the king is absolutely disgusted by this idea. He reminds them that this is the hard-earned money of the people, meant to be spent protecting them, but they want to give the Ming Dynasty over half their treasury as tribute. The king tells them to immediately lessen the offering and tone down the festivities for the envoy, because the treasure belongs to the royal family. Soon after, Yi Heon learns that Yi Jang-Gyun, the man who was meant to get information for Yi Heon, has been found collapsed at Banchol village, but a draft is missing. After being found and treated, Jang-Gyun disappears yet again. This is what makes Yi Heon isolate himself from everybody, his consort included, which makes her very upset. But somehow, he finds himself walking up to the kitchen, unconsciously hoping for a comforting glimpse of Ji-Young.
What Does Yi Heon Gift Ji-Young?
For a few days, Ji-Young prepares delicious food for the king, but he says he wants no food, and she can’t even go inside his room to convince him otherwise. However, after a couple of days not eating, Yi Heon finds himself yearning for Ji-Young’s cooking; he can’t tell if it’s just his hunger or if he’s missing her too. The chicken soup she makes is perfect for his empty stomach, and he’s delighted yet again by her delicious cooking. Meanwhile, Prince Jesan, Yi Heon’s father’s cousin, is going to visit the palace soon. He’s already after the king’s life, but additionally, he finds out who sent Gong-Gil to kill the king, and warns him not to do it again, or he’ll be beheaded.
When the day comes, Kang Mok-Ju decides she will prepare a special meal for the king and his guest, but Ji-Young says she will also cook for the king, because she hasn’t received a direct order from him. Ji-Young decides to make a schnitzel for the king, i.e., the humble “Dongkasu,” as a special dish with raspberry jam on the side and tartar sauce. Jesan is there for the king’s medical examination, and the doctor tells the duo that the king is doing well but should avoid cold foods. Ironically, Mok-Ju asks her cook, Man-Su, to prepare a cold chicken dish for its medical value for the king. However, this backfires because the first thing the king says is that he’s meant to avoid cold dishes.
On the other hand, the king and Jesan are both fascinated by Ji-Young’s “schnitzel,” not just the dish, but the words she uses to describe the meal as well. They learn a new term, a short form for “crunchy outside and soft inside.” To Mok-Ju’s shock, the duo devour the schnitzel while they barely touch the soup. It’s yet another win for Ji-Young, which makes Kang more furious. As a reward for the good meal, Jesan asks Ji-Young what she would like as a gift, but she doesn’t say she wants her bag back because Kang is around and she worries she’ll do something to it. She talks about how fresh ingredients make her heart flutter, but Kang insinuates that she desires something much grander.
Meanwhile, Sung-Jae and his father discuss the possibility of the king gifting Ji-Young something special. They speculate if they have feelings for each other, and Sung-Jae realizes that the perfect gift will be the bag. He talks about how he found it and went through everything that was inside. He was especially shocked by the lifelike picture of Ji-Young in her passport. It’s fun to hear him say “Republic of Korea” too.
At the end of Bon Appetit, Your Majesty episode 5, Sung-Jae gives Yi Heon the bag and tells him it’s the perfect gift for Ji-Young. The king is thrilled by this idea, but he’s also thought up a second gift already. It’s fresh ingredients in Jangwonseo, the office in charge of growing plants and fruits. Ji-Young instantly lights up when she’s in there. The king tells her that he wanted to apologize for what he did, which is why he wants to gift her the joy of using this farm. She’s touched by this, but more importantly, she finds chilies growing in the “poison” section of the greenhouse and immediately tastes them. With this, she can make the most delicious food the king has ever tasted. Finally, the king also gives her the bag, and she’s so happy that she gives him a hug. He wants to tell her that he sees her as a “woman” now, but he turns away from her. When she gets closer, he ends up tripping while backing away, and she falls on top of him in the process of trying to save him (ah, the mighty K-drama is back hehe). But on the other hand, the envoy has arrived and refuses to eat Joseon food because it’s nothing compared to Ming food. There’s also a performative angle to it, which is definitely fun to watch, but now we obviously know that Ji-Young’s next task will be to save the reputation of Joseon by making an incredible meal for this envoy.
