On September 19, Park posted a statement on social media addressing the controversy. He cited “Five Rites of the National Dynasty”, Korea’s official book of state protocols compiled in 1474, as the foundation for the depictions in the drama.
First, he explained why Yeonhui-gun and the Ming envoy were seated side by side in one scene: “According to the section on banquet rituals, the envoy should sit in the east and the king in the west.” Park noted that under Confucian protocol, the east ranked higher than the west, and since the envoy represented the emperor, he held higher status than the Joseon king.
He also defended the scene where Yeonhui-gun bowed his head to the envoy. “The official texts state it was customary for the king to bow first when greeting the envoy,” he said. Park stressed this was not a matter of sovereignty but a standard international protocol of the era, drawn directly from official documents written only 30 years apart from the drama’s setting.
The controversy arose after viewers pointed out scenes where Yeonhui-gun (played by Lee Chae-min) sat alongside the Ming envoy, arguing that according to The Annals of King Sejong, the king should remain on the throne while envoys sat lower. Critics also noted that while kneeling was required when receiving an imperial edict, there was no historical basis for a king bowing his head.
Bon Appétit, Your Majesty is a fantasy romantic comedy adapted from the web novel Surviving as Yeonsan-gun’s Chef. The story follows a modern-day chef who time-slips into the Joseon era and wins over a tyrant king with her cooking.
Sources: nate
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