Actress Moon Seung-yu (29) has risen as Yoona’s on-screen rival through Bon Appétit, Your Majesty. Although she debuted in 2018 with a short film and steadily pursued acting, this is the first time she has gained such widespread recognition. “Before the broadcast, I only had about 20,000–30,000 Instagram followers. In just one week, that number jumped to 100,000,” Moon shared, expressing her excitement.
tvN's weekend drama Bon Appétit, Your Majesty (directed by Jang Tae-yoo), which ended on September 28, followed chef Yeon Ji-young (Yoona), who time-travels to the past at the height of her career and encounters tyrant king Yi Heon (Lee Chae-min), known for his ruthless power and refined palate. The drama concluded with a record 17.1% nationwide rating and a peak of 19.4%.
Moon played Ya Feixiu, the youngest apprentice chef from the Ming dynasty and the protégé of Master Tang Bailong (Jo Jae-yoon). Known as the “Fairy of Sichuan Cuisine,” Ya Feixiu stood out for her vibrant charm. Moon even took charge of Ya Feixiu’s makeup herself, explaining, “I wanted to try a look that brought out Ya Feixiu’s unique character. Since it’s a fusion sageuk (historical drama) and Ya Feixiu came from Ming China, I thought it fit.”
Her fluent Chinese lines also drew praise. “One of the PDs majored in Chinese and coached me directly. He corrected me immediately whenever I made a mistake on set,” Moon revealed. Having admired Taiwanese actor Greg Hsu, she was already familiar with Taiwanese dramas when she was cast, which helped her memorize Chinese dialogue like song lyrics.
Interestingly, Moon originally auditioned for the role of Kang Mok-ju, later played by Kang Han-na, but was offered Ya Feixiu instead. “When the director called to say I’d suit Ya Feixiu better, I was relieved. At first, I worried they’d use a double for the Chinese lines, but they didn’t,” she laughed.
Moon praised co-stars Yoona and Lee Chae-min for their dedication: “They never missed a scene, even when their characters weren’t on camera. Their professionalism kept the atmosphere positive, and I learned how much a lead actor sets the tone for the whole set. I hope to be that kind of actress someday.”
Born in 1996, Moon spent part of her youth in Singapore before returning to Korea, where she studied applied music at an arts high school. She appeared on JTBC’s Mix Nine (2017) but was eliminated. Soon after, she landed a web drama role, which changed her career path. “It was an antagonist role and I got a lot of hate comments, but oddly, I felt thrilled. As Moon Seung-yu, I had low self-esteem at the time, but becoming another person, acting well, and being praised—it was a revelation. That’s when I decided to pursue acting seriously.”
Since then, she has built her résumé with appearances in The Golden Spoon (2022), Heartbeat (2023), Knight Flower (2024), and Wedding Impossible (2024). In Knight Flower, she played the younger version of Honey Lee’s character, catching viewers’ attention. Looking ahead, she expressed, “I’d love to take on a role like Nana’s in Mask Girl and show more diverse sides of myself. Please look out for me.”
Sources: nate
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