tvN’s weekend drama Bon Appétit, Your Majesty (aka The Tyrant’s Chef) closed its run on September 28 with a finale that left viewers satisfied. At the same time, it also delivered the highest ratings of its broadcast.
According to Nielsen Korea, the final episode recorded an average of 17.4% in the Seoul metropolitan area, peaking at 20%, and a nationwide average of 17.1%, with a peak of 19.4%. This marked the drama’s all-time best performance, securing the No. 1 spot across all channels, including terrestrial broadcasters.
Among tvN’s target demographic of viewers aged 20 to 49, Bon Appétit, Your Majesty achieved an average of 5.8% in the metropolitan area (peaking at 7.1%) and 6.5% nationwide (peaking at 7.6%), once again ranking first in its slot. The finale also delivered the highest ratings for any tvN drama in 2025.
The episode tied together the show’s central romance. Yeon Jiyoung (YoonA) and the deposed Lee Heon (Lee Chae Min) fought side by side against Prince Jesan (Choi Gwi Hwa) and his rebellion. Their resistance brought an end to traitors like Kang Mok Ju (Kang Han Na) and Jesan himself, but it came at a cost. Ji Young was fatally struck by Jesan’s sword, and Lee Heon was left to mourn as the Mangunrok sent her back to the modern world without him.
Back in the present day, Ji Young struggled with memories of Lee Heon’s cries as he held onto her. Discovering records of Prince Yeonhui’s disappearance, she clung to the belief that he might still live and tried in vain to return to him. She eventually resumed her life as a head chef at a restaurant, surrounded by chefs who reminded her of her Suragan masters.
The finale gave fans a long-awaited reunion when Lee Heon appeared in modern-day Korea, embracing Ji Young and sealing their love with a kiss. Their story closed with a simple but symbolic moment — sharing bibimbap together, just as Lee Heon had once promised.
The romance and fantasy fusion not only held audiences until the end but also fueled global popularity. Bon Appétit, Your Majesty became the first tvN series to top Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English TV Shows for two consecutive weeks, and it dominated the TV-OTT Drama Hot Topic and Cast rankings for five straight weeks. Gallup Korea also named it the most popular broadcast program in September.
On the heels of its success, the cast of Bon Appétit, Your Majesty will be heading to Vietnam next month for a reward vacation.
