[Interview] "Bon Appetit, Your Majesty" Lee Chae-min

Another star is born. Rising actor Lee Chae-min (25) has captivated viewers with his confident portrayal of King Yi Heon in tvN's hit drama "Bon Appetit, Your Majesty". Just one year after stepping into leading roles, his first challenge in a historical drama has brought dazzling results. When asked if he could feel his growing popularity, he smiled brightly and said, "It's still amazing when people recognize me on the street"

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Meeting at a café in Seoul's Gangnam district on the 30th, Lee Chae-min reflected, "It still hasn't hit me that the drama has ended, the emotions are lingering", and added, "Usually I feel a bittersweet mix when a project wraps up, but this time, receiving so much love has made me truly proud and happy".

The time-slip romantic comedy fusion sageuk, "Bon Appetit, Your Majesty", concluded on September 28th with a nationwide viewership rating of 17.1% (Nielsen Korea), taking the top spot across all channels in its time slot, including terrestrial networks. It also became the first tvN drama to top Netflix's Global Top 10 Non-English TV Shows for two consecutive weeks.

"I couldn't believe we were number one globally", Lee Chae-min said. "It felt like everyone's sweat and hard work finally paid off". As for the show's secret to success, he explained, "It had both lighthearted humor and a deep, engaging story. The chemistry between the characters and Director Chang Tae-you's romantic direction were all excellent".

His involvement in the project was almost fateful. He was urgently brought in after another actor originally cast for the role dropped out. "I joined the drama carrying both pressure and high expectations", he recalled. During the brief one-month preparation period, he threw himself into character training, learning horseback riding and attending calligraphy classes. "I felt a mix of responsibility and obsession to get it right in such a short time, so I cut down on sleep and kept studying the script", he said.

The effort paid off. Lee Chae-min's performance shone, capturing hearts by portraying both the charisma of a monarch and the tender devotion of a man in love. Inspired by the historical figure Yeonsangun, his role ranged from conveying the darkness of a man weighed down by power and maternal loss to expressing pure delight whenever he tasted dishes made by modern-day master chef Yeo Ji-yeong (Lim Yoona).

"I saw a lot of comments saying my acting improved significantly", Lee Chae-min noted, giving credit to the director and his co-star. Lim Yoona had previously praised him in an interview, saying, "Even with a short preparation time, he worked hard and focused well, so our chemistry was great". Lee Chae-min responded gratefully: "I was already a fan of hers. In the early days when I lacked confidence, she encouraged me by saying I was doing well, and that meant so much to me".

Becoming an actor was once just a vague dream. As a child, Lee Chae-min suffered from stage fright and thought, "I probably can't do this". But at 19, he suddenly decided to give his dream a real try and signed up for a local acting academy. Once he started, he committed fully, eventually entering the acting program at the Korea National University of Arts and beginning his career. "It still feels like a dream that I've come this far", he said.

Lee Chae-min is currently in a public relationship with fellow 25-year-old actress Ryu Da-in, whom he met on the 2023 tvN drama "Crash Course in Romance". He shared, "Their support makes me feel that I need to work even harder so viewers can focus on the characters". Naturally bright, honest, and optimistic, Lee Chae-min added, "Even though so many things are changing because of this sudden popularity, I don't want my true self to change. I need to keep grounding myself".