YoonA has spoken candidly about her new co-star Lee Chae Min, who joined tvN’s hit drama Bon Appétit, Your Majesty under unusual circumstances.
Appearing on the September 10th broadcast of You Quiz on the Block, YoonA discussed the actor’s late addition to the cast. Lee plays the male lead, Yi Heon, opposite YoonA. “He’s such an upright young man,” she said warmly. “Even though he only had one month to prepare, he showed up on set fully dressed and ready. Watching him, I thought, ‘He is Yi Heon himself.’”
Originally, the male lead was slated to be Park Sung Hoon. However, in December 2024, Park sparked heavy backlash after posting and then deleting a group photo of Japanese AV actors dressed in Squid Game costumes. The controversy led to his withdrawal from Bon Appétit, Your Majesty, and Lee Chae Min stepped in to replace him.
Later in the episode, YoonA also reflected on her career as both an idol and an actress. “I actually debuted as an actress first, so my acting career is 18 years, the same as Girls’ Generation,” she explained. “For a long time, I felt my acting experience was lacking compared to what I had accomplished as a singer. That’s why I pushed myself to build a stronger filmography, doing about seven projects over three years. I wanted my acting career to catch up to my music career.”
YoonA also expressed affection for her fellow Girls’ Generation members, who are pursuing acting in parallel with music. “When I see my old idol friends sitting as actors at award shows, I feel so proud of them, even if we weren’t especially close,” she shared. “When I did King the Land, some people called it a Girls’ Generation and 2PM collaboration. Seeing positive results made me realize that if we do well, the public looks beyond preconceptions.”
>> YoonA and Lee Chae Min’s Romance Propels ‘Bon Appétit, Your Majesty’ to 15% Ratings
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