YoonA praises Lee Chae Min’s professionalism despite his last-minute cast in Bon Appétit, Your Majesty

On September 10th, 2025, YoonA spilled some sweet behind-the-scenes tea during her appearance on You Quiz on the Block. During her chat on the show, she couldn’t stop praising her co-star Lee Chae Min, who joined tvN’s Bon Appétit, Your Majesty at the very last minute. Playing Yi Heon alongside YoonA, the actor had one month to prep but came to set fully in character, but the actress said he was “Yi Heon himself” with a smile.

“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, Park Sung Hoon was cast as the male lead. However, in December 2024, he faced backlash after posting a controversial photo of Japanese adult film actors dressed as characters from the Squid Game series. The controversy over the picture pushed him out of the drama, and Lee stepped in to save the show’s future. Talk about a K-drama twist, but in real life!

Besides complementing her co-star, YoonA also reflected on her long career. The 35-year-old revealed that she debuted as an actress before becoming a Girls’ Generation member. With 18 years in acting, she admitted that it was hard to balance both her K-pop idol and actress career. Regardless, YoonA found a balance in both worlds, starring in seven projects over three years.