Why everyone’s talking about him
Bon Appetit, Your Majesty turned Lee Chae min from rising face to full-fledged headline. The palace-kitchen romance gave him exactly the kind of role that travels: a disciplined, quietly vulnerable king who softens scene by scene. As ratings climbed and the show hit international charts, industry chatter did what it always does when a breakout lands—scripts started arriving, brand inquiries multiplied, and casting rumors filled timelines.
If you love time-slip vibes, don’t miss our picks: Top 5 Time-Travel K-dramas Like Bon Appétit, Your Majesty.
A flood of offers (and why the number varies)
Multiple entertainment outlets in Korea and abroad report that Lee has been inundated with opportunities following the drama’s success. Some pieces quote insiders who put the count “as high as 30 scripts,” while others keep it vaguer—“a wave of love calls,” “dozens of proposals,” “from dramas to ads, photo shoots, and fan meetings.” The precise figure shifts by source (typical when agencies and producers are still circling), but the trend line is clear: demand is up, fast. Two additional data points help explain the momentum: strong domestic TV ratings and back-to-back weeks near the top of Netflix’s global non-English chart. Put simply, both local and global signals are green.
Personal life: the confirmed relationship
Lee Chae min Girlfriend & Career After Bon Appetit
Lee’s private life is unusually straightforward for someone in a sudden spotlight. In March 2024, his team and actress Ryu Da in’s side publicly confirmed they’re dating, a detail that outlets still reference whenever couple items (like matching rings) pop up in public photos. There’s no official announcement about engagement or marriage; the relationship is simply acknowledged and—so far—low-drama. For fans, that clarity has reduced rumor churn and let the focus drift back to the work.
Don’t miss our roundup: Top 10 K-dramas Airing Now — September 2025.
Career snapshot (at a glance)
-
Born: September 15, 2000 (Goyang, South Korea)
-
Debut & early TV:
-
High Class (2021) — first small-screen appearance.
-
Love All Play (2022) — youth sports romance that showcased his easy, grounded charm.
-
Alchemy of Souls (2022) — brief turn that tapped the fantasy audience.
-
Crash Course in Romance (2023) — the buzzy tvN hit that put him on many viewers’ radar (and the set where he met Ryu Da-in).
-
See You in My 19th Life (2023) — supporting role, steady visibility.
-
-
Lead momentum:
-
Hierarchy (Netflix, 2024) — first clear “can he carry it?” test with global reach.
-
Bon Appetit, Your Majesty (tvN/Netflix, 2025) — signature role to date; broad crossover appeal.
-
-
Hosting: Music Bank MC (Sept 2022–May 2024) — a valuable live-TV reps pipeline that sharpened his composure and media fluency.
What casting directors see
Lee Chae min Girlfriend & Career After Bon Appetit
-
Camera presence you can scale. Lee che min’s “soft steel” persona plays equally well in school corridors, palace halls, and contemporary offices.
-
Range for romance and strategy. He reads empathetic without losing authority—useful for melodrama, office/industry pieces, even grounded action.
-
Global familiarity. Between a Netflix lead and a current network hit with global streaming, he’s recognizable beyond Korea, which de-risks international copros and streamers’ originals.
-
Low volatility. Clear, confirmed relationship status; clean promotion track record from his MC tenure; and a reputation for preparation on set.
Brand/visibility pulse
Korean brand-reputation trackers (which aggregate search, media, and consumer-sentiment data) have him at or near the top of actor rankings this month—one more signal that the breakout isn’t confined to core fandom. Meanwhile, trade and mainstream outlets continue to cover the drama’s ratings jumps and global charting, keeping his name circulating well beyond stan spaces.
Roles that make sense next (and why)
-
Modern romance with edge. Fresher scripts that push beyond “nice guy” tropes—a morally gray PR fixer, an ambitious junior prosecutor, or a startup founder whose empathy is a liability—would let him stretch without losing the warmth audiences just fell for.
-
Historical or prestige melodrama. With palace costuming and period physicality already proven, a darker sageuk (strategist, general, reformist scholar) could widen his range and awards profile.
-
Character-driven action. A mentor-mentee cop thriller or survival piece that prizes endurance and decision-making over brute force would leverage his athletic frame and controlled intensity.
- Also read: Top 10 Most-Watched K-dramas Airing in September 2025.
Lee Chae min Girlfriend & Career After Bon Appetit
FAQs fans keep asking
Is the “30 scripts” figure real?
It’s a widely repeated insider line—credible as a shorthand for “many at once,” but not an official tally. Expect movement as projects lock casts this fall and winter.
Are there confirmed next projects?
Agencies and networks typically announce after script reads and scheduling converge. Given how fast Bon Appetit blew up, expect selective shortlists first (writer/director “packages”), then formal reveals.
What about film?
With streamer recognition banked, a prestige commercial film (ensemble crime, healing melodrama, or a mid-budget thriller) would be a logical step; look for festival-friendly directors courting him for 2026 slates.
Bottom line
Lee Chae min’s 2025 isn’t just a glow-up; it’s a consolidation. A charismatic lead turn, measurable audience appetite at home and abroad, and a news cycle full of “love calls” have moved him from “promising” to “priority.” If his team pairs this momentum with a writer-driven script and a top-tier PD—or a savvy theatrical vehicle—he’s positioned not just for another hit, but for durability. That’s the difference between a moment and a career.
Sources (collected at the bottom, as requested)
-
Lee Chae-min bio/credits and Music Bank MC dates — Wikipedia; AsianWiki; Netflix/IMDb title pages for Hierarchy and Bon Appétit, Your Majesty. IMDb
-
Relationship confirmation with Ryu Da-in (March 2024) and subsequent coverage of couple items. Wikipedia
-
Reports on “30 scripts” / “flood of offers” following Bon Appétit, Your Majesty. En.KapanLagi.com
-
Ratings/visibility context and global charting for Bon Appétit, Your Majesty. Indiatimes
-
Brand-reputation ranking (September 2025). MK News
