[OSENWORLD] A Chinese voice actor has drawn fury for ridiculing Korean actor Jo Jae-yoon’s Mandarin in Disney+ historical fantasy drama Bon Appétit, Your Majesty.
The controversy began with episodes that aired on September 6–7, where Ming Dynasty envoy Wu Gon (Kim Hyeong-mook) prepares for a culinary showdown alongside chefs Tang Baekryong (Jo Jae-yoon), Gong Munrye (Park In-soo), and Abisu (Moon Seung-you) against Joseon’s royal cooks. Although Jo appeared to deliver his lines fluently in Mandarin, the version that aired used a dubbed track instead.
When Chinese viewers praised the performance as “standard Mandarin” and “smoothly spoken,” the dub actor revealed on Weibo that the voice was his. He went further, ridiculing Jo: “Other actors were fine, but this one was terrible,” he wrote, claiming even Korean producers familiar with Mandarin “couldn’t hold back their laughter.” The post, shared alongside photos from the recording booth, was widely interpreted as a public mockery.
As the remarks spread to Korea, online reaction turned sharply critical. Comments included: “Of course it’s natural if a Korean actor isn’t fluent in Mandarin,” “Why mock him on social media?” and “Don’t Chinese dramas also use dubbing actors?” Some questioned the production choice itself, asking why Jo wasn’t simply allowed to perform in Korean.
Facing mounting criticism, the dub actor deleted the post. However, Taiwanese outlet ETtoday and other regional media had already reported on it, ensuring the controversy would not fade easily. His identity has not been publicly confirmed, though he is presumed to be a professional in the dubbing industry.
Amid the controversy, Bon Appétit, Your Majesty continues to perform strongly on Netflix, ranking No. 2 globally in the Non-English TV category and holding a Top 10 spot for three consecutive weeks. The series follows chef Yeon Ji-young (Lim Yoona) as she time-slips into the Joseon era and becomes entangled in a culinary survival romance with tyrant king Lee Heon (Lee Chae-min).
/k_inside@osen.co.kr
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