Five days since airing its premiere episode on MGTV on February 22, Huanyu Entertainment’s latest offering Royal Feast 尚食 has hit more than 400 million in viewership. Combining a delicious array of food, romance and court intrigue, Royal Feast reunites Xu Kai and Wu Jinyan four years after the hugely successful Story of Yanxi Palace in 2018.
When audiences last saw Xu Kai and Wu Jinyan, their doomed romance as “Fu-Ying” – the CP pairing Yanxi Palace fans christened them with, left many broken-hearted. This time around, it seems the on-screen couple have their fair share of sweet moments with each other. Does this mean that perhaps they’ll finally be getting their second chance at a happy ending after all? Maybe. Fingers crossed.
Remember back when Xu Kai’s imperial guard Fu Heng said, “Wei Yingluo, I watched over you in this lifetime…. can you watch over me in the next lifetime?” Viewers were crying to the sound of the theme song The Sound of Falling Snow 雪落下的声音 playing in the background. In Royal Feast, singer Lu Hu returns to perform the new theme song.
Set during the Ming Dynasty, Wu Jinyan plays a young palace maid named Yao Zijin who dedicates herself to the art of cuisine and her efforts to improving her culinary skills. Slowly but surely, she works her way up from a maid in the imperial kitchens to become top chef. Unexpectedly, love comes a-knocking in the form of Xu Kai’s Zhu Zhan Ji who as the emperor’s grandson is in line for the throne. Of course, this being a palace drama, there’s no shortage of schemes and intrigues threatening to buffet the pair. Yao Zijin and Zhu Zhan Ji must work hard together to outmaneuver the political machinations within the palace.
A Feast for the Eyes
Royal Feast is well, literally also a feast for the eyes. Aside from the romance, food also plays an important part in the story that it’s almost like an actual character in the show. From the sheer amount of screen time featuring dish after dish of yummy looking meals, it’s pretty obvious the production put in a great deal of time, effort and research to highlight China’s rich and very diverse food culture. Those food close-ups alone should make you feel super hungry!
Source: 1
HL
Having watched afew eps… I have to say, I find the filter/lighting Yu Zheng used in this project is really not flattering. The actors really look dull and tired. Wu Jingyan looks like she has aged 10yrs…
But I do love the food elements of the show. It is so good to learn the different dishes of China. I just love looking at how food are prep and cooked then served.
BJ
It’s true. Wu jinyan looks old. Xu Kai is handsome but there is very less screen time between the main leads. These palace dramas has too much schemes which is not my cup of tea. The English subs are horrible. Can’t understand anything. I am watching on my own interpretations I would have dropped if not for Xu Kai. I will watch till end just for him. Nothing is interesting here. Most probably Wu jinyan will leave palace in the end. Such endings are just waste of time
Yooi
I’ve watched 4 episodes and i got bored. Wu jingyan’s acting in historical dramas looked the same. Witty girl and got s lot of enemies. I like watching smart character, but she did it many times.
Xu kai… emmm… he’s handsome and that’s all. But he has so many wives. Im sorry but i just can’t. My problem with this era dramas.
Hope to see them in a non ‘kingdom’ drama. A detective drama probably.
Sherry
Total enjoying drama. Highly recommend it. Acting is superb by both leading actor and actress. Food and palace politics. I am on ep 7 but have access to ep 16. Just waiting for Eng subs on YouTube.
mpt
Love love love the drama especially when it comes to Xu Kai and Wu Jin Yan’s private moments just a warning though the beautiful footage of all the food being served in the palace during Ming Dynasty really make one hungry watching the episodes.
Another1
Can’t believe they are still trying to make WJY a big star… I get really frustrated at how hard they are trying to make her character stand out? It’s like as a servant when you are asked to deliver the food and don’t look around … you just don’t…. Hahaha or if you are delivering food, you don’t walk over to look at the princes library… all this “ creating opportunity “ moments to make the plot happen is far too often for WJY historical roles. Super cringy… every time she does something that she is told not to do at the princes study I’m like …. Here we go again… watch at x2 speed… That said, I do like the other female supporting roles and the cooking scenes…
This story reminds me a lot of Da Ming Feng Hua (with tang wei) only this show has better styling but lousier story telling
Sarah
I honestly find her acting very mediocre. She’s quite over the top on emotional scenes. I don’t understand what all the fuss is about her. I do hope she improves. Also, the styling for this drama makes her look so pale and wrinkly in some scenes. I know she’s not that old but this make up artist ages her significantly.
Applefish
Saw 1 ep, and I can’t stand how the lighting and makeup make WJY look like she’s 40+, barely any meat on her face, so much wrinkles (around the mouth), she looks sickly, and honestly, her character is really bland. I’ll possibly watch more for XK, but even the cooking isn’t that great. For example, in ep 1, they serve what I called braised pork, the king rejected the first one, but eat like crazy on the 2nd one, and they look practically the same 😒 not only that, when they say the reason why the king loves the new set of dishes is because they are not too oily. Just because braised pork is now cooked in Chinese herbal medicine, does not make it not oily! Do you not see the layer of fat lol. I love that dish, and the fat melting is what make the dish lol!
And how is that wrapping rice and meat better than just serve them rice meat n the veggies you have???? Not only you waste time to break the meat and then mix it into the rice then wrap it inside the cabbage, the amount you gave the army is still the same?????????? Wouldn’t it be better to like use that time to prep other dishes until the pots turn up then all you need to do is cook????? The logic isn’t great lol, or at least I don’t see why they are cooking the way they do? Apart from trying to make it flashy for show
Jeje
I must say 1 to 7ep are mediocare but the acting are not that bad though the make up of WJY are not what i expect, i was waiting for this drama of her and xu kia but like i am wanting more or maybe bcoz the main focus are the food. But thabks ht 8ep til 10 was started giving me chills and happiness hope it will continues giving excitement and gave her WJY looks young.
Overall i must say for now 8t9.
Happygal
watch if you are just here for the fan fiction of their CP otherwise dont have high hopes on a good drama