'The Queen Dowager (Daegunbu-in),' a more serious issue than the acting controversy involving IU and Byeon Woo-seok… Three palace fires, drawing laughter [Oh! Sen Focus]

[OSEN=Reporter Ha Soo-jung] MBC's Friday-Saturday drama, which was this year's most anticipated series, 'Grand Prince's Wife of the 21st Century,' has only two episodes left. From the casting of leads IU and Byun Woo-seok to the first teaser, the poster, and even the first broadcast day, every move drew attention, and the production presentation was unusually attended by the MBC president. However, once it actually aired, opinions emerged that its ratings and response were not as high as expected. Why is that?

The first episode of 'Grand Prince's Wife', which aired on April 10, recorded a 7.8% rating (based on Nielsen Korea nationwide), ranking third among the highest first-episode ratings for MBC Friday-Saturday dramas of all time. It was a strong figure that reflected the popularity of the lead actors and the show's buzz, but unexpected controversy over IU and Byun Woo-seok's acting sparked noise. Still, because it is a romantic comedy, the chemistry between the leads has improved as the episodes progressed, and as the characters became more familiar, the criticism gradually died down.

However, the biggest problem with 'Grand Prince's Wife' is something else. Since it stars IU and Byun Woo-seok, two of the hottest and most popular actors right now, its buzz is guaranteed, but the most disappointing point is that there is nothing beyond that to satisfy viewers. This stems from the drama's thin story and its unconvincing development.

In rom-coms, awkward developments that are dismissed as 'dramatic license' often appear because chemistry between the leads is so important. Even so, the recent three consecutive palace-fire scenes in 'Grand Prince's Wife' were enough to provoke incredulous laughter.

During a quarrel between Crown Princess Yun I-rang (played by Gong Seung-yeon) and King Lee Hwan (played by Seong Joon), a fire broke out in the palace, shocking viewers when the former king suddenly died. As the only young son, Lee Yun, ascended the throne and Prince Ian (played by Byun Woo-seok) began serving as regent, it became the catalyst for the story. The second time, Seong Hee-ju got lost while attending a celebratory banquet, wandered into a restricted area, and then heard an explosion; a fire broke out in Junghwajeon. This incident led to Seong Hee-ju being treated as a strong suspect.

And then there was a third fire. While going out to meet her family from her husband's side, Seong Hee-ju heard an explosion from afar and immediately headed to Byeongjeon. Byeongjeon was already engulfed in flames, and Seong Hee-ju received news that her husband, Prince Ian, was inside; she then ended the episode in a panic. At this point, one might as well ask, 'Is fire the only material needed for dramatic development?'

Not long ago, the 'constitutional monarchy' setup that forms the foundation of the work also became controversial. The fact that an 8-year-old king abdicates in favor of Prince Ian without any mention of parliamentary or legal procedures drew criticism, as the line of succession appears to be determined solely by an internal decision of the royal family. In modern constitutional monarchies such as Japan and the United Kingdom, succession to the throne, abdication, and regency are generally decided within the framework of the constitution and royal law, and go through parliamentary approval or procedures by state institutions. Because of this, many point out that the dramatic license in 'Grand Prince's Wife' has reached the point of disrupting immersion.

Unlike the drama 'Princess Hours' (2006), in which the royal family existed as a cultural symbol, 'Grand Prince's Wife', introduced 20 years later, is portrayed as a far more powerful place where real politics and power are at play. In the heavily guarded 21st-century palace, where no one can easily enter and security is ironclad, fires keep breaking out and turning everything into a wreck; Seong Hee-ju's car brakes are deliberately tampered with; and on the day of the wedding, Seong Hee-ju collapses from drug poisoning because of forces trying to poison Prince Ian. These flimsy developments and direction are cited as reasons why the show feels juvenile.

[Photo] Screen capture from 'Grand Prince's Wife of the 21st Century'