"Perfect Crown" is generating heated buzz despite divided opinions over the lead actors' performances.
On the 14th, MBC's Friday-Saturday drama Perfect Crown (written by Yoo Ji-won, directed by Park Joon-hwa and Bae Hee-young, abbreviated as "the great military wife") said it ranked at the top in ratings, buzz and global rankings since its first broadcast.
The great military wife was already No. 1 on Good Data Corporation's TV-OTT drama buzz rankings even before it aired. In addition, the production said it was chosen by Time as one of the most anticipated Korean dramas of 2026.
Even advertising spots for the broadcast were all sold in advance. An MBC official told OSEN, "Amid strong advertiser interest, the advertising inventory for this month's Perfect Crown was sold out early."
Perhaps because of that, the great military wife recorded a nationwide 7.8% rating on its first broadcast, according to Nielsen Korea, and 9.5% nationwide for episode 2. It swept first place in its time slot for two consecutive episodes, becoming the No. 1 Friday-Saturday drama.
The response on global OTT platforms is also notable. According to FlixPatrol, the great military wife ranked No. 4 on Disney+'s global top 10 TV shows.
However, the divided reactions to the lead actors' performances are a wild card. Singer and actor IU, who plays Seong Hee-ju, a bulldozer-like character who will stop at nothing to win, has drawn both criticism that her performance is "artificial" and praise that it "recalls Jang Man-wol from Hotel Del Luna." In particular, opinions about Byeon Woo-seok, who plays the male lead, Lord Ian, have been largely disappointed, saying "he has only one expression" and "there is no rise and fall."
Meanwhile, expectations remain high for the fast pace appropriate to a 12-episode series and the chemistry between the polar-opposite Seong Hee-ju and Lord Ian. Riding that momentum, IU and Byeon Woo-seok continue to hold the top two spots in Good Data Corporation's drama performers' buzz rankings. The ratings are passing grades, and attention remains focused on the great military wife's trajectory amid divided reactions.
[Photo] Provided by MBC.
[OSEN]