The first kiss between IU and Byeon Woo-seok, who began living together in the palace, also sent ratings dancing.
On Fri., the 17th, episode 3 of the MBC Fri-Sat drama Perfect Crown (written by Yoo Ji-won / directed by Park Jun-hwa, Bae Hee-young / planned by Kang Dae-sun / produced by MBC, Kakao Entertainment) recorded ratings of 9.4% in the metropolitan area, 9% nationwide and 4.6% among 20-54-year-olds, ranking first overall among all programs broadcast on Friday. Nationwide, the metropolitan area and 20-54 ratings all rose sharply compared with the day of the week, and continuing from last week the show achieved the triple crown as the No. 1 Fri-Sat drama and No. 1 in its time slot, cementing its status as a trend drama. Among those moments, the ending scene in which Seong Hee-ju (played by IU) and Grand Prince I-an (played by Byeon Woo-seok) kiss on top of a wall surged to a peak of 12.7% per minute, showing a powerful finishing kick. (Nielsen Korea)
In that episode, the sight of Seong Hee-ju (played by IU) and Grand Prince I-an (played by Byeon Woo-seok) growing closer amid intense public interest made viewers flutter.
Following Seong Hee-ju's proposal to enter into a contract marriage, Grand Prince I-an, as if acknowledging their relationship immediately after a scandal broke, boldly took Seong Hee-ju's hand and entered the palace with her in front of everyone. Queen Dowager Yoon Yi-rang (played by Gong Seung-yeon) refused to permit the marriage, saying the illicit scandal harmed the royal household, but Seong Hee-ju and Grand Prince I-an did not yield and resolved to carry out the marriage as planned.
Therefore, Seong Hee-ju and Grand Prince I-an pretended to be an inseparable couple to deceive the public, acting naturally and showing off their fantastic chemistry. In particular, their back-and-forth while lying on the same bed and having a blanket fight led to an unexpectedly spicy misunderstanding among palace staff outside the room, causing viewers to burst out laughing.
Thanks to the acting of Seong Hee-ju and Grand Prince I-an, rumors about the two spread uncontrollably. As a romance with a beloved royal, Seong Hee-ju suffered from malicious comments and egg attacks all day, and to make matters worse her father Seong Hyun-guk (played by Cho Seung-yeon) poured out criticism instead of worrying about his daughter, leaving Seong Hee-ju bitter.
What soothed Seong Hee-ju's pain was Grand Prince I-an's warm remark. Grand Prince I-an hurried over, postponing work because he heard Seong Hee-ju's voice over the phone did not sound well, and his consolation gently comforted Seong Hee-ju's heart. To protect Seong Hee-ju from public attention, Grand Prince I-an took her to his private residence.
Above all, Grand Prince I-an even confronted Queen Dowager Yoon Yi-rang head-on after she sought to expel Seong Hee-ju by accusing her of being the arsonist in the Tanilyeon fire. Palace staff who witnessed the scene spread word of Seong Hee-ju and Grand Prince I-an's relationship, and Yoon Yi-rang's plan to tarnish Seong Hee-ju and her company ended in failure.
Matching the tempo of a prince in love who had gone off the rails 100%, Grand Prince I-an's actions were reciprocated by Seong Hee-ju, who tenderly took care of him as he stayed up working, bringing warmth. Late at night, Seong Hee-ju, who secretly attempted to go out, offered tea and supplements to help the sleepless Grand Prince I-an, dutifully providing domestic support.
As Grand Prince I-an fondly stroked Seong Hee-ju's cheek, which made her smile with pride, he gently kissed her, sending viewers' hearts racing. With petals falling over their heads enhancing the romantic mood, following the scandal and then the kiss, the romance road opened for the lovable Seong Hee-ju and Grand Prince I-an, making their future moves even more anticipated.
Viewers are eager to see whether in episode 4, buoyed by the chemistry between IU and Byeon Woo-seok that opened the path for romance, the show can surpass the 10% nationwide rating for the first time.
[Photo] MBC Fri-Sat drama Perfect Crown video capture
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