Perfect Crown, the MBC Friday-Saturday drama that was this year's most anticipated work, has only two episodes left. From casting leads IU and Byeon Woo-seok to the first teaser and poster and the first broadcast day, every move drew attention, and the press conference even saw the unusual appearance of the MBC president. However, when the lid was actually opened, opinions emerged that ratings and reactions have not met expectations. What is the reason?
On April 10, the first broadcast of "Dae-gunbuin" recorded a 7.8% rating (Nielsen Korea nationwide), ranking third among MBC Friday-Saturday drama first-episode ratings. It was a high figure that reflected the popularity of the lead actors and the buzz they generated, but unexpected controversy over IU and Byeon Woo-seok's acting skills broke out and caused noise. However, this point has gradually subsided as the romantic comedy's leads' chemistry has risen with each episode and viewers became more familiar with the characters.
However, the biggest problem of "Dae-gunbuin" lies elsewhere. Although having the currently most popular and hot actors IU and Byeon Woo-seok guarantees publicity, the most disappointing point is that there is nothing beyond that to satisfy viewers. This stems from the drama's thin story and unconvincing developments.
In romantic comedies, the leads' chemistry is so important that clumsy developments are often dismissed as dramatic license. Even so, the recent three consecutive palace fire scenes in "Dae-gunbuin" were enough to provoke incredulous laughter.
During a quarrel between queen dowager Yoon Yi-rang (Gong Seung-yeon) and King Lee Hwan (Sung Joon), a fire broke out in the palace, the previous king suddenly died, shocking everyone, and the only young son, Lee Yoon, ascended as the new king, prompting Prince I-an (Byeon Woo-seok) to begin a regency. The second incident saw Seong Hee-ju get lost and wander at the Dan-il banquet, enter a restricted area, hear an explosion, and a fire break out in Junghwajeon. This incident led to Seong Hee-ju being cast as the prime suspect.
Then a third fire occurred. While Seong Hee-ju went out to meet her natal family, she heard an explosion from afar and rushed to the private hall. The private hall was already engulfed in flames, and Seong Hee-ju received news that her husband Prince I-an was inside, fell into a panic, and the episode ended. At this point, one might ask, is fire the only device available for dramatic developments?
Not long ago, the setting of a constitutional monarchy, which forms the work's foundation, also became controversial. The transfer of the throne from an 8-year-old king to Prince I-an drew criticism for proceeding without mention of parliamentary or legal procedures and appearing to be settled solely by royal family decisions. In modern constitutional monarchies such as Japan and the United Kingdom, succession, abdication and regency are typically decided within constitutional and royal law frameworks and involve parliamentary approval or state agency procedures. As a result, critics say "Dae-gunbuin's" dramatic license hinders immersion.
Unlike the drama "Palace" (2006), in which the royal family existed as a cultural symbol, "Dae-gunbuin," introduced 20 years later, depicts a place where real politics and power operate. In a 21st-century palace that boasts strict security and impenetrable defense, frequent fires turning it into a ruin, deliberate tampering with Seong Hee-ju's car brakes, and plots to poison Prince I-an on the wedding day that cause Seong Hee-ju to collapse from drugging are cited as reasons why shallow plot developments and direction feel juvenile.
[Photo] Screen capture of Perfect Crown
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