(Following [Oh!Ssen focus①]) Perfect Crown remains the subject of heated criticism even after it ended. Interpretations swinging between "historical distortion" and "errors in factual accuracy," depending on one's perspective, proliferate and only fuel further anger. The broadcaster MBC, which caused or tolerated the controversy, has remained silent.
Behind the public anger toward MBC's Friday-Saturday drama Perfect Crown (abbreviated as "Grand Lady") is not merely a problem with a single enthronement scene but accumulated criticism of setting errors that began early in the series. The main conflict in Perfect Crown is triggered by "Grand Prince Ian's regency." However, in the 500-year history of the Joseon dynasty there was no case of a grand prince acting as regent while the queen dowager was alive. Moreover, Grand Prince Ian even takes measures to confine the queen dowager who pressures him and his lover Seong Hee-ju (played by IU), but the only king who confined a queen dowager in Joseon was King Gwanghae, and he was later deposed on that pretext.
In addition, in Perfect Crown the state proclaims itself a constitutional monarchy rather than an absolute monarchy, yet the class system remains. Even in actual Joseon, the yangban status, which could be acquired and maintained through later-life effort such as passing the state examination, becomes in the series a contradiction from the start by being inherited only through blood. At the same time, the "golden power" chaebol family, the wealthiest but officially low in social rank in public settings, embodies a paradox. This element stimulates Seong Hee-ju's desire for upward mobility, but in the ending, when Grand Prince Ian abolishes the royal family and escapes the class system while aligning with Seong Hee-ju's chaebol family, it creates another irony.
Ultimately, criticism of Perfect Crown stems from the production's reliance on a "fictional" setting while ignoring setting errors so obvious to viewers and cherry-picking what suits them. Viewers endured all kinds of setting flaws to watch until the end, yet scenes that seemed to denigrate by claiming that the fundamental setting—an independent Korea—followed factual accuracy rather than fiction felt deceptive, and bottled-up anger exploded.
In the end, what the broadcaster and producers wanted to leave behind was merely a lavish court romance for stars Byeon Woo-seok and IU. Were the accompanying historical considerations secondary? The result of focusing solely on capitalist success became overtly evident in the enthronement scene. It's fine to enjoy a drama that brings happiness, but the public's expectation that certain things be respected grew into outrage when setting errors accumulated and ultimately collapsed at the enthronement. Given that Perfect Crown boasted strong pre-broadcast buzz, the disappointment with a show that fell short of expectations appears to have turned directly into a sense of betrayal.
Of course, as the production team claims, they may have taken expert advice and followed factual accuracy for items such as the gwryumyeonryugwan and cheonse in actual Joseon enthronement ceremonies, and nothing more. But even if the series exalts a tributary diplomacy in foreign relations, it lacks pride that Joseon, in practice, was a sovereign country rather than a vassal state, and that it preserved national sovereignty through pragmatic choices to avoid war. Even arguments by some in China demanding a Northeast Project, viewed as ignorant, cannot be dismissed merely as fragmented claims lacking context. Because this comes from a country that burned cultural heritage during its communist revolution, it is hard to dismiss it as merely a cry to reclaim continental grandeur, and it provokes public anger.
Whether it's a collapse of setting, errors in factual accuracy, or historical distortion, responding accurately and criticizing the work that provided the pretext remain emotionally separate issues for the public. At a time when pride in K-content is high, it is shocking that a Korean work gave an excuse that undermines national dignity. It is like sprinkling salt on an audience already forever hurt by the remnants of pro-Japanese collaborators during the colonial period.
Despite the boiling public opinion, MBC still remains silent. In the past, SBS's drama Joseon Exorcist was also caught up in historical distortion controversy and was not only canceled early in its initial run but fully scrapped. That contrasts starkly with MBC's duplicitous attitude, given that MBC's main news unusually and extensively covered the issue then. At the production presentation for Perfect Crown even the MBC president attended and expressed expectations for the work. Angry viewers are even circulating boycott notices to the sponsors of Perfect Crown. Before the successor Fifties Professionals begins, a responsible apology and a proper conclusion are needed.
[Photo] Provided by MBC and Disney+.
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