As controversy over historical distortion in MBC drama 21st-century Lady of a Grand Prince continues, lead actors IU and Byeon Woo-seok posted apologies side by side. They issued public statements as criticism persisted even after the finale.
On the 18th, IU said on her social media that she was sorry for failing to show a responsible stance as the drama's lead actor.
IU said she reflected on not thinking more deeply about the drama's issues with historical authenticity, and noted that because it was a work meant to capture the beauty of our history and traditions, she should have read the script more carefully and studied more. IU added that she had not fully recognized the problems in advance and would approach future projects with greater caution.
On the same day, Byeon Woo-seok wrote on social media that he had not thought enough about how the work's historical context and meaning would be received by viewers.
Byeon said he engaged in self-reflection through viewers' criticisms and said he again felt the need to examine not only his acting but also the message and context of a work with greater responsibility.
21st-century Lady of a Grand Prince was engulfed in controversy over historical distortion and poor authenticity checks throughout its run. In particular, a recent enthronement scene featured the nine-strand face crown, which symbolizes a vassal lord, instead of the twelve-strand face crown worn by a sovereign of an independent nation, and a scene where officials shouted "cheonse" instead of "manse" to the monarch, further fueling the controversy.
Some viewers pushed back, asking whether it depicted the Republic of Korea as if it were a vassal state of China, and even scenes reminiscent of Chinese-style tea ceremony etiquette were raised, expanding the issue into the so-called "Northeast Project" controversy.
Titles used in the show also came under fire. Regarding the setup in which Seong Hee-ju, played by IU, is called "gunbuin," critics argued that if she is the wife of a grand prince, "bubuin" would be correct.
Korean history instructor Choi Tae-sung also issued a public criticism on social media that day.
Along with a drama poster, Choi posted the phrase "Please come to your senses now," and pointed out that dramas and films are no longer content consumed only domestically, adding that a historical verification system befitting that reality is needed.
Choi continued that even though disputes over historical terms, costumes, and lines keep repeating, things remain stuck in place, and said it was regrettable that producers invest hundreds of millions of won in actors' appearance fees while allocating only tens of thousands of won for historical authenticity checks.
Choi added that a professional verification system for historical works is needed to review scripts, costumes, and even sets.