The new Friday-Saturday drama '21st Century Grand Duchess' is a romance about breaking social status barriers. It tells the story of a woman who has everything as a chaebol but is frustrated by her commoner status, and a prince who is sad because he cannot have anything. The drama is set in a 21st-century constitutional monarchy in Korea.
In the drama, IU plays Sung Hee-joo, the CEO of Castle Beauty. Born as an illegitimate child of the Castle Group, Sung Hee-joo is a chaebol with stunning looks, an extraordinary mind, and a fierce competitive spirit. She has even won the Best Entrepreneur Award, showcasing her management skills. While she seems to lack nothing, her commoner status is a weakness in a Korea where the nobility still holds significant power.
To overcome the limitations of being an illegitimate child and a commoner, Sung Hee-joo sets a grand and secretive goal of entering into a contract marriage with Grand Prince Ian (played by Byun Woo-seok), a beloved member of the royal family. The drama raises curiosity about whether the natural-born strategist Sung Hee-joo can achieve her plan to conquer both the business world and the royal family.
The released photos capture Sung Hee-joo's professional moments as the CEO of Castle Beauty, who never misses the top spot in any field. Her charismatic presence as she passionately leads a meeting with executives in the conference room is evident.
Additionally, Sung Hee-joo is seen capturing the spotlight from reporters at an event. As the CEO of Castle Beauty, everything she wears and eats becomes a topic of discussion. There is growing interest in whether Sung Hee-joo will leave her mark on the royal family with her striking fashion and undeniable presence.
'21st Century Grand Duchess' premieres this April.
Reporter: Jung Se-yoon, TenAsia yoon@tenasia.co.kr