On the 6th, the production presentation for MBC's new Friday-Saturday drama '21st Century Grand Princess' (written by Yoo Ji-won, directed by Park Joon-hwa) was held at the Chosun Palace Seoul Gangnam. The event was attended by IU, Byeon Woo-seok, Noh Sang-hyun, Gong Seung-yeon, Yoo Soo-bin, Lee Yeon, and director Park Joon-hwa. Unlike previous events held at the Golden Mouse Hall in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, MBC hosted this presentation at a hotel, marking a rare occasion.
Set against the backdrop of a 21st-century constitutional monarchy, '21st Century Grand Princess' tells the story of a woman who has everything except noble status and a prince who has nothing despite his royal lineage, as they navigate their destinies in a romance that challenges social hierarchies.
Regarding her chemistry with Byeon Woo-seok, IU shared, "He came out as such a wonderful character, as if to make up for past mistakes. He played the role of someone who had an affair with my best friend in 'Moon Lovers'. After 10 years, we finally had the chance to work together properly in a drama. It felt like we had been preparing for this for a decade, and there was hardly any awkwardness. Although we hadn't interacted much over the years, it was comfortable. Working together in the 10th year made me want to collaborate again in another decade, as it would be great to show our growth."
She continued, "When I first read the script up to episode 4, I couldn't stop reading. My role was great, but all the characters, including Grand Prince Ian, were captivating. The story naturally blends various characters from different worlds, with comedic elements intact. A line from Hee-joo that struck me was, 'This is how you protect. By attacking while being attacked.' It perfectly encapsulates Hee-joo's character. Instead of desperately trying to protect, she has a charming personality that says, 'You attacked me? Then I'll attack back to protect myself.'"
Byeon Woo-seok takes on the role of Grand Prince Ian, the second son of the royal family who can have nothing but his status. He shared, "When reading a script, I value how well I can visualize the scenes, and this project was very vivid. I could empathize with Grand Prince Ian's story. I chose this project because I wanted to portray the character earnestly."
He added, "I put a lot of thought into styling Grand Prince Ian. The setting of a constitutional monarchy allowed for a clear direction. I thought mixing traditional hanbok with modern attire would be good, and I worked closely with stylists to create it. I hoped to subtly convey the royal dignity. We also had extensive discussions with the staff about hair and makeup to complete the character of Ian."
'21st Century Grand Princess' premieres on the 10th at 9:40 PM.
Lee So-jung, Ten Asia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr