Airing every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 PM on MBC, the romance between Seong Hee-joo (played by IU) and Lee An-daegun (played by Byun Woo-seok) is intensifying, boosting viewer engagement. The show is sweeping ratings, buzz, and OTT metrics, proving its status as a global hit.
'21st Century Grand Princess' debuted successfully, ranking first among Friday-Saturday dramas and overall programs in the metropolitan area. By its fourth episode, it surpassed double-digit ratings both in the metropolitan area and nationwide, achieving a triple crown for four consecutive episodes. The fourth episode peaked at a 13.8% rating, marking its highest viewership yet, according to Nielsen Korea.
Additionally, the drama topped the TV-OTT drama buzz rankings for two consecutive weeks, as reported by Good Data Corporation's FUNdex for the third week of April 2026. IU and Byun Woo-seok also dominated the drama cast buzz rankings, securing the first and second spots for three weeks straight (as of April 21, 2026). The show leads the TV-OTT drama search response TOP20 and ranks first in search responses across all age groups (as of April 21, 2026).
The OTT response is equally impressive. '21st Century Grand Princess' became the most-watched Korean series globally on Disney+ within five days of its release. According to FlixPatrol, it ranked fourth globally and first among non-English shows in Disney+ TOP 10 TV shows. It has consistently held the top spot in South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore since its debut, ranking fourth in Canada and Australia, and fifth in the United States. The series maintains high rankings in North America and Oceania, and performs well in Latin America and Europe, with first place in Brazil, second in Chile, Costa Rica, and Mexico, fourth in Argentina and Italy, eighth in Germany, and ninth in the UK (based on TV Show rankings from April 10 to April 20, 2026).
Episodes 3 and 4 featured enchanting scenes, from a wall kiss under a flower rain to a big kiss event at a baseball game, thrilling viewers. Post-broadcast, communities buzzed with comments like "The epilogue is so good and exciting," "The romance is heating up," "The actors have great chemistry," and "The ending was intense, can't wait for the next episode."
Anticipation builds for episodes 5 and 6, as Seong Hee-joo and Lee An-daegun's relationship deepens, while Min Jeong-woo (played by Noh Sang-hyun) begins to waver, promising more intriguing developments in '21st Century Grand Princess.'
'21st Century Grand Princess' airs every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 PM.
Lee So-jung, TenAsia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr