'21st Century Grand Princess' Dominates Ratings Despite Mixed Reviews on Lead Performances

'21st Century Grand Princess' is making waves in the entertainment world. However, some critics have expressed disappointment in the performances of lead actors IU and Byun Woo-seok.

MBC's Friday-Saturday drama '21st Century Grand Princess' (written by Yoo Ji-won, directed by Park Joon-hwa and Bae Hee-young, planned by Kang Dae-sun, produced by MBC and Kakao Entertainment) has topped viewership ratings, buzz rankings, and global charts since its premiere.

For the first time in buzz rankings, '21st Century Grand Princess' claimed the top spot for TV-OTT drama buzz even before its first episode aired (as of March 31, 2026). It not only sold out all its advertising slots but was also selected by Time magazine as one of the 'Most Anticipated Korean Dramas of 2026.' Additionally, in the drama cast buzz rankings, IU (as Seong Hee-joo) and Byun Woo-seok (as Lee An-daegun) secured the first and second spots, respectively (as of April 7, 2026).

Riding this momentum, the first episode of '21st Century Grand Princess' achieved a viewership rating of 8.2% in the Seoul metropolitan area and 7.8% nationwide, ranking first among Friday-Saturday dramas. The second episode saw a significant increase, with ratings of 10.8% in the Seoul area, 9.5% nationwide, 5.3% among viewers aged 20-54, and a peak of 11.1%, maintaining its top spot for two consecutive episodes (according to Nielsen Korea).

Furthermore, according to the FUNdex survey by Good Data Corporation, a K-content competitiveness analysis agency, '21st Century Grand Princess' ranked first in TV-OTT drama buzz for the second week of April 2026. It scored over 80,000 points in buzz metrics, with a Friday-Saturday drama buzz share exceeding 90%, and achieved over 50% share across all content. Among the buzz indicators, it ranked first in VON (Voice of Netizen), SNS, and news rankings, and second in video rankings.

IU and Byun Woo-seok, who are portraying a romantic duo in 'Grand Princess,' maintained their positions as the top two in drama cast buzz rankings (as of April 14, 2026). On OTT platforms, '21st Century Grand Princess' immediately topped Disney+ Korea's TOP 10 upon release and ranked fourth globally in Disney+ TOP 10 TV shows according to FlixPatrol. It entered the TOP 10 in 44 countries and regions, including first place in Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore; second in Brazil; fourth in Mexico; and fifth in Canada and Australia, with the U.S. ranking sixth. On Wavve, it has consistently held the top spot in the TOP 20 rankings since its premiere (as of April 13, 2026).

MBC's Friday-Saturday drama '21st Century Grand Princess' airs every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 PM.

Reporter: Kim Se-ah, TenAsia haesmik@tenasia.co.kr