Bae Woo-seok Embraces Attention as He Prepares for New Drama '21st Century Grand Duchess'

Bae Woo-seok, who boasts over 14 million followers on Instagram, expressed his appreciation for the attention he receives.

On the 6th, a press conference for MBC's new Friday-Saturday drama '21st Century Grand Duchess' was held at the Chosun Palace Seoul Gangnam in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The event was attended by IU, Bae Woo-seok, Noh Sang-hyun, Gong Seung-yeon, Yoo Soo-bin, Lee Yeon, and director Park Joon-hwa. Unlike MBC's usual practice of holding press conferences at the Sangam Golden Mouse Hall, this event was notably held at a hotel, drawing attention.

'21st Century Grand Duchess' is set against the backdrop of a 21st-century constitutional monarchy, depicting a romance that breaks down social status barriers between a woman dissatisfied with her commoner status despite having everything and a prince who can have nothing.

In the drama, Bae Woo-seok plays the role of Prince Ian, the second son of the royal family who can have nothing but his status. Regarding his choice to take on this role, Bae stated, "When I read the script, I could vividly imagine the scenes. I felt a strong connection with Prince Ian's narrative and wanted to portray the character with dedication, which is why I chose this project."

On the topic of ratings, Bae Woo-seok commented, "I have done my best. I believe that if you do your best, you should humbly accept the results. However, if the results are good, I would be grateful, so I ask for your interest and love," he said with a smile.

When asked if he felt any pressure following the massive popularity of his previous work 'Seonjae's Escape' two years ago, Bae responded, "First of all, I am very grateful for the attention and love. Rather than feeling pressured, I hope for more love. I plan to continue improving and doing my best as much as the interest and love I receive. In fact, I like the attention. The more attention I receive, the more I feel the need to express the character well. I think it's a mindset I should have as an actor, rather than feeling pressured."

'21st Century Grand Duchess' will premiere on the 10th at 9:40 PM.

Lee So-jung, Ten Asia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr