Historian Critiques Historical Inaccuracies in '21st Century Grand Princess', Sparks Debate

Historian Shim Yong-hwan has stirred up a discussion by releasing a video critiquing the historical inaccuracies in the drama '21st Century Grand Princess'. The comment section of the video is filled with divided opinions on whether these inaccuracies should be considered as part of the fantasy genre's creative license or as a failure in historical accuracy.

On the 28th, the YouTube channel 'Current Affairs with Shim Yong-hwan' uploaded a video titled '[History Correspondent] Historical Analysis and Fact Check of the Drama 21st Century Grand Princess'. The video provides an analysis of '21st Century Grand Princess' from a historical perspective.

Shim Yong-hwan expressed a generally positive view on alternate history works but noted, "If approached more meticulously, it could have been a more sophisticated and impressive piece." He critiqued various aspects from the personnel greeting the king's return to the palace, the method of extinguishing palace fires, the construction materials of the palace, and the regency of Prince Ian, all from a historical viewpoint.

He added, "From a historical perspective, it might be considered a low-level alternate history work, but from the perspective of the Korean Wave, it's an interesting cultural experiment." He further expressed hope that future works would be crafted more intricately and creatively to foster a new cultural renaissance unique to Korea.

Following the video's release, the comment section saw a sharp divide in opinions regarding the drama's historical accuracy. Supporters of the drama's genre-specific characteristics argued, "It's just a fantasy drama, so it should be enjoyed lightly," "It's an alternate history work, so what's the issue with historical accuracy?", and "Analyzing a fictional world from a historical perspective is meaningless."

Conversely, those emphasizing the importance of historical accuracy stated, "Such critiques are necessary for better future works," "Justifying historical distortion under the guise of creating alternate history works is unacceptable," and "As a history enthusiast, I had high expectations for this work, but it was disappointing."

Starring IU and Byun Woo-seok, '21st Century Grand Princess' 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 has nothing despite being the king's son.

The drama's sixth episode, aired last week, achieved a personal best viewership rating of 11.2% nationwide according to Nielsen Korea. Additionally, according to the media research firm Good Data Corporation, '21st Century Grand Princess' has ranked first in buzzworthiness for three consecutive weeks since its premiere.

By Park Joo-won, TenAsia Reporter pjw00@tenasia.co.kr