Perfect Crown

a cute rom-com, but maybe I was expecting something more

Korean royalty in the 21st century seemed like an interesting idea to me. Tropes like the "fake royal marriage" or the "we were rivals in high school" were there. The cast also had THE IU and THE Byeon Woo Seok. I mean, all the ingredients for THE DRAMA of the season where there, but I certainly didn't feel that way.

The plot was interesting, but being only 12 episodes long, it may have been resolved too quickly. At the same time, I feel the main couple hasn't had as much chemistry as I expected. It's not that the protagonists didn't have any chemistry, but it's certainly not the project where they shone the most as a couple.
If I had to highlight something, it would be the character of the widowed queen, played by Gong Seung Yeon, who has overshadowed the rest of the characters.

I don't think it's a bad drama, but my expectations were too high.

Read More

If nothing else, its enjoyable

Here I go again: being enjoyable is not the same as being good. "I had fun watching this drama. And I love the actors. Beautiful people. Its a ten!" means nothing. Did you liked it? Maybe you also like hitting puppies, I don't know, so I rather hear about script, directing, visuals, acting, vfx, pacing etc etc. Here, I'll go first.

Visuals. Lots of decent shots, so good cinematography. I could even say that there were a couple of extremely nice shots. The "fireworks" (dunno the proper name but we see them in kdramas a lot) over the water? Or from the Royal Grand Ball (? sorry, forgot how it was called). Yeah, really fantastic shots. And a few couple more. The colour palette was a little drab dare I say, seeing as this has "royalty" subject... You can't go for "natural, modern" vibe when you're introducing a fictional monarchy... So, they should've made it stand out. The class, the wealth, whatever. We do have some, sure. But cmon. I mean, more wouldn't have hurt. Good vfx.
Sound design. Good. I should start with the OP. Very good, very catchy. Both visually and audio. It does its job, getting you pumped-up and ready. So, good job. The rest is ok I guess. Definitely not bad. A special note here, fantastic work for episode 11. This episode is special from multiple standpoints, I'll keep mention it. So, really good work now. From volume levels (some scenes demand to keep it very quiet, and they did it), to different variations of one theme. What I'm trying to say, it is good.
The usual editing. Nothing fancy. Sometimes it feels like it drags, but thats mostly because of the script.
You could say it has a high production value.

And now the good stuff. The script is meh, at best. The concept was weird from the start but you could make it work somehow. Just look at Hallmark and their number of "royal" stories :)) What we got instead, old court drama trying to apply "behind the scenes" battles in modern times. Political games, done poorly. Done poorly as a politician in-universe (lousy politician, if you will), but ALSO as an element in a kdrama (lousy writer). And so, we've got this story full of plot devices and plot contrivances. SO "lucky" that the characters do or say the exact things that will progress the story, otherwise it would've ended too early.
Characters. Well, some decent ones. And the acting was good enough to make them stand out. Actually I am a little bummed regarding some of them. For example, Queen Mama. You wouldn't know it from here, but the actress is good. And here she was made to be just some hysterical, always screaming, crazy mom(?) or something. I really don't know how to describe her. Fortunately, in episode 11 she is let to act at her full potential. That really made me happy. Unfortunately, her acting at full power in scenes with the ML, oof. Its like watching Anthony Hopkings and, dunno, Zendaya. Or maybe Gal Gadot, I should keep the "hot" factor. Even FL starts acting a whole lot better. Obviously, it all drop a bit in the next episode, but still, it was good. Oh, I should also mention here, I'm praising the acting and the sound design, the cinematography etc. The script/plot is sht. Maybe not as broken as before but still bad.
Oh, the pacing. I don't remember if I talked about it. No idea. You get a scene with "we need time" and 10 minutes later (I'm joking, I haven't checked), we are shown that the "later" is here. one week? One month? Who knows.... Same for the world building. We know its about Monarchy and thats it. Its just... there. Thats all. No visits from foreign officials, presidents or royals. Something.... *sigh*

Anyway, lets sum it up. Episode 11 = good. The rest is meh. Good sound design. Good cinematography. Oh, good chemistry between multiple characters. Oh, some decent comedy. I just remembered and I really need to mention it: sht Secret Service/Royal Guards. They are just glorified umbrella holders. And this is not me trying to be funny. Thats all they did properly. No body protection, no security protection in general, not with the car thing, not even not stopping reporters from entering a door. And before someone says something stupid like "well, reporters, you can't be violent against them". Well, at the moment its just a guy with a camera, you don't know if he's in disguise or not... And then 10 more a passing by... Omg, I've forgotten all about this aspect. Oh, and good ending scene. I was hoping for something like that.
It gets a rating of (barely) 6. No rewatch value. Just one good episode doesn't warrant any. You could still watch and enjoy it, obviously. I'm not saying that the kdrama being bad means you should stay clear... just know that some stuff won't make sense, thats all. It looks and sound fine, I guess. So if you like superficial things, it works just fine.

Have a lovely evening.

Read More

Perfect Crown is costume jewellery in a velvet box.

*Perfect Crown* is honestly one of the biggest letdowns I’ve watched in a while. Almost everything about it felt painfully below average — the acting from the leads, the screenplay, the direction, the chemistry, the romance, and even the character progression. Nothing that actually gives a drama emotional depth or makes viewers genuinely invested was properly handled. But sure, let’s call it a “prestige project.”

And the “don’t think too much while watching it” excuse some netizens keep using makes absolutely no sense when the entire drama revolves around politics and power struggles. Because yes, clearly a political drama is meant to be watched like a vibes-only montage. Even by the finale, so many important questions were still left unanswered, but I guess we’re just supposed to smile and enjoy the aesthetics. And honestly, that might have worked if the leads had even basic chemistry — but instead it felt like two actors politely completing their contractual obligations, and all without sincerity. Truly groundbreaking casting decisions.

And before fans start saying “they did the best with what they were given,” I partially agree that the writing and direction were weak — but then how do Gong Seung-yeon, Non Sang-hyun, and several supporting actors still manage to deliver convincing performances in the very same drama with the same script and director? Their extra effort and better understanding of their characters were clearly visible on screen. So clearly, the problem wasn’t just the writing and direction. Some took it seriously, some just didn’t — simple as that, no hard maths.

The chemistry and romance between the leads felt forced throughout the drama too. The female lead just didn’t understand her own character. IU’s performance was either exaggerated or underwhelming, nothing in between, despite having nearly two decades of experience, while the male lead spent half the drama looking like he was shooting a luxury brand campaign in sponsored outfits and the other half daydreaming, . Occasionally, he also gave “Sunjae 2.0,” 🤣, but without the same charm and emotional weight. I get that he became famous because of *Sunjae*, but at this point let him go — obsession over it isn’t a good thing 😅. Instead, maybe try obsessing over improving acting skills; that might actually help.

At the end of the day, this felt less like a genuinely well-made drama and more like an overhyped project carried by fandom power, aggressive marketing, and visual aesthetics.

P.S. The production team of PC were giving serious Lovely Runner fan behavior because why did so many scenes feel straight-up copied from it 🤭.

Read More

The King who didn't like the kingdom

It was a great series. I watched it with great interest. Initially starting as a romantic comedy, the series later turned into a mystery. Events within the royal family became the focus. We saw those who wanted to kill the King and the Prince, the plans made against them, and the palace wars. It was very enjoyable. It was intriguing.In the end, those who attempted to assassinate the Crown Prince were punished as they deserved.The King's first act was to abolish the monarchy.

Finding such a subject and portraying it beautifully is a skill. Therefore, I congratulate the screenwriters and director. They portrayed it beautifully. I liked it. As I said, I didn't expect to see anything like this at the beginning. The acting was weak, the performances were poor. Only the visuals were emphasized. Later, when these mysterious palace conflicts began, the series improved and ended beautifully. I initially found the actors bland. But later, I got used to them. I embraced them. IU was an actress I liked. Her presence was enough. Byeon Woo Seok is a model-like boy. The filming focused especially on this aspect. He was prominent for his good looks. Steve Noh was very successful. He was the kind of actor you'd expect. In my opinion, Gong Seung Yeon was the star of this drama. She was the best actress. She acted very sincerely. She portrayed both good and evil very well. She conveyed the pain well. I really liked it. In my opinion, she gave an award-winning performance. Yoo So Bin was very successful. Well done. Lee Yeon was very successful. Well done. I also really liked Lee Jae Won. I recommend it to those who haven't seen it.

Read More

The Real Perfect Crown! 10/10

at first, I was kinda suspicious because the drama theme was about a kingdom, BUT IT TURNED OUT TO BE SO GOOD 😭 it’s not like an old traditional kingdom drama, they mixed it with modern times too.

IU and Byeon Woo-seok’s acting was sooo good too. The storyline was INSANELY GOOD!

I usually don’t like dramas with too much conflict, and I also hate it when a romance drama spends the whole beginning making the couple suffer, then they only become sweet or finally get together at the very end (because sooo many dramas do that 😭) BUT THIS DRAMA ISN’T LIKE THAT AT ALL!! It’s seriously so good, fun, cute, wholesome, and exactly what I hoped for

The main female and male characters also aren’t overly prideful or complicated, so the story flows naturally without making me annoyed or stressed. They already loved each other from the start, so I really enjoyed watching them. This drama also perfectly shows what an ideal relationship looks like, like the way they face problems and struggles together instead of dealing with everything alone or drowning in misunderstandings.

OVERALL 1000000000000/10 ⭐
anw I-AN ur so freacking handsome prince 🤩

+
For people saying the Queen Mother wasn’t selfish because she felt like she had already sacrificed a lot by marrying the king, but then the king suddenly wanted to step down and just hand the throne over to his younger brother... honestly, I don’t really agree with that opinion..
Because:
1. The Queen Mother already liked Prince I-AN, so if we simplify it, she could’ve just said that from their school days
2. Maybe there was a reason why the king wanted to step down
3. Her child was still too young. There’s no way an 8-year-old kid could handle becoming king
4. She was willing to let her husband die and forced her child to become king at such a young age (like Ian said, basically a “royal puppet”

⚡Unpopular opinion: Honestly, the Queen Mother should’ve just accepted I-AN becoming king first. Then later, when her son grew up, I-AN could simply pass the throne to his nephew

Read More

Everything was "Perfect" except the story!

You know, I usually don't care about English titles, but "Perfect Crown" was a bad choice after watching the finale.

The original "Wife of a 21st Century Prince" would actually fit the story more, not only because the crown wasn't perfect, but because she was actually married to a 21st century prince. Like, what makes this crown perfect? The crown doesn't even exist anymore.

Why couldn't this drama deliver with a cast like this? You can find the reason if you look at the writer. Her being a rookie isn't a good excuse. This isn't a complicated story, just another romcom. This has nothing to do with episode number either. You can give a writer 5 or 50 episodes. If they can't develop characters and build up their journey properly in 12 episodes, they won't be able to do it if you give them more. This is just a typical Kdrama fan way of thinking that quantity can solve problems, but in reality fans only want to see their favorite lead characters longer. It's not about the story.

So, let's see the actual story and how the writer demolished pretty much every character in "Perfect Crown" just like Ian demolished monarchy.

We have a strong, smart, and independent female lead who runs her own business. She's the richest woman in the country, but people in her inner circle don't respect her because she's not married to a nobleman. At least that's what the writer tries to tell us, but we've never seen this. So, she decides she's going to marry the prince for his status. Eventually she falls in love too obviously, just as Ian has loved her since their school days. The minute they fall in love, our dear female lead, Huiju, forgets her goal and her pride and says things like, "I never wanted status." This is basically a character suicide. It's one thing to move on from your original plan because you're in love now, but to say such a thing screams incompetent writing skills or at least ignorance.

Why do I care about writing when this is just a romcom? I can already hear you asking this. I didn't expect hardcore politics and scheming, but I want a well written script where the story actually makes sense, and I won't ask, "Why does this character do this?" There's no buildup to anything; they're just doing things because they have to.

I think it's safe to say the only character in the drama whose arc is logical is Ian, because when he wanted to be a king, he couldn't get it, and when he had a chance, he wanted to demolish it because it people were hurting each other over it. Not that this was explained throughout the season effectively, but at least it wasn't surprising. I have to be honest, Ian as a character is one of the most uninteresting male leads I've seen in a while. I never felt like he had plans; he was just there because he was the lead and things happened.

We've had 3 villains in 12 episodes, or did we? At first, the writer introduced the queen mother to us as a power-hungry, abusive mother of her 7 year old king. She obviously killed the late king, the father of her own child, but we never get a real explanation about this either. If anything, episodes later they were trying to convince us that she didn't do anything bad at all. So, a woman who killed her husband, not to mention wanted to burn her own son alive, got a redemption arc. Why not, right?

Now, our 2nd antagonist, who became one because everyone expected him to be. Everyone's favorite Jinmu. I don't remember if we've seen him till halfway or had any lines. Then, around episode 6 or so, they tried to convince everyone he was the culprit behind everything bad that happened. Again, a totally random villain arc without any buildup.

Here comes the worst of them all. The guy had more charisma than any other man in this drama, yet the writer managed to ruin his character arc completely and made him your average jealous teen boy who could burn down an entire country for a woman who never loved him more than a friend. Prime Minister Min could've been a great villain, but the creators chose to make him a third-wheeling, angry cat. He was basically like Anakin Skywalker, who wanted to reach the sky but couldn't walk. I always wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt because I was too naive and thought the writer might pull off something interesting, like he was just a double agent of Ian. Sadly, she just didn't care because she knew most people wouldn't pay attention to the story if the two main leads could carry the drama for her.

If there's one positive I can mention about this drama, it's the cast and their acting. They did a great job, especially the female actors, and they carried a bang-average (at best) script.

If I have to be really honest, the female characters did the heavy lifting because pretty much every male character was useless and boring or both.


Is there anything left? Well, I have to mention a couple of things for the last part.

We've had multiple plotlines, but almost everything was unanswered, or it was finished in a hurry.

What happened to the prime minister? He's probably in jail, but they spent so much time on things that aren't important at all; they didn't have any time left to actually mention the relevant things.

Who killed Ian's parents, or was that just an accident? How did Ian get the king's letter? How did Queen Mother get Huiju and Ian's contract? Who tried to kill Huiju? How can everyone burn down the palace so many times, and no firefighter goes in to save people except the main leads?

Why on Earth would the richest woman, who said she wants to marry a man who's not below her quality, stick to a man who can't, sorry, doesn't want to find a job for himself for 3+ years? Did Ian deal with some politics, or was he just signing contracts without reading them? Why did he never ask his wife or her dad to help him find a job at least?

I mean, if Ian were not the male lead, everyone would call him a red flag and a loser. A guy who wanted to demolish monarchy is now a housewife who can't cook, can't clean, and I don't think can do anything.

I'm sorry, but being a romcom doesn't excuse a female for forgetting her priorities just because she's in love. Everyone else got a job; even Hyeon runs a flower shop. I'm sure even the ex-Prime Minister guy has a job in prison.


I forgot to mention this, but why do Huiju and Ian still live in the palace's private residence? I guess the budget was low in the finale, so Huiju couldn't buy a new house because the ex-prince cost a lot of money.

To be honest, I could go on all day, but I don't see the point; I'm just too angry. "Perfect Crown" could've been an actually good drama with a good writer who could do more than just fan service.


This is the disappointment of the year so far.

Read More

Good concept, but I wanted more from the main couple

I enjoyed the drama overall and think it's worth watching, especially if you're a fan of IU or Woo Seok. The modern take on the Korean monarchy was an interesting concept, and the production quality was solid throughout.
That said, I was expecting more interactions between the female lead and male lead. While their chemistry was there, I felt the romance could have been developed further with more couple moments. I also wish the drama had spent more time exploring the Queen Dowager and the male lead's brother, as both characters had interesting potential but didn't get as much screen time as I hoped.
The storyline wasn't bad and kept me watching, but it didn't quite exceed my expectations. Overall, it's still an enjoyable drama with a unique premise, strong performances, and is definitely worth a watch.

Read More

A good watch

The alternate-history setting is truly unique and interesting theme.

IU brings her signature charm to Seong Hui-ju — bold, a little chaotic, and deeply compelling. Byeon Woo-seok as Grand Prince Yi-an is quietly magnetic — his character carries layers of suppressed pain and guarded hope that he conveys with real restraint. But what truly made this drama feel alive was its ensemble. Every supporting character — from the scheming court figures to the loyal side characters — added genuine texture to the world. The supporting cast didn't just exist to fill scenes; they made you care about the universe beyond the central romance. When a drama succeeds at that, it's a sign of both strong writing and a committed cast delivering at every level.

A formal petition was posted to the National Assembly's public petition board criticizing the drama for allegedly borrowing Chinese-style clothing, etiquette, and vocabulary despite being set in a fictionalized version of Korea — with petitioners arguing it engaged in cultural appropriation and historical distortion. Specific criticisms included details like the use of nine strings when emperors use twelve, and the greeting "Cheon-cheon-se" when emperors are traditionally greeted with "Man-man-se." As a history buff, these are not trivial points. Attention to cultural and historical detail matters — especially now, when Korean dramas and films are no longer viewed only domestically, with the entire world watching. The concern that a globally distributed show could muddle Korean identity and it's a conversation the industry genuinely needs to have.

That said, the drama was set in an alternate version of modern Korea operating under a constitutional monarchy — a work of fiction, not a history lesson. The leap from "this drama made historical missteps" to "demand the immediate suspension of the drama's broadcast and its complete removal from VOD and OTT platforms" is a dramatic one. Demanding erasure of a creative work over correctable errors — ones the production team did address with edits and apologies — crosses into overcorrection. Art can be criticized and improved; it doesn't need to be destroyed.

The drama's biggest missed opportunity, for me, is the ending of the monarchy thread. The show builds a world where royalty and privilege are woven into everyday modern life, which creates a perfect canvas to explore how that very structure harms ordinary people. The rigid class divisions, the way Hui-ju's illegitimate birth becomes an obstacle despite all her ability, the political maneuvering to protect royal bloodlines — all of it hints at a deeper critique. But the drama never quite commits to it.
It would have been powerful to see concrete moments showing how royal status and inherited privilege extract a real cost from common people — not just as a backdrop for the romance, but as a theme the story actually wrestled with. That layer of social commentary would have elevated Perfect Crown from a very enjoyable rom-com into something more memorable and meaningful.

Read More

Cute but cliche, had potential to be better with more character development

It was pleasant to watch and quite short since it's only 12 episodes. The acting was fine (IU performed much better in when life gives you tangerines), nothing extraordinary, the chemistry ok, the visuals great and the music quite good. The story however was average and with many plot holes, which could have been resolved with more character development. While I was watching the show I was wondering about many things that maybe I got wrong or maybe they didn't explain so well. Like why was the SML so obsessed with the FL when he never expressed his feelings towards her (and probably didn't want to earlier since she was an illegitimate daughter and probably wanted someone with more credentials). Why was the father so unloving towards the FL but still gave her the position of CEO? Shouldn't he have a more straightforward attitude? Why did the former king want to quit? I get that he was oppressed but we don't get to know him well enough to understand it. And I don't understand the main villain at all, his efforts seemed rushed and over the top. Oh and I really dislike the fact that after the marriage the FL that seems to be very powerful and determined, suddenly seems scared, weak and in need of a savior... As I said it was a good show, but that's about it. I know it's longer and older, but in that "modern day kingdom" and "fake marriage" categories I prefer Goong.

Read More

Started watching it for aesthetics, but ended up falling for the characters!

Amazing cast, beautiful storyline and powerful screenplay.
Loved the acting, OSTs, dialogues, costumes and the overall direction. Never felt a single episode boring. The concept of having monarchy in Korea in modern world, where the Crown holds the most esteemed position, was something new and interesting. All characters are strong in their own way, loved the power balance between male and female characters of the drama. Besides ML and FL, I found their personal assistants' romantic arc equally cute. I enjoyed when they switched their masters after the royal wedding.
There was a good mix of humor and grief too. The fire at the palace, the horrors of power struggle, the family dynamics of FL's side, all added to the emotional depth of the characters. The love story of FL and ML will definitely give you butterflies and annoy you at the same time. There will be moments when you laugh and cry at the same time, witnessing the same emotions as the leads.
Our little Majesty definitely adds spark to the drama. His cute tantrums, attachment with his Uncle and Aunt, how he cries in arms of his mother towards the end, really melted my heart. The household crew of private residence of Grand Prince I-An, was another heartwarming bunch of people. I enjoyed watching the bonds grow, connections develop and the sincerity they held. How ML and FL always stuck together to each other during the chaos and dangers, even when their feelings were unconfirmed, really showed their courage and trust in each other.
This drama gave us some original romantic scenes (K-drama coded) and plenty of giggles! A must watch if you love royalty, court struggles, power couple trope, and IU!
<3

Read More

Binge watch worthy

It's worth the time you spend on it. This 12 episodic series, you could finish it in a day. It definitely deserves 8/10.

The biggest pro of this drama is the cast and its acting.
Starting with the main leads, IU and Byeon Wooseok, to the side characters, everyone is such a fabulous actor/actress. Every emotion, every nuance, every little look and tone - they come straight at your heart. This drama didn't have too many ups and downs. But the little it did, one could feel the tension, the happiness, the pain.

It had been a long time since I saw a drama where I could clearly see the actors falling in love. This drama fulfilled that wish of mine. One could clearly see Ian fall for Huiju...so beautiful, tugged my heart strings 🥹 There are very few who can do a crazy character better than IU. The laugh, the gait, the facial expressions, ahhh!! Love her! I found myself whipped so many times! And she's sooo pretty! Byeon Wooseok as Ian, God! He looked really good 🤭 And his acting? Goodness, emotions were pouring out of the screen.
Their chemistry? Good! Loved when their eyes met ❤️ Also, I'm a fan of height differences and this surely feeds me that.

The second couple, Choi Hyun and Do Hyejeong, were really cute. I really love the actor Yoo Soobin. Him as Aide Choi was a very good casting. Same with Lee Yeon as Do Hyejeong. But the best ones would be Gong Seungyeon as the Queen Mother and Noh Sanghyun as the Prime Minister. Man! The queen mother was definitely a very potent character. Her acting deserves a standing ovation. I'd even say she might be the best of all in this drama. If not, her character development would definitely be the best. But it could have been more deep. Irrespective, hats off to the acting. As for the Prime minister, well I'd say it was a character degeneration, but it was good too. I mean petty things, but the show must go on so. They didn't give a worthy ending though. Like what happened? He just disappeared. The brother and sister in law, unexpectedly became my favs just purely because they weren't villainous. Initially, it did feel like a typical chaebol setup, but eventually, it was watered down and family bonds were highlighted. Didn't like the father being glorified. Bro he wasn't all that a great person, whatever. The child actor Kim Eunho as the king. How cute!!! He did his part very well.

The biggest problem of this show would be the predictability. I mean, from the get go, you know the story and how it'll end. Considering how big of a cast it is, they could have had a story with more substance. It's because of the cast and their acting skills this drama gets it's points. It's basically a really cliche trope. I lowkey feel bad because IU and Byeon Wooseok are a good pair. They should have been given a better tale to play. Not just them, the whole lot. I saw it somewhere that this drama wasted potential and I have to agree. I mean the idea was good - monarchy in modern times and all. But it ends up becoming just another story. The script could have been better. Had it been 16 episodes with elaboration where needed, we would have felt more connected to the world and people.

Music wise, honestly, I did feel it lacked a lot of background music, especially in episodes 1. But it got better; still not fine but yah. Also, grateful it is just 12 episodes. Had it been 16, mm, I feel like it would lag considering how they ran through the last part. If it was indeed 16, like I mentioned, they better develop a lot more. Since it was only 12, one after the other, stuff was happening. And it did feel rushed at end, if you zoom out, you do feel it's a bit too much to happen in a few days or months, isn't it? But ya, grateful they chose 12 with this pace. Wonder what they'd have done with the remaining 4 if it was 16.

As for the controversy. I feel entirely boycotting or banning the show is just nonsense. Yes, historical errors happened and it disturbed cultural concepts. But considering the quality of production and mind-blowing acting, it would be a waste. And true, maybe the actors should have kept an eye out for the mistakes. But to hold them completely accountable, as if it were their faults entirely, is just unreasonable. How could you possibly expect them to proof check each and every little thing of each and every line? No. Holding them responsible is not right. I would really be sad if this drama is to be taken down.

In a nutshell, grateful this drama exists but wish there was more to it. Hope I can see this pair in a more deeper story. Binge watch worthy 👍🏻

Read More