Perfect Crown

Big Budget, Big Disappointment

I started watching it with excitement, thinking I would get to see beautifully written characters in beautiful clothes. But nope, that was not the case.

Initially, it seemed as though Sung Hui-Ju was a no-nonsense character, and she gave as good as she got, but we never saw that throughout the drama. In fact, she cowered when confronted with the marriage contract by the media. The only time we see her show "power" is when it was directed at her family. She never thought anyone in the palace a lesson. She was played like a fiddle. I was expecting a showdown between her and the queen mother. The only thing she managed to do at the palace against the enemies was donate to the palace when they needed funding and play the recording of the prime minister. I only saw a flashy character with no strength.

For Prince I-an, the queen mother was right; their bloodline was weak. The only person he punished was Lord Inpyeong, and I am sure it was because the Queen Mother insisted. I would have expected him to show us that he would have made a better monarch than his brother and his nephew before proposing abolishing it. Because he said he was coveting the position initially.

Hui-ju got the short end of the stick from her contract with the Prince because she never used the power marrying him gave her before he proposed to abolish the monarchy. At the end, he became a jobless bum living off his wife. As her brother said, she likes the trophy type.

The drama had actors like Jo Jae-yoon, who everyone knows can play a very good, love-to-hate villain. But we didn't see him do anything else, though trying to kill the Prince is significant, but it didn't feel enough. And there were a lot of under-utilised actors. Like the King's maid, Hui-ju's father, the royal secretary, and many more.

Generally, Korean dramas need to stick to 16 episodes because their stories can be so rich compared to their Western counterparts that squeezing them into the 12-episode format will end up destroying the industry. I would like to think the emptiness of the plot was due to them having to edit a lot of things and remove parts that could have given the drama more flesh.

Just my 2-cents. Also, we don't get to see what happened with the prime minister. He did try to kill the Prince and blackmailed someone from the royal family.

Read More

It's not as shimmering like a crown

Intimacy and cuteness alone are not enough to justify a good drama. It always works better when there’s a balance of romance, drama, thrill, and a focused storyline—and unfortunately, that’s where Perfect Crown fell short for me.

I did appreciate how the drama explored the parallel worlds of monarchy and the modern life. It gave viewers a glimpse of how both worlds mirrored each other without one completely surpassing the other. However, despite being marketed as a romance drama, I felt that the story struggled to fully establish and develop the emotional connection between the leads. There were moments when even the main characters failed to convincingly deliver the romance, making it hard for me to truly feel that they were in love.

Still, I can’t deny the charm of IU and Byeon Woo Seok, along with the impressive performances of Gong Seung Hyun and Noh Sang Hyun, because they were honestly the reason I stayed invested. Plus points as well for the soundtrack—it’s been a while since we had a drama with such a good set of songs.

Overall, it was just okay for me. Not particularly great, but not bad either.

Read More

Do you recall the story of how William and Kate got together?

I’m not disappointed in this drama but so far it’s difficult to rate it beyond an 8. We need more plot structure. Also their Chsracter arcs have yet to be developed. it’s a fairytale romance for sure and if the story is strong and the acting supports the story I will have watched a very satisfying drama.
Constitutional Monarchies do still exist. But for Korea, this is just fun fiction. As I started watching it, for some reason I was reminded of Willuam and Kate’s real-life romance - starting with their college days. Just like in a good K-drama, they each have their own interesting backstory, especially Will. IMO, their’s has been nothing short of a fairytale - and 15 +/- years later, in spite of all the palace intrigue, they are still madly in love. With that in mind I look forward to watching Perfect Crown unfold.

Correction: this review was written after the first 2 episodes (not 12). the edit feature will not let me correct the number of episodes watched.

Read More

why so much hate ?

I went into Perfect Crown expecting a light historical romance, and honestly, that is exactly what I got. After finishing the series, I can say that I genuinely enjoyed it far more than I expected to. It is not a drama that tries to be extremely deep, historically perfect, or emotionally devastating. Instead, it focuses on creating an entertaining, romantic, and visually pleasant experience, and in my opinion it succeeds at that very well. The drama never becomes too heavy or emotionally exhausting, which makes it perfect for viewers who simply want something relaxing and entertaining after a stressful day. Not every historical drama needs to be dark, tragic, or politically complex. Sometimes it is nice to watch a series that focuses more on charm, atmosphere, and character interactions rather than constant angst and suffering. Visually, the drama is also very pleasant. The costumes, palace settings, and cinematography create a soft and elegant atmosphere that fits the tone of the story perfectly. Everything feels polished and aesthetically pleasing, which makes the viewing experience even more enjoyable.
What surprised me the most, however, was the amount of criticism surrounding the drama. Personally, I think many reactions became unnecessarily harsh. At the beginning of every episode, there is a clear disclaimer stating that the series is a work of fiction. Because of that, I do not really understand why some people reacted as if the drama were trying to present itself as a completely accurate historical documentary. Of course, there may have been historical inaccuracies or details that were not perfectly represented, and criticism is completely fair when discussing those aspects. However, historical dramas often take creative liberties in order to make the story more entertaining or emotionally engaging. That is something that happens not only in Korean dramas, but in historical fiction in general.
What I personally found unfair is how quickly the criticism shifted from discussing the writing or historical details to attacking the actors themselves. In my opinion, there was absolutely no reason for the actors to apologize for a fictional series. They were simply doing their jobs, and honestly, both of them performed very well.
Perfect Crown never tried to be a perfectly accurate retelling of history. It is simply a fictional romantic drama designed to entertain, and judged from that perspective, I think it does a very good job.

For anyone looking for a relaxing historical romance with good chemistry, attractive visuals, and a soft atmosphere, I would definitely recommend giving Perfect Crown a chance despite all the controversy surrounding it.

Read More

A Visually Stunning but Flawed Drama

I love the side characters, especially the ones who worked in the palace. They were so warm, loving, funny, and friendly. I'm such a sucker for side characters who bring so much heart and warmth into a drama because they make the world feel alive instead of just existing for the main plot. They added so much charm to the story, and honestly, some of my favorite scenes involved them more than the main plot itself. I love Choi Hyeon, Grand Prince Yi An's assistant. He was extremely loyal and funny. I found him so enduring.

This is the first drama I've ever watched from Gong Seung Yeon, and she did an absolutely amazing job as Yun I Rang. To be quite honest, besides the side characters, she definitely carried the drama for me. She brought so much emotional depth and elegance to the role without overdoing it. Her expressions alone told you exactly what her character was feeling. I also liked that Yun I Rang didn't feel one dimensional. She could be vulnerable, intelligent, composed, and emotional all at once, which made her feel fleshed out and human instead of just another typical villain.

I also seem to fall into the minority regarding IU's performance as Seong Hui Ju. I don't necessarily know if it was outright miscasting, but I often felt as though the performance was straining too hard toward authority and charisma instead of naturally embodying those qualities. As a result, Seong Hui Ju frequently came across as performatively arrogant rather than genuinely commanding. The moments where IU softened her performance were the moments where Seong Hui Ju became significantly more believable and emotionally grounded.

As for Byeon Woo Seok as Grand Prince Yi An, I thought he performed well within the limitations of the material, though I ultimately found the character somewhat underwritten. Grand Prince Yi An often felt less like a fully realized person and more like an idealized construct of nobility, intelligence, and emotional restraint. Personally, I like characters defined by contradiction, vulnerability, and internal conflict, so I found myself wishing the writers did more. I also disagree with criticisms that Byeon Woo Seok's acting was stiff. To me, the restraint in his performance felt intentional and entirely consistent with the realities of royal life within the drama's political environment. A figure in Grand Prince Yi An's position can't afford emotional transparency because vulnerability immediately becomes exploitable. In that sense, the emotional distance in his characterization made thematic sense.

Steve Noh as Min Jeong U did a really great job too, but I seriously hate when writers make a character's entire identity revolve around loving the male or female lead. That's exactly what happened with Min Jeong U. If you remove the fact that he was in love with Seong Hui Ju, what character do you really get underneath all of that? Not much. That's frustrating because Steve Noh clearly brought enough charisma and presence to make the character more interesting, but the writing never allowed him to fully stand on his own. He constantly felt trapped in the role of emotional support and longing rather than being given his own ambitions, motivations, or storyline outside of romance. Characters become way more compelling when they exist as individuals first instead of just being a plot device, because when you remove Min Jeong U from the story, Yun I Rang realistically could've fulfilled the same narrative role he did.

My favorite scene in the entire drama had to be the fan scene where Grand Prince Yi An used the fan to cover the lower half of his face. You could immediately tell it was an incredibly intimate scene even before the meaning behind it was revealed. It felt subtle, restrained, and emotionally charged. And for those who don't know, in Victorian era fan language, covering the lower half of the face with a fan symbolized "I love you," which made the callback even more romantic and meaningful. What I loved most was that the drama didn't need a huge confession or dramatic dialogue. That scene alone was enough for me.

Read More

A WARM HEARTED DRAMA

The drama is a 10/10 from my side. The acting of all the leads were outstanding, whether the transformation of the Prime minister to a darker side or the changing shade of the queen mother on the other hand though Byeon Woo Seok is getting a lot of hate, I am on the opposite side as I think playing his character was the toughest. Prince I An could never express his feeling properly, it was only his eyes that spoke so playing this role was the most difficult. IU is already an outstanding actress so over all it was a 'perfect cast'. The drama has faced a lot a dispute about the history displayed in the later episodes so it must have created a fire of disputes .It is true should have been clarified by experts before portraying it. But for that I don't think it is fully justified to blame the actors and actresses fully. Except that I liked the drama a lot

Read More

Perfect disguise

I’ve been reading reviews on here and I don’t understand the people giving this 10/10
This show had the potential to be one of the best shows of the year but oh damn, both the romance and politics weren’t fully developed so it was a just half baked for both
What happens to PM, one of the main characters and his character is just taken off screen with no clear explanation as to the consequences of his actions, FL nails don’t do her character justice considering the number of times they were shown, ML always has one look as if he’s smirking
I genuinely don’t get the hype with such a confusing story line. Both leads look good though, props to them

Read More

A tale of wasted potential

In a nutshell: If you love a dreamy romance, love IU as an actress, and/or have a soft spot for BWS (that man is genuinely unbearably attractive in this show, like actually forget to breath for a second attractive) then this show is def worth a watch. If fleshed out character arcs and a well-executed plot are really important to you, this show will frustrate and disappoint you and may be better skipped.

What the show did right:
- The romance characters, story, and plot. Longing glances, heart fluttering moments, quiet expressions of connection and support, the kind of kisses that make you blush. This show knows how to make you root for two people to be together.The romance is slow burn and the couple genuinely grow and connect in a way that feels like it will last a long time. One of the healthiest, most mature pairings I've seen in a while.
- Both the main characters and the actors have bangers chemistry, and BWS especially sells it. He made me actually cry at one point from how much he loved her. He is a true romcom prince.
- IU really shined here. Her character was fierce yet charming, she brought a lot of vibrance to the show especially early on.
- There were a couple of standout performances other than the leads. Steve Noh as the PM was compelling even when I didn't want him to be, and Chae Seo An and Lee Jae Won as the FLs brother and SIL were delightful in every single scene they were in and I wanted to see them so much more than we did.

What it missed (spoiler: pretty much everything else)
- Other than the main leads, the entire rest of the cast was underdeveloped. Most characters had zero backstory so they were little more than cardboard cutouts, the rest had just enough to service the plot but not create fully vibrant characters. No characters had any sort of goal or trait other than what related to the leads or the main plot.
- All of the side character arcs were either rushed an unrealistic, or puttered out and didn't go anywhere, or never started to begin with. So many great actors were given repetitive, bland scenes where they couldn't show their true potential, or forced to have a identity transplant over the course of a half episode.
- The 2ML has no personality other than liking the FL a lot. Literally every scene he's in, from start to finish, multiple scenes every ep, everything he does or says is motivated by him liking the FL. Despite being the prime minister of a country. It was a tragic waste of Steve Noh, who somehow managed to steal many scenes regardless.
- The plot was paper thin. They set up a huge mystery, and with it being a modern palace drama you'd think there'd be intricate layers of story full of twists and turns . But there wasn't. While there were a couple revelations, everything was so boringly straightforward and unimaginative and uninspired. The fan theories people came up with were a thousand times better than what turned out to be a very predictable plot. There wasn't enough plot for the amount of episodes, and so the second half meandered and circleed the same drain, recycling the same cliche plot points and getting so lost in them that the ending felt somehow rushed, too.

With the setting, premise, and cast of capable actors, there was a really cool, well crafted story full of compelling characters to be had here but the show focused so hard on getting the romance right that it seemed to not have the energy for everything else.

Read More

Good drama with some incomplete/rushed plotlines

I really liked this show. The story was engaging, interesting, dynamic and dramatic enough to make me keep watching. The actors did an amazing job portraying their characters and the chemistry between our leads was out of this world. The OST only intensified the shows fairytale-like and dreamy aesthetic and atmosphere. I particularly loved that I could laugh, cry, and swear with (or at!) the characters, and I even managed to spin a few theories here and there. 😉🤗

However, after the very promising beginning, later in the show some parts started to feel incomplete or rushed, leaving me "partly-fed" in the end. Sometimes I had a feeling that some of the characters were missing important backstory pieces to explain why they were the way they were and why they made the choices they did. Maybe it could have been fixed if the show was longer, but any other way, a very entertaining and lovely journey! 🫰

Read More

great premise yet a bit disappointing culmination

I really liked this show first of all. I enjoyed the story and the production seemed great. It lacked in some areas due to this show only having 12 episodes sp the end felt rushed. It would have better better for this one to maybe end on 14 or 16 episodes to not have it feel so rushed.
But yes as I said, this for me was a show where the production really excelled in several areas, particularly when it comes to its visual presentation. It can be seen so well that they had a good budget, actually, a remarkable budget that allows for breathtaking set designs, some intricately detailed costumes, and strong styling choices that enhance the overall aesthetic appeal of the show. This made me me in awe at pretty much every turn of the show. Alos. the world-building is particularly compelling, it offered a fascinating premise, where it had been blending in modern day and historical. It was a mix of chaebol and historical show, it had the premise where there's a monarchy situated in a contemporary environment. This premise I feel is done great, I really love a good historical and a good chaebol one and now they made a mix, its great.
What also stood out for me was how the narrative introduces us to a dynamic cast: a youthful king, an ambitious grand prince, a nurturing queen mother, and a wealthy female lead, all of whom contribute to a genuinely intriguing storyline.They all have big parts and make the show stand out in ways that makes them all so different form everything else I have watched lately. This unique blend of characters creates an engaging interplay of power, youth, and responsibility, setting the stage for a rich and captivating drama.
However, the show falls very short in terms of the ending....... When tackling a sensitive narrative like the coexistence of monarchy and constituency, the complexity of the subject matter can be overwhelming. so again the total of 12 episodes simply isn't sufficient to explore the intricacies involved fully. This lack of exploration ultimately hampers the story's potential to resonate with viewers who seek a more nuanced portrayal of such a multifaceted political landscape.

Read More

I loved it but I also missed a deeper understanding

In total the Drama is lovely, great cast, great location. It is funny and romantic. I would recommend to watch it.

But I also think that more episodes would be better for a better Charakter understanding. It is not that you can't assume why the Charakter react like that but I think more episode would have been better. Also more of there school life or why they where hated so much.

I also think making the second ML the bad guy was totally unnecessary. I would have preferred if he would stand with both. Also how fast they took down the bad guy was a little to fast. For me it arose the question why they didn't do it earlier but ist was nice.

Read More

Should've Been 16 Episodes

i am all for shorter 8/10/12 ep kdramas but this is one i firmly believe would have benefitted from being 16 eps. the story was clearly meant for 16 eps but was maybe reduced later. i say this because the first half of the show introduced a lot of subplots that were then abandoned midway or never mentioned again, leaving a LOT of loose threads in the ending. the ensemble was packed with such interesting characters but it was wasted cause the relationship dynamics did not develop properly enough.

the most frustrating for me was how they introduced such fraught relationships in huiju's family, but then her brother and father flipped without a proper understanding of why, becoming people who loved and adored huiju when the entire show she had felt unwanted in her family.

similarly, prime minister min and queen mother yirang had so much potential but they were underutilised. min jeongwoo's villain arc could have been so interesting if done well and soon yirang's redemption arc was basically non-existent outside two scenes. these characters deserved better care.

i also wished the palace staff and esp the staff at lee wan's private residence got more screen time. it was SO cute to see them all have such easy camaraderie with the leads. all their scenes genuinely brought such a big smile to my face. absolutely lovely.

i also wish there were more scenes with lee yun and the leads. they were such a cute lil family of uncle, aunt, and nephew and they deserved more!!!

not just the side characters, but the main leads too. while the relationship developed nicely, i felt their individual arcs were not explored the way they should have been.

i also think this show has been marketed incorrectly, cause i went in expecting a romcom but was hit in the face with a palace drama in the second half of the show. so many villains popping out and all this court intrigue and manoeuvring is definitely stuff that i enjoy but it would be appreciated if i knew what i was going into.

all that said, the chemistry between the leads is fire and i loved watching all their scenes SO much. romance is truly alive with these two!! and i think my favourite part about tbe show is the last episode. abolishing the monarchy being your first act after ascending to the throne? ICONIC ICONIC ICONIC!! love truly is revolution! that is a message i can always get behind!!!

also, wooseok and iu are soooo good looking like i cannot stress this enough they're absolutely GORGEOUS. i wish some styling choices for wooseok were different but iu looked absolutely stunning throughout and we cheer for that!

also great rewatch value cause i immediately went back to rewatch some wanseong scenes the moment ep12 ended. ❤️

Read More