'Grand Prince' Drama Hits 13.8% Ratings

MBC's Friday-Saturday drama '21세기 대군부인' (roughly translated as 'The Princess of the 21st Century') is embroiled in controversy over illegal viewing in China and organized malicious rating attacks. Despite Disney+ not being officially serviced in China, Chinese netizens are accessing the drama through bypass connections or illegal streaming sites. After watching, they have left approximately 10,000 ratings and over 4,000 reviews on Douban, China's largest review site. Professor Seo Kyoung-duk of Sungshin Women's University criticized the situation, stating that it's easy to find free streaming sites for the drama on Baidu, China's largest portal. He urged Chinese authorities to educate their citizens about the issues of illegal activities and implement measures to prevent recurrence.

Despite these controversies, '21세기 대군부인' continues to enjoy high popularity. As of the third week of April 2026, it ranked first in all indicators, including news, social media, and video, in Good Data Corporation's topicality rankings, maintaining its top position for two consecutive weeks. Among the cast, IU and Byeon Woo-seok have held the first and second spots for three consecutive weeks in terms of popularity. The drama is also receiving a heated response in the global market, topping the charts for Korean series viewership on Disney+ within five days of its release. According to FlixPatrol, it is currently ranked number one worldwide in the non-English TV show category. Beyond Asia, including Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, it has also ranked high in major Latin American markets like Brazil (1st) and Mexico (2nd), as well as in European markets, showcasing the power of K-romance.

Viewership ratings are also on the rise. The broadcast of the 4th episode recorded a peak viewership rating of 13.8%, surpassing double digits in both the Seoul metropolitan area and nationwide. (Based on Nielsen Korea's nationwide household ratings) On Disney+, it ranked 4th globally and 1st among non-English TV shows.

The drama tells the story of Seong Hui-ju (played by IU) and Prince Ian (played by Byeon Woo-seok) as they defy societal opposition and strive for a successful contract marriage. After Seong Hui-ju proposes a contract marriage to Prince Ian, their photos taken together at a hotel are reported as dating rumors, drawing significant public attention. When their presence together is discovered by Queen Dowager Yoon (played by Gong Seung-yeon), Prince Ian accepts Seong Hui-ju's proposal, forming an alliance for their contract marriage.

Seong Hui-ju and Prince Ian leverage the public's attention to enter the palace together and announce their relationship. This became a crucial turning point in advancing their contract marriage plan against Queen Dowager Yoon and the external forces who were wary of Prince Ian. Queen Dowager Yoon continued her attacks by naming Seong Hui-ju as the culprit behind the fire incident during the King's birthday celebration. However, Seong Hui-ju and Prince Ian's momentum remained unbroken. Instead, rumors began to circulate that Queen Dowager Yoon was persecuting Seong Hui-ju, and fueled by the passionate performances of Seong Hui-ju and Prince Ian, public opinion began to form in their favor.