MBC Silent on Grand Prince's Wife Controversy

MBC drama 'The Princess of the 21st Century' is still facing historical distortion controversy even after its conclusion. Although lead actors like IU and Byun Woo-seok have issued public apologies, criticism of the work continues, and the silence from writer Yoo Ji-won is increasingly being pointed out.

The core of the controversy lies in the king's enthronement scene in episode 11 of the drama. In this scene, the issue was raised that instead of "Manse," a phrase used for rulers of sovereign states, the vassals shouted "Cheonse," an expression for rulers of vassal states, and that the king wore a "Guryumyeonryugwan," a lower-ranking crown than the "Sibimyeonryugwan" worn by emperors. Furthermore, the use of Chinese-style tea ceremony etiquette by the Grand Royal Consort Yoon-rang (played by Gong Seung-yeon) when confronting Seong Hee-joo in the drama also became a target of criticism.

In response, the production team stated, "We sincerely bow our heads and apologize for causing concern due to issues with world-building and historical accuracy," and announced that they would revise the audio and subtitles for the relevant parts on rebroadcasts, VOD, and OTT services as quickly as possible.

However, this controversy has also affected the actors. IU apologized, reflecting on her failure to show a responsible attitude as a lead actor and her lack of deep consideration for the historical context. Byun Woo-seok also expressed his apologies, stating that he learned the importance of looking responsibly at the messages and context of a work.

As 'The Princess of the 21st Century' is K-content being released overseas through global OTT platforms, there are concerns that incorrect historical perceptions could be transmitted. Korean history instructor Choi Tae-seong criticized the issue, pointing out, "Why do they spend hundreds of millions of won on actor salaries but begrudge the cost of historical verification?"