IU, Byun Woo Seok's 'The King's Affection' Premiere Hits 7.8%

MBC's Friday-Saturday drama '21st Century Grand Prince's Wife' has made a successful debut, recording a nationwide viewership rating of 7.8% in its first episode. This figure is 3.4 percentage points higher than the 4.4% rating for the first episode of its predecessor, 'The Radiant Season of You,' and even surpasses the highest viewership rating of 'The Radiant Season of You.' It also stands higher than the 4.3% first-episode rating of the past hit drama 'Judge Lee Hanyoung,' proving the high expectations viewers have for the drama.

'21st Century Grand Prince's Wife' is a drama that depicts a romance of breaking down social barriers, centered on the fated encounters between a chaebol woman of commoner status who has everything, and a prince who is the son of the king but can possess nothing, set against the backdrop of a constitutional monarchy in Korea. The drama garnered significant anticipation even before its broadcast due to the casting of IU and Byun Woo-seok.

Interest in the drama was high even before its broadcast. Two weeks prior to the first episode, it ranked first in TV-OTT drama buzzworthy rankings in the FUNdex survey by Good Data Corporation, marking the first time a drama topped the overall rankings before its premiere. It showed high buzz, particularly by securing first place in community reactions (VON) and social media rankings. Lead actors IU and Byun Woo-seok also ranked third and fourth, respectively, in the TV-OTT drama cast buzzworthy rankings. Furthermore, the drama demonstrated explosive anticipation by achieving a sell-out of all advertising slots before its broadcast.

In the first episode, IU and Byun Woo-seok delivered a chemistry that exceeded expectations, leading the narrative and raising anticipation for a rise in viewership ratings. Notably, the scene where Sung Hee-joo (played by IU) directly proposes to Grand Prince Ian (played by Byun Woo-seok) reached a peak of 9.3% per minute in the Seoul metropolitan area, showcasing high viewer engagement.

The drama unfolds with the story of chaebol heiress Sung Hee-joo, who dreams of social mobility, and Grand Prince Ian, a member of the royal family. The drama resonated with viewers by portraying Sung Hee-joo's feelings of limitation due to her commoner status and Grand Prince Ian's need to live a suppressed life as the second son of the royal family. Additionally, conflicts between Sung Hee-joo and her family, and conflicts within the royal family surrounding Grand Prince Ian, intertwined to add persuasiveness to the plot.