With only one episode left until the end, ’21st Century Grand Prince’s Wife’ is back in the spotlight for its historical settings.
Episode 11 of the MBC Friday-Saturday drama ’21st Century Grand Prince’s Wife’ aired on the 15th.
In this episode, Sung Hee-joo (played by IU) went through a lot, including jumping into flames to save Grand Prince Ian (Byeon Woo-seok) and losing consciousness, leading up to the fast-paced development of Grand Prince Ian ascending the throne.
Unfortunately, before the royal couple could even enjoy their newlywed life, the drama was swept up in another historical distortion controversy.
Even though the setting is a 21st-century constitutional monarchy, viewers pointed out scenes where officials shouted “Cheonse” (a term used by vassal states) instead of “Manse,” and the King wearing a 9-stringed crown instead of the traditional 12-stringed one.
Additionally, the scene where the Queen Dowager (Gong Seung-yeon) kneels to apologize to Grand Prince (Byeon Woo-seok) is a historical depiction rarely seen in other works.
Starting strong with a 7.8% viewership rating, ’21st Century Grand Prince’s Wife’ was one of the most anticipated works, even ranking 1st in buzz before its release.
However, after its release, historians joined the conversation regarding historical errors. Some argue that Grand Prince Ian’s regency and the King’s birthday scene are incorrect, despite the show being an alternate history piece.
Furthermore, some viewers felt that the acting of IU and Byeon Woo-seok, who hold the most critical roles, didn’t quite meet the high expectations compared to their previous works.
Despite this, ’21st Century Grand Prince’s Wife’ recorded its own highest ratings in most episodes, surpassing double digits with 11.1% in episode 4 and reaching 13.3% in episode 10, which aired on the 9th.
Moreover, it made history as the first K-drama to maintain long-term success on Disney+ in the US for 29 days, gaining steady popularity across Latin America, North America, Europe, and Asia (as of May 11, 2026).
According to the TV-OTT drama buzz rankings released by Good Data Corporation’s FUNdex, the show has held the 1st place spot since its first broadcast.
With the finale approaching, the drama is under fire, and some netizens are demanding a statement or apology from the broadcaster or filing complaints with the Korea Communications Commission.
