Perfect Crown" (or "Wife of the 21st Dynasty") is set in a fictional South Korea where a constitutional monarchy still exists, an ambitious tycoon-like female heir who is not waiting for the prince to come to save her - she actively proposes a contract marriage for her own benefit, in order to use the prince as a political "shield".
After airing on April 10, "Perfect crown" quickly surpassed the 11% rating mark in episode 4 and became the most watched Korean drama globally on Disney+ currently.
According to Korea Times, "Perfect crown" stands out compared to previous royal works when "reversing" the Cinderella story to reflect modern demands for women's independence.
The clearest difference is the way the female lead Hee Joo (played by IU) strategically views marriage.
Unlike the movie "Princess hours" starring Yoon Eun Hye and Joo Ji Hoon in 2006 - where an ordinary high school girl becomes a prince through an arranged marriage - the female tycoon Hee Joo in "Perfect crown" considers the royal symbol as a tool.
In the inheritance battle, Hee Joo uses marriage to defeat her legal half-brother - who has consolidated his position in the family corporation by marrying nobles.
She actively pursues the second emperor, Dai Quan Lee Ahn (Byeon Woo Seok), even following him to horseback riding clubs, cinemas and the Han River bridge after being rejected in her initial marriage proposal.
Cultural critic Gong Hee Jung commented: "The independence and subjectivity of women are recent film trends. Because this is a royal story built on a realistic foundation, it accurately reflects the changes in the social context.
The character Dai Quan Lee Ahn also breaks the ideal fairy prince model. As the second son of the royal family, he lives under pressure, suppresses personal desires and even accepts defeat in conflicts that he could have won.
Hee Joo's constant ambition gradually arouses hidden aspirations in him. In episode 3, Lee Ahn revealed his desire to ascend the throne: "If I say I want to step onto the throne, even if people criticize me, Hee Joo will still understand me.
Although possessing two realistic and ambitious main characters, experts believe that "Perfect crown" still relies quite a lot on familiar supporting characters and other predictable details.
Professor Yoon Seok Jin from Chungnam National University commented that the film is suitable for the trend of fast, easy-to-watch entertainment, but still has many weaknesses.
To become a complete work instead of just flashy entertainment like luxury goods, the story of personal injuries, conflicts and overcoming each other needs to be developed more convincingly," he said.
