MBC’s new Friday-Saturday drama ‘21st-Century Grand Princess Consort’
IU showcased a powerful presence in ‘21st-Century Grand Princess Consort’, proving her mettle as a ‘bankable, must-watch actress’.
In the MBC’s new Friday-Saturday drama ‘21st-Century Grand Princess Consort’ (written by Yoo Ji-won / directed by Park Joon-hwa, Bae Hee-young / planned by Kang Dae-seon / produced by MBC, Kakao Entertainment), which premiered on the 10th, IU transformed into ‘Seong Hee-ju’, who hails from a chaebol family yet bears the constraints of her social status, convincingly completing the character from the very first broadcast and solidly anchoring the narrative.
IU broadly conveyed Seong Hee-ju’s plucky, ambitious side, professionalism, and lovable cuteness, as well as her complex inner world as she confronts her origins and reality, drawing strong immersion from the premiere. With steady rhythm in her acting and delicate emotional notes, she further heightened the character’s dimensionality.
In episode 1, after making a bold first entrance at school that stamped her presence, she displayed charisma and professionalism as the CEO of Castle Beauty. At the King’s birthday banquet event, she perfectly captured even a celebrity-like aura that went beyond a mere chaebol heiress or CEO, expanding the character’s range.
In particular, in the scene where she overhears whispers about her background, she left a deep impression by subtly expressing Hee-ju’s complex inner feelings with only her eyes and expressions, without a single line of dialogue. In the scene where she boldly proposes to her counterpart, she compellingly conveyed the character’s drive and emotional trajectory, once again making a strong impact.
Episode 2 depicted Seong Hee-ju proactively stepping forward to win Grand Prince Ian’s heart. In the process, she revealed the character’s multifaceted charms by showing both pluck and loveliness at once. After receiving an award, her delightful chemistry with Secretary Do elicited laughter from viewers and energized the narrative, while the scene where she calls a personal physician for the ailing Grand Prince Ian well captured Hee-ju’s warm, human side.
By perfectly embodying the character’s diverse facets from the very first broadcast in ‘21st-Century Grand Princess Consort’, IU has once again broadened her acting spectrum. Anticipation is mounting for the arc IU will draw for Seong Hee-ju and how the drama will unfold.
Meanwhile, episode 3 of the MBC Friday-Saturday drama ‘21st-Century Grand Princess Consort’, starring IU, airs this Friday (17th) at 9:50 p.m., and can also be viewed on the online video service (OTT) Disney+.
