IU and Byeon Woo-seok’s “The Crown Princess/Grand Prince’s Wife of the 21st Century” Premieres April 10

IU and Byeon Woo-seok, starring in the lead roles, have officially announced their arrival with one of the most eagerly awaited productions of the first half of 2026, MBC’s new Friday-Saturday drama “The Crown Princess of the 21st Century”. The production press conference held on the afternoon of the 6th at Chosun Palace Seoul Gangnam in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, brought together Director Park Jun-hwa and the cast, who all conveyed strong confidence in the project.

■ A preview of April’s next big thing… IU’s unmatched eye for the next project

After establishing herself as a sure bet through My Mister and Hotel Del Luna, IU takes on the role of Seong-hee-ju, a young woman from a chaebol family who becomes an ordinary person in practice—so she has everything, yet she lives as common folk. IU said, “The story unfolds naturally, and the comedic elements are excellent, so I chose it without hesitation,” adding that viewers will become even more deeply absorbed as the drama progresses. In particular, she said, “I’ve never missed out on the industry’s No. 1 title,” sharing her ambition to reach the top again with this work.

■ Byeon Woo-seok’s return after the ‘Sunjae syndrome’… a renewed chemistry after 10 years

Rising to stardom through the drama Lovely Runner, Byeon Woo-seok plays Ian Grand Prince, the royal family’s second son who has been sidelined from power. This production marks the first time the two have met again since 2016’s SBS Scarlet Heart: Ryeo, making it a major viewing highlight for April. Byeon Woo-seok said, “Our chemistry has been matched since our rookie days 10 years ago, so the set felt very comfortable,” expressing deep trust in his co-star, IU.

■ The birth of the 2026 version of “Goong”… co-released on April 10 on MBC and Disney+

In The Crown Princess of the 21st Century, South Korea is assumed to operate under a constitutional monarchy system, and the story depicts a contract marriage between a woman and a prince—built as she tries to overcome the limits imposed by her status. Director Park Jun-hwa said, “Thanks to the two actors’ visuals and acting, it was genuinely fun to watch the monitors throughout filming,” emphasizing that it will become a representative romance drama for 2026 that follows in the footsteps of the 2006 hit Goong.

The drama will make its first broadcast on April 10 at 9:50 PM on MBC, and it will also meet viewers around the world through the global OTT platform Disney+. With “The Crown Princess of the 21st Century” set to capture attention across both the broader viewing landscape and at-home audiences during the first half of April, industry attention is focused on its “syndrome” buzz.