'21st Century Princess Consort' — Yoo Su-bin and Lee Yeon, the Aides Who Are a Real Pleasure to Watch

It’s a real pleasure to watch. The drama 〈21st Century Princess Consort〉, which has been airing since April 10, is set in a Republic of Korea where a constitutional monarchy is in place, and it delights viewers by blending capitalist flavor with the traditional charm of the Joseon era. Of course, it’s also backed by actors with striking looks and charisma. IU, as Seong Hee-joo, and Byeon Woo-seok, as Grand Prince Ian, are the two lead actors, and they are joined by No Sang-hyun as Prime Minister Min Jung-woo and Gong Seung-yeon as Queen Yoon I-rang, all of whom shine. Just as crucial to 〈21st Century Princess Consort〉’s appeal, however, are the actors known as the "Aides"—Yoo Su-bin and Lee Yeon. The two play Choi Hyun, who assists Grand Prince Ian, and Do Hye-jung, Seong Hee-joo’s secretary, respectively, cheerfully helping their unpredictable superiors and livening the series’ atmosphere. Here’s some TMI about the two actors, who provide a scene-stealing supporting presence in this romantic drama.

The Yoo brothers, following the 'Ryu-Ryu' and 'Eom-Eom' sibling pairs: the Yoo siblings

Yoo Su-bin has one older brother, director Yoo Su-min, who directed the 〈Weak Hero〉 series. So when he was first offered the role of Choi Hyo-man in 〈Weak Hero: Class 2〉 (he also appeared in season 1, but that was a special appearance), he initially declined. He worried he might not perform well enough to help his brother’s work. However, his older brother Yoo Su-min encouraged him, saying he could do well, and he ultimately accepted the role of Choi Hyo-man, delivering a perfectly executed portrayal of a character who is strong toward the weak but weak toward the strong and receiving praise. Incidentally, in an interview director Yoo Su-min praised Yoo Su-bin, saying, "He’s not only good at acting but also a good person," calling him "a very admirable younger brother."

She Shaved Her Head for a Monastic Role, Then Was Cast as a Teenage Boy

Lee Yeon appeared as Baek Sung-woo in the Netflix original series 〈Juvenile Justice〉. Baek Sung-woo, who laughed in court even after being tried for killing a child, is a male character, but Lee Yeon, a female actor, perfectly embodied the role and it became a hot topic upon release. The casting process for Baek Sung-woo was dramatic: she originally auditioned (naturally) for a female character. At that time she had been playing the monk Do Maeng in 〈Jeolhaegodo〉 and had shaved her head, and that buzz cut apparently left a strong impression on the production team. Director Hong Jong-chan therefore offered Lee Yeon the role of Baek Sung-woo, and although she was initially surprised to be asked to play a male character, conversations with the director convinced her. Afterwards she adjusted her vocal tone to play a boy who had not yet fully undergone secondary sexual development, gained 5kg, and transformed perfectly into Baek Sung-woo.

Learning Acting for Comedy Led to a Career in Acting

Yoo Su-bin plays Choi Hyun in 〈21st Century Princess Consort〉, delivering a very cheeky performance—precisely his specialty. His memorable role as Kim Joo-meok in 〈Crash Landing on You〉 also showcased this style of acting. That likely stems from his original desire to become a comedian and make people laugh. He learned acting as preparation for becoming a comedian, gradually fell in love with acting itself, and even worked part-time to attend an acting academy before studying in the Department of Theater and Film. He completed his military service early and graduated, allowing him to focus fully on his acting career. Already having completed military service was subtly helpful during 〈Crash Landing on You〉.

Jeon Do-yeon, Tilda Swinton, Kim Hye-soo… Lee Yeon’s Role Models

Since her debut, Lee Yeon has repeatedly named three actors as her role models: Tilda Swinton, Jeon Do-yeon, and Kim Hye-soo. By a stroke of luck she actually worked with Jeon Do-yeon on 〈Kill Boksoon〉; Jeon Do-yeon liked Lee Yeon’s personality and acting, and when Jeon mentioned she was looking for a 20-something actress to play the young version of her character Nam Haeng-seon in her next project 〈Crash Course in Romance〉, she recommended Lee Yeon. That way Lee Yeon enjoyed the pleasure of acting opposite her role model and even portraying the younger version of the same character. She worked with Kim Hye-soo in 〈Juvenile Justice〉; Kim Hye-soo said during costume fittings that "my heart trembled for a moment" when she met Lee Yeon and praised her, saying, "I’m glad I can introduce an actor like this to our work." Lee Yeon often mentions 〈Orlando〉, a film starring Tilda Swinton that was re-released this April, and she attended the re-release’s Q&A event, resulting in a genuine fan triumph—she got to celebrate her favorite actor and favorite film together.