IU and Byun Woo-seok step down from the throne to a commoner's happy new marriage 'ending' in '21st Century Grand Duchess' with a peak viewership of 13.8% [Comprehensive]

*This content was translated by AI.

IU and Byun Woo-seok presented a tightly closed happy ending for '21st Century Grand Duchess'.

In the final episode of the MBC Friday-Saturday drama '21st Century Grand Duchess', which aired on the 16th, the sweet newlywed life of Seong Hee-ju (played by IU) and Lee Wan (played by Byun Woo-seok), who abolished the monarchy and became an ordinary couple, was depicted.

The first thing Prince Lee An did after becoming king was to abolish the royal family, which had become a means for the established powers to maintain their authority. In response, those who had benefited from the existence of the royal family fiercely opposed the move. Lee Eo-jyeot-go (Prime Minister) Min Jeong-woo (played by Noh Sang-hyun) pressured the king by cutting off the royal budget. Nevertheless, Prince Lee An did not give up his resolve for the sake of countless individuals who had lost opportunities due to their social status.

Seong Hee-ju also created intense tension by directly confronting Min Jeong-woo's attacks against the abolition of the royal family, enabling her husband to achieve his goals. In particular, with the help of Grand Queen Dowager Yoon I-rang (played by Gong Seung-yeon), she exposed a recording file containing evidence that Min Jeong-woo had attempted to assassinate Prince Lee An at a gathering attended by both the cabinet and the royal clan, cornering Min Jeong-woo.

After learning that a trusted friend had tried to kill him, Prince Lee An, overwhelmed by a sense of betrayal, asked Min Jeong-woo for the reason. Min Jeong-woo refused to admit his twisted possessiveness toward Seong Hee-ju, prompting Prince Lee An to deliver a sharp rebuke: "It is your fault for thinking you were deprived of something you never even had," before cutting off their long-standing relationship.

Finally, a national referendum to decide on the abolition of the royal family began, and the monarchy came to an end with the support of the people. Lee Wan, who had regained his true name rather than being known as 'Prince Lee An', began a true newlywed life with his wife Seong Hee-ju, moving the hearts of viewers.

While Seong Hee-ju returned as CEO of Castle Beauty and spent her days too busy to even blink, Lee Wan prepared dinner for her and also planned a surprise proposal event. During a date at the baseball stadium, when the KISS TIME event began, the two shared a kiss confidently in front of onlookers, unlike before.

The viewership for the broadcast that day recorded 14.1% in the Seoul metropolitan area, 13.8% nationwide, and 5.9% among the 2054 demographic, setting a new internal record for both the Seoul metropolitan area and nationwide. Additionally, it ranked first among all Saturday programs, reaching a peak of 16.1% per minute. (Based on Nielsen Korea data)

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*This content was translated by AI.