"Harsh Test," Finally Proven... Byun Woo-seok Was Not a 'One-Hit Wonder' [★FOCUS]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actor Byun Woo-seok was not a "one-hit wonder." Following his hit series "Yeon-jae, Go Up," his next project, "21st Century Grand Duchess," has also generated explosive buzz, once again sparking a phenomenon on television screens.

Byeon Woo-seok was finally recognized for his true talent through the 2024 drama "Love Next Door" (hereinafter "Love Next Door"), bringing an end to his long period of obscurity.

However, as he has emerged as the definitive leading figure, enduring the harsh scrutiny that comes with it has been entirely up to Byun Woo-seok. While it may be said that the era of Byun Woo-seok has arrived, he has instead been burdened with the significant challenge of passing through a testing ground marked by even more cold and objective scrutiny than ever before.

Byun Woo-seok was also well aware of this. Rather than remaining a "youth star" riding on the popularity of "Seonyeop-twi," he chose a bold transformation in his acting, willingly responding with vigor to the immense attention focused on his upcoming project. The fact that he spent about a year deliberating before selecting his next role amidst a flood of offers alone reveals the weight and sincerity he brings as an actor.

Moreover, the MBC Friday-Saturday drama "21st Century Grand Duchess" faced numerous significant hurdles. The cast had to prove acting skills that surpassed those in their previous work, "Sunyeop-tui," and navigate the inevitable comparisons to Ji-hoon Joo, the lead of the acclaimed K-drama masterpiece "Royal Romance: Goong" on MBC.

Nevertheless, Byun Woo-seok faced the situation with calm resolve rather than being shaken by pressure. In an interview with StarNews last January ahead of filming "21st Century Grand Duchess," he stated, "Rather than focusing on anything else, I decided to prioritize creating a work that would truly move me emotionally. While reviewing scripts with that goal in mind, I came across the script for '21st Century Grand Duchess.' Although I felt some burden due to the level of interest, my current mindset is simply to do my best at every moment I can. I believe that if I give my all, it will lead to a good result. That would be incredibly fortunate, and if it doesn't, I accept that it is beyond my control."

In particular, at the time, Byun Woo-seok emphasized, "I do not consider the next work after 'The Last Empress' as anything special. I feel that every work is 'starting from now.' I believe this mindset is extremely important. This was the case during 'The Last Empress,' and it is the same for '21st Century Grand Duchess.' The thought that I must do my best has always remained the same."

Ultimately, Byun Woo-seok is persistently crafting his own Prince Lee An in "21st Century Grand Duchess." Having just aired the first two episodes, he is making a strong impression with his high synchronization to the character and his unique chemistry with co-star IU, forged through a decade-long connection. Byun Woo-seok previously made a special appearance in the 2016 drama "Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo" as IU's unfaithful boyfriend. Just as a decade can transform even a mountain, Byun Woo-seok has achieved remarkable growth across a broad spectrum, now capable of embodying such a dynamic narrative.

This achievement is confirmed by the numbers. "21st Century Grand Duchess" launched on the 2nd with a high viewership rating of 7.8% (based on Nielsen Korea) for its first episode, climbed to 9.5% by the second episode, and nearly reached 10%. It also recorded a peak viewership rating of 11.1%. Furthermore, it has maintained the number one spot in the Korean top 10 rankings simultaneously with its global release on Disney+, and according to FlixPatrol, it has ranked fourth globally in the Disney+ Top 10 TV Shows category.

According to the FUNdex survey by Good Data Corporation, a professional institutional investor specializing in K-content competitiveness analysis, the drama "Prince Lee An" secured the top spot in TV-OTT drama buzz for the second week of April 2026. The drama recorded a buzz score exceeding 80,000 points, broke through a 90% share in the Friday-Saturday drama buzz category, and achieved the remarkable feat of surpassing a 50% share across all content categories. It is no exaggeration to say that it has once again ignited the "Byun Woo-seok syndrome" in living rooms. However, the charm of "Prince Lee An" is merely a preview; audiences should look forward to witnessing Byun Woo-seok's fully matured and compelling performance as it unfolds in earnest.

The third episode of "21st Century Grand Duchess" will air at 9:50 p.m. on the 17th.

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*This content was translated by AI.