IU: "All my shortcomings are my fault," tearfully confesses... bows head amid harsh criticism of 'Grand Duchess' acting and historical controversies [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

Singer and actress IU shed tears after promising to work harder in response to harsh criticism of '21st Century Grand Duchess'.

Born on May 16, 1993, IU hosted a movie theater screening at Seoul CGV Yongsan iPark Mall on the 16th, her birthday, to meet fans from her fandom, Yoo Aena.

On that day, IU held a screening of the MBC Friday-Saturday drama '21st Century Grand Duchess', in which she starred as Seong Hee-ju.

After the screening of '21st Century Grand Duchess', IU openly shared her reflections on completing the work. She said, "We will have more days to meet this year. I hope to see everyone again on good days." She added, "I think it's because I'm preparing a new album and nearing the end of the drama, so I need to do even better. I'm thinking these days that I must take more responsibility and perform well."

Regarding the harsh criticism of her acting in the drama, she stated, "I should have done better for you all. If I disappointed you or showed shortcomings, it is truly all my fault."

Fans tried to comfort IU, saying, "No, it's not like that," but IU replied, "It is not 'no' — it is truly correct. I will take responsibility and do my best. I must become someone Yoo Aena can be proud of."

IU promised, "I've been thinking a lot lately. It should have been me who did better. As someone loved by you all, I will do better. To become an IU who shows even better performances with greater responsibility, I will not waste a single moment and will live well."

She continued, "Even so, I am still lacking in many areas, and I am so grateful that you love and support me. I believe every word you say has a reason, and I must accept it all. If I have shortcomings, please tell me more, scold me more, and push me harder. I will listen to your words and strive to become a better person."

Speaking with a choked voice, IU became emotional at the end while thanking her fans. She said, "I'm late in saying this, but I love you and want to show you a better side. However, my shortcomings continue, so I am sorry. Still, thank you for giving me opportunities and for your affectionate gaze. Anyway, I will try even harder and do better," bowing 90 degrees to greet them.

Aired from April 10 until this day, '21st Century Grand Duchess' was hailed as MBC's most anticipated drama of the year before its broadcast. However, the drama faced controversies over acting performances by lead actors IU and Byun Woo-seok from the first week, and near the end, it was engulfed in historical distortion controversies, encountering significant difficulties.

Notably, in episode 11 of '21st Century Grand Duchess', it was pointed out that during the coronation ceremony of Prince Lee An, the crowd chanted "Cheonsae" (a term used by vassal states under an emperor) instead of "Manse" (the symbol of an independent nation). Additionally, Prince Lee An was criticized for wearing "Guryumyeongwan," a headgear worn by feudal lords who were subjects of the emperor. Furthermore, Seong Hee-ju was also criticized for performing a Chinese-style tea ceremony.

In response to the controversies, the '21st Century Grand Duchess' production team issued a statement on the 16th: "We sincerely apologize to all who have followed the drama with affection for causing concern due to issues with world-building settings and historical verification. We are taking seriously the viewers' criticism that the scene where the king wears 'Guryumyeongwan' and the ministers chant 'Cheonsae' during the coronation ceremony undermines Korea's sovereign status."

The team further admitted, "This incident occurred because we failed to carefully examine how Joseon's etiquette evolved throughout history. '21st Century Grand Duchess' is a drama with both romantic and alternate historical elements, requiring careful and in-depth consideration of the intersection between the fictional world and real historical context. However, we lacked sufficient effort to refine the world-building and examine it meticulously."

The production team announced that audio and subtitles for the problematic parts would be corrected in future reruns, VOD, and OTT services of '21st Century Grand Duchess'.

'21st Century Grand Duchess' concluded with a happy ending on this day, showing Prince Lee An (played by Byun Woo-seok) relinquishing the throne and spending his newlywed life with Seong Hee-ju as a commoner. The drama ended with a peak viewership rating of 13.8%.

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*This content was translated by AI.