IU: "All my shortcomings are my fault," tearfully confesses, bowing her head amid 'Grand Duchess' controversy [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 special event on the 16th, renting out a theater at Seoul CGV Yongsan i-Park Mall to meet her fans, known as "Yoo-ae-na."

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

After the screening, IU openly shared her reflections on completing the project. She said, "We will have more days to meet this year. I hope to see everyone again on good days." She added, "I've been preparing a new album and wrapping up the drama, so I feel I need to do even better. These days, I'm thinking I must take greater responsibility and perform with more accountability."

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 entirely my fault."

Fans tried to comfort her, saying, "No, it's not like that," but IU replied, "It is true. I truly take responsibility and will do my best. I must become someone you, Yoo-ae-na, 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 deeply grateful for your love and support. I believe every word you say has a reason, and I must accept them all. If I have shortcomings, please tell me more, scold me more, and push me harder. Hearing your words, I will strive to become a better person."

Speaking with a choked voice, IU finally broke down in tears while expressing gratitude to 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 persist, and I am sorry. Still, thank you for giving me chances and for your affectionate gaze. In any case, I will work even harder and do better," bowing 90 degrees to the audience.

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 controversy over acting performances by lead actors IU and Byun Woo-seok from its first week, and near its conclusion, it was also embroiled in a historical distortion controversy, leading to significant challenges.

Notably, in episode 11 of '21st Century Grand Duchess', it was pointed out that during Prince Lee An's coronation ceremony, the crowd chanted "Cheonsae" (a term used by vassal states under an emperor) instead of "Mansae" (the symbol of an independent nation). Additionally, Prince Lee An was criticized for wearing "Guryumyeon-gwan," a hat reserved for feudal lords serving an emperor. Furthermore, Seong Hee-ju was criticized for performing a Chinese-style tea ceremony.

In response to the controversy, 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 related to world-building and historical accuracy. We have seriously accepted viewers' criticism that the scene depicting the king wearing 'Guryumyeon-ryugwan' and ministers chanting 'Cheonsae' during the coronation 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 romance drama with elements of alternative history, requiring careful and in-depth consideration of the intersection between a 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 scenes would be corrected in future reruns, VOD, and OTT services of '21st Century Grand Duchess'.

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

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*This content was translated by AI.