'Grand Duchess' Director, Tears at Interview: "I Apologize for Causing Discomfort to Those Who Watched for Healing" [Interview ③]

*This content was translated by AI.

Director Park Jun-hwa shed tears while apologizing for the controversy surrounding '21st Century Grand Duchess'.

Director Park Jun-hwa met with StarNews at a café on Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 19th, for a concluding interview on the MBC Friday-Saturday drama '21st Century Grand Duchess' (hereinafter 'Grand Duchess').

'Grand Duchess' is a drama depicting the fated romance of Seong Hee-ju (played by IU), a woman who has everything as a chaebol in a 21st-century constitutional monarchy in Korea but is merely a commoner by status and is frustrated, and Prince Lee An (played by Byun Woo-seok), a sad man who is the king's son but can possess nothing. The final episode recorded a peak viewership rating of 13.8% (based on Nielsen Korea nationwide).

'Grand Duchess' concluded as a 12-episode series from April 10 to the 16th. This drama was hailed as MBC's most anticipated work of 2026 due to its massive budget of around 300 billion won and its glamorous casting starring IU and Byun Woo-seok. However, from the first week of broadcast, the lead actors were engulfed in controversies over their acting skills, and in the latter half of the broadcast, several scenes in the drama faced criticism for historical distortion.

In particular, in episode 11 of 'Grand Duchess', it was pointed out that instead of chanting 'Manse' (Long Live), the symbol of an independent nation, the characters chanted 'Cheonse' (Long Live), which was used by vassal states belonging to an empire, during Prince Lee An's coronation ceremony. Additionally, Prince Lee An was criticized for wearing 'Guryumyeongwan', a hat worn by feudal lords who are subjects of the emperor. Furthermore, it was also pointed out that Seong Hee-ju performed a Chinese-style tea ceremony.

In response, the 'Grand Duchess' production team issued an official statement: "We are taking seriously the viewers' criticism that the scene where the king wears 'Guryumyeongwan' at his coronation and the subjects chant 'Cheonse' undermines Korea's sovereign status. This incident occurred because we failed to carefully examine how Joseon's etiquette changed throughout history."

Furthermore, they admitted their mistake, stating: "'21st Century Grand Duchess' is a drama with the characteristics of both a romance and an alternate history. While there was a need for careful and in-depth consideration regarding the parts where a fictional world and real historical context intersect, we lacked the effort to meticulously refine the worldview and examine it closely." The production team announced that they would modify the audio and subtitles of the problematic parts in future reruns, VOD, and OTT services of '21st Century Grand Duchess'.

At the end of the interview, when asked if there was anything else he wanted to explain to the viewers, Director Park said, "While filming the ball scene, I had thoughts like, 'Isn't this cringeworthy?' and 'What if the viewers feel uncomfortable?' I saw a video of an elderly person who loved our drama so much. Next to them, their son asked, 'Is it fun, Dad?' and the elderly person replied, 'It's so much fun.' I also struggled while filming the proposal scene. The setting for the proposal was strong, and when an elderly person watched that scene, they said, 'It's so touching.' Rather than an explanation, I felt sorry for causing discomfort to those who watched it for healing, and I shed tears."

-There were also viewer opinions asking whether Seong Hee-ju performing a Chinese-style tea ceremony or refusing to wear hanbok in the drama was an act of 'taking down Korea'.

▶This was mentioned because of the act of pouring water on the teacup; it was a functional choice at that moment. (The scene where she refused to wear hanbok) I thought it was a scene showing the gap of a person who preferred innovation over tradition.

-Although the broadcast of 'Grand Duchess' ended up to episode 12, how is it planned to handle the provision of the problematic scenes on OTT platforms?

▶It is not a part I am involved in, but I am sorry for creating such a situation. I think various discussions will take place at the production company, etc.

-Regardless, the drama concluded with a rating of 13.8%. If there is anything you want to say to the viewers one last time.

▶To those who loved the drama, those who criticized it, and to the actors, I should have made various efforts with deep contemplation and a cautious attitude. I want to express my gratitude and my apology. I also felt that it was an opportunity to adjust parts that might cause discomfort in the future (early on).

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*This content was translated by AI.