'Grand Duchess' Director Responds to 'Cheonse' and 'Guryumyeon-gwan': "We Conducted Extensive Research on the 600th-Year Setting of the Joseon Dynasty" [★FULL Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

How could such a tragedy occur? Did you not sense anything unusual during the production process? We have compiled the key points from Director Park Jun-hwa's response to the controversy over historical distortion in '21st Century Grand Duchess'.

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

Originally, this interview was planned alongside media recruitment on the 12th, while 'Grand Duchess' was still airing. Although the drama had previously faced controversies regarding the acting abilities of its lead actors and suspicions of historical setting errors, it was then on track to conclude smoothly with viewership ratings surpassing 13%.

However, after the 11th episode—the final episode before the drama's conclusion—aired, the controversy over historical distortion gained momentum and was pointed out as a major issue. Consequently, Director Park's interview became a platform to thoroughly address the drama's controversies. Moreover, since none of the cast members, including the leads, had stated they would not participate in interviews, the director felt compelled to step forward and provide explanations.

'Grand Duchess' was criticized for having the characters shout 'Cheonse' (Long Live) instead of 'Manse' (Long Live), which is the symbol of an independent nation, during Prince Lee An's coronation ceremony. It was also pointed out that Prince Lee An wore 'Guryumyeon-gwan', a headgear used by vassal states under an emperor. Additionally, Seong Hee-ju was criticized for performing a Chinese-style tea ceremony.

'Grand Duchess' is a drama depicting the fate-defying, class-breaking romance between Seong Hee-ju (played by IU), a woman who has everything as a chaebol but is merely a commoner by status, and Prince Lee An (played by Byun Woo-seok), a prince who has nothing and is sad about it. The final episode achieved a peak viewership rating of 13.8% (based on Nielsen Korea nationwide data).

-Why was 'Cheonse, Cheonse, Cheoncheonse' used instead of 'Manse' in episodes 10 and 11? Did you not feel anything unusual even during filming?

▶The consultant was present at the time. We aimed to portray the 600th-year history of the Joseon Dynasty, but this was the outcome. It seems that the coronation ceremony, including the Guryumyeon-gwan, was depicted as a sad part of our history. We wanted to show how coronation ceremonies were conducted during the Joseon Dynasty, but I wonder if it would have been better to portray it as an independent Joseon Dynasty rather than a subordinate one.

-How was the research process for this drama conducted?

▶The research also covered Joseon Dynasty art and was aligned with the Joseon Dynasty. I believe the writer continued to receive research guidance while writing the script. Due to the setting that the Joseon Dynasty still exists in this drama, it appears that the perception of our current reality and the fantasy elements within the drama may have appeared somewhat different.

-There were viewer opinions suggesting that Seong Hee-ju performing a Chinese-style tea ceremony or refusing to wear hanbok in the drama was not an act of 'bashing Korea'.

▶This was a discussion that arose due to pouring water on the teacup; it was a functional choice at that moment. (Regarding the scene where she refused to wear hanbok,) I thought it was a scene showing the gap of someone who preferred innovation over tradition.

-How did the production of 'Grand Duchess' begin?

▶The writer had a great deal of affection for the Joseon Dynasty. She made efforts to write a royal romance within that setting. Looking at our history, there has never been a time without difficult moments such as the Korean War or the Japanese colonial rule, so we started with the setting that such moments never occurred. (The writer) wanted to depict a romance between a royal prince and a commoner woman within the setting of the Joseon Dynasty. It seems she wanted to convey the message that ordinary daily life is more joyful than greed. She also wanted to portray a beautiful relationship, which is why she created this drama. However, I wonder if the production team's information about the viewers was insufficient. I wish we had provided more friendly information. Initially, we wanted to express the pain in the early stages as a happy period, but this unfortunately became a shortcoming of the production team.

-Why do you think controversies over the acting abilities of lead actors IU and Byun Woo-seok arose?

▶When I first read the script, I felt that Hee-ju in the drama seemed like a villain. I thought the uniqueness of this drama lay in its proactive nature. There was a woman who chased her desires and insisted on getting what she wanted, and I believed that when such a person even considered a contract marriage, her desires should be expressed extremely. I thought this might feel uncomfortable or harsh to viewers. I emphasized the emotions of the moment more in the acting. During filming, I noticed IU was laughing unusually often, and I felt she was delivering three-dimensional acting. Woo-seok worked hard on his acting. Even from my perspective, I could see his efforts. The higher the position of a character in the drama, the harder it is to express their emotions. I told (Byun Woo-seok), 'I would prefer the prince to show a more rational side rather than being swayed by Hee-ju,' and we filmed accordingly. Woo-seok tried to pursue diversity within his acting, but I may have inadvertently held him back. I think he wanted to be recognized for his portrayal of the prince's sorrow.

-Regardless, the drama concluded with a 13.8% rating. If there is anything you would like to say to the viewers at the end, what would it be?

▶To those who loved the drama, those who criticized it, and to the actors, we should have made various efforts with deep contemplation and a cautious attitude. I want to express both gratitude and apology. I also felt that this might have provided an opportunity to adjust parts that could be uncomfortable in the future at an early stage.

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*This content was translated by AI.