Byun Woo-seok Ranks Third in Star Ranking Among Male Actors; Expectations for Upcoming Project Following 'Grand Duchess' Historical Distortion Controversy

*This content was translated by AI.

Actor Byun Woo-seok has ranked third in the Star Ranking's Male Star category.

Byun Woo-seok secured third place in the 171st Star Ranking Male Star vote, which ran from 3:01 p.m. on the 25th to 3:00 p.m. on the 2nd.

In this voting round, Kim Soo-hyun took first place with 50,001 votes, followed by Lee Jun-ho in second with 39,976 votes, and Byun Woo-seok in third with 17,306 votes.

Meanwhile, Star Ranking is a ranking system where fans directly vote for their favorite stars to determine the standings. When voting via mobile devices, voters can receive a voting certificate, and depending on the final ranking, various special benefits are provided to the featured stars.

Stars who rank first for four consecutive weeks will be featured in outdoor digital billboard advertisements. Fans of stars who maintain the top position for four consecutive weeks may also request a fan portrait video for the outdoor ad campaign. Requests should be sent to StarNews' official email (star@mtstarnews.com).

The 172nd Star Ranking Male Star vote will take place from 3:01 p.m. on the 2nd to 3:00 p.m. on the 9th.

Starting with the June voting cycle, results will be factored into the selection of AAA 2026 Star Ranking award winners.

Byun Woo-seok appeared alongside singer and actress IU in MBC's '21st Century Grand Duchess,' which concluded in May.

However, the series was immediately embroiled in controversy over historical inaccuracies. Critics pointed to scenes where officials at a king's coronation chanted "Cheonsae" (a term used by vassal states) instead of "Mansae" (the symbol of an independent nation), and another scene depicting the king wearing a nine-panel crown traditionally worn by Chinese ministers rather than the ten-panel crown reserved for emperors of sovereign nations.

As the controversy intensified, Byun Woo-seok, IU, director Park Jun-hwa, and screenwriter Yoo Ji-won issued tearful apologies.

Byun Woo-seok is currently filming Netflix's original series 'Solo Leveling.'

Based on a web novel of the same title, the story follows Sung Jin-woo, an "E-rank Hunter" considered the weakest among hunters tasked with protecting the real world from monsters beyond the Gate. After awakening during a life-threatening crisis, he levels up to become the "strongest Hunter" destined to save the world. The cast includes Byun Woo-seok, Han So-hee, Kang Yu-seok, and Kang Mi-na.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.