'21st Century Grand Madame' Amid Historical Distortion Controversy... IU Says "Any Shortcomings Are My Fault"

21st Century Grand Madame Faces Backlash Over Historical Distortion
IU: "I Will Take Greater Responsibility and Show a Better Self"
Production Team: "We Humbly Accept Viewers' Criticism"

The MBC drama 21st Century Grand Madame ended amid controversy over historical distortion, with singer and actress IU, who played the lead role, bowing her head in apology.

IU: "I Will Strive to Become a Better Person"

Actors Byun Woo-seok (left) and IU are posing at the production presentation for the MBC drama "21st Century Grand Lady" held on April 6 at the Chosun Palace Hotel in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

On May 16, the day the drama concluded, IU attended a group viewing event at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Seoul and said, "If I disappointed you even a little or showed any shortcomings, it is entirely my fault," adding, "I will take greater responsibility and do better going forward."

Celebrating her birthday that day, IU watched the final episode with her fans and then took the stage, sharing, "I've had a lot on my mind recently," and, "If I had done better, things would have been different." She continued, "As someone who receives your love, I will strive to do better," and added, "To become an IU who can show you a more responsible and improved self, I will not waste even a single moment and will live my life to the fullest." She emphasized, "Everything you say has a reason, and I believe these are words I must accept. If there is anything I lack, please point it out, scold me, or urge me on, and I will work hard to become a better person."

IU did not directly mention 21st Century Grand Madame in her remarks that day. However, since her message came immediately after the drama's conclusion, it is interpreted as a veiled response to the controversy surrounding the show.

Production Team: "We Take the Criticism Seriously... Will Correct It Swiftly"

Broadcast scene of MBC's 'The Great Concubine of the 21st Century'. MBC

Previously, in episode 11 aired on May 15, the king's second son, Prince Ian (played by Byeon Woosuk), was finally crowned as the new king after many twists and turns. However, during the coronation scene, the officials shouted "cheonse"—a term used in vassal states—instead of "manse," the symbol of an independent nation, and the king wore the "guryumyeonryugwan," a type of crown worn by vassals in China rather than the "sibimyeonryugwan," the crown symbolizing an independent emperor. These depictions drew criticism from viewers for being inappropriate.

As the controversy grew, the production team posted an official apology on the show's website. They stated, "We sincerely bow our heads and apologize for the concerns caused by the world-building and issues of historical authenticity," and, "We take seriously the viewers' criticism that the scene in which the king (played by Byeon Woosuk) wore the 'guryumyeonryugwan' and the officials chanted 'cheonse' during the coronation undermines our nation's sovereign status."

They continued, "21st Century Grand Madame is both a romance and an alternate history drama, so we should have approached the intersections between the fictional world and the real historical context with more caution and depth. However, our efforts to refine the world-building and examine the details more closely were insufficient," and added, "We humbly accept the viewers' reproach and will correct the audio and subtitles for the relevant scenes as quickly as possible in reruns, video-on-demand (VOD), and online video services (OTT)."

Meanwhile, despite the controversy, 21st Century Grand Madame concluded with a final episode nationwide rating of 13.8% (according to Nielsen Korea).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.