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IU and Byun Woo-seok Both Quitted?
Recently, TV Daily reported that both IU and Byeon Woo-seok have expressed their intentions to drop out of the K-drama project “21st Century Grand Prince’s Wife” (tentative title), stating “conflict of opinions” regarding the broadcasting.
According to the TV Daily report, an insider allegedly said, “From what I garnered, IU & Byun Woo-seok’s decision was made as a result of the inability of the cast and the production team to coordinate with the broadcast of the K-Drama. MBC is negotiating with Disney+ while the actors want Netflix”.
However, the aforementioned article has since been deleted, and Byun Woo-seok’s agency has released an official statement refuting the claim, stating that the actor is not dropping out and will appear as scheduled. Subsequently, IU’s side also denied the rumors of quitting as “completely false”, adding that she is preparing well for the production.
Constant Delays with Unclear Schedules
On February 23rd, OSEN reported that the new drama “21st Century Grand Prince’s Wife” (tentative title), starring IU and Byun Woo-seok, is in discussions for airing in the first half of next year (2026). This means that the K-drama’s premiere will be delayed compared to previous expectations that it will air within this year.
Meanwhile, according to YTN’s coverage on February 18th, director Park Joon-hwa, who previously worked on various famous K-dramas, including “What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim”, “Let’s Eat” Seasons 1 and 2, and “Alchemy of Souls”, will be in charge of directing the new drama “21st Century Grand Prince’s Wife” (tentative title).
As “21st Century Grand Prince’s Wife” has confirmed its director and completed full-scale preparations for filming, it will officially begin filming in the first half of this year.
Meanwhile, Kakao Entertainment previously announced that IU and Byun Woo-seok have been confirmed as the lead cast for MBC’s upcoming drama, “21st Century Grand Prince’s Wife” (tentative title, planned by Kang Dae-sun, written by Yoo Ah-in, and produced by MBC and Kakao Entertainment).
However, despite the drama drawing massive attention after its casting news, when MBC announced its new drama lineup for 2025, “21st Century Grand Prince’s Wife” disappeared, raising questions.
According to media outlet OSEN on January 8th, this is because there’s a delay in “21st Century Grand Prince” release date.
In particular, the production team of this K-drama is positively reviewing scheduling it as Friday-Saturday miniseries drama on MBC towards the end of the year. This is a timeslot with fierce competition, which was previously occupied by hits such as “When The Phone Rings”, “The Red Sleeves”, and “My Dearest”.
Additionally, broadcasting officials emphasized that they are putting a lot of effort into selecting the director for “21st Century Grand Prince’s Wife”. This is a work that was selected through an MBC script contest and is currently in the development stage as a mini-series. After the script contest was selected, there was a director who was decided, but the final decision was postponed due to the need for a main director with weighty influence in line with the casting of Byun Woo-seok and IU.
Accordingly, it has been reported that discussions about the right director to direct the broadcasting industry’s most promising actors Byun Woo-seok and IU are getting longer.
MBC and its co-producer Kakao Entertainment explained, “A director has not been decided on for the drama yet. After the main director is decided, we plan to quickly decide on the main and supporting cast lineup in addition to the male and female leads and begin script readings and filming. There will be no changes to MBC’s programming policy for the rest of the year.”
About “21st Century Grand Prince’s Wife”
On the other hand, “21st Century Grand Prince” is set in a 21st-century constitutional monarchy in South Korea and tells the story of a romance that transcends social status. It follows a woman who has everything as a wealthy heiress but is frustrated by her status as a “commoner,” and a prince who, despite his royal bloodline, is unable to possess anything. The show, which won MBC’s drama script competition, is being jointly produced by MBC and Kakao Entertainment.
IU will play the role of Sung Hee-joo, the second daughter of the top-ranking chaebol family in South Korea. Born with a silver spoon in her mouth, she boasts stunning beauty, intelligence, and a fierce competitive streak. However, her “commoner” status unexpectedly becomes a stumbling block in her life, leading her to cross paths with Prince Ian. Known for her nuanced and compelling performances in works such as “My Mister,” “Hotel Del Luna,”, “Broker,” and most recently, “When Life Gives You Tangerines”, IU is drawing anticipation for how she will bring the character of Sung Hee-joo to life with her impressive acting skills.
Byun Woo-seok will portray Prince Ian, the second son of the king in the 21st-century constitutional monarchy of South Korea. As a royal with nothing to his name except his title, he has spent his life concealing his true self. However, his encounter with Sung Hee-joo sparks a transformative change.
After charming global audiences with his youthful romance in “Lovely Runner,” Byun Woo-seok is set to captivate viewers once again as a modern-day royal, leaving fans eager to see his new character’s allure.
The fresh and heart-fluttering chemistry between IU and Byun Woo-seok is already garnering significant attention.
