Byeon Woo-seok, the "rom-com king" who returned to the small screen with MBC's "21st Century Grand Prince's Wife" two years after tvN's "Lovely Runner," is once again captivating viewers.
Episode 4, which aired on the 18th, surpassed 11% in ratings, marking the start of its full-fledged success. Ratings have been rising with each episode as the romance between Grand Prince Ian (played by Byeon Woo-seok) and Sung Hee-joo (played by IU) begins in earnest. In particular, the heart-fluttering scenes created by Byeon Woo-seok as Grand Prince Ian have been driving the ratings increase.
In the final scene of Episode 2, which aired on the 11th, Grand Prince Ian's declaration to "prepare to become the Grand Prince's wife" revealed the contract marriage situation entangling the two, raising curiosity about Episodes 3 and 4.
In the subsequently aired Episodes 3 and 4, Grand Prince Ian had Sung Hee-joo stay at his private residence under the pretext of external threats against her. When Sung Hee-joo became caught up in an investigation into a fire incident while Grand Prince Ian was performing a hyanghang grand ritual, he appeared at the decisive moment to rescue her.
Grand Prince Ian also drove unpredictable plot developments that stirred viewers' hearts. Late at night, meeting Sung Hee-joo across the palace wall, Grand Prince Ian delivered a powerful ending with a camera-conscious kiss. He also fulfilled all of Sung Hee-joo's wishes — from a baseball stadium date proposed by Sung Hee-joo to pulling her out of an etiquette training session — evoking romantic excitement. Particularly, at the end of the drama, when Sung Hee-joo faced a crisis due to the brake failure of a car carrying His Majesty, Grand Prince Ian appeared like a "savior," blocking the way with his own car, heightening dramatic tension and raising expectations for the next plot developments.
Critics say Byeon Woo-seok's Grand Prince Ian is a "savior" in every sense to Sung Hee-joo. Byeon Woo-seok persuasively portrays Grand Prince Ian as a character who appears at the precise moment to rescue Sung Hee-joo in situations big and small, depicting him as someone viewers want to rely on and lean on with just a look. In the scene where he confronts Queen Dowager Yoon Yi-rang (played by Gong Seung-yeon) over the fire investigation, he stands reliably and naturally before Sung Hee-joo, revealing a cool and composed demeanor. After resolving the situation, however, he shifts the mood with softer eyes and gestures, bringing dimension to the character.
Above all, Byeon Woo-seok captures the gradual shift in Grand Prince Ian's temperature as he softens before Sung Hee-joo, while fully embracing the charm of the romantic comedy genre. This makes the character of Grand Prince Ian even more appealing, adding to the drama's entertainment value.
Meanwhile, "21st Century Grand Prince's Wife," in which Byeon Woo-seok takes on the romantic comedy genre and gives a green light to the relationship between Grand Prince Ian and Sung Hee-joo, awakening viewers' romantic excitement, airs every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 p.m. on MBC.
