진행자: 박준희, Chelsea Proctor

Inside 'Perfect Crown' controversy: Why its portrayal of Joseon royal rituals sparks outrage in Korea

기사 요약: 최근 종영한 아이유, 변우석 주연 드라마 “21세기 대군부인”은 즉위식과 다도 장면 등에 중국식 예법을 연상시키는 설정이 등장하면서 역사 왜곡 논란에 휩싸였다.

[1] “Perfect Crown,” one of the biggest K-dramas of the first half of 2026 starring IU and Byeon Woo-seok, is facing mounting backlash over its depiction of royal traditions, with potential repercussions including the repayment of government production funding.

mounting: 점점 커지는

backlash: 강한 반발

depiction: 묘사

repercussion: 후폭풍

[2] The series performed strongly during its broadcast run. According to Nielsen Korea, the final episode, which aired on May 16, recorded a nationwide rating of 13.8 percent, up 0.3 percentage points from episode 11’s 13.5 percent, marking a series high. However, despite its ratings success, the drama has been embroiled in controversy over its use of Joseon-era (1392–1910) court rituals, which critics say evoke the tributary customs of imperial China.

strongly: 강하게

embroiled in: 곤란한 상황에 깊이 휘말리다

controversy: 논란

evoke: 소환하다

[3] Critics argue that although the story is set in a fictional 21st-century Korea where a constitutional monarchy still exists, the production overlooked how modern audiences might interpret its depiction of Joseon court traditions linked to the East Asian tributary system.

fictional: 허구적인

constitutional monarchy: 입헌군주제

overlook: 간과하다

interpret: 의미를 해석하다

[4] Viewers also took issue with a coronation scene in which court officials proclaimed “Cheonse” (“Long live for a thousand years”), a phrase historically linked to vassal states, rather than “Manse” (“Long live for ten thousand years”), which has traditionally been used to signify an independent sovereign ruler.

coronation: 대관식

proclaim: 공식적으로 선언하다

vassal state: 속국

기사 원문: https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10743805

[코리아헤럴드 팟캐스트 구독]

아이튠즈(아이폰): https://itunes.apple.com/kr/podcast/koliaheleoldeu-paskaeseuteu/id686406253?mt=2

네이버 오디오 클립 (아이폰, 안드로이드 겸용): https://audioclip.naver.com/channels/5404

팟빵 (안드로이드): http://www.podbbang.com/ch/6638