The backlash surrounding Perfect Crown continues to grow — and now even planned fan events involving the lead actor Byeon Woo Seok appear to be up in the air.
According to reports, Byeon Woo Seok’s agency, Varo Entertainment, had originally planned to hold a fan Q&A through its official social media accounts following the drama’s finale. But as controversy surrounding the series intensified, the agency reportedly stated that the event is now “still under discussion” and has not been finalized.
Following the drama’s conclusion, Byeon also released a written apology instead of participating in traditional post-finale interviews.
Perfect Crown initially became one of the year’s biggest Korean dramas thanks to its star-powered cast and strong global performance on Disney Plus. However, criticism escalated during the latter half of the series after viewers accused the show of distorting Korean history through its portrayal of royal customs and terminology.
Some critics argued that certain scenes could give overseas viewers a misleading understanding of Korean history. Popular Korean history lecturer Choi Tae Sung also weighed in, criticizing the production for “prioritizing massive actor salaries while neglecting proper historical research.”
The controversy has continued to snowball as writer Yoo Ji Won has yet to publicly address the criticism, with some online users even calling for the drama to be scrapped altogether.
Viewers have reportedly begun sending group complaint emails to members of Korea’s National Assembly Culture Committee, while cyber diplomacy organization VANK has also requested corrections from Disney Plus.
The situation is now being compared to the infamous controversy surrounding the 2021 SBS drama Joseon Exorcist, which was canceled after just two episodes following backlash over alleged historical distortions and Chinese-style props.
Industry watchers say the current situation could have even wider repercussions because Perfect Crown was released globally through Disney Plus, allowing the controversy to spread internationally in real time.
While some controversial scenes have reportedly been edited or removed from domestic streaming and VOD platforms, reports say the global Disney+ version has not yet been updated.
Amid the growing backlash, director Park Joon Hwa addressed the controversy publicly on May 19th.
Addressing suspicions that Perfect Crown may have been influenced by Chinese capital, director Park Joon Hwa said, “The premise was that the Joseon Dynasty still existed. Beyond the painful history tied to that era, the idea was that the nation of Joseon had survived for 600 years. The story focused on the royal family, but I think I failed to clearly show that Joseon was still an independent nation. That was my mistake, and I still feel sorry and regretful about it.”
When asked whether historical experts had been consulted regarding elements such as the controversial royal crown and the phrase “Cheonse,” Park replied, “We did work with a historical advisor. Looking back, I’m not sure why it turned out that way. Since the drama was set in a world where the Joseon Dynasty still existed, we asked the advisor how we should portray the royal family. The coronation scene came from that process. I think we ended up getting too caught up in that idea.”
He continued, “We became too focused on portraying the Joseon royal family in a certain way. Terms like ‘Cheonse,’ ceremonial practices, and even the line beginning with ‘Jaesanho’ were unfamiliar to us, too. Our advisor explained the style of the royal crown used in Joseon coronation ceremonies, but we never intended to portray Joseon as being under Chinese oppression. That’s why I called it ‘ignorance.’ I regret focusing only on historical details of the coronation ceremony instead of doing more to show the king as the ruler of an independent nation.”
Byeon Woo Seok is also set to make his first official public appearance since the backlash at the press event for Jae-seok’s B&B Rules! later that same day.
>> IU, Byeon Woo Seok’s ‘Perfect Crown’ Sparks Debate as Historian Calls It ‘Low-Level Alt-History’
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