After 10 years, IU and Byeon Woo-seok reunite in ‘Perfect Crown’

IU and Byeon Woo-seok first worked together in the 2016 K-drama “Scarlet Heart,” where the latter played an unfaithful boyfriend. Ten years later, the actor hopes to undo the pain that his character caused in “Perfect Crown.” 

“It was almost as if he’s set on making up for all of that hurt 10 years ago. When we played [in ‘Scarlet Heart’], he was a boyfriend who cheated on me,” the singer-actress said in a press conference for the series. “Now, after 10 years, we get to work alongside each other as the main characters again.”

Set in a modern-day constitutional monarchy, “Perfect Crown” tells the story of a chaebol heiress, Sung Hui-ju (IU), who has everything except the title. Still, she maintained a composed and assertive persona that helped her navigate society. She eventually proposes marriage to Grand Prince I-An (Byeon) to secure the status she is determined to achieve. 

READ: What K-dramas await IU, Ji Chang-wook, Suzy, Kim Seon-ho for 2026?

The K-drama has the perfect ingredients of a royal-era romcom, particularly the chemistry between its leads. For IU, the romance is perhaps Byeon’s way of repaying the hurt his character caused her in “Scarlet Heart.”

“It felt like he had been waiting for an entire decade to repay that. Over the past decade, it’s not like we haven’t been in touch since sharing the screen, but it almost felt like we’ve been friends all this time,” she said, adding that she hopes to work with him again 10 years from now. 

“This is why I want to do another project with him in another 10 years from now. I feel like 10 years is a good time to meet once again,” she continued.

While Byeon is aware of being IU’s “unfaithful ex-boyfriend” in K-drama land, he believes their chemistry is a timeless gift for them, probably due to the latter having a knack for making him feel at ease. 

“I feel like we have a chemistry that stretches over a decade. You can really see that chemistry,” he said.

“IU makes you feel at ease instantly. She’s such a great scene partner, and she gave me a lot of advice as well, so I enjoyed it so much.”

Getting in character

“Perfect Crown” is Byeon’s first K-drama in two years following the monumental success of “The Lovely Runner,” the latter of which propelled him to domestic and international popularity. He is aware of the pressure it entails, but he would rather use it as a reminder to keep him grounded as an actor.

“I just have to say that I’m extremely grateful. There is so much pressure, but I just hope that you will show love and interest. There is so much interest in what I’m going to do next, and [while there’s] pressure, I’m so happy about it,” he said.

“I wanna do my very best and repay that love. I don’t think it’s pressure that I feel, but it’s a mindset that I carry with me as an actor,” he continued. 

Meanwhile, IU is known for her knack for picking projects that go on to explode into mainstream fame. But this time, her challenge is to portray a character who is so sure of herself and to embody confidence to mask her personal dilemmas.

“I talked a lot with director [Park Joon-hwa] in the beginning to be in character. But at some point, I already am having fun being a chaebol heiress because I have these fancy clothes and accessories,” she said of her preparation.

The actress-singer eventually fell in love with her character, particularly her intense side.

“Hui-ju is a chaebol, but she’s also a celebrity or influencer [of some sort]. Wherever she goes, people are always so interested in what she does. She’s not the typical chaebol heiress. It was more fun because she is a loose cannonball in some aspects,” she said.

Is ‘Perfect Crown’ the next ‘Princess Hours’?

Since “Perfect Crown” is set in a fictional period in which South Korea is under a constitutional monarchy, it has been compared to “Princess Hours,” which also takes place in the same setting. To add to the coincidence, they’re also broadcast on MBC.

“Princess Hours,” which premiered in 2006, stars Yoon Eun-hye, Ju Ji-hoon, Song Ji-hyo, and Kim Jeong-hoon. It tells the story of a commoner named Shin Chae-kyung (Yoon) who enters an arranged marriage with Crown Prince Lee Shin (Ju) to fulfill the promises their late grandfathers made to each other. 

Director Park Joon-hwa would rather see the similarities between them as a sign that he is bringing his A-game.

“Comparing the very famous drama series that was aired on MBC, ‘Princess Hours,’ this is the first drama series that I’m doing with [the network]. I have to bring my A-game. I poured everything in it,” he said. 

One of the things Park paid attention to was marrying the details of a monarchy to those of present-day South Korea. This means showing the audience that there is indeed a Royal Family without shoving it down their throats. 

“It starts with the backdrop of being a constitutional monarchy, of course. But that’s not our actual reality. I wanted the audience to feel like and get the impression that it’s just like today, but there is a Royal Family,” he said. 

“I tried to focus on imagining the physical space that the royal family would live in at a time like this, what kind of things they would wear, and what food they would eat. I try to focus on making the little details look convincing,” he further explained.

With the heart-fluttering chemistry between IU and Byeon and the cast’s acting performances, the filmmaker nonetheless believes that this particular element is what makes “Perfect Crown” worthy of being “Princess Hours’” counterpart. 

“[IU and Byeon Woo-seok] is the royal couple we’re seeing in our eyes. Whether it’s the visuals or the performance, as the director and as an audience monitor, I love every minute of it. In each episode, your hearts are going to flutter for all the different reasons. I dare say that it is a series that can be compared to it,” he said.

The K-drama also stars Noh Sang-hyun, Gong Seung-yeon, Yoo Su-bin, and Lee Yeon.