Perfect Crown

Presentation

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Overview

Synopsis

Set in the 21st century when South Korea is governed by a constitutional monarchy, Seong Hee Ju is a rich heiress who has everything, but starts being bothered by her commoner status. So, she gets involved with Prince Yian, who has nothing but his royal status.

My Opinion (No Spoiler)

Does Perfect Crown deserve the hype? Absolutely, yes! I loved it. The cast is top-notch and so good in their roles. Characters are interesting and very well-developed. They each have a red thread that stands strong until the end. For example, Prince Yian dreams of freedom and equality, while the Prime Minister is blinded by power and jealousy. Seong Hee Ju is so incredibly eccentric and funny. IU portrays her with perfection! But my favorite character is the Queen Dowager who embodied the dignity and weight of the Crown like no other. When it comes to the plot, it was excellent. There is no boring or useless moment in the show. The romance is perfect as well with majestic and spectacular scenes like the ball or the wedding. Even the ending is satisfying and makes sense. I 100% recommend this drama!

Analysis

The 21st century Monarchy
Modernity vs. tradition
Freedom vs. duty
Revolution and abolition
The relationship to power

Characters
Prince Yian, the torn revolutionary
Seong Hee Ju, the aggressive heiress
Min Jeong Woo, unrestrained desire
Yun Yi Rang, a life sacrificed

The fairytale-like romance

The 21st century Monarchy: Like for the UK, Japan, Denmark or any other modern society with a monarchy still standing, there are specific dynamics that come into play on a national, but also personal level.

Modernity vs. tradition: There is a clear paradox at the heart of any 21st-century monarchy, as it mixes modern practices with ancient traditions. In the drama, society follows a cast system split into nobility and commoners. Nobles are granted certain privileges, while businessmen are middle-class, unable to buy their way into higher spheres. Though the Crown tries to appear modern by blending aristocrats and commoners at school, it’s just a show window. The cast system is just reproduced within this microcosm. Nobles are arrogant and favored, while others have to try harder. If school and the capitalistic society embody modernity, the palace represents tradition. Royals must follow archaic rituals and a rigid protocol established centuries ago. People must respect the royal etiquette, movements are limited, the dress code is formal (hence the public’s shock when Yian arrives in a hanbok and Hee Ju in red at the Royal Banquet), the way you address each other is codified, etc… There are also harsh consequences if you don’t abide by the rules. This happens to Yian when he’s slapped by his father for trying the King’s robe. Finally, the palace remains a battlefield where you fight for your life. Yian survived several murder attempts, while his brother and parents died in suspicious circumstances. Royals lead silent battles behind closed doors, while being scrutinized by the modern media and criticized at the slightest misstep.

Freedom vs. duty: The Crown is heavy to bear and not everyone can endure its weight – Yian’s brother collapsed under the pressure. It also comes with a price. No royal is free, everyone endures. The Queen Dowager, Yun Yi Rang (Gong Seung Yeon) is imprisoned by the sacrifices she’s made for the Crown; her son is deprived of a normal childhood; Yian (Byeon Woo Seok) is restrained in his actions (he can’t kiss his fiancée in public). Their privileges are the reason why they lost their freedom. The Crown provided them with everything one could dream of. Therefore, they have a duty to protect its interests. This notion of duty is mentioned several times in the drama by both Yian but and the Prime Minister (Noh Sang Hyun). At some point, the latter even emphasizes the inherent incompatibility between the duty towards the Crown and freedom. Yian, or anyone else, can’t have both.

Revolution and abolition: The ending is concomitant with the surge of modern values like democracy and equality. Yian, now King, asks for a referendum to know if the people still want the monarchy. Though the Cabinet and nobles are against – as this would mean the abolition of their privileges, citizens have spoken against the Crown. Yian and Seong Hee Ju (IU) are true revolutions for the South Korean royalty. They are the end of an era and the beginning of a new period in which individuals’ fundamental rights are protected and they are valued for their actions not for their birth.

The relationship to power: Power can grant you many things. It can open doors and lead the way to opportunities and positive outcomes, just as much as it can blind you and make you do vile things. The main quartet has a specific relationship to power that evolves differently in the drama. Yian has felt powerless his whole life despite being born Prince. He’s always been sacrificed and disregarded for his brother, suffered the abuses of power fallen into the wrong hands, and thus dreamed of sharing it with people. He’s detached from it and doesn’t let it control him because he knows its negative aftermath. That’s why he abolishes the monarchy once on the throne. He refuses to give royal command to a sole person, as it is too dangerous. Seong Hee Ju is similar to Yian in that matter. The only difference is that she fought to acquire her wealth and status. She had to defeat her enemies and seize power on her own. She’s also been a victim of it (at school against nobility or at home against her father). That’s why she’s able to distance herself from it and let it go when need be. The Prime Minister is on the other side of the spectrum. He’s been given power as a government official and became blinded by it. Invested by the power of the people – or so he thinks – he diverts it to service his own interests. As a spokesperson from the masses, he fails in his task and thus can’t continue as Prime Minister. Finally, the Queen Mother is also torn between her thirst for power (and the throne) fueled by her father and her desire to be released from her responsibilities. Though she’s blinded by power at first, she gets back onto the right path at the end.

Characters: Let’s focus on the main quartet at the heart of the drama.

Prince Yian, the torn revolutionary: Prince Yian is a man torn between duty and desires. As a child, he wanted to be King but couldn’t; as an adult, he can finally be King but doesn’t want the throne anymore. This dichotomy is at the core of his personality, even after meeting Seong Hee Ju. Then, he’s overwhelmed by his quest for freedom, but also grounded by his desire to right the wrongs as a future monarch. Prince Yian also embodies the values expected in a King like righteousness, fairness, impartiality and empathy towards his people. He’s aware of the responsibilities that come with his privileges, while suffering from his fateful status. He’s a prisoner in a golden cage, suffocated by the weight of the Crown and surrounded by enemies. Nevertheless, he’s not devoid of love, kindness and affection. On the contrary, he’s got plenty to give to his future wife and his beloved nephew. Prince Yian is a flawless representation of a loving Prince Charming, an upright monarch, and a protective husband.

Seong Hee Ju, the aggressive heiress: Seong Hee Ju has everything one could desire, product of her blood, sweat and tears. She achieved her current status through pain, yet she’s now thirsting for more. At the beginning of the drama, Hee Ju lives on a permanent battlefield surrounded by enemies. Whether it’s her family, her work rivals or members of the nobility, they all look down on her. This made Hee Ju aggressive towards people. She developed a cold personality to protect herself from these attacks. Her attitude is her greatest weapon, but also her weakness because it pushes people away. Behind her mask, Hee Ju transpires empathy, kindness, and benevolence. All her life, she’s been craving for her family’s love, her father’s approval, and peace. When she marries Yian, she raises above her commoner station, but also softens up. Her family becomes an ally and a source of strength in the fight for the throne. Seeing her devotion to her husband makes her father’s heart melt. All along, he’s only wanted for his daughter to let go of her thorns. Her reconciliation with her father and brother was so heartwarming! On another note, Seong Hee Ju is an amazing businesswoman. So, I was more than glad to see her get back to Castle Group at the end and take the lead of her own empire. She’s a former Queen of the royal Palace, but THE Queen of her Castle.

Min Jeong Woo, unrestrained desire: Min Jeong Woo could’ve been an amazing Prime Minister if he had not given way to his passions. At first, he put his duties first and thus contained his desires and ambitions. But he reaches the point of no-return when Hee Ju falls in love with Yian. He’s sacrificed too much for the sake of his work, so he just can’t let go of the only woman he’s ever loved. At some point in the drama, he lets go of his bracelet which to me is synonymous with the unleashing of his passions. That’s how he becomes the villain, though he started as the trusted advisor and reliable confident.

Yun Yi Rang, a life sacrificed: Yun Yi Rang’s life has never been her own. She first satisfied her father’s ambitions by becoming Queen and then became a slave to the Crown. As a teenager, she aspired to a life of freedom, had dreams and potentially had a crush on Yian. But she was pushed into a royal marriage with his brother and had to sacrifice it all. Considering the loss, Yun Yi Rang struggled to let go of what she obtained in return: the throne and the Crown. Nevertheless, she admits defeat for the sake of her son.

The fairytale-like romance: The romance between the leads was simply amazing with beautiful scenes straight out of Titanic on the yacht or Beauty and the Beast during the ball dance. Every important outing of the couple is synonymous with fairytale like the proposal, the wedding, the Royal banquet, and even their first encounter at school… I loved how each brought something to the other. Hee Ju taught Yian how to protect what he loves and win his battles, while he softened her and taught her how to give and accept love. Even the ending is perfect with references to moments they couldn’t share as a normal couple before such as kissing at a baseball match, eat in a restaurant without guards, wear a ring…. and that they can do now. A side note, but I also loved the romance of the secretaries, they were so cute.