The production team behind hit K-drama Perfect Crown has issued a public apology following backlash over alleged historical inaccuracies involving a royal coronation scene in the series.
On Saturday, the team behind the drama starring IU and Byeon Woo-seok acknowledged criticism from viewers regarding the portrayal of Prince I-an’s ascension to the throne in the second-to-last episode.
The controversy centred around the use of the chant “Cheonse”, which translates to “Long live for 1,000 years”. Fans and history enthusiasts argued that the phrase was traditionally reserved for rulers of lower rank or state monarchs.
Critics claimed the series should have instead used “Manse”, meaning “Long live for 10,000 years”, a phrase historically associated with an independent sovereign ruler.
Viewers also questioned the design of the royal crown featured in the scene, noting it displayed nine strands of beads — known as the Guryu Myeollyugwan — instead of the traditional 12-strand Sibi Myeollyugwan typically linked to sovereign monarchies.
In a statement published on the show’s official homepage, the production team apologised to viewers for the controversy.
“We sincerely apologise to viewers who supported the drama with love for causing concern regarding the fictional setting and historical accuracy,” the statement read.
The team admitted it failed to properly examine how Joseon royal court protocols evolved throughout history and acknowledged shortcomings in balancing fictional storytelling with real historical elements.
“As Perfect Crown is both a romance and alternate-history drama, we should have been more cautious and thoughtful when handling areas where fiction intersects with actual history,” the statement added.
The production team also confirmed that the relevant audio and subtitles would be revised for future rebroadcasts, video-on-demand releases and streaming platforms.
Despite the controversy, the series continued to perform strongly in television ratings and online popularity rankings throughout its run, which concluded on May 16.
IU also appeared to indirectly respond to the criticism during a finale event, telling fans she would reflect on any shortcomings and work harder to improve, although she did not directly mention the coronation controversy.
Set in an alternate version of Korea where the monarchy still exists in 2026, Perfect Crown follows the story of Seong Hee-ju, a wealthy heiress played by IU, who enters a contractual marriage with Prince I-an, the king’s second son portrayed by Byeon Woo-seok.
