'21st Century Grand Princess' Faces Fund Reclamation Amid Controversy

The Korea Broadcasting Media Transmission Commission (KBMC) is reviewing the reclamation of support funds provided to the MBC drama 21st Century Grand Princess following allegations of historical distortion. Despite achieving high viewership, the 30 billion won (~$23M USD) production is under fire for inaccurate depictions of royal ceremonies and attire.

Key Facts

• The KBMC and the Korea Communications Agency are considering recovering funds from the drama, which was previously featured at a Korean drama investment briefing at the Cannes International Series Festival.
• Controversy erupted during the 11th episode's coronation scene, where subjects shouted "Cheon-se" instead of "Man-se" and the King wore a nine-tassel crown instead of the twelve-tassel crown appropriate for an emperor.
• The production concluded with a peak national viewership rating of 13.8%.
• Experts, including Professor Seo Kyoung-duk and history instructor Choi Tae-seong, criticized the production for failing to verify historical facts despite high actor fees.
• Lead actors Byeon Woo-seok and IU issued personal apologies on social media, expressing they are "ashamed" of the situation.
• The production team admitted to a lack of historical context during world-building and issued an official apology on May 16.

Key Terms

• Cheon-se: A salute traditionally used for lords or princes; "Man-se" was reserved for an emperor.
• Nine-tassel crown: A ceremonial headpiece historically appropriate for a lord, as opposed to the twelve-tassel crown used by emperors.

Key Quote

"Hundreds of millions for actor fees, but only a few hundred thousand won for verification costs." — Choi Tae-seong

Next

• The production team will modify problematic audio and subtitles for reruns, VOD, and OTT services.
• The KBMC will continue its review to determine the final status of the reclaimed support funds.