[Exclusive] The reason for being excluded from the official lineup… Byeon Woo-seok and IU’s ’21st Century Grand Princess’ aiming for MBC year-end slot
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[OSEN=Reporter Yeon Hwi-sun] The new work ’21st Century Grand Princess,’ starring actors Byeon Woo-seok and singer/actress IU, which has garnered attention as one of the most anticipated shows in the broadcasting industry, is currently being considered for MBC’s year-end schedule.
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According to OSEN’s coverage on the 8th, the team behind the new drama ’21st Century Grand Princess’ (working title, written by Yoo Ah-in), starring Byeon Woo-seok and IU, is actively preparing with the aim of securing an MBC slot by the end of the year. It is expected to air following the new drama ‘The Moon Flows over the River’ by Kang Tae-oh and Kim Se-jeong.
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’21st Century Grand Princess’ is a highly anticipated project in the broadcasting industry, resulting from the collaboration between popular stars Byeon Woo-seok, who rose to fame with ‘Escape with Seonjae,’ and IU. The production company, Kakao Entertainment, had early on announced its intention to air the drama on MBC within the year, further heightening expectations. However, with MBC’s announcement of its new drama lineup for 2025 on the 8th, the absence of ’21st Century Grand Princess’ has raised questions.
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According to OSEN’s coverage, the ’21st Century Grand Princess’ team is positively considering securing a Friday-Saturday mini-series spot on MBC for year-end airing. The Friday-Saturday mini-series slot is considered a prime time for hit dramas, despite a reduced lineup for terrestrial broadcast networks. MBC has previously dominated this slot with popular dramas like ‘The Red Sleeve,’ ‘Lover,’ and recently ‘Your Call in Progress.’ Industry insiders suggest that scheduling the much-anticipated project featuring Byeon Woo-seok and IU during this special year-end slot aims to close the year with a spectacular finale.
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Broadcast insiders particularly emphasize the careful selection of a director for ’21st Century Grand Princess.’ The drama won award recognition at the MBC script contest and is currently under development as a mini-series. Although a director was initially chosen following the script’s selection, the need for a more prominent director became apparent with the casting of Byeon Woo-seok and IU, delaying the final decision. Consequently, discussions about the ideal director to lead rising stars Byeon Woo-seok and IU are reportedly ongoing in the broadcasting field.
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Kakao Entertainment, the co-producer alongside MBC, stated, “The director for the project has not yet been decided. Once the main director is secured, the remaining main and supporting cast lineup will be rapidly finalized, and we’ll proceed with script readings and filming. There is no change in our plans to schedule it on MBC within the year.”
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’21st Century Grand Princess’ follows a romance breaking societal barriers, set in a 21st-century constitutional monarchy in Korea, between a wealthy conglomerate heiress who is only a commoner and a prince who, despite his royal status, cannot have anything. Byeon Woo-seok plays Yi An Daegun, a prince in contemporary Korea’s constitutional monarchy, while IU plays Seong Hee-joo, the second daughter of the top-ranking chaebol family, endowed with wealth, beauty, intellect, and fierce ambition.
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[Photo] OSEN DB, provided by MBC.