By Jasmine Ong
I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of modern royalty, and having grown up in the era where The Princess Diaries and the K-drama Princess Hours were all the rage, it’s no surprise that I grew up with a bit of a soft spot for anything that remotely involved this concept.
So, when I heard about Perfect Crown joining Disney+’s line-up of K-dramas for 2026, I couldn’t be more excited, especially when they’ve also got IU in the leading role.
I do have to preface that while Perfect Crown may sound similar on paper to the iconic Princess Hours of the 2000s, it definitely has a different take on this idea of a modern day monarchy, and this is very much distinguished in the first episode.
In this 2026 version of a 21st-century Korea, we are introduced to Seong Huiju (played by IU), a brilliant chaebol heiress and CEO who has everything she could ever want, but seemingly lacks in the respect she deserves because of her commoner background.
This background, unlike other Korean dramas, is revealed quite early on in the first episode where we find out (spoiler alert) that she was actually a product of an affair and because of her illegitimate status, she wasn’t respected within the circles she ran.
I really liked that right away, we were privy to Huiju’s struggles as this woman of status with no real power or claim to her name at all. Despite her own smarts and capabilities, her “lowly” parentage continue to loom over her, making it almost impossible for her to stand out based on her own merit.
While it would take me quite a few episodes to warm up to a character, I found myself instantly rooting for Huiju from the get-go, especially with IU’s portrayal of her. With so many iconic roles under her belt, it’s not surprising that IU was also able to turn Huiju into yet another easily likeable and relatable character too, with her subtle expressions and reactions, and her delivery of quick-witted lines.
Shortly after we’ve warmed up to Huiju, Perfect Crown wastes no time in introducing us to its leading man, Grand Prince Ian (played by Byeon Wooseok). When we first meet him, we are shown this guarded and slightly aloof side of him that is quite familiar in the portrayal of most K-drama leads with a traumatic past.
Despite the typical nature of most dramas to prolong the reveal of this backstory to later on in the series, Perfect Crown gave us a glimpse of it in the first episode, which, in my opinion, helped to make the story easier to understand, especially when it came to figuring out why certain characters behaved the way they did.
Huiju and Grand Prince Ian eventually cross paths, and again, we are given a glimpse into their shared history. While short-lived, it is enough to understand that their acquaintance will play a part in helping Huiju take control of her own future, especially in finally getting the perfect marriage prospect that will promise her the status she seeks.
Even though nothing much is revealed about the obvious adversaries (that I’ve identified) in episode one, I felt like this helped with maintaining the intrigue of the drama while paying homage to those Joseon-period dramas where the baddies slowly plot for the leads’ demise.
Aside from the characters and story, I absolutely loved the costuming of the drama which combined traditional and modern elements of Korea. Beyond the updated traditional Korean hanboks that we see on the Queen Mother and staff of the palace, we also see this modernised version of tradition in Grand Prince Ian’s style.
This melding of traditional wear with modern, westernised elements gave his outfits this added chicness befitting of a monarchy in this century. This attention to detail was also replicated on his aide’s outfit, which replaced a typical suit jacket with a subtle hanbok-style one with the knot on the side.
In a lot of ways, I appreciated that just in the first episode alone, Perfect Crown already felt fast-paced and was able to stay on track, without including any unnecessary fillers.
I also liked that the first episode concluded with an epilogue, which gives you Grand Prince Ian’s POV of his encounters with Huiju. I hope that this nice touch isn’t just a one episode thing but continues with the other episodes as it does add another layer to their relationship.
As I excitedly wait for the coming episodes, I think I’m confident enough to say… this might just be one of the best k-dramas in 2026.
