SOURCES: '21세기 대군부인' 감독 “아이유·변우석에게 미안하기만 해” (1) 눈물 보인 ‘대군부인’ 감독…“사죄드린다, 배우들에게도 죄송” [인터뷰①] (2)
Director Park Joonhwa, who directed the MBC's 'Perfect Crown' apologized over various controversies including accusations of historical distortion and expressed regret toward the actors as well.
On the 19th, an interview with director Park Joonhwa was held at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Seoul regarding the MBC's 'Perfect Crown.'
Before the interview officially began, director Park Joonhwa started by apologizing. He said, "When we began this drama, I hoped viewers would feel happiness and healing while watching it. Instead, I created a situation that caused discomfort rather than healing. As the representative of the production team, I believe I bear the greatest responsibility without excuse. I apologize."
Director Park Joonhwa also spoke about IU and Byun Wooseok, who recently apologized over the historical distortion controversy. He said, "I feel nothing but sorry to the actors. They worked incredibly hard to bring joy, brightness, and happiness to the viewers. I feel very sorry that they ended up getting hurt and apologizing over things they shouldn't have had to, all because of issues related to historical interpretation and my own immature execution."
He continued, "At the moment when I should have been telling them they worked hard after the final broadcast, all I could feel was apology. When these controversies arose, I wasn't able to manage things more carefully. I was arguably the most experienced person on the team, so I should have thought more deeply and checked every details thoroughly. I keep asking myself why I made those decisions at the time. I also wonder if I was simply too trapped in the initial conceptual setting."
Regarding scenes such as the king wearing a Guryumyeongwan ceremonial crown during the coronation and people shouting 'Cheonse,' he emphasized, "In the end, it was because of my ignorance."
Director Park Joonhwa said, "I should have understood the information more deeply. We had an advisor, and we reviewed the ‘Cheonse’ line together. The advisor was someone with extensive experience advising dramas, and my request was to portray the image of a Joseon dynasty that had never faced events like the Japanese colonial period. I think both of us became trapped in that premise. It feels like we fell into a swamp because we became too focused on portraying a Joseon dynasty that continued into modern times."
He added, "When I said it was my ignorance, I meant that I imagined what a coronation ceremony would look like for a Joseon dynasty that had continued 600 years without hardship. That is why the advisor explained Joseon coronation ceremonies to us. Looking back now, I wonder if it would have been better to portray an independent Korea rather than specifically using the Joseon dynasty setting while telling this story. I apologize."
The 'Perfect Crown' is a romance drama set in a 21st-century constitutional monarchy version of Korea. It tells the story of a wealthy chaebol woman who has everything except noble status and a king’s son who feels empty despite his royal position, as they struggle against class differences and fate.
The drama, which ended on the 16th with a peak viewer ratings of 13.8% faced criticism over its worldbuilding and historical inaccuracies. Controversy broke out when scenes showed Byun Wooseok ascending the throne while wearing the Guryumyeongwan and people shouting 'Cheonse,' a term associate with vassal states, instead of 'Manse,' which symbolizes an independent nation, leading to accusations of historical distortion.
