Petition Sparks Official Scrutiny
On May 26, a petition demanding the suspension of Perfect Crown was posted to the South Korean National Assembly's website. The petition quickly received more than 50,000 signatures. According to Korean law, this level of public response requires the petition to be examined by a parliamentary committee. The petitioners accuse the show of “rewriting Korean history” and adopting too many elements—such as clothing, etiquette, and terminology—from Chinese culture. They argue that Perfect Crown “gravely damages public opinion and spreads a distorted image of Korean cultural identity worldwide.”
International Success, Divided Reactions
Perfect Crown, a romantic drama set in an alternate Korea where the Joseon dynasty persisted as a constitutional monarchy, has become a global hit, especially in the United States. International fans responded by launching their own petition to support the show. As of now, more than 27,000 people have signed to “protect the hard work of the actors and production team.”
Meanwhile, in response to the uproar at home, lead actors Byeon Woo-seok (who plays Grand Prince I-an) and IU (as the wealthy commoner Sung Hui-ju) publicly apologized. They stated on social media, “We did not sufficiently take into account the historical context and the significance of the project, nor how viewers might perceive it.”
Director Park Joon-hwa also spoke to the press, acknowledging, “My ignorance of the historical context was a mistake. I am deeply sorry. I apologize for not providing a more thoughtful series.” He refuted claims that the production drew inspiration from the Japanese imperial family, explaining, “We were inspired by European countries. We wanted to include romantic elements like those in Bridgerton.”
Details Fueling the Controversy
The controversy took off after the eleventh episode aired. During Prince I-an's coronation, palace officials chanted “cheonse” (which translates as “may he live a thousand years”). This phrase was historically used by tributary states, rather than “manse,” meaning “may he live ten thousand years,” which is reserved for independent monarchs. Additionally, the crown shown in the drama has nine rows of pearls, a style associated with vassal lords serving an emperor, unlike the twelve rows expected for sovereign rulers of an independent nation. These choices caused some viewers to feel the series wrongly implies modern Korea is a subordinate state to China.
Criticism From Historians and the Public
For historians and some viewers in South Korea, these errors feel significant. Choi Tae Sung, a well-known history teacher in Korea, noted, “They spend hundreds of millions of won on actor salaries, yet cut back on research costs for historical accuracy.” (At today's rates, 100 million won is roughly $73,000 USD.)
Despite strong ratings both in Korea and overseas, Perfect Crown now faces the possibility of removal. There is precedent: the K-drama Joseon's Exorcist was cancelled in 2021 following similar accusations of historical distortion, after a petition to the Blue House received almost 70,000 signatures in one day. In South Korea, debates over historical representation and national identity are taken seriously—and the audience's voice has real impact.
