'21st Century Great Lady' has confirmed its broadcast schedule for MBC's Friday-Saturday drama in the first half of 2026.
As one of the most anticipated works of the first half of 2026, MBC's new Friday-Saturday drama '21st Century Great Lady' (written by Yoo Ah-in, directed by Park Jun-hwa) is a romance about breaking social class boundaries, set in a constitutional monarchy in 21st century South Korea. It follows 'Seong Hee-joo', a woman who has everything as a chaebol but is frustrated by her commoner status, and 'Lee Wan', the son of a king who can have nothing and is a sad man.
'21st Century Great Lady' won overwhelming support from judges in the 2022 MBC drama script contest, and both male and female characters are described as proactive and attractive, with a solid story that leads to romance through the protagonists' strong desires. After winning, it was developed over about three years, incorporating MBC's drama planning know-how, and with Kakao Entertainment joining in production, actors IU, Byun Woo-seok, Noh Sang-hyun, and Gong Seung-yeon joined the cast, making it a highly anticipated work for 2026.
IU plays 'Seong Hee-joo', the second daughter of a chaebol who is a capable businesswoman with outstanding beauty, intelligence, and competitive spirit, but is limited by her commoner status. As a top singer-songwriter who has solidified her position as an actress with excellent character portrayal and strong acting skills, IU's Seong Hee-joo is a bold character who chooses a contract marriage with 'Lee Wan' (played by Byun Woo-seok) to gain the one thing she lacks, 'status'. She meets Lee Wan, who has lived a different life despite being in a similar situation, and experiences a turning point in her life.
Byun Woo-seok plays 'Lee Wan', the sad son of a king who can have nothing but royal status. As the second son of the royal family, he has lived with a fiery heart that cannot shine or make noise, yet he is regarded as 'the most beloved royal by the people' due to his innate elegance and charm. Having always been accustomed to hiding himself, he undergoes a new inner transformation when he meets 'Seong Hee-joo', who seems similar yet different as his contract marriage partner. After captivating global fans with a heart-fluttering romance in his previous work 'Seonjae Upgo Twirl', expectations are high for how he will portray the cold yet passionate prince Lee Wan in this modern royal story.
Noh Sang-hyun takes on the role of 'Min Jeong-woo', the Prime Minister and a friend of Lee Wan from a prestigious political family. Min Jeong-woo, who has succeeded to the Prime Minister position following his grandfather and father, is considered the top groom candidate with a perfect family background, sharp intellect, and striking appearance. He is a close friend of Lee Wan, having played together as children (a playmate of the crown prince or grand prince), and is also a senior-junior relationship with Seong Hee-joo at the royal school, leading to turmoil due to the contract marriage between Lee Wan and Seong Hee-joo. The Min Jeong-woo that Noh Sang-hyun will portray is expected to have a different charm that will appeal to female viewers.
Gong Seung-yeon plays 'Yoon I-rang', a woman born with the fate of a queen. Coming from a family that has produced four queens, she has never doubted her destiny of becoming a queen, making her a 'perfect queen'. Choosing the fate of 'queen' over her personal identity as 'Yoon I-rang', she constantly struggles to maintain that destiny in any situation. Gong Seung-yeon, who has showcased her irreplaceable charm through numerous works, is expected to perfectly portray the dignified and strong image of a queen in this project.
The direction is led by director Park Jun-hwa, known for the series 'My Name is Kim Sam-soon', 'Let's Eat' 1 & 2, 'What's Wrong with Secretary Kim', and 'Alchemy of Souls'. With a reputation for maximizing the charm of actors and works through delicate direction and trendy visuals, expectations are high for the sophisticated and beautiful romance drama he will present.
MBC's Kang Dae-seon EP stated, "'21st Century Great Lady' is a winning piece from the 2022 MBC script contest, showcasing a fresh theme, attractive characters, and a solid story. After three years of planning and development to maximize its strengths, we are thrilled to have strong actors like IU, Byun Woo-seok, Noh Sang-hyun, and Gong Seung-yeon on board, feeling like we have been given wings."
He also expressed strong confidence in the project, saying, "Just as works presented through MBC's drama script contest, such as 'The Black Sun' and 'Intimate Betrayer', have received much love from viewers, we expect a very meaningful work to be born from the collaboration of Yoo Ah-in's creative script and the renowned directing skills of Park Jun-hwa, a master of romance direction."
The destiny-breaking romance '21st Century Great Lady', starring IU, Byun Woo-seok, Noh Sang-hyun, and Gong Seung-yeon, has confirmed its broadcast schedule for MBC's Friday-Saturday drama in the first half of 2026 and will begin filming soon.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
