IU and Byeon Woo Seok are set to star in a new romantic drama about love breaking through social boundaries in a modern South Korean constitutional monarchy.

On December 2, Kakao Entertainment confirmed that the two stars have been cast in the upcoming MBC drama 21st Century Prince's Wife (working title).

The drama is being planned by Kang Dae Seon, written by Yoo A In, and produced by MBC and Kakao Entertainment.

21st Century Prince's Wife is set in a 21st-century South Korea where a constitutional monarchy exists.

The drama tells the story of Seong Hee Joo, a chaebol heiress who has everything but still feels frustrated by her "commoner" status, and Lee An Daegun, the son of the king, who despite his royal blood, cannot have anything and lives a sad life.

The story revolves around their romance, which challenges and breaks down the barriers between social classes. The drama won the MBC Drama Script Contest and will be produced by MBC and Kakao Entertainment.

IU will play Seong Hee Joo, the second daughter of Korea's top chaebol family. She is beautiful, smart, and fiercely competitive, but she feels that being a "commoner" is holding her back in life. This frustration leads her to cross paths with Lee An Daegun.

Known for her powerful emotional performances in dramas like My Mister, Hotel Del Luna, and Broker, IU’s fans are excited to see her take on the role of Seong Hee Joo and bring a fresh transformation to her acting.

Byeon Woo Seok will play Lee An Daegun, the prince in this modern monarchy. Born as the second son of the king, he has always been destined to have nothing but his royal title.

Though he hides his pain, everything changes when he meets Seong Hee Joo. Byeon Woo Seok, who captured hearts with his sweet romance in Lovely Runner, will now step into the role of a royal prince, and fans are eager to see how he will bring his charm to this new character.

21st Century Prince's Wife is scheduled to air in the second half of 2025.

Source: [1]

BTS member Jungkook continues to break records and make history with his solo music on the Billboard charts.

As of November 30, Jungkook’s hit single Seven, released in July of last year, is still performing strongly, ranking 133rd on the Global 200 chart and 78th on the Global (excluding U.S.) chart.

The song's success across both major charts shows the huge popularity and global sales power behind the track.

Jungkook's solo title track Standing Next to You from his first solo album GOLDEN, released in November 2023, also continues to perform well, marking its 55th week on the Global (excluding U.S.) chart at 196th place.

Now, Seven has remained on both the Global 200 and Global (excluding U.S.) charts for an impressive 71 consecutive weeks. This milestone solidifies Jungkook as the first Asian solo artist to achieve such a streak on both charts. His success highlights his growing influence and power as a global pop star.

In addition to Seven, Jungkook’s other songs, Standing Next to You and 3D, also topped both charts, marking a historic achievement. He became the first solo artist in history to have three songs simultaneously reach number one on both charts within one year, a huge accomplishment in Billboard history.

Seven also set a record by staying at number one on the Global (excluding U.S.) chart for 9 consecutive weeks and 7 weeks on the Global 200 chart, making it the longest streak of consecutive number ones by any Asian artist on both charts.

Jungkook’s global dominance continues with 206 weeks on the Global 200 chart and 254 weeks on the Global (excluding U.S.) chart, proving his continued strength in the international music scene.

On the prestigious Hot 100 chart, Jungkook made history by placing Seven, Standing Next to You, and 3D in the top five.

Seven even reached number one, while Standing Next to You and 3D charted at number five. Jungkook became the first K-pop solo artist to spend 68 weeks on the Hot 100 chart.

His album GOLDEN also made waves by debuting at number two on the Billboard 200, marking Jungkook as the first Asian solo artist to achieve this and the first to chart for 24 consecutive weeks.

Jungkook’s success continues as he has earned six nominations in five categories at the 2024 Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs), including Top Song Sales Artist, Top Selling Song (for Standing Next to You), Top Global K-Pop Artist, Top Global K-Pop Song (for Standing Next to You and 3D), and Top K-Pop Album (GOLDEN).

He is the most-nominated K-pop artist this year, and after winning Top Global K-Pop Song for Seven last year, he is back this year competing with Standing Next to You and 3D.

Source: [1]