The cast for '21st Century Grand Lady', which has garnered attention due to the meeting of actor Byun Woo-seok and singer-actor IU, has been confirmed.
On the 21st, MBC announced that the new Friday-Saturday drama '21st Century Grand Lady' has a glamorous cast lineup and confirmed the scheduling for the first half of 2026.
According to this, IU and Byun Woo-seok have confirmed their participation in '21st Century Grand Lady', followed by actor Noh Sang-hyun, who left a deep impression with his bold performances in 'Pachinko' and 'City of Love', and actress Gong Seung-yeon, who showcased solid acting skills and versatile character portrayal through works like 'Karma' and 'Police Station Next to Fire Station'. The appearance of these four actors in an MBC drama marks their first venture in '21st Century Grand Lady', raising expectations for the chemistry they will create.
'21st Century Grand Lady' (script by Yoo Ah-in, directed by Park Jun-hwa), hailed as the most anticipated work of the first half of 2026, is a romance that breaks class barriers, set in a constitutional monarchy in South Korea in the 21st century. It tells the story of 'Seong Hee-joo', a woman who possesses everything as a wealthy heiress but is frustrated by her status as a commoner, and 'Iwan', the sad prince of IAAN, who can own nothing.
'21st Century Grand Lady' was awarded in the MBC drama script contest in 2022, receiving overwhelming support from the judges. The characters are both progressive and charming, and the strong desires of the protagonists lead to a solid storyline that offers dramatic appeal. After approximately three years of development that distilled MBC's drama planning expertise, together with Kakao Entertainment, the inclusion of actors IU, Byun Woo-seok, Noh Sang-hyun, and Gong Seung-yeon has truly made this a top anticipated work for 2026.
IU plays 'Seong Hee-joo', a capable businesswoman equipped with outstanding beauty, intelligence, and competitiveness but limited by her status as a commoner in the wealthy family. Seong Hee-joo, portrayed by IU, who has firmly established her footing as an actress with her exceptional character portrayal and solid acting skills, is a daring character who chooses a contract marriage with IAAN's 'Iwan' (played by Byun Woo-seok) to gain the one thing she does not possess, 'status'. She encounters a turning point in her life by meeting Prince Iwan, who shares a similar background but has made different choices.
Byun Woo-seok plays 'Iwan', a sad prince of IAAN who can own nothing but his royal status. As the second son of the royal family who cannot shine or make noise, he has lived suppressing a fiery heart. However, he is regarded as 'the most beloved royal by the people' due to his innate elegance and charm. Having grown accustomed to hiding himself, he undergoes a new inner transformation upon meeting the '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 on the Rise', Byun Woo-seok's transformation into the modern royal is eagerly anticipated, and how he portrays the cold yet passionate prince, Iwan, is highly anticipated.
Noh Sang-hyun takes on the role of 'Min Jeong-woo', the prime minister and friend of Iwan, hailing from a political family. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather and father, Min Jeong-woo is recognized as the number one groom candidate, possessing a perfect family background, sharp intellect, and striking appearance. He is particularly close to Iwan as a childhood playmate, openly sharing their inner thoughts, while also being a senior-junior relationship with Seong Hee-joo at the royal family school. He experiences turmoil due to the contract marriage situation involving Iwan and Seong Hee-joo. The Min Jeong-woo portrayed by Noh Sang-hyun is expected to evoke a different charm compared to Byun Woo-seok's Iwan.
Gong Seung-yeon portrays 'Yoon Yi-rang', a woman born with the fate of 'the queen's destiny'. Yi-rang comes from a family that has produced four queens and has never had doubts about becoming one, embodying 'the perfect queen.' Choosing the destiny of 'queen' over her identity as 'Yoon Yi-rang', she constantly struggles to protect that destiny in any situation. Through numerous works, Gong Seung-yeon has showcased her irreplaceable charm, and she is expected to perfectly portray the elegant and strong queen in this work.
The direction will be handled by Park Jun-hwa, who has directed the 'My Daughter, Geum Sa-wol' series, 'Let's Eat' 1 & 2, 'What's Wrong with Secretary Kim', and 'Alchemy of Souls'. Known for maximizing the charm of both actors and the work with sensitive direction and trendy visual aesthetics, expectations are growing for the sophisticated and beautiful romance drama he will present.
MBC's Kang Dae-seon EP stated, "'21st Century Grand Lady' is the winner from the 2022 MBC script contest, a captivating work highlighted by fresh themes, attractive characters, and a solid storyline. After three years of a planning development process that maximized its strengths, we are excited to work with strong actors like IU, Byun Woo-seok, Noh Sang-hyun, and Gong Seung-yeon." He added, "Just as works introduced through MBC's drama script contest, such as 'Black Sun' and 'Intimate Betrayer', have garnered much love from the audience, the vibrant script by writer Yoo Ah-in and the renowned directing prowess of Park Jun-hwa in romance production are expected to create a very meaningful piece.
The destiny-breaking romance '21st Century Grand Lady' starring IU, Byun Woo-seok, Noh Sang-hyun, and Gong Seung-yeon has secured a slot in the MBC Friday-Saturday drama lineup for the first half of 2026 and will soon begin filming.
[Photo] Provided by MBC.
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