Female leads in Korean dramas are becoming increasingly diverse in their professions. Moving beyond the once-common “Candy girl” heroine archetype, where a hardworking young woman meets and falls in love with a wealthy benefactor, more dramas now center economically successful women such as CEOs, executives, entrepreneurs and professionals. But “Perfect Crown” leaves room for disappointment precisely at that point. The MBC drama is set in a fictional 21st century constitutional monarchy and follows the romance between a wealthy conglomerate heiress frustrated by her commoner status and a prince who possesses royal blood but lacks freedom and power. In the series, Seong Hui-joo, played by IU, is introduced as the CEO of the nation’s top-ranking conglomerate, also known as a “chaebol.” MBC’s official character description presents her as “the second daughter of Castle Group, the No. 1 business empire,” and as someone with “an exceptional mind and fierce competitiveness.” On the surface, she fits squarely into the recent trend of successful female protagonists. The
