Why ‘Perfect Crown’ fails to sell its CEO heroine
A scene from "Perfect Crown" / Courtesy of Disney+
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 drama frequently shows her at work, attending executive meetings, leading organizations and receiving reports from employees.
At first glance, she appears to be a textbook capable female CEO. The problem lies in how convincing that image feels.
Most of Hui-joo’s workplace scenes revolve around pressuring or scolding subordinates. Rather than showing her strategically solving problems or making decisive judgments during crises, the drama emphasizes emotionally charged confrontations. Since the story fundamentally centers a woman who already possesses wealth and status but seeks to shape her destiny further through marriage into the royal family, the credibility of her successful CEO identity becomes an important narrative element.
Yet throughout the series, viewers are left with the impression of a sensitive and demanding boss rather than a genuinely accomplished business leader. Because the drama does not sufficiently demonstrate her competence within the story itself, a gap emerges between the character’s setup and her actual portrayal, weakening the overall believability.
The contrast becomes even more noticeable when compared with recent female-led career dramas.
In “Queen of Tears,” Hong Hae-in, played by Kim Ji-won, is portrayed as a cold and sharp chaebol heiress and retail industry CEO. But the series does not stop there. It consistently depicts her making strategic decisions during corporate crises and carrying the responsibilities expected of a business leader. Although “Queen of Tears,” like “Perfect Crown,” is fundamentally a romance drama, it still convincingly establishes why Hong is considered capable.
A similar approach can be seen in the currently airing drama “Filing for Love,” despite its different genre tone. Rather than merely explaining the female lead’s professionalism through dialogue, the series naturally demonstrates her expertise through the process of solving problems.
By comparison, “Perfect Crown” fails to fully utilize its CEO setting. Of course, corporate management is not the drama’s main focus. Romance and relationship-driven storytelling naturally limit how much workplace detail can be shown. Still, if office scenes are repeatedly inserted into the narrative, the drama needs to at least make the character’s professionalism feel believable.
The moment Hui-joo’s titles begin to feel like decorative labels attached simply to create the image of a “successful woman,” the character starts feeling flat.
Another notable comparison is Yoon Se-ri, played by Son Ye-jin, in “Crash Landing on You.” Yoon is not merely a chaebol daughter, but a successful entrepreneur who personally built her own brand, Seri’s Choice. Likewise, the romantic comedy “Search: WWW,” set in the IT industry, placed female career narratives at the center of its story. Characters played by Im Soo-jung, Jeon Hye-jin and Lee Da-hee all appear as key executives at major platform companies. The drama received praise for focusing not only on romance but also on female leadership, workplace competition and organizational power structures.
As women’s participation in society and economic activity has expanded, audiences’ expectations for female characters have evolved as well. Viewers increasingly connect with women who possess both careers and personal ambitions rather than characters defined solely by their romantic entanglements. In particular, women in their 20s and 30s tend to respond more positively to characters balancing both work and love.
From that perspective, “Perfect Crown” struggles to portray its “successful woman” concept in a realistic and convincing way. While the setup itself feels trendy, many viewers feel that the execution falls short of creating full immersion.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.