With only two episodes left, ‘Perfect Crown’ is already nearing its end. It feels like just yesterday viewers were swooning over the chemistry between Byeon Woo Seok and IU, while also admiring Hui Ju’s bold fashion sense. Now, we are just one week away from saying goodbye to our new favorite romantic drama.
So, before the grand finale arrives, here’s a review of the latest episodes!
Episode 9
So far, this episode has felt like the longest one yet and was definitely the most painful to watch. Viewers must have anticipated that the marriage contract would eventually be revealed, but nothing could prepare them for the anguish that followed, as the entire episode is driven by the antagonist’s goal of separating the main couple. Min Jeong Woo fully unleashes his villainous side, something viewers had long been expecting. His jealousy clearly flares when he sees the main couple standing hand in hand, leading him to further advise Prince Yi An against confessing to the public that their relationship is no longer fake.
Part of the audience may have been surprised to see Jeong Woo, the show’s second male lead, take on such a fierce antagonist role, especially after it is revealed that he knew who was responsible for the poisoning case. Revealing the mastermind would spoil the fun, so for now, no spoilers!
While Jeong Woo wasn’t the culprit, he certainly kept the truth hidden for his own ulterior motives. This entire episode felt more focused on Jeong Woo and Queen Yi Rang than on Prince Yi An and Hui Ju. While both antagonists are doing their best to use the ongoing uproar against Yi An and push him to step down from the throne, Queen Yi Rang doesn’t miss the opportunity to demean Hui Ju in front of the royal family members.
At one point in the story, she summons Hui Ju and blames her for ruining the prince. In front of the queen, Hui Ju tries not to be affected, but internally, she fears it might be true. On the other hand, Jeong Woo directly asks Prince Yi An to step down from his regency, and the two end up getting into a heated disagreement.
Despite the episode’s heavy vibe, it still offers brief glimpses of warmth, as it is revealed that Hui Ju is indeed in love with Prince Yi An. Her fear that her lack of honor or status could be responsible for his downfall, along with the scene where she watches him sleep, keeps the romantic angle alive.
For many, the biggest surprise was not the flashback showing Prince Yi An and his nephew overhearing the argument between Queen Yi Rang and the former king, but Hui Ju’s final statement that she wants a divorce.
Episode 10
If the previous episode was hard to watch, the opening of this episode feels even more emotionally draining. Almost every romantic K-drama has a phase where the main couple goes through a breakup period, with one of them pretending to play the villain while actually making a sacrifice. As usual, this familiar pattern feels completely unnecessary. Yet, it must have been heartbreaking for many to see Hui Ju claiming that she needs to leave Yi An’s side because he has nothing left to offer her.
While it was painful to watch Yi An beg her not to leave, it was even more disappointing to see the bold and confident Hui Ju surrender to the current situation and propose a divorce just to save Yi An. However, instead of wallowing in his sorrow, Prince Yi An promises himself not to become like his brother and makes a groundbreaking move.
At a meeting with the council members, Hui Ju announces their plan for divorce while subtly taking all the blame and defending the grand prince. At the same time, in another location, her brother is holding a press conference with the aim of defending the main couple. Throughout the show, if there was one character I never suspected of being a traitor or culprit, it was Hui Ju’s elder brother. While he was not exactly the sweet and loving brother type, it was clear that, somewhere deep down, he was protective of Hui Ju, and this became visible in this episode. He claimed to have written the contract in order to protect his sister and even warned the media that he might sue them for defamation.
Elsewhere, during the meeting, Hui Ju openly and confidently expresses her willingness to be fully and thoroughly investigated once she is stripped of her royal status. She insists on taking all the blame so Yi An does not have to step down from his regency. However, the biggest twist in this episode is that Yi An had previously gone to meet the crown prince and asked for his throne to be returned. Obviously, his nephew agrees and successfully names Yi An as his successor. While Queen Yi Rang, her father, and Jeong Woo are appalled by the news, Yi An begins ignoring Hui Ju’s calls.
Hui Ju eventually reaches a point where she can no longer conceal her feelings and rushes to Yi An’s side to confess. Naturally, this leads to the show’s most passionate kiss scene, and fans are going to enjoy every second of it. Later, he confides in Hui Ju that he is scared of taking the throne, but he wants to protect his nephew. Later, Queen Yi Rang seeks an audience with Yi An and asks him why he is after the throne now. She demands to know why he is not making sacrifices like her. It is then revealed that she abandoned her dreams of becoming a pianist, as well as her first love, Yi An.
Later on, we see Prince Yi An receiving a text message from Jeong Woo, asking him to meet at the council hall. Shortly after, a bomb goes off inside the hall. Hui Ju, who is still in the palace, witnesses the incident.
So, obviously, Yi An isn’t dead — unless the writers are aiming for a very tragic ending. But the real question is: who is behind the bomb explosion? Is it Min Jeong Woo? Is it Queen Yi Rang? Or is it someone we never suspected?
Stay tuned for the last review next week!
Written by Diksha Gangadeen
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