Over the past few days, following the release of last week’s episodes, ‘Perfect Crown’ has been receiving enormous backlash. Even the actors have been dragged into the criticism and subjected to harsh online comments. While much of the backlash stemmed from historical inaccuracies and incorrect details portrayed in the show, the release of the finale has left many viewers disappointed as well. Want to know what happened? Keep reading!
Episode 11
The episode opens with the explosion incident, where Hui Ju risks her life and rushes into the burning building to save Yi An. Thankfully, both of them survive. However, the aftermath only exposes Min Jeong Woo’s villainous side even more. From the way he storms into the couple’s room and shouts at Hui Ju for endangering her life to the way he threatens Queen Yi Rang into becoming the next regent, it’s crystal clear that his cruelty knows no limits. While the idea of a second male lead straying into the dark side and losing himself due to his obsession with the female lead is not entirely new, it still feels heartbreaking to watch, especially because Jeong Woo was portrayed as Yi An’s only friend.
While Grand Prince Yi An was caught in a loop of confusion when it came to Jeong Woo, Hui Ju was not easily fooled. She had already grown suspicious of him. The way she went to the target shooting practice, pointed her gun at him, and subtly confronted him showed just how protective she is of her husband.
On the other hand, Queen Yi Rang surprised everyone. Unlike Jeong Woo, who spiraled out of control, she chose to confess her sins to Yi An. She also exposed the person behind the explosion and poisoning case, then pleaded for forgiveness for her son. When Yi An was in a coma, you could clearly see how genuinely worried and concerned the queen was for him. It is no wonder viewers rooted for her throughout the show.
Episode 12
As expected, this last episode focused on wrapping up loose ends and stopping the villain, a.k.a. Jeong Woo, in his tracks. It begins after Yi An’s coronation as king, where he surprises everyone by announcing his first order: the abolition of the monarchy!
The whole part where the king relies on the public to support the abolition of the monarchy, and the way Hui Ju also plays her own card by using Castle Group’s wealth to support the palace financially, directly countering Jeong Woo’s scheme to frustrate the king, was the most exciting element of the final episode.
Eventually, with Jeong Woo exposed and arrested — once again thanks to Queen Yi Rang’s support — the final decision is put to a public vote, and the monarchy is abolished. Three years later, we get a sweet ending with Hui Ju and Yi An living as a happy couple and doing ordinary couple things, like attending a baseball game together and, this time, sharing a kiss when the kiss cam lands on them.
Was the Ending Truly Worth It?
Instead of a bittersweet, open, or sad ending, the writers went for a plain happy one that felt too perfect to be believable. Maybe a heartbreaking ending would have left a stronger impact, because the actual one felt too safe and a little fake.
The entire plot was built around the monarchy and the royal setting. From the beginning, it was hinted that Yi An might become king one day (in the last few episodes, we are reminded how badly he wanted the throne but never got it). However, the sudden decision to abolish the monarchy did not feel properly built up. It felt more like a forced element than a natural conclusion to Yi An’s journey.
Then comes the part where Jeong Woo is exposed and arrested. While he was not directly responsible for the explosion or poisoning incident, his gradual descent into manipulation and his schemes against Yi An deserved a much stronger payoff. At some point, even his main objective — his obsession with and feelings for Hui Ju — began to feel disconnected from the conflict.
Another issue was the chemistry between the leads. Maybe the potential was there, but it was not fully explored. Using the same trope from his previous hit drama, ‘Lovely Runner’, where the hero was already secretly in love with the female lead, felt baseless. While the writers tried to show moments where Yi An falls deeper in love with Hui Ju, it was never fully clear when Hui Ju actually started falling for the grand prince. On an honest scale, it seemed like the romance between the main leads ended up taking a backseat while the political-monarchy conflict became the main focus.
The only genuinely heartfelt part of the show’s ending was Hui Ju’s evolving relationship with her family. Throughout the last few episodes, we see her opening up more to her brother and sister-in-law and relying on them more than before. The emotional distance between her and her father also began to fade, especially when he subtly revealed that he never saw her as an enemy. He simply wanted Hui Ju to stop fighting everyone and living so defensively.
So, I guess that’s a wrap. While it was quite disappointing to see how the story slowly declined into a confusing plot, writing these reviews has honestly been such a joy.
So, stay tuned for another K-drama series review!
Written by Diksha Gangadeen
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