MBC’s upcoming Friday-Saturday drama, ‘The Grand Duchess of the 21st Century,’ is gathering significant attention even before its premiere.
Airing on April 10, ‘The Grand Duchess of the 21st Century’ has already ranked first in TV-OTT drama buzz, according to the FUNdex popularity ranking by Good Data Corporation, a K-content competitiveness analysis firm, climbing from its previous week’s ranking in the fourth week of March 2026.
This marks a historic first, as no unaired drama has previously topped the TV-OTT drama buzz rankings since the survey’s inception.
In particular, ‘The Grand Duchess of the 21st Century’ claimed first place in the VON (Voice of Netizen) and SNS categories, key indicators of popularity (survey conducted from March 23 to March 29, 2026).
Additionally, IU (playing Seong Hee-joo) and Byun Woo-seok (playing Lee Ahn-daegun), who will portray the ideal royal couple in the drama, ranked third and fourth in the TV-OTT drama actor popularity rankings.
As two of South Korea’s most beloved actors come together, anticipation and excitement for their synergy continue to grow.
Set in a 21st-century constitutional monarchy in South Korea, ‘The Grand Duchess of the 21st Century’ tells the story of a wealthy woman frustrated by her commoner status and a prince saddened by his inability to possess anything—a romance about breaking down social barriers.
The much-anticipated series ‘The Grand Duchess of the 21st Century’ will premiere on Friday, April 10, at 9:40 PM.
Image source: MBC ‘The Grand Duchess of the 21st Century’
