Critical response received praise for her portrayal of Queen Dowager Yoon Yi-rang. The series was met with mixed reviews from critics and audiences, with particular criticisms for its predictable storyline and the performances of
IU and
Byeon Woo-seok. Praise was directed towards
Gong Seung-yeon's portrayal of Queen Dowager Yoon Yi-rang. Similarly, Bhavna Agarwal of
India Today described the series as "all glitter, little gold," praising its visual appeal but criticizing its "weightless" writing and heavy reliance on established rom-com tropes. Pierce Conran of the
South China Morning Post characterized the series as a "romantic vehicle" that, despite its high production values, fails to immerse viewers because its characters do not "feel like real people". Conran argued that while the concept of a modern constitutional monarchy was a "winner on paper", the execution resulted in a story that could not "hold a candle" to the genre-defining shows that preceded it. Joel Keller of
Decider noted that the series follows a predictable pattern typical of K-dramas, adding that its extended episode length makes the predictability more noticeable. By contrast, Yu Ji-hye of
JTBC provided a more favorable assessment, stating that despite the predictable power struggles, the romantic appeal was elevated by the chemistry between the leads and Park Joon-hwa's direction. Tae Yu-na of
Ten Asia wrote that while
Byeon Woo-seok is visually suitable for the role of Prince I-an, concerns were raised regarding his acting in emotional scenes and his expressiveness, with some viewers describing his performance as "better than expected", while others criticized his facial expressions as "awkward" and considered his acting insufficient relative to his popularity. Conran echoed this sentiment, describing I-an as "dull" and "two-dimensional as a fashion magazine cut-out". He noted that this production did not allow Byeon to play a "fully realised role", making it difficult for the actor to bring the character to life. and describing his delivery as an "
AI reading mode" or "robot-like", noting that his expressions were difficult to read. Viewers noted that
IU's portrayal resembled elements of her previous role as Jang Man-wol in
Hotel del Luna (2019), Reporter Lee Yoomin of
Sports Hankooki described her portrayal of Seong Hui-ju as a strong and self-driven character, noting her ability to convey toughness, humor, and emotional depth, which enhanced the character's appeal. Audience responses also highlighted her charisma and the layered depiction of the character’s inner strength, particularly in key scenes such as the ballroom and proposal sequences. Yoon Hyo-jeong of
News1 noted that the script contained "excessive settings" that undermined realism, additionally remarking that Byeon's role demanded the portrayal of more complex emotions and situations than in his previous work in
Lovely Runner (2024), with some viewers feeling he lacked the necessary "delicacy", which ultimately affected the romantic chemistry.
Gong Seung-yeon received positive attention from critics, who praised her performance and interpretation of her character, with reviews describing it as providing a stronger sense of engagement compared to the lead performances.
Star Today deemed Gong a standout, while
OSEN Ha Su-jeong wrote that she "exuded charisma as the Queen Dowager". Pop culture critic Ha Jae-geun commented to
Ilgan Sports that Gong "held the center [of the series] well with her very serious and weighty acting," adding that "she has been an actress who has shown great acting skills, but she is shining even brighter in this work". was also praised for her portrayal of Han Da-young. Critics highlighted her elegance and her ability to convey an antagonistic presence. Her performance brought vitality to the series through an affectionate marital dynamic, expressed through loving gazes and physical closeness, adding a natural and humorous contrast to the series' more formal tone.
Viewership According to
Nielsen Korea, the premiere of
Perfect Crown recorded a 7.8% nationwide rating and an 8.2% rating in the
Seoul metropolitan area, ranking first among Friday–Saturday dramas and the 20–54 demographic. This figure marked the third-highest premiere rating for an MBC Friday–Saturday drama, following
Chief Detective 1958 (10.1%) and
Knight Flower (7.9%). The series demonstrated a rapid upward trend, surpassing the double-digit mark in its fourth episode with a nationwide rating of 11.1% and a metropolitan area rating of 11.3%. Within only two weeks of broadcast, the drama ranked seventh on the list of
MBC's highest-rated Friday–Saturday dramas of all time, trailing the record of
Wonderful World (2024). In
Disney+, the series became the platform's most-viewed
Korean drama premiere globally. It achieved the highest viewership for a Korean drama within five days of its launch and entered the platform's Global Top 10, charting in more than 40 countries. ==References==