IU & Byeon WooSeok co-star in ”The King's Wife of the 21st Century,” with Noh Sang Hyun & Kong Seungyeon confirmed to appear...Scheduled to air in 2026

MBC's Fri-Sat TV series "The King's Wife of the 21st Century" has lined up a splendid cast and has confirmed its Fri-Sat TV Series lineup for the first half of 2026.
Singer and actress IU and the booming actor Byeon WooSeok will appear in the same TV series.
Following that, Noh Sang Hyun, who appeared in "Pachinko" and "Love in the Big City" and left a deep impression with his extraordinary acting, and
Actress Gong Seung-yeon, who has shown her calm acting skills and ability to portray three-dimensional characters in dramas such as "The Guardian" and "First Responders," has confirmed her participation in the series.
This will be the first time that these two actors have appeared together in an MBC TV series, and expectations are high for the chemistry they will create.
The new MBC Fri-Sat TV series "The 21st Century King's Wife," which is one of the most anticipated dramas of the first half of 2026, is a drama about the 21st century
Set in Korea under a constitutional monarchy in the 19th century, the story follows a wealthy businessman who has it all but is dissatisfied because he is a commoner, Song Hee-joo (played by IU), and a man who is the son of a king but has nothing.
The story is about a sad and sad man, Lee Wan (played by Byeon WooSeok), who seeks his own destiny and breaks down his status in a romance. The TV series received overwhelming support from the judges in the 2022 MBC TV Series script competition.
The winning work is said to be full of dramatic entertainment, with all the male and female characters being proactive, positive and attractive, and the protagonist's strong desire leading to romance in a solid story.
After winning the award, MBC spent about three years integrating its TV series planning know-how to develop the series, and Kakao Entertainment took on the production, and the cast was also added, making it a real and real TV series.
It has emerged as one of the most anticipated dramas of 2026. IU plays Song Hee-joo, the second daughter of a wealthy family who is a capable business owner with outstanding beauty, intelligence, and a competitive spirit, but is limited by her status as a commoner.
She is a top singer-songwriter who has established herself as an actress with her excellent character expression and solid acting skills. The role of Song Hee-joo is something she does not have.
She is a strong character who chooses to marry Lee Wan, played by Byeon WooSeok, in order to gain status. She is in a similar position to me, but she made a different choice.
Byeon WooSeok also cares for Lee Wan, a sad man who has nothing but his royal status.
As the second son of the royal family, who is not allowed to shine or speak out, he has lived his life controlling his emotions like fireworks, but he is named as "the royal family most loved by the people" due to his natural elegance and charm.
He is used to hiding himself, but when he meets his contract marriage partner, Seong Hee Joo, who is similar to him but different, he experiences a new inner transformation.
Byeon WooSeok, who captured the hearts of fans around the world with his thrilling romance in "Run!", will now transform into a modern-day royal and portray the cold, passionate Prince Lee An Daejun.
IU, Byeon WooSeok, Noh Sang Hyun, and Gong Seungyeon star in the romance about breaking through one's social standing in the fateful development of the 21st Century King's Wife, which will be aired on MBTV in the first half of 2026.
It has been decided to be organized as a CFri-SatTV Series and filming will begin soon.