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Did IU and Byeon Woo Seok drop out of Wife of a 21st Century Prince? Agencies hit back at broadcasting dispute reports
IU and Byeon Woo Seok's agencies respond to exit rumors from Wife of a 21st Century Prince, denying reports of their withdrawal amid ongoing broadcasting disputes. Read more here!
The upcoming romance drama Wife of a 21st Century Prince has reportedly hit an unexpected snag, as speculation arises that lead actors IU and Byeon Woo Seok might withdraw from the project due to a dispute over its broadcasting platform. The drama, which has been one of the most anticipated releases of 2025, now faces uncertainty, raising concerns among fans.
On March 27, a report by TV Daily claimed that both IU and Byeon Woo Seok have expressed their desire to step away from Wife of a 21st Century Prince due to disagreements between the production team and broadcasting networks. The core of the issue reportedly stems from a lack of agreement on the drama’s distribution rights.
According to industry insiders, MBC, the primary network behind the drama, has been negotiating with Disney+ for the series' streaming release. However, IU and Byeon Woo Seok, along with their teams, allegedly prefer the show to be available on Netflix instead, believing that the global streaming giant would provide a broader international reach and better exposure.
As quoted by Koreaboo, "From my understanding, their decision was made due to the inability of the cast and the production team to coordinate the broadcast of the K-Drama,” a source close to the industry stated, “MBC is negotiating with Disney+ while the actors want Netflix.”
When Wife of a 21st Century Prince was first announced, MBC planned to premiere the drama in the first half of 2025. However, in a recent update, the network vaguely mentioned that they now hope to release it within 2025. This shift in scheduling has further fueled rumors that the drama’s production has hit roadblocks, making it unclear whether filming will proceed as planned or undergo changes in the cast.
Despite these growing speculations, both IU’s agency, EDAM Entertainment, and Byeon Woo Seok’s agency, Varo Entertainment, have swiftly denied the claims, reassuring fans that their artists remain committed to the project. “The reports of IU dropping out of the K-Drama are false. She is preparing well for it,” an official representative from EDAM Entertainment stated. Similarly, Varo Entertainment released a firm statement regarding Byeon Woo Seok’s participation: “Byeon Woo Seok is not dropping out of the K-Drama. He will appear as scheduled.”
While both agencies have made it clear that their actors are not stepping away, the lack of an official statement from the drama’s production team has left room for speculation. For now, fans will have to wait for further updates from the network to see whether 21st Century Prince’s Wife can move past this hurdle or if it will undergo a major shake-up. One thing is certain: the drama has already captured public interest, but whether it will do so for the right reasons remains to be seen.
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