In the MBC drama series "Perfect Crown", there's an innovative portrayal of the fictional constitutional monarchy in 21st century South Korea. One of the people behind the success of the drama series is Art Director Kim So-yeon and Costume Director Jo Sang-kyung, both of whom gave recent interviews about how they made the fictional world realistic through their production techniques.

Per Naver, in a setting where the Korean monarchy continues to survive in modern times, the drama focuses on the story of Sung Hee-joo played by IU, who is a member of a chaebol family frustrated with being just an ordinary citizen, as well as Grand Prince Yi An, played by Byeon Woo Seok, who is frustrated with the lack that comes with royalty.

Art Director Kim So-yeon had the task of connecting the historical timeline ending during the late Joseon Dynasty to the current day in terms of a royal palace.

"I felt that creating a royal space that extends into the 21st century was a task that required imagining what happened after the broken timeline," said Art Director Kim So-yeon.

The creative use of the combination of the traditional architecture of Hanoks and modern designs can be seen especially in the Grand Prince Yi An's private residence, where the current architecture is mixed with traditional Korean roof tiles and eaves. Costume Director Jo Sang-kyung employed the idea of using costume design as a tool to help communicate emotions and social statuses.

The show combined historical and modern elements, and therefore the costumes had to be dignified to the era, but also modern. The Grand Prince Yi An's outfit is neutral in color and soft in cut, with shirt collars reminiscent of Hanbok to show his internal struggle, while Hee-ju's costume is brightly colored and fashionable.

This visual approach effectively expresses Yi An's inner conflict between discipline and modernity. The goal was for art direction and costumes to combine to create a cohesive world that viewers could accept, even though the premise was imaginative.

A report from THE FACT said that both Kim and Jo hope the drama offers viewers more than visual spectacle — an opportunity to reflect on time, social barriers, and human emotions.

"I wanted to use space and art to explore what it would look like if time, frozen in the Joseon palace, were to resume in imagination and extend into the 21st century," Kim said. Jo added, "I hope this work remains for viewers as a world that goes beyond a mere backdrop, allowing them to reimagine unconnected time and memories."

The Grand Prince's Wife is a great example of how the storytelling of a fantasy set in cultural realism can be strongly supported by art and costume design with careful attention to detail.