Netizens express divided reactions to Byeon Woo Seok’s acting in ‘Perfect Crown,’ his first project since ‘Lovely Runner’ in 2024

Byeon Woo Seok is currently a hot topic, now that the first episode of his new drama 'Perfect Crown' has officially premiered.

'Perfect Crown' marks Byeon Woo Seok's first return to acting since his role in the explosively-popular 'Lovely Runner' in 2024. While his comeback was highly anticipated, netizens are currently divided on how his acting skills have held up.

Starring in the lead role as Prince Ian, opposite IU as Sung Hui Ju, Byeon Woo Seok portrays the character of a cold and dignified prince, who struggles with his position as the second heir to the throne. Prince Ian soon receives a contract marriage proposal from the bold chaebol daughter Sung Hui Ju, leading their relationship to develop over the course of the show.

However, clips of Byeon Woo Seok's acting in the lead role are currently trending on multiple social media sites. While some netizens say that his acting is excellent and that he's well-suited for the role of a dignified and powerful prince, others are criticizing his acting as 'terrible' and 'lacking depth.' 

The clips have quickly gained attention, picking up thousands of comments as netizens weigh in on Byeon Woo Seok's acting skills. Many commenters even argued that Byeon Woo Seok's acting made IU's acting look awkward as well, while others defended the two actors.

"Both Byeon Woo Seok and IU's acting is just..... yikes"

"Wait, why does even IU's acting look weird now...? It's so strange"

"It's been a while since I've seen someone whose pronunciation, tone, AND facial expressions are all lackluster..."

"He just looks awkward - from his facial expressions as a whole, right down to the corners of his mouth. His acting, tone, and line delivery are also way too flat. There's no variety or depth to it"

"This is my first time seeing Byeon Woo Seok act, and it's really bad"

"It's shocking. It seems like he hasn't even mastered the basics—starting with his pronunciation and tone"

"There just hasn't been any improvement in his acting... I skipped 'Lovely Runner' after watching some clips of it for that very reason, and it looks like I’ll have to skip this drama, too. Sure, the lead actors' star power and popularity are important, but couldn't they PLEASE actually consider acting ability when casting?"

"I actually think it's not that bad?"

"Whenever Byeon Woo Seok gets mentioned, the actresses acting alongside him always seem to get dragged down too. Honestly, I think this is a case where the male lead has such terrible acting skills that it makes the female leads look bad by comparison too"

"Why has his acting actually gotten worse over time?"

"It's not THAT bad"