The popular Korean drama Perfect Crown delivered its most intense episode yet on April 18, 2026. The MBC Friday-Saturday show, which also streams on Disney+, has been winning over viewers with its mix of romance and palace drama. Episode 4 took a sharp turn from lighthearted moments to a life-threatening situation. The episode ended with a shocking car crash that left fans worried about the main characters. Here is a complete breakdown of everything that happened.
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Ratings Hit New High as Viewers Tune In for Episode 4
Perfect Crown continues to grow its audience. Episode 4 recorded a national rating of 11.1% according to Nielsen Korea. The Seoul metropolitan area saw an even higher number at 11.3%. These numbers mark a new series high for the show. The drama started with a 7.8% rating for its first episode. Now, after just four episodes, it has crossed the double-digit mark.
The show also performed well with younger viewers. Among audiences aged 20 to 54, Perfect Crown scored 5.3%. This placed it first among all Saturday programs. The highest point of the episode reached 13.8% during the dramatic car rescue scene. These numbers show that viewers are fully invested in the story of Seong Hui-ju and Grand Prince I-an.
Hui-ju and I-an Go Public With Their Relationship
Episode 4 picks up right after the events of episode 3. Paparazzi had spotted Hui-ju and I-an together. To handle the situation, I-an kissed Hui-ju in front of the cameras. This created a dating scandal that the royal family had to address.
The royal court held an emergency meeting about the situation. I-an told the cabinet that he would admit to dating Hui-ju. He even brought up the possibility of marriage. Prime Minister Min Jeong-woo, played by Noh Sang-hyun, supported I-an‘s position. He argued that the public uproar needed to stop quickly.
Not everyone was happy with this decision. Queen Dowager Yoon I-rang, played by Gong Seung-yeon, wanted to separate the couple. She worried about how public interest in their relationship would grow. But I-an stood firm. By the end of the meeting, Hui-ju and I-an became an official royal couple who had publicly acknowledged their relationship.
Hui-ju Plans a Bold Date to Lock In the Marriage
Hui-ju knew that the opposing side would try to break them apart. She told I-an that they could not give anyone time to object. Her solution was simple. They needed to go on a very public date that everyone would see.
She took I-an to a baseball stadium. This was a clever move because it put them in front of a large crowd. The plan worked better than expected. During the game, the stadium’s big screen showed them during the “Kiss Cam” segment. The crowd cheered for the couple to kiss.
I-an leaned in and whispered something in Hui-ju‘s ear. The episode’s epilogue later revealed what he said. He challenged her to kiss him right there, using the “shameless, sexy” approach she always talked about. But Hui-ju got flustered and refused. I-an laughed at her cute reaction. Later that night, he fell asleep wearing the jersey she bought him at the game.
I-an’s Feelings for Hui-ju Become Clearer
The baseball date changed something in I-an. After the kiss, he started paying attention to every small thing Hui-ju did. He grew angry when Queen Dowager Yoon I-rang kept pressuring him. But he calmed himself when Hui-ju said something simple. She told him, “I prefer being alone.” Those words soothed him in a way nothing else could.
I-an also showed jealousy during the episode. When Prime Minister Jeong-woo joined them at the baseball game, I-an did not like how close he stood to Hui-ju. He insisted on tagging along when Jeong-woo invited her for lunch. He even took back a jersey he had given to his aide after seeing that Hui-ju wanted him to have it.
The actors themselves have commented on this episode. Both IU and Byeon Woo Seok chose episode 4 as their favorite episode of the entire show. Byeon Woo Seok shared that the final part of episode 4 shows I-an‘s definite feelings. It seems the Grand Prince did not just start liking Hui-ju. He has likely liked her for a very long time, possibly since their high school days as archery rivals.
Hui-ju Faces Tough Royal Training
Becoming a royal’s wife is not easy. Hui-ju started formal training to learn royal etiquette. Court Lady Choi Jin-sook, played by Park Junmyeon, put her through harsh lessons at Anhwadang. The training was strict and demanding.
But Hui-ju found a way to handle the tough teacher. During one session, she ended up teaching Court Lady Jin-sook a pilates stance. She also gave her a massage. When I-an arrived home, he found his strict court lady completely won over by Hui-ju‘s charm. Hui-ju quietly hugged him and asked him to save her from the situation.
Hui-ju also used her free time to research I-an‘s past. She looked into what happened to his family. When she called him to say she was on his side, he felt deeply touched. He immediately told his staff that he would spend the evening at his private residence just to see her.
The Young King Brings Hui-ju and I-an Closer
King Lee Yoon, the young nephew of I-an, played a big role in episode 4. The child king, played by Kim Eun-ho, visited I-an‘s residence. He found Hui-ju struggling with her royal lessons. Hui-ju brought everyone together to play games. The young king felt incredibly happy spending time with her.
The king then asked Hui-ju for a favor. He wanted her to take him for a ride in her sports car. Prime Minister Jeong-woo and the royal guards followed behind. Hui-ju made sure to follow all safety rules before starting the drive.
But the peaceful drive turned into a nightmare. Hui-ju realized the car’s brakes had failed. The vehicle started speeding up on its own. She tried to slow down by using the guardrail, but the car would not stop. The young king sat terrified in the passenger seat.
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I-an Risks Everything to Save Hui-ju and the King
Grand Prince I-an was on his way home when he learned about Hui-ju‘s situation. He acted without thinking twice. He positioned his own car directly in front of Hui-ju‘s speeding vehicle. The crash forced both cars to stop.
The impact badly damaged both cars. But I-an‘s actions prevented a much worse disaster. Without his intervention, Hui-ju and the young king could have been seriously hurt or worse. Hui-ju looked through her blurred vision and saw I-an getting out of his car. His forehead was bleeding from the crash. He turned around to face her, and the episode ended on this tense moment.
The episode did not show what happened after the crash. Viewers do not know how badly I-an is hurt. They also do not know what consequences Hui-ju will face for putting the young king in danger, even though it was not her fault.
What the Ending Means for the Characters
The car crash was likely not an accident. Earlier in the episode, Hui-ju mentioned that someone had hit her red sports car while it was parked. The car was in the shop getting fixed. This suggests someone tampered with the vehicle.
Queen Dowager Yoon I-rang and her allies have been looking for ways to remove Hui-ju from the picture. The car crash could be their doing. But the young king was also in the car. This makes the situation even more serious. Hurting the king is a much bigger crime than hurting a commoner.
I-an putting his life at risk changes everything. He did not just save his fake girlfriend. He saved the king and showed where his true loyalty lies. But the political fallout from this incident will be huge. Queen Dowager Yoon I-rang will likely use this event to attack both Hui-ju and I-an.
IU shared behind-the-scenes photos from episode 4 on her social media. The photos showed her with Byeon Woo Seok at the baseball stadium, her holding the “Korean Royal Family File,” and driving with child actor Kim Eun-ho. Fans praised her for leading the drama while supporting her co-stars.
Perfect Crown airs every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 p.m. on MBC. The show is also available for streaming on Disney+ in multiple regions including the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and India. Episode 5 will air on April 24, 2026. Viewers will have to wait to see if I-an survives his injuries and what happens to Hui-ju after the crash.
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