Grand Prince Yi An rejects Hui-ju’s marriage proposal, but she doesn’t stop and continues pursuing him in Perfect Crown episode 2, following him everywhere.
In Perfect Crown episode 2, which aired on April 11, Grand Prince Yi An rejects Hui-ju’s marriage proposal, but she refuses to back down and continues pursuing him, following his lead as he claims he wants to marry for love. They then spark dating rumors, which leads Yi An to apologize and ask Hui-ju what she wants. She directly responds that she wants marriage.
Disclaimer: This article includes spoilers for the series. Continue reading at your own discretion.
Perfect Crown Episode 2 Recap: Yi An Rejects Hui-ju’s Marriage Proposal
The episode opens with a flashback to Grand Prince Yi An at an archery exhibition match. There, Ryu Min-seok insults Seong Hui-ju, calling her a lowly creature for being an illegitimate child and a commoner at a school full of nobility. Yi An immediately shuts him down, saying Min-seok’s words offend his eyes and ears. At the same time, Yi An and Hui-ju step onto their platforms, setting the stage for who will win the archery match.
Back in the present, where episode 1 ends with Hui-ju asking Yi An to marry her, Yi An considers Hui-ju’s marriage proposal and tells her to state her terms. In response, Hui-ju confidently lists her strengths—wealth, business skills, and beauty. She even says she has a “thick face,” meaning she can withstand criticism. However, Yi An ultimately rejects her, saying he values love more than wealth, ability, or appearance.
Hui-ju Tries to Win Grand Prince Yi An’s Heart
Hui-ju refuses to give up. Instead, Yi An’s rejection only pushes her to try harder. She tells her secretary, Hye-jung, that the prince is just messing with her by claiming he wants love. Still, Hui-ju stays confident and insists she knows what he truly wants—and that she will win him over.
So, she digs into his background and tracks his schedule during his leave. From there, she follows him around and openly flirts, trying to win his heart since he claims to value love.
A few days later, she attends a date arranged by her father—but completely sabotages it. Meanwhile, Choi-hyun tells Yi An that he saw Hui-ju at an art exhibition with another man. Although Yi An tries to stay calm, he clearly gets irritated. He also reacts strongly when Choi-hyun suggests that Hui-ju might be working for the Queen Mother. Yi An quickly dismisses the idea, saying the two women are too different to ever align. Choi-hyun then jokingly wonders who would win if their status were stripped away.
Elsewhere, Queen Mother Yi-rang recalls the day the late king planned to abdicate. In anger, she burned the royal decree before it could be revealed. Soon after, a fire broke out—and the king died.
That memory still haunts Grand Prince Yi An. When he arrived at the scene, he saw his brother dead. Since then, the trauma has lingered, leaving him with nightmares and insomnia.
Hui-ju Wins the Best Entrepreneur Award
Back at the palace, Queen Mother Yi-rang prepares the young Crown Prince for his appearance at the Economic Honours of Korea ceremony. She intends for him to attend without Grand Prince Yi An. However, even while on leave and unwell, Yi An still shows up after the Crown Prince calls him in fear. As a result, Yi An stands by his side throughout the event.
At the ceremony, Hui-ju receives the Best Entrepreneur Award. When it’s her turn, she asks Crown Prince Yi-yoon to place the Eosahwa hat on her head. Then, she turns to Yi An and teasingly asks for a gift. However, he responds that she has already received one.
Afterward, Hui-ju promotes her award online and prepares for her vacation leave. Later, Prime Minister Min Jeong-woo invites her to eat to congratulate her, and they reminisce about their school days together.
Grand Prince Yi An Falls Sick
Unfortunately, Prince Yi An’s fever worsens after the event. He chooses to stay at a hotel—the same one where Hui-ju is on vacation—to avoid drawing attention. She comes across him and helps by calling a doctor to check on him.
Meanwhile, Aide Choi-hyun explains that Yi An dislikes being the center of attention and doesn’t want to inconvenience anyone. More importantly, if news of his illness spreads, the media and public will quickly speculate, and rumors will follow.
However, the situation escalates when Queen Mother Yi-rang suddenly arrives at the hotel. Choi-hyun rushes to hide Hui-ju, but it fails. Yi-rang spots Hui-ju’s bag, which leads her to the room, where she catches them together. Because of this, she demands that Yi An return to the palace the next day to explain himself.
Hui-ju and Yi An Spark Dating Rumors in Perfect Crown Episode 2
The next morning, Secretary Hye-jung urgently calls Hui-ju and tells her to stay in her hotel room. By then, news has already spread, and the media speculates that she is Prince Yi An’s secret girlfriend. In fact, rumors even escalate to claims that she might also be pregnant after photos surface of her with the doctor.
Although it becomes a major scandal, Hui-ju stays calm and she sees it as good publicity rather than a setback. Meanwhile, Queen Mother Yi-rang views the scandal as an opportunity to damage Yi An’s reputation. At the same time, Prime Minister Min Jeong-woo also remains calm, believing the controversy will help distract from the minimum wage freeze issue.
Instead of returning to the palace, Yi An goes to his private residence and asks Hui-ju to meet him there. He apologizes for the rumors and tells her she will likely take most of the public backlash.
Then, Yi An asks what she wants. In response, Hui-ju returns the Flower of Honor he gave her during their archery competition, revealing that she knows he intentionally lost. After that, she directly says she still wants to marry him—not for love, but to outshine her incompetent brother, prove herself beyond her status, and gain control of her own path. She also points out that marrying a noble like him is the perfect opportunity.
Grand Prince Yi An feels offended that she only sees him for his title. However, he still tells her to prepare herself to become his wife, warning her that she will face the entire nation’s opposition.
Perfect Crown Episode 2 Review
The way Hui-ju continues to stand out as a character who refuses to be intimidated says a lot about her personality. Instead of backing down after Yi An’s rejection, she doubles down and turns her pursuit into a clear strategy.
She follows the prince everywhere and stirs things up around Yi An, which shows that every move she makes has intention and impact. Because of that, she feels less like a typical rom-com lead and more like someone built to survive the toxic mix of status and power within this monarchy.
On the other hand, Yi An brings a completely different energy to the story. He stays restrained, careful, and always aware of his role within the monarchy. Instead of acting on impulse, he weighs every decision.
This creates a strong contrast between them. Hui-ju pushes forward and does things her own way, while Yi An holds back and chooses caution. As a result, they navigate the same world from completely opposite approaches, which makes their dynamic even more interesting to watch.
Catch Perfect Crown every Friday and Saturday and see how the marriage between a commoner heiress and a 21st-century prince unfolds. Stream it now on Disney+.
Source: VARO Entertainment,MBC Drama, Disney+ Philippines
