Episode 4 of "Perfect Crown" continues with Prince Yi-an kissing Hui-ju. It turns out he is doing it for the paparazzi! Initially flustered, she quickly understands once he whispers in her ear that they are being watched. She gets in character and asks that they kiss from a different angle, but he refuses.
The next day at the palace, the kiss is all anyone can talk about. Meanwhile, Prince Yi-an meets with the cabinet to discuss how he should handle the scandal. The issue of Hui-ju's illegitimate lineage comes up, but Prince Yi-an doesn't focus on it. He insists on going public, and Prime Minister Jeong-woo backs him up.
Sung-won asks that Jui-ju leave Prince Yi-an's private residence. The prince refuses, citing the danger Hui-ju has been in since the public got wind of their relationship. Prime Minister Jeong-woo agrees with Prince Yi-an but asks that the Prince stay at the palace for the time being.
Yi-rang is pissed to hear that the cabinet approved of Prince Yi-an's relationship but insisted that there have been no talks of marriage just yet. Sung-woon asks her to remain patient and scolds her for opposing the prince publicly. Her opposition has helped turn the public sentiment, and he assures her that he has a plan to take Hui-ju off the board.
Meanwhile, Hui-ju watches the news with Prince Yi-an's staff. They chime in as the royal expert explains how the palace will not allow Hui-ju to join the royal family. Talk of her illegitimacy and being a commoner comes up again. Hui-ju asks about the royal expert, and the staff explain that he used to work as the royal spokesman before he revealed that the king's death was not an accident.
Later, Hui-ju suggests taking a quick, sexy, and shameless approach to get their marriage approved. Prince Yi-an holds himself back as she keeps leaning close. She asks if he is free since she wants to take him somewhere.
In this episode, we see the complexities of royal relationships and the challenges that come with them. The scandal surrounding Prince Yi-an and Hui-ju's kiss only serves to further complicate matters, as does the issue of Hui-ju's illegitimate lineage. However, with Prime Minister Jeong-woo and Sung-won's support, Prince Yi-an is determined to go public with their relationship. Meanwhile, Yi-rang's opposition only serves to turn public sentiment against her, but Sung-won has a plan to take Hui-ju off the board. The episode ends with Hui-ju suggesting a bold and daring approach to get their marriage approved, leaving us to wonder what will happen next in this dramatic tale of love and power in the royal family.
Young-moon assists Hui-ju in preparing for her day, dressing her in an elegant ensemble. However, Prince Yi-an disapproves of the look, and Hui-ju promptly switches to her usual style. During their ride to the baseball game, he is both shocked and impressed by how unapologetic Hui-ju is about her dazzling appearance.
At the game, she buys him a matching jersey, but Choi-hyun explains that Prince Yi-an cannot publicly support any team or political parties. She is disappointed and gives the jersey to Choi-hyun. Out of jealousy, Prince Yi-an takes the jersey back.
Prime Minister Jeong-woo shows up as the official pitcher, and Prince Yi-an begins to feel jealous as Hui-ju cheers for him. Also present at the game are Tae-joo and his wife, Da-young. They are shocked to meet Prince Yi-an in person, and Hui-ju silently warns them to keep their reactions in check.
Instead of leaving after his pitch, Jeong-woo joins Hui-ju and Prince Yi-an. Once again, the prince starts to feel envious. Jeong-woo offers a snack, but Hui-ju learns that Prince Yi-an cannot eat street food due to safety reasons. The crowd starts to cheer for the couple, urging them to kiss. Prince Yi-an whispers something in Hui-ju's ear and quickly writes a note on her phone to avoid the kiss cam. She apologizes and insists they can't kiss since Prince Yi-an must uphold his royal decorum.
Back at the palace, Court Lady Lim slips while carrying the young king's snack. The king is courteous about it and even tries to eat the fallen corndog, but Court Lady Lim stops him.
After the game, Hui-ju thrives in the public attention while Prince Yi-an hangs back. Jeong-woo invites Hui-ju for lunch, and Prince Yi-an insists on tagging along. They end up getting sushi since Hui-ju mentioned she wanted some during her last meeting with Jeong-woo. Unfortunately, Prince Yi-an is not allowed to eat raw food. Hui-ju is shocked and asks what else he isn't allowed to do.
The question takes Prince Yi-an back to his young days when the king beat him for trying on Hui-jong's red robe while playing. The king constantly reminded Prince Yi-an of his place and everything he should never do. Presently, Prince Yi-an allows Hui-ju to eat sushi, pointing out that once they get married, she will not be able to enjoy such freedoms. After returning to the palace, Court Lady Jin-sook questions how Prince Yi-an could go around not following protocols. He clarifies that he did nothing wrong since Hui-ju is not a royal yet and doesn't have to adhere to royal rules. Court Lady Jin Sook asks for permission to teach and punish Hui-ju. Prince Yi-an is uncomfortable with the request but still agrees to it.
The following morning, Hui-ju is shocked by the attention from Prince Yi-an's staff. On her way out, she runs into Court Lady Jin-sook, who is there to start her lessons. Hui-ju briefly introduces herself and leaves for work. Prince Yi-an calls and explains that Court Lady Jin-sook must have felt frustrated by her actions. Hui-ju agrees to take the lessons.
At work, Hye-jung briefs her on her tight schedule and teases her about the kiss with Prince Yi-an. Hui-ju hints that he might have some dating experience despite his shyness around kissing. During the course of the day, Hui-ju mentions that her red sports car is at the shop because someone hit it.
Meanwhile, Tae-joo and Da-young decide it would be better for them if Hui-ju married into the royal family so that she could be considered a royal and would no longer participate in economic activities, leaving room for Tae-joo to take over the company.
Later that evening, when Hui-ju returns home, she finds Court Lady Jin-sook waiting to start her training lesson. It starts with Jin-sook being tough but ends with Hui-ju teaching her a pilates stance and giving her a massage.
Upon his arrival, Prince Yi-an is shocked to find Jin-sook transformed into a patty in Hui-ju’s hands. As soon as he sets eyes on him, she rushes to embrace him, whispering a plea for his help. He steps in resolutely, insisting on accompanying Jin-sook back to the palace. The couple’s affectionate display once again catches the staff off guard.
Back at the palace, Yi-rang continues her training with King Yi-yoon. The next day, Jeong-woo and Prince Yi-an engage in a game of chess, with Jeong-woo emerging victorious. He informs the prince of an upcoming overseas trip and questions why he is not opposing the marriage. Jeong-woo explains that he must always prioritize the country and that he has already taken care of the Junghwajeon issue, making Yi-rang’s objections moot.
At Prince Yi-an’s residence, Jin-sook continues to tutor Hui-ju, who is visibly distraught when Jin-sook shares the losses Prince Yi-an has suffered in his life. She uses this as an excuse to take a break and delves into researching what happened to Prince Yi-an’s family. She calls him but receives no response as he is in a meeting with Yi-rang.
Yi-rang urges him to attend a dinner with Jae-gyeong, the daughter of the Kim family, which runs a local media house. She claims to be unwell but cannot explain her illness. Prince Yi-an orders that she be monitored by the royal physician three times a day and limits her meetings with others, including Sung-woon, King Yi-yoon, and Jae-gyeong. Yi-rang calmly accepts his terms.
After the meeting, Prince Yi-an orders Choi-hyun to investigate Jae-gyeong’s family and business. Choi-hyun informs him about Hui-ju’s missed calls. He calls her back, and she warmly tells him that she is on his side, clarifying that it’s for their survival and not because she has feelings for him. Nonetheless, he is touched and summons Choi-hyun to spend the evening at his private residence.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Jeong-woo picks up King Yi-yoon from school. The king requests a favor and drops by Prince Yi-an’s house. They find Hui-ju struggling with her lessons. Hui-ju congratulates the king for playing hooky and rallies the staff to play games with the young king. The king and everyone else are able to relax and have fun.
Elsewhere, Da-young starts using Hui-ju to brag to her friends. She is frustrated when one of her friends mentions how her marriage to Tae-joo nearly got her disowned by her family.
Back at Prince Yi-an’s residence, the king asks Hui-ju to grant his wish after winning the game. He asks that she take him for a ride in her one-of-a-kind sports car. Jeong-woo and Court Lady Lim begrudgingly agree after the king throws a tantrum.
After going over all the rules, Hui-ju and the king go for a ride with Jeong-woo and a few royal cars trailing behind. Unfortunately, Hui-ju’s brakes stop working, and the car accelerates on its own. She does her best to maintain control and drives towards the bridge, where she uses the rails to try to slow down the car and reduce impact. Suddenly, Prince Yi-an’s car pulls up in front of her and takes the brunt of the impact, ultimately saving her life and the King’s. The episode ends with Prince Yi-an getting out of the car, blood dripping from the cut on his forehead. Hui-ju hazily spots him as he turns around to face her.
In the epilogue, we return to what Prince Yi-an whispered to Hui-ju during the kiss cam incident at the baseball game. He challenged her to kiss him and take the shameless, sexy approach she was advocating for. She got flustered and refused, and he laughed at her cute reaction. Later, he falls asleep wearing the jersey she bought him at the game.
