Global views for the Korean romance fantasy 'The Remarried Empress' have reached 2.97 billion, and it is now being adapted into a live-action drama to captivate audiences worldwide. The series, featuring a grand scale, will premiere on Disney+, showcasing the cool remarriage declaration of the perfect empress and the deadly romance surrounding the royal family.
On November 3, a production presentation for the Disney+ original series 'The Remarried Empress' was held at the Conrad Seoul in Yeouido. The event featured director Jo Soo-won and lead actors Shin Min-a, Ju Ji-hoon, Lee Jong-suk, and Lee Se-young, who shared in-depth discussions about the project.
'The Remarried Empress' follows the story of 'Nabihye' (played by Shin Min-a), the empress of the Dongdae Empire, who is informed of her divorce by Emperor 'Sobieshu' (played by Ju Ji-hoon), who has fallen for runaway slave 'Rasta' (played by Lee Se-young). Nabihye demands approval for her remarriage to Prince 'Heinri' (played by Lee Jong-suk) of the Western Kingdom. The series is based on a popular web novel that began in 2018 and expanded into a webtoon, achieving global mega-hit status.
Director Jo Soo-won expressed both excitement and pressure in adapting the extensive source material for live-action. He stated, "The response during the pre-release at the Busan International Film Festival was positive, which raises expectations, but I am nervous about how global audiences will receive it during the simultaneous worldwide release. The biggest challenge was determining the tone of the piece, and I aimed to find a balance between the seriousness of the novel and the bright, whimsical feel of the webtoon while staying true to the original work."
Shin Min-a, portraying the perfect empress Nabihye, delicately portrays the complex inner life hidden behind her glamorous exterior. She expressed her deep affection and sense of responsibility for the role, stating, "I believe that bringing familiar content to life will create a fresh and new form of drama, which is why I participated with anticipation. Although my character is heavy and does not show much emotional change, I aimed to portray a human side facing new love and choices as a woman while maintaining my boundaries in acting."
She added, "Wearing a dress to externally showcase the empress's grace was somewhat uncomfortable, but the fun and anticipation of acting in such a world that I may never experience again outweighed that discomfort."
Ju Ji-hoon plays Emperor Sobieshu, who becomes infatuated with runaway slave Rasta, causing a significant rift in the royal family. He interprets the multifaceted character as a capable ruler who acts foolishly in love. Ju Ji-hoon described his character, saying, "He is good at diplomacy and politics but causes a rift when he opens his heart to love, acting purely on his feelings like a child. While Sobieshu has his own justification for wanting an heir, the story centers on Nabihye, so I focused on the process of causing someone pain and adjusted the details accordingly."
Regarding the anticipated backlash from viewers, he humorously remarked, "Having been in the entertainment industry for 20 years, I am fully prepared for criticism. If viewers feel their hearts racing and express their anger, I will gladly accept any backlash."
Lee Jong-suk plays Prince Heinri, Nabihye's most reliable ally with a secret identity. He faced deep contemplation to bring the character, known for his perfect appearance and gentle charm, to life. Lee Jong-suk shared, "As a passionate fan of the original work, I was confident it would be a strange yet attractive piece. The external descriptions like 'falling when making eye contact' and 'having a beautiful voice' were so elaborate that I had to pay a lot of attention to my appearance, which was the most burdensome aspect of this project." He also discussed the new CG settings, stating, "Although I didn't perform them directly, I engaged in extensive discussions with the production team to reflect my characteristic gestures in the new work."
Reflecting on reuniting with director Jo Soo-won after ten years since 'I Can Hear Your Voice' and 'Pinocchio,' he expressed deep trust, saying, "The director, who shared my most beautiful days in my 20s, proposed this project, and I took courage without hesitation."
Lee Se-young portrays Rasta, the runaway slave who disrupts the royal family and captures Sobieshu's heart, delivering her most daring villainous performance to date. She joined the project with anticipation for collaboration with director Jo Soo-won and senior actors, sharing her firm acting philosophy toward the original work's top villain. Lee Se-young stated, "Rasta is a character who fiercely desires to survive. I aimed to reveal her unique purity and showcase 'pure evil.' Since the character received significant criticism in the original work, I pondered how to portray her charm that makes her hard to hate. I believe that if she weren't beautiful and pure, she would be truly despised, so I put in extra effort into my appearance management. I hope viewers can understand her as someone they dislike but also feel sympathy for."
Finally, Ju Ji-hoon emphasized the appeal of the series being released on a global platform, encouraging viewers to watch. He said, "Our work fits well with Disney. Disney invites you to a world of dreams, hope, and fantasy. Beyond realistic plausibility, we have created a piece that fulfills fantasy, and I hope everyone enjoys their fantasy to the fullest with our drama."
Meanwhile, 'The Remarried Empress' will be released globally on Disney+ today. The first four episodes will be available, followed by two episodes every Wednesday, totaling ten episodes.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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