Fans of fantasy-romance dramas are in for a royal treat. Actors Lee Jun-hyuk and Kang Han-na will appear together as a married couple in the highly anticipated Disney+ original series Remarried Empress.
According to exclusive reports from MyDaily, Lee Jun-hyuk will play Wharton III, the former emperor of the Western Kingdom and elder brother of Prince Heinrey (played by Lee Jong-suk). Kang Han-na takes on the role of Christa, Wharton’s wife — a noblewoman who was once Heinrey’s childhood friend and first love but ultimately married Wharton for political reasons.
The pair previously acted together in tvN’s Designated Survivor: 60 Days (2019) and are reuniting six years later for this special appearance.
A Webtoon Phenomenon Comes to Life
Based on the global hit webtoon that has surpassed 2.7 billion views, Remarried Empress tells the story of Navier (Shin Min-a), the empress of the Eastern Empire who is suddenly asked for a divorce by her husband, Emperor Sovieshu (Ju Ji-hoon). Instead of despairing, she accepts — but demands permission to remarry Prince Heinrey of the Western Kingdom, igniting a sweeping tale of love, revenge, and politics.
The story further intensifies when Rashta (Lee Se-young), a former slave who becomes Sovieshu’s concubine, sets off a chain of royal scandals that threaten the empire.
A-List Team and Global Buzz
The drama is helmed by director Cho Soo-won (I Can Hear Your Voice, Pinocchio, Still 17) and written by Yeo Jin-na and Hyun Chung-yeol (The Uncanny Counter). Filming wraps later this month, with its Disney+ premiere scheduled for 2026.
With Lee Jong-suk, Shin Min-a, Ju Ji-hoon, Lee Se-young, and now Lee Jun-hyuk × Kang Han-na joining the royal lineup, Remarried Empress is shaping up to be one of next year’s biggest K-drama events — where love, loyalty, and power collide in the most dramatic way.
Editor’s Insight — Why This Casting Strengthens ‘Remarried Empress’ as a Global Franchise
The addition of Lee Jun-hyuk and Kang Han-na does more than expand the cast it reinforces Remarried Empress as a fully realized world-building project rather than a standard romance drama. Their roles introduce a parallel royal narrative in the Western Kingdom, adding political depth and emotional backstory that enriches the central conflict. What’s particularly strategic is the casting itself: both actors bring credibility in portraying layered, morally complex characters, which is essential for a story driven by power dynamics and past relationships. Given the webtoon’s massive global readership, every supporting role carries weight in meeting fan expectations.