Disney+ has officially unveiled its 2025 Korean originals — and one title that drew the loudest excitement in Hong Kong was the fantasy romance series The Remarried Empress.
At the Disney+ Originals Preview 2025 event held on November 13 at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, cast members Shin Min-a, Lee Se-young, and Joo Ji-hoon appeared on stage to introduce the highly anticipated adaptation. (Lee Jong-suk, who plays Prince Heinrey, was unable to attend due to schedule conflicts.)
A beloved webtoon with 2.6 billion global views comes to life
The Remarried Empress is the live-action adaptation of the hit webtoon that has recorded over 2.6 billion views worldwide (as of December 2024).
The story follows Naviér (Shin Min-a), the flawless Empress of the Eastern Empire, whose life collapses when her husband, Emperor Sovieshu (Joo Ji-hoon), becomes infatuated with the runaway slave Rashta (Lee Se-young).
When Sovieshu demands a divorce, Naviér shocks the empire by accepting — only if she is granted permission to remarry Prince Heinrey (Lee Jong-suk) of the Western Kingdom.
This sets the stage for a sweeping romance and political fantasy.
Shin Min-a: “The original is so loved… I wanted to see how it would be brought to life.”
Shin Min-a, taking on the iconic role of Naviér, admitted the pressure and excitement:
“The original Remarried Empress is so beloved, and many fans have high expectations. I was also curious how such a massive world would be adapted into a drama. It felt unfamiliar at first, but once filming began, I grew attached to this East-meets-West palace setting.”
Joo Ji-hoon: “Fantasy is expanding globally — I wondered how this world would look with me in it.”
Joo Ji-hoon, who plays Emperor Sovieshu, said the global rise of fantasy stories drew him to the project:
“Fantasy worlds are expanding beyond East and West, across all cultures. I became curious how this universe would feel if I were part of it.”
He also joked about playing another royal character:
“My physique matches a king, but not the money or the power.”
Lee Se-young: “Rashta is pure evil… but strangely lovable.”
Lee Se-young takes on the dramatic role of Rashta — a character loved and hated globally.
She shared:
“I’ve never acted in a fantasy setting before. Rashta is a completely new challenge — someone with a pure but destructive kind of evil. And on set, everyone treated her with surprising affection.”