On the morning of November 3, a press conference for the Disney+ original series "The Remarried Empress" (written by Yeo Ji-na and Hyun Chung-yeol, directed by Cho Su-won) was held at the Conrad Seoul in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Actors Shin Mina, Ju Ji-hoon, Lee Jong-suk, and Lee Seyoung, along with director Cho Su-won, attended the event to share their anticipation for the upcoming series.
"The Remarried Empress" is an epic romance fantasy about Navier (played by Shin Mina), the perfect empress of the Eastern Empire, who is informed by Emperor Sovieshu (played by Ju Ji-hoon)—who has fallen for the runaway slave Rashta (played by Lee Seyoung)—that he wants a divorce, and accepts it on the condition of demanding approval to remarry Prince Heinrey (played by Lee Jong-suk) of the Western Kingdom.
"The Remarried Empress" is a legendary intellectual property that has recorded 2.97 billion cumulative global views across the franchise, including the original web novel and the webtoon adaptation of the same name. While news of its live-action adaptation generated massive buzz, curiosity has also grown over how the Western-style imperial court, unfamiliar names, and a fantasy universe coexisting with magic from the original work would be brought to life on screen and convince viewers.
Reflecting on the moment he was first offered the role, Ju Ji-hoon said, "It felt unfamiliar to my personal taste. I wondered if I could really pull this off, but I decided to take it on because the people around me trusted me and held my hand."
Describing his character Sovieshu, he explained, "He is the multifaceted emperor of the Eastern Empire, but after opening his eyes to a new love, he creates a massive rift. To put it nicely, he is a childlike character who purely follows where his heart leads, without realizing that this causes harm to others."
Sovieshu is a figure who wavers in the face of a new love and betrays his flawless empress. Regarding the character, Ju Ji-hoon explained, "From the emperor's perspective, there is a justification for bringing in a mistress to secure an heir, but as I followed the emotions through the perspective of Empress Navier, I focused my acting on how someone gets hurt in this kind of relationship."
Viewers' anger toward Sovieshu is already anticipated. Addressing this, Ju Ji-hoon joked, "The economy is tough these days and times are hard, so if getting heated up over me or pointing fingers makes viewers feel relieved and lets off steam, I am satisfied as an actor."
He continued with confidence, "Having spent over 20 years in the entertainment industry, I've seen hundreds of thousands of comments, so my mentality is prepared. As long as viewers enjoy the series, I am ready for whatever reaction comes."
Lastly, Ju Ji-hoon said, "Since it has a fantasy world, I think it fits well with Disney+. Since childhood, when watching Disney, don't they invite us into a land of dreams and fantasy? Regardless of plausibility, they have made many works that truly satisfy our fantasies. I believe 'The Remarried Empress' does the same. I hope everyone will freely enjoy your fantasy."
The Disney+ original series "The Remarried Empress" premieres today, Tuesday, November 3, in the afternoon with Episodes 1 to 4, followed by two episodes released every Wednesday for a total of 10 episodes.
[Photo = Reporter Baek Seung-cheol]
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)