'The Remarried Empress' moves up its release date in a strategic move... K-Romance Fantasy Epic Begins (Comprehensive)

Shin Min-a, Ju Ji-hoon, Lee Jong-suk, and Lee Se-young's K-Romance FantasyBased on a web novel of the same name... First four episodes released today (3rd)Actors Ju Ji-hoon, Shin Min-a, Director Cho Soo-won, Actors Lee Jong-suk, Lee Se-young (from left) pose at the press conference for the Disney+ original series 'The Remarried Empress' held at the Grand Ballroom of Conrad Seoul Hotel in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul on the 3rd. /Reporter Park Sang-min[THE FACT|Reporter Kim Saet-byeol] A romance fantasy world, both familiar and strange, unfolds. Disney+'s ambitious K-romance epic, 'The Remarried Empress,' has brought the vast world of the original work to life, and attention is focused on whether it can persuade viewers beyond Korea to screens worldwide.The press conference for Disney+'s new original series 'The Remarried Empress' (written by Yeo Ji-na, Hyun Choong-yeol, directed by Cho Soo-won) was held on the 3rd at the Conrad Seoul Hotel in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Director Cho Soo-won, along with actors Shin Min-a, Ju Ji-hoon, Lee Jong-suk, and Lee Se-young, attended the event and discussed the work and characters.'The Remarried Empress' is a grand romance fantasy epic about Navier (Shin Min-a), the perfect empress of the Eastern Kingdom, who, after being informed of a divorce by Emperor Sovieshu (Ju Ji-hoon), who has fallen for the runaway slave Rasta (Lee Se-young), accepts the divorce but demands approval for remarriage to Prince Heinrey (Lee Jong-suk) of the Western Kingdom. Based on the popular web novel and webtoon of the same name, it depicts the power struggles of the imperial family and individual choices, centering on the relationships of four characters entangled in love and betrayal.At the event today, a surprise announcement was made that the release date, originally scheduled for the 4th, had been moved up to the 3rd, the day of the press conference. Director Cho Soo-won said, "The response at the Busan International Film Festival was so good that I have high expectations and am very nervous," adding, "I am most curious about how it will be received when it is broadcast simultaneously worldwide. I think it's even more meaningful that it's opening on the day of the press conference."As the original work enjoyed immense popularity, with global cumulative views of approximately 2.97 billion, the live-action adaptation process has also garnered significant attention early on. Regarding the adaptation direction, Director Cho explained, "We tried to strike a balance between the seriousness of the original novel and the bright and playful tone of the webtoon," and "We did not omit any parts and made efforts to stay as faithful to the original as possible."In fact, special efforts were made to create a world different from Korean palaces. The Eastern Kingdom's imperial palace was filmed at Schleissheim Palace in Germany, and the garden where Navier builds a connection with Heinrey was filmed at Kroměříž Garden in the Czech Republic. Shops with Korean signs were placed on the streets of Kutná Hora, Czech Republic, creating a unique space where Western architecture and the Korean language coexist.Director Cho said, "We wanted the spaces where the characters move to feel real," and "Thanks to the consideration of the production company, we were able to prepare a lot, and we happened to discover a castle in Germany."Actors Shin Min-a (left) and Ju Ji-hoon will play the empress and emperor in the new Disney+ original series 'The Remarried Empress.' /Reporter Park Sang-minShin Min-a plays Empress Navier, who possesses innate grace, a sharp intellect, and a strong inner self. She is a character who chooses the life she wants without wavering despite her husband's betrayal. Shin Min-a stated, "I read the script first, and it was such a new type of story that I had both concerns and expectations," adding, "I thought it could become a new type of drama if familiarity and novelty were harmonized."Expressing the character was not easy. Shin Min-a said, "Because of the weight of being an empress, I thought the emotional expressions and changes shouldn't be as pronounced as other characters," and "I also wanted to show the human side of Navier falling in love anew as a woman." She added, "The costumes are dresses, and the hairstyles change every time, so there was a lot to show externally. I felt pressure, but it was also fun because I felt I might never be able to act in such a world again."Ju Ji-hoon plays Emperor Sovieshu, who wields absolute power. As a character who drew the ire of readers in the original work, he anticipated the reactions to the character. Recalling when he was first offered the role, he said, "It was unfamiliar to my taste. After much deliberation, I decided to appear, but looking back, I think I had preconceived notions."He showed a relaxed attitude, keeping in mind the strong criticism directed at Sovieshu. Ju Ji-hoon quipped, "I've been in the entertainment industry for over 20 years, so my mental state is prepared," and "If you enjoy the work, you can curse me all you want." He even hinted, "The anger will grow as the story progresses," drawing laughter.The K-fantasy romance epic 'The Remarried Empress,' to be completed by actors Ju Ji-hoon, Shin Min-a, Lee Jong-suk, and Lee Se-young (from left), will have its first four episodes released today (3rd). /Reporter Park Sang-minLee Jong-suk plays Heinrey, the prince and first in line to the throne of the Western Kingdom. He is a character who approaches Navier while hiding a secret. He said, "I enjoyed the original work. I thought it would be a new and attractive work if it were adapted into a drama," and "I joined the project with the thought of when else I would get to play a prince."Most notably, Heinrey's characteristic of shifting between human and bird forms meant that Lee Jong-suk had to convincingly portray the bird Queen as the same character. This also brought pressure. He confessed, "To give the impression that the Queen and Heinrey are the same person, I used my appearance and gestures," and "The fact that he becomes naked when transforming from a bird to a human was personally burdensome." He added, "I thought the scene where he first transforms into a human was important for the story's persuasiveness, so I asked the director for an extra month."Lee Se-young plays Rasta, who rises in status by gaining the emperor's favor after being a runaway slave. She is a character who gradually changes, consumed by desire. Lee Se-young stated, "It appealed to me as a villain who is hateful yet lovable, which I haven't shown in a while," and "I thought I could show a new side through Rasta."She also pondered how to portray Rasta not just as a simple villain. Lee Se-young said, "I thought of Rasta as a child. Just as a child cries for food when hungry, she is a character who fiercely desires to survive," and "I expressed that pure evil a lot." She frankly admitted, mentioning the line "Can I call you 'unnie'?", "I thought, 'This friend really doesn't think at all'," causing laughter.It's truly a powerful cast. Director Cho also acknowledged, "I wondered if such a combination was possible and if I could handle it." He then expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thanks to the four of them helping so much on set, we were able to continue filming smoothly."Finally, Ju Ji-hoon said, "Our work is, so to speak, fantasy. I think it fits well with the Disney+ platform," and "When I was young, watching Disney invited me to a land of dreams, hope, and fantasy. I think 'The Remarried Empress' is the same. I invite you all to enjoy the fantasy to your heart's content."Shin Min-a also expressed her hope, "We easily immersed ourselves and acted within the world we created. We hope that viewers will also come into the world we created and fully enjoy the actors' charms."'The Remarried Empress' will release episodes 1-4 on the 3rd, followed by two new episodes every Wednesday, for a total of 10 episodes.sstar1204@tf.co.kr[Entertainment Department | ssent@tf.co.kr]