[TF Focus] 'The Remarried Empress,' Romance Fantasy Reigns Supreme... The Shadow of 'Surprise' Lingers

A bold foray into a Western-style imperial world... Actors also play their partSome costumes and makeup are disappointingReleased every WednesdayDisney+'s new original series 'The Remarried Empress' unveiled its veil one day earlier than scheduled on the 3rd. / The Walt Disney Company Korea[THE FACT|Reporter Kim Saet-byul] A bold challenge towards an unfamiliar genre is meaningful in itself. This is the momentum of 'The Remarried Empress', which prominently features a Western-style romance fantasy that is rarely seen in domestic dramas. However, the shadow of 'Surprise' that was raised from the time of the teaser release could not be completely dispelled.Disney+ original series 'The Remarried Empress' (written by Yeo Ji-na&Hyun Choong-yeol, directed by Jo Soo-won) released episodes 1-4 out of a total of 10 on the 3rd. The work depicts the story of Empress Navier (played by Shin Min-a) of the Eastern Empire, who is informed of a divorce by Emperor Soviesch (played by Ju Ji-hoon), who has fallen for the runaway slave Rasta (played by Lee Se-young), and in return for accepting it, demands approval for remarriage with Prince Heinrey (played by Lee Jong-suk) of the Western Kingdom.'The Remarried Empress' was a work that was close to an adventure from the production stage. This is because romance fantasy set in a Western-style fictional empire is not a common genre in domestic dramas. It is not easy to make domestic viewers, who are accustomed to Eastern court dramas or modern dramas, naturally accept Western imperial culture, costumes, titles, and power structures. On top of that, it carried the burden of adapting a webtoon with the same name that has recorded 2.97 billion cumulative views globally.Despite this, the work pushes forward with its world-building without hesitation. It actively unfolds the setting of a fictional country and imperial family from the beginning, and quickly presents the relationships and power dynamics of the characters.Rather than dwelling on explaining an unfamiliar world, it brings the conflicts that occur within it to the forefront. The way it intertwines love and betrayal, power and desire, with the unconventional choice of divorce and remarriage of the empress at its center, also enhances the genre's fun.Above all, the fact that Navier chooses a new future with someone who recognizes her worth, rather than trying to win back the emperor's love, is a clear driving force of the story. The narrative of a character who has already lived as a perfect empress trying to change her own destiny without losing her dignity in the face of betrayal brings a sense of exhilaration. Adding to this is the romance between Navier and Heinrey, which raises expectations for future relationship changes. In fact, the story itself has already been proven by the original's popularity.While Disney+'s new original series 'The Remarried Empress' has been released up to episode 4, it has succeeded in establishing an unfamiliar world on the small screen, but the shadow of 'Surprise' has not been completely erased. / The Walt Disney Company KoreaThe actors' ability to embody their roles is also more stable than expected. While unfamiliar costumes and settings could overshadow the characters' emotions, the main actors portray their respective characters without much sense of alienation. Actors with different styles blend within one world, reducing the unfamiliarity of the genre.In particular, Lee Jong-suk and Jung Young-ju as Grand Duchess Albany are discoveries worth noting in this work. Lee Jong-suk embodies Heinrey's unique leisure and sly charm, adding anticipation to his relationship with Navier, and Jung Young-ju also makes her presence felt as a character in an unfamiliar world.Of course, there are also regrets. The first thing that catches the eye is the costumes and makeup of some characters. The intention to realize a splendid imperial family is evident, but some of the styling is somewhat clumsy. Therefore, concerns that it reminds viewers of the reenactment scenes from MBC's 'Mysterious TV Surprise' were raised from the time of the teaser release.Even though the main part, once opened, led to immersion in the drama as the actors blended into the unfamiliar world more naturally than expected, moments reminiscent of 'Surprise' still appear frequently. This remained an obstacle to fully immersing oneself in the splendid romance fantasy world that the work presents.Also, in moments where fantasy settings are emotionally conveyed, such as the scene where a new bird, 'Queen', appears to comfort Navier, there is a somewhat embarrassing feeling. However, this is also part of the genre's color that the work has chosen. Once you accept the unfamiliar setting and the direction that pushes it forward, you can also confirm the work's power to immerse you in a new world.As such, 'The Remarried Empress' has succeeded in establishing the adventurous genre of romance fantasy on the small screen through the first four episodes. It is too early to judge the final success or failure of the work as only the beginning of the narrative has been revealed.The momentum of stepping into an unfamiliar world without hesitation is clear. It remains to be seen whether 'The Remarried Empress', which has opened a new horizon for the genre with its bold momentum, can fully capture the hearts of global viewers by overcoming the detailed limitations of the 'Surprise' shadow that has continued since the teaser.sstar1204@tf.co.kr[Entertainment Department | ssent@tf.co.kr]