‘Bridgerton’ or ‘Surprise’··· The challenge of bringing the 3-billion-view webtoon ‘The Remarried Empress’ to live action - 경향신문

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The original racks up 2.97 billion global views, a ‘mega hit’

In the Disney+ series <The Remarried Empress>, the Eastern Empire’s emperor ‘Sovieshu’ (Joo Ji-hoon) decides to take a ‘consort’, putting him at odds with the empress ‘Navier’ (Shin Min-a). Courtesy of Walt Disney Company Korea

‘160 million downloads of the original web novel, 2.97 billion cumulative global views of the webtoon (as of July this year).’ That is the glittering report card of the source material behind the Disney+ series <The Remarried Empress>, unveiled on the 3rd. Building on that popularity, <The Remarried Empress> has taken the risk of bringing a ‘Western-style romance fantasy’a rarity for live-action adaptations in Koreainto a real-world production. It is expected to serve as a test of whether ‘K-romance fantasy’ can take root as mainstream content on global OTT platforms.

<The Remarried Empress> opens with the emperor ‘Sovieshu’ of the fictional Eastern Empire taking the runaway slave ‘Rashta’ as his ‘consort’. The hurt empress ‘Navier’ demands a divorce and chooses to remarry ‘Heinrey’, a prince of the neighboring Western Kingdom. As the character names suggest, the main backdrop is a Western royal court. The story also folds in fantasy elements, including Heinrey’s ability to shapeshift and fearsome beasts.

In the Disney+ series <The Remarried Empress>, the Eastern Empire’s empress ‘Navier’ (Shin Min-a, left) harbors feelings for the Western Kingdom’s prince ‘Heinrey’ (Lee Jong-suk) . Courtesy of Walt Disney Company Korea

The Disney+ series <The Remarried Empress> translates this setup directly into live action. Some viewers may find it jarring to see Korean actors wearing Western-style attire, calling each other by Western names, yet speaking Korean. In Korea, live-action adaptations of romance-fantasy web novels and webtoons like <The Remarried Empress> have been rare. That is because Western costumes and etiquette, as well as fantasy elements such as magic, can feel unfamiliar or awkward to general audiences who are not web-fiction readers. To render a Western-style world convincingly, one has to build opulent royal settings, and the considerable production costs have been another hurdle.

Disney+ took on the challenge of a live-action <The Remarried Empress> on the strength of the web novel and webtoon’s popularity. The webtoon, translated not only across Asia but also into English, French, Spanish, German, and more, has caught fire overseas.

Expectations for the adaptation were just as high. The production cast top-tier actors including Shin Min-a, Joo Ji-hoon, and Lee Jong-suk, and after scouting 16 countries selected locations such as Germany’s Schleissheim Palace and gardens in the Czech Republic. In Korea, they built a massive set recreating a lavish Western-style palace.

At the production presentation for the Disney+ original series <The Remarried Empress> held at Conrad Seoul in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on the 3rd, the director and cast strike a pose. From left: Joo Ji-hoon, Shin Min-a, director Cho Su-won, Lee Jong-suk, Lee Se-young. Yonhap News

At the production presentation at Conrad Seoul in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on the 3rd, Joo Ji-hoon said, “I understand that a large share of the budget went into art direction and location sourcing so that, even without explaining the world-building in words, the visuals alone would be convincing.”

In the four episodes released that afternoon, the leads displayed layered facets that piqued curiosity about what lies ahead. ‘Navier’ (Shin Min-a) is a capable, principled figure who even oversees royal budget execution, yet she is faithful to the class hierarchy, taking issue with ‘Rashta’ (Lee Se-young)’s origins. ‘Sovieshu’ (Joo Ji-hoon) scolds Navier for snubbing Rashta because of her status and does not hesitate to say things that wound. Having escaped during her life in slavery, Rashta brazenly asks Navier upon their first meeting, “May I call you ‘sister’?” Rashta says, “I only did it because I wanted us to be close,” showing a guileless side, but she also quietly reveals a desire to rise to a position equal to the empress.

In the Disney+ series <The Remarried Empress>, the Eastern Empire’s empress ‘Navier’ (Shin Min-a, right) treats the emperor’s ‘consort’ ‘Rashta’ (Lee Se-young) coldly. Courtesy of Walt Disney Company Korea

As Rashta becomes the emperor’s consort, the royal family’s machinations also come to light. According to the original, in which Navier ends up with the neighboring prince ‘Heinrey’ (Lee Jong-suk), elements such as war and diplomacy are likely to be added to the unfolding drama. How convincingly <The Remarried Empress> can present this tale to a general audience rather than just web-fiction enthusiasts appears to be its key challenge.

Last month at the Busan International Film Festival, episodes 13 of <The Remarried Empress> made their first appearance in a theater. Tickets sold out the moment sales opened, drawing intense interest. While reactions likened it to a Korean version of <Bridgerton> amid praise for the acting, production design, and costumes, others said it brought to mind a reenactment show like <Surprise>.

Popular culture critic Jung Deokhyun said, “If <The Remarried Empress> succeeds, more live-action adaptations of romance fantasywhich has become a mainstream genre in web fictionwill follow,” adding, “The deciding factor will be whether the series can stage the provocative setups and elements familiar to web novel and webtoon fans in a realistic way that general audiences can accept.”

The 10-episode Disney+ series <The Remarried Empress> launched with episodes 14 on the 3rd and will release two episodes every Wednesday.