Photo by Arielaortizb, cropped (CC BY-SA)
The Lowdown
Surprise drop. Disney dropped The Remarried Empress on Tuesday, Nov. 3, with four episodes, one day ahead of its scheduled premiere, and framed the move as a thank-you to fans. The Korean romantic epic is streaming on Disney+ and Hulu (The Walt Disney Company).
Key Takeaways
- Four episodes are out now; two more arrive every Wednesday from Nov. 11 to the finale on Nov. 25 (The Walt Disney Company).
- Shin Min-a plays Empress Navier, Ju Ji-hoon is Emperor Sovieshu, Lee Jong-suk is Crown Prince Heinrey and Lee Se-young is Rashta (The Walt Disney Company).
- It’s based on the NAVER WEBTOON series, which Disney says has close to 3 billion views (The Walt Disney Company).
- Disney says the payoff trailer passed 13 million views in its first 48 hours (The Walt Disney Company).
- Cho Su-won directs; Yeoh Geena and Hyun Choong-yeol adapted it (The Walt Disney Company).
The Story
Navier and Sovieshu rule the Eastern Empire, until he falls for Rashta, a runaway slave, and asks for a divorce. Navier says yes, but only if she is free to marry Heinrey, the Western Kingdom’s crown prince, in turn. Disney calls what follows “a tale of love, lust and regret” (The Walt Disney Company).
Disney ties the early drop to the show’s preview screenings in Busan, which sold out at the film festival there (The Walt Disney Company). Our photo shows the four leads at the festival in October.
The Pit Take
In our opinion, the surprise drop is a smart flex. Webtoon fans have waited years to see Navier’s revenge play out, and a four-episode start gives the show room to get to the good part fast. Shin Min-a playing a queen who refuses to be the victim is the reason to watch. More streaming news: VisionQuest on Disney+ and Coven Academy’s renewal. More in TV & Streaming.
The Background
The NAVER WEBTOON behind the series has close to 3 billion views, according to Disney (The Walt Disney Company). Shin Min-a is known for Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha and Lee Jong-suk for Big Mouth (The Walt Disney Company).
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More Context
- The Walt Disney Company — Korean Epic ‘The Remarried Empress’ Premieres a Day Early ↗