Korean actors take on fictional fantasy monarchy in 'The Remarried Empress'

“I accept the divorce. And I request approval to remarry.”

Korean actors portray a palace romance set in an imaginary empire in an unspecified time and place, where love and betrayal intertwine with power and desire in the Disney+ original series “The Remarried Empress.” Released Tuesday, the series is based on a hit web novel turned webtoon. The series opens the door to live-action adaptations of Korean romantic fantasy works. Can the bold experiment push genre boundaries and expand storytelling horizons?

In Korea, the romantic fantasy genre typically combines fantasy elements with an imaginary aristocratic society reminiscent of medieval Europe. This has made live-action adaptations particularly challenging. When KBS adapted the web novel “The First Night With the Duke” into a drama, it relocated the story to the Joseon era and gave its characters Korean names to make the setting more familiar to viewers.

“The Remarried Empress,” however, takes a different approach, focusing on recreating the original fantasy world on screen. Moving the story to a specific period in Korean history would have diminished the appeal of the original, according to Kwon Mi-kyung, CEO of Studio N, which produced the series.

Judging from the first four episodes, concerns about the look and feel of the series can be put aside for now. The palace scenes, filmed at castles in Germany and gardens in the Czech Republic, are breathtaking. Director Jo Su-won expressed his satisfaction at a press conference, saying, “We went on so many location scouts, and when we discovered Schleissheim Palace, I thought, ‘The characters could really have a lot of fun here.’”

Until viewers become fully immersed in the story, the characters addressing one another by unfamiliar European-style names may pose a barrier to local audiences. Glittering costumes that seem out of place have also been cited as minor flaws. Nevertheless, the series delivers the fast-paced storytelling and intense emotional currents characteristic of K-dramas, living up to what writer Yeo Ji-na describes as “an intense tale of romantic entanglements wrapped in the most glamorous exterior.”

The cast's efforts to bridge the gap between viewers and the unfamiliar fictional world through their performances have been well-received. Shin Min-a, who anchors the drama, said, “I focused on finding the right balance between the gravitas of the empress and as a person who chooses a new love. I thought that was essential to earning viewers' support and empathy.”

The success of “The Remarried Empress” is expected to serve as a litmus test for the future of genre adaptations. Another web novel by the author Alphatart, “Men of the Harem,” is also being filmed as a Netflix series. If “The Remarried Empress” succeeds, it could give further momentum to the production of romance fantasy dramas.

The actors asked viewers to approach the series with an open mind.

“Just enjoy the work for what it is. Even if it feels a little unfamiliar at first, I'm sure you'll find it entertaining,” Lee Jong-suk said.

“We were able to immerse ourselves in this world quite easily while filming. We hope you'll step into it with us and enjoy the actors' charms to the fullest,” Shin Min-a said.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.