[Dispatch=Lee Myung-joo] "I demand approval for remarriage."

The emperor declares divorce, the empress responds with remarriage, the emperor's mistress consumed by desire, and even a prince proposing to the empress….

An unfamiliar yet familiar imperial romance arrives. The main narrative features a setup frequently seen in K-romance works. Four men and women become entangled in love.

But it differs in many ways. Rather than localization, it adheres to the original's Western-style worldview. The female protagonist's response of declaring remarriage to news of divorce also sets itself apart from previous works.

The production team of Disney+ series "The Remarried Empress" (screenplay by Yeo Ji-na and Hyun Chung-yeol, directed by Jo Su-won) held a production presentation on the 3rd at the Conrad Seoul Grand Ballroom in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul.

Director Jo Su-won attended as a representative of the production team. Actors Shin Min-a, Ju Ji-hoon, Lee Jong-suk, and Lee Se-young were also present.

"The Remarried Empress" tells the story of the perfect empress of the Eastern Empire receiving a divorce notice from the emperor who has fallen for a runaway slave, and in response, demanding remarriage approval with the prince of the Western Kingdom.

It is a live-action adaptation of a web novel and webtoon that surpassed 2.9 billion cumulative views. Rather than localizing with Korea as the setting, it brings to screen the imagined imperial court as depicted in the original work.

Director Jo explained, "The tone of the web novel and webtoon differ slightly. If the web novel is serious, the webtoon is a bit lighter and mischievous. We set the middle ground between them. We tried to remain as faithful to the original as possible."

To enhance realism, filming also took place on location in Germany and the Czech Republic. It was shot in actual castles rather than sets. Director Jo said, "I wanted the space to feel real."

"We did a lot of preparation from the pre-production stage, including art and VFX. We discovered Schloss Schleis in Germany, and I thought 'the characters could have fun here.'"

Shin Min-a leads this unfamiliar world. She takes on the role of Navier, the perfect empress. After the emperor's divorce notice, she creates a stir by demanding remarriage.

Shin Min-a said, "I encountered the script before the original work, and I had both concerns and expectations. I participated with the hope that if familiarity and newness harmonize well in the drama, it would be even more fresh."

She had to navigate multiple emotions—her husband's betrayal and the resulting sadness, and also excitement toward another love. She said, "Navier must remain unshaken as empress even upon hearing shocking news from the emperor."

After deliberation, she established her emotional line. Shin Min-a revealed, "Large emotional changes shouldn't show, but I also had to display her humanity. I tried to focus on maintaining that line."

Ju Ji-hoon plays Sovieshu, Navier's husband and the emperor of the Eastern Empire. He breaks his lifelong promise of having no concubines and finds himself between two women.

He said, "Sovieshu is a childlike character who moves as his heart desires. While there is justification as emperor to produce an heir, I drew him with consideration for his relationship with the empress."

Lee Jong-suk plays Heinrich, the prince of the Western Kingdom. He is the first in line to the throne and harbors a mysterious secret. Lee Jong-suk said, "He is a character who falls in love with Navier and becomes a reliable supporter."

He is the only actor in the work to play dual roles. He also appears as a Queen in bird form. "The CG team reportedly referenced my appearance and characteristic movements for the Queen. I'm curious about the result."

Lee Se-young plays Rashta, the runaway slave. She is possessed of striking beauty. Upon learning that the man who saved her at a hunting ground is the emperor, she begins to covet the position of empress.

She said, "It's a character driven by survival instinct to stay alive, whose desires grow as she gradually acquires things she never had. I tried to reveal pure evil," mentioning her acting focus.

The viewing point is the super IP reborn as live-action. Ju Ji-hoon added, "The reason production costs were spent heavily on art and locations is the angle that gives persuasion the moment it's shown visually."

"How to utilize viewers' preconceptions was key. While there is a script, we didn't waste a single line of dialogue. We tried to find points of contact to provide persuasion."

Finally, Shin Min-a said, "We easily immersed ourselves in the world of 'The Remarried Empress' and acted. We hope you enter the world we created and enjoy it to your heart's content."

Lee Se-young also said, "I'm nervous and excited to meet it a day earlier than originally planned. I'm curious about the fans' reactions. I hope you watch it with enjoyment and beauty."

Meanwhile, "The Remarried Empress" is a 10-part series. It was originally scheduled for release on the 4th, but the release date was moved up by a day. Episodes 1-4 will be released the same day. Subsequently, two episodes can be viewed every Wednesday.

<Photo=Song Hyo-jin Reporter>