Ju Ji-hoon addressed the heated responses surrounding his controversial portrayal of Sovieshu in The Remarried Empress during a press conference on Nov 3. Since the 10-episode series premiered at the Busan Film Festival (BIFF) on Oct 9, the actor’s depiction of the husband who divorces his wife—played by Shin Min-a—has drawn heated responses, according to AsiaOne.
Adapted from a popular web novel and webtoon, the series chronicles Empress Navier’s struggle against royal betrayal and her burgeoning alliance with Prince Heinrey, played by Lee Jong-suk. While the narrative features fantastical elements, including a royal bloodline capable of shapeshifting into birds, the drama’s central tension remains Sovieshu’s abandonment of the Empress for his mistress, Rashta, portrayed by Lee Se-young.
A Calculated Performance Amidst Backlash
Ju characterizes his role as a man of talent and capability, blinded by a dangerous lack of awareness regarding the emotional fallout of his decisions. The 44-year-old actor remains unfazed by the audience’s disdain. In fact, he views the negative reaction as a metric of his own success. After two decades in the industry, Ju insists he is prepared for the criticism, prioritizing total audience engagement over personal popularity.
Actor Reflects on Role Preparation and CGI Challenges
For Lee Jong-suk, the decision to join the cast was driven by his existing fandom for the original web novel and a desire to reunite with director Cho Su-won. Having previously collaborated on I Hear Your Voice and Pinocchio, the 37-year-old actor faced the technical rigors of the production, including a complex CGI process to bring the character Queen—a golden bird—to life. He admitted to feeling significant anxiety over these visual effects and requested extra time to prepare physically for a specific shirtless scene.
Shin Min-a, meanwhile, grounded her performance in the resilience of Empress Navier, focusing on the character’s intelligence and refusal to let betrayal define her future. Conversely, Lee Se-young framed her portrayal of the mistress Rashta as a “hungry child,” a complex villain motivated by a desperate, instinctual survival drive.
Crafting the Imperial Aesthetic
Director Cho Su-won looked to Europe to anchor the series’ visual identity. The production utilized Schleissheim Palace in Germany to stand in for the Eastern imperial palace, while the Kromeriz Gardens in the Czech Republic served as the backdrop for the evolving relationship between Navier and Heinrey.
Platform Timing and CGI Integration for Transformations
The Remarried Empress is currently streaming on Disney+, with the platform rolling out two new episodes every Wednesday. The production relied on intensive pre-production planning to integrate the shapeshifting elements; notably, the golden bird, Queen, was modeled using CGI based on Lee Jong-suk’s own features to ensure visual consistency.
The series features actors who have recently moved through diverse genre work. This includes Ju Ji-hoon, who is coming off his 2025 performance in The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call.
Worth a look