Long live The Re-married Empress Shin Mina
by tccolb
Shin Mina, Joo Ji-hoon, Lee Jong-seok, Lee Se-young
Confirming our expectations (and maybe some trepidations), casting has officially been announced for the fantasy romance The Remarried Empress, lining up Shin Mina (Karma), Joo Ji-hoon (The Trauma Code – Heroes on Call), Lee Jong-seok (Big Mouth), and Lee Se-young (Motel California) to form the main criss-crossing love square.
The story is adapted from the highly popular webnovel and webtoon by the same title, where the clever and graceful Navier Ellie Trovi (Shin Mina) is our central empress heroine. She and the powerful Sovieshu Vict (Joo Ji-hoon) are the reigning monarchs of this fictional world’s Eastern Empire.
However, presumably their marriage is not a happy one and Emperor Sovieshu makes it known that he wants a divorce. Navier then counters with a condition of her own, agreeing to do so, but if and only if she’s allowed to re-marry. And specifically, her second matrimony would be with the Western Empire’s dashing and ~secretive~ Prince Heinrey Alles Lazlo (Lee Jong-seok).
Last but not least, we can’t forget the ambitious Rashta (Lee Se-young), who was once a slave before she managed to escape. With her eyes now on the empress’ soon-to-be vacant seat, Rashta will of course be adding to the already tropey situation as Sovieshu’s new concubine.
Based on what I’ve gleaned (I have not read the original), this is a curious but intriguing cast to put together and I’m trusting that production has their own direction and style in mind for the story at hand. We are certainly not in unexperienced hands with PD Jo Su-won (My Happy Ending, Thirty But Seventeen) at the helm, and scripts co-penned by Yeo Ji-na (The Uncanny Counter 1, Il Mare) and Hyun Choong-yeol.
PD Jo has notably directed Lee Jong-seok twice before, on I Can Hear Your Voice as well as Pinocchio. Similarly, this will be a third-time reunion for Shin Mina and Joo Ji-hoon after Devil and the film The Naked Kitchen. If we go by previous reports, The Remarried Empress will potentially be releasing on Disney+ and is planning to begin filming in late May or early June.
Via YTN
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Tags: Joo Ji-hoon, Lee Jong-seok, Lee Se-young, Shin Mina
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1 Kafiyah Bello
April 14, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Will try, love Shin Mina.
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2 Midnight
April 14, 2025 at 2:00 PM
The cast line-up is eye-popping, while the story is mind-boggling...
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Zoro1
April 15, 2025 at 10:58 AM
The budget on this has to be really high, since all of these actors have hits in their resume and will ask for a big fee.
Only Disney and Netflix can afford to make something like this so i believe the Disney+ reports, they seem to be going all in on star-castings to get people to subscribe. A little like TVN back in the day.
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Sanyong
April 15, 2025 at 10:14 PM
The Suzy drama has a 45 billion won budget for 8 episodes. This one definitely costs more. Not as much as the 60 billion won for the 24 episodes of the SHK-Gong Yol drama but definitely in the 50 billion won range. The budgets for recent dramas have been rising endlessly. Netflix and Disney really changed the standards for Kdrama. I wonder if Prime Video will jump into the game too.
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3 Lostpanda is now Sadpanda. 🪦 fanwall 🪦
April 14, 2025 at 2:08 PM
What a cast! but I can't seem to wrap my head around the fictional characters and locations. It's bit "western"?? Especially the character names. Brain...cannot....process...this...as...a...kdrama
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Kodra aka Qanon something
April 14, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Think of it as northern and southern, maybe it will help.
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tccolb
April 14, 2025 at 6:20 PM
The names are a wild mash-up of allll the languages lol
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Sanyong
April 15, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Apparently it will be filmed entirely in Czech Republic and Slovakia. Its going to grand big budget drama which makes me wonder what Disney+ has planned for next year. Between this and Delusion the genres its going for is very different from what we've seen till now. More importantly does Disney still have the budget for these massive productions?
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Zoro1
April 15, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Since they keep greenlighting these projects i guess they do have the budget, they are way behind in Korea (and Asia) compared to the other streamers so i understand why they want to invest in Kdramas, but let's see how long it lasts.
If this keeps up the broadcast networks will only make dramas with C-list actors, they're already half way there. All the big names are on cable and streaming.
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Sanyong
April 15, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Broadcast networks like SBS will be fine but with MBC and KBS its true they can't afford expensive A-list actors for much longer. Especially KBS might not even be able to produce dramas with even C-list actors for much longer since their dramas don't sell well or have the competitive edge of other channels. Overall I see fewer dramas being produced for television broadcast over time.
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4 HopefulRomantic 🦋 Tigermoth 🦞
April 14, 2025 at 2:25 PM
I'm very conflicted - Shin Min-ah?? Joo Ji-hoon?? The PD of Thirty But Seventeen?? 😍✨️ BUT... Lee Jong-seok is not an actor I enjoy, and I didn't even make it through one full episode of the webtoon. I'll wait and see what the Beanie reactions are. 👀🍿
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5 The prolific Adesam
April 14, 2025 at 2:53 PM
What I don't understand is if they are adapting it as the story is or they are making it a sageuk
Because I can't picture them in a regency era setting and wearing regency era clothing
Please I just need some convincing because I've been sceptical of this adaptation from the get go
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December
April 14, 2025 at 3:50 PM
“We plan to faithfully recreate the original world that fans across the globe have fallen in love with. With striking mise-en-scène, grand scale, and narrative completeness, this series will set a new standard for the romance fantasy genre and captivate viewers.”
- I doubt that this would translate to "it's going to be a sageuk"
Here's a promo trailer that was made for a different webtoon, we can expect something like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieYk_svVkFE
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Britney
April 14, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Ahh, well it would certainly be different to see these actors in that type of setting.
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The prolific Adesam
April 14, 2025 at 11:48 PM
Just watched the trailer and it's still naaa😂😂
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bewitched
April 14, 2025 at 11:30 PM
I saw pictures of the supposed production team scouting castles in Europe for their filming location. But they will all be speaking Korean?😂 It’s not jarring when you read the manhwa that’s translated to English, but here we’ll be hearing them speaking Korean while wearing western costumes. And I remembered wrong last time. I thought they’re in their 30s, just check Shin Min-ah’s character is 16. I didn’t finish the manhwa so I’m not sure how old she’ll be at the end. But you get the point, they’re all too old if the adaptation wants to stay true to the original source.
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The prolific Adesam
April 14, 2025 at 11:50 PM
It will just be like a costume party 😭😭😭, with old people then
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Britney
April 15, 2025 at 3:56 AM
I don't think the characters are teens. That wouldn't make sense. In the webtoon, Navier and Sothier (or whatever his name is) knew each since they were kids. I think by the time of the divorce, Navier is supposed to be mid-late 20s (though I don't remember specifics but that would also make sense). For the drama, I would assume they would age up the characters and their origins.
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Gikata
April 15, 2025 at 4:10 AM
Yes, OG married couple (FL and 2ML) are adults, they're only teens in their flashbacks (of when they got married, iirc). ML and esp 2FL are younger than them, but should be of marriageable age still. By Ye Olde Times standards, that is.
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Britney
April 15, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Ahhh! I didn't even consider that the new partners are younger in the webtoon and that's not case for the drama haha.
Yeah, I can totally see different dynamics playing out in the drama. Possibly regarding age?
Gikata
April 16, 2025 at 8:00 AM
@britney I think they'll age everyone up the same amount to keep the dynamics somewhat as they were. LJS is famous for his youthful face/vibe
and noona romance roles, so his casting must be for this very reason. Idk about LSY though - I really don't see her as cutesy ingenue Rashta, it's not even that much about age as it is about vibe.6 kay4625
April 14, 2025 at 3:28 PM
I'm not familiar with the source material, so I can't judge in that regard, but this premise does sound intriguing, and this is certainly a great cast. Hopefully this'll be good.
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7 OldLawyer
April 14, 2025 at 4:26 PM
This sounds like a lot of fun.
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8 peiyeelai
April 14, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Ooohhh I love all the cast and the fact that Disney+ is taking this drama.
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9 Britney
April 14, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Wow, how I can't imagine anything about this haha. I can't imagine the way it will be adapted (it's just weird imagining it in Joseonesque way. Maybe the aesthetic will be like Alchemy of Souls). I can't imagine Lee Jong Suk kissing either Shin Min Ah or Lee Se Young haha
I imagine they would take out the fantasy element and I honestly don't remember much from the general premise. So I wonder how much of it will be adapted
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Blue (@mayhemf)
April 15, 2025 at 5:08 AM
"I can't imagine Lee Jong Suk kissing either Shin Min Ah or Lee Se Young".. LOL. This made me laugh. It must be a very important consideration for casting choices. But I do sense a good chemistry between Shin Min Ah and Joppa. They would kiss good ; ). But Alas, they are getting divorced.
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Gikata
April 15, 2025 at 6:13 AM
Surely after making out with LBY in his early days he could've manage anyone just fine. And SMA and JJH were pretty great at it in THE NAKED KITCHEN. In fact, if I was a casting PD here, I'd be seriously worried of people mass boarding the wrong ship...
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posteruno
April 15, 2025 at 9:16 AM
LJS and LSY were in the film Hot Young Bloods (2014). Another reunion.
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Gikata
April 16, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Tbh, it feels like "let's get as many hot names as we can and run with it" kind of casting. But hey, at least they've got it with start power!
bewitched
April 15, 2025 at 6:44 AM
I tried not to speak up about the fact that Lee Jong-seok will be kissing his best friend’s girlfriend. Like won’t it be awkward when they’re vacationing together in the future😂
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10 Britney
April 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Sometimes I read webtoons and wonder what it would be like if were adapted. This was never one of them haha
I think I would've picked Daytime Star, Act Like You Love Me (though after writing it, I can totally see people complaining and calling it problematic), and No Outtakes
Possibly The Genius Life of the Returned Hunter (I think that's what it's called)
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Unit
April 15, 2025 at 1:41 AM
I've been manifesting a Daytime Star adaptation since forever! No Outtakes is also a good one.
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11 Procrasti-NationFirstCitizen
April 14, 2025 at 8:39 PM
What is this? What are those names? What is the setting? Is this Hunger Games? Is this even a Kdrama?
So many questions lol
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12 Kurama
April 14, 2025 at 11:43 PM
I has always been surprised by the number of webtoons that take place in fantastic European monarchy/empire's court. It's not really the ones I read to be honest.
But I don't really care if they keep the original setting if they can do it without making it cringey.
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13 Gikata
April 15, 2025 at 2:11 AM
Gonna pretend it doesn't exist. OK, maybe will go as far as ogle JJH's pics in western royal attire if that even happens, but that's about it. My mans could and should have done better than this dumpster fire of a story/role. Ah, the things we do for paying rent...
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14 Midnight
April 15, 2025 at 2:39 AM
Shine or Go Crazy's Goryeo feels like an apt setting for this story.
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15 Dorotka
April 15, 2025 at 3:53 AM
Oh, Trashta is getting a drama adaptation. 😁
I'm not sure the webtoon is worth these actors (I dropped it quite some time ago), but with a skilled writer and PD the drama could turn into an entertaining makjang.
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Gikata
April 15, 2025 at 4:05 AM
With 10 or so episodes? It'll end makjanging before we even taste it properly!
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Dorotka
April 15, 2025 at 4:52 AM
Only 10? So they adapt just season one? I think I will make my popcorn. 🍿 😎
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Gikata
April 15, 2025 at 6:07 AM
10 or 12, can't remember well, but it does look nowhere near enough for this anyway.
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The Kdrama Enthusiast
April 17, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Trashta? Damn 😂
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16 zindigo
April 15, 2025 at 9:21 AM
It sounds like they're riffing off the success of Shondaland's take on the Bridgerton series, only k-drama style. 🤔
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17 Diana Hansen
April 15, 2025 at 10:26 AM
This one sounds like what my old dreams were! That cast and that story has got to be good! I'm watching it for sure. The only one I really am in the air about is Lee Se-young but if its a pouty face character she'll nail it.(sorry not sorry). The others will act around her and take away any negatives. And there IS Joo Ji-hoon!
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18 Toblerone
April 17, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Such weird casts
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19 The Kdrama Enthusiast
April 17, 2025 at 12:51 AM
There are several reasons why I definitely will not be watching this one:
• It's a sageuk (which isn't always a bad thing but it's not a genre that particularly interests me)
• It's a fantasy (again, not always a bad thing but I'm not the biggest fan of fantasy kdramas or fantasy in general)
Combine those two (sageuk + fantasy) and it's massively unappealing to me
• The names are weird. I cannot get past these names and titles. It's fiction, yes. But come onnnnn. Sovieshu Vict? Rashta? Heinrey Alles Lazlo? Navier Ellie Trovi??
• Lee Jong-suk is one of the leads. I know many people find him incredibly attractive, but I can't get past his face. I'm sorry.
I have never watched a drama that stars him in a leading role and I likely never will, no matter how good that drama is 😔
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Tam
April 17, 2025 at 6:03 AM
It’s technically not a Korean sageuk. It’s set in a western setting regencyish era. They will retain that European setting for the live action as well.
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