Ahn Tae-hwan, the younger brother of EXID member and actress Hani, has joined the cast of Disney+‘s ‘The Remarried Empress’ as Cherl, the cousin of Ju Ji-hoon’s Emperor Sovieshu.
Sports Dong-a reported on November 10 that Ahn appears in the series, which premiered on November 3 with its first four episodes. The report identified his character as the son of Madame Albani, played by Jung Young-joo, placing him inside one of the drama’s most scheming families.
In the story, Cherl works alongside his mother to win a pardon for his father, Grand Duke Liltang, and to restore the family’s honor. He also spreads rumors about Empress Navier, played by Shin Min-ah, and her husband, feeding the conflict that drives the early episodes.
The reveal adds a real-life family twist to the casting. Ahn is the younger brother of Hani, whose full name is Ahn Hee-yeon, and the siblings have drawn attention for their resemblance since before his acting debut. That connection gives the supporting role an extra talking point among viewers following the series.
Ahn appeared with Hani on the KBS 2TV variety program ‘We Are Brothers’ in 2016, while he was serving in the military. He began acting after his discharge, making his drama debut in the 2020 series ‘Mystic Pop-up Bar.’
Since then, he has built a steady run of supporting credits, including ‘Dinner Mate,’ ‘The Penthouse,’ ‘Ghost Doctor,’ ‘Today’s Webtoon,’ ‘Pandora: Beneath the Paradise,’ and ‘My Sweet Mobster.’ He recently signed an exclusive contract with Nexus E&M, the agency that also represents Hani.
The casting news arrives as ‘The Remarried Empress’ rides a fast start. The series, a live-action adaptation of the hit web novel and webtoon of the same name, rose to No. 1 on Disney+ Korea’s series chart on November 4, and its first four episodes landed the show on The New York Times’ November must-watch list.
No separate official statement accompanied the casting report. The 10-episode series continues with two new episodes each Wednesday on Disney+, with Cherl positioned at the heart of the Albani family’s campaign to reclaim its standing.
