Disney+‘s The Remarried Empress has made a chart-topping start in South Korea, rising to No. 1 on the platform’s Today’s Top 10 series ranking in Korea the day after its premiere. The fantasy romance, led by Shin Min-a, Ju Ji-hoon, Lee Jong-suk and Lee Se-young, released its first four episodes on November 3, a day earlier than originally planned, and claimed the top spot on November 4, according to Korean entertainment outlet MHN Sports and international drama tracker MyDramaList.
The series is the live-action adaptation of the hit web novel and webtoon of the same name, which has accumulated approximately 2.97 billion views worldwide. That built-in audience made it one of the most anticipated Korean drama launches of the year, and the early chart performance suggests the adaptation has converted curiosity into viewing. The 10-episode series will continue with two new episodes each Wednesday on Disney+, where it streams internationally, while viewers in the United States can watch it on Hulu.
The story centers on Navier, played by Shin Min-a, the seemingly perfect empress of the Eastern Empire. Her marriage collapses when her husband, Emperor Sovieshu, played by Ju Ji-hoon, falls for Rashta, played by Lee Se-young, a former runaway slave who rises to become the emperor’s favored consort. Rather than accept her divorce quietly, Navier demands approval to remarry Prince Heinrey of the Western Kingdom, played by Lee Jong-suk, setting off a sweeping tale of love, betrayal, power and ambition at court.
The opening episodes lean heavily on the four leads’ contrasting performances. Shin Min-a plays Navier with restrained dignity, holding her composure in public as she manages court duties such as preparations for the New Year ceremony even as her attendants are unsettled by Rashta’s arrival, while letting her grief and loneliness surface in private moments. Ju Ji-hoon anchors the conflict as Sovieshu, balancing imperial authority with the complicated emotions of a ruler torn between two women. Lee Jong-suk’s Heinrey arrives as Navier’s new romantic counterpart, offering his hand to the empress alone at a New Year ball and greeting her with the line, “It is an honor to meet you, my Queen,” while remaining unreadable before the rest of the court. Lee Se-young’s Rashta, meanwhile, pairs a wide-eyed innocence with ambition, with her tentative question, “Can I call you sister?” already raising tension in the early episodes.
Early online reaction has been lively, with viewers praising the lavish Western-style palace setting, costumes and the cast’s screen presence, while some commenters have debated whether the casting matches the younger ages of the characters in the original webtoon. That mix of enthusiasm and debate is familiar territory for big webtoon adaptations, where devoted readers arrive with strong ideas about how beloved characters should look and sound.
The Remarried Empress arrives at a crowded moment for Korean drama, with November bringing a wave of new series across Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video and Viki. Standing out immediately on its home platform matters because Disney+‘s Korean Top 10 ranking is a visible signal of momentum in the opening week, when word of mouth can decide whether a series keeps climbing or fades after its premiere. The series had already drawn attention before release for its casting and its lavish production, and the No. 1 debut gives it a strong launchpad.
The adaptation also has a longer runway ahead. Beyond the live-action series, an anime adaptation of The Remarried Empress has been announced, with a premiere planned for 2027, a sign of how durable the original story’s popularity has proven. For now, though, the question is whether the live-action version can sustain its opening momentum as its remaining episodes roll out week by week. If the early chart position holds, Disney+ will have one of the standout Korean drama launches of the year on its hands.
