FlixPatrol ranks the Korean drama No. 2 among Disney+ shows worldwide and in the Top 10 in 76 countries, even as viewers call its costumes cheap. One of those gowns is listed online at $12,690.
The Remarried Empress ranks No. 2 among TV shows on Disney+ worldwide and sits in the Top 10 in 76 countries, including the U.S., according to FlixPatrol data reported by Star News on Friday, Nov. 6. Star News called it a global hit "despite mixed reviews."
The mixed part is loud. Korean viewers have called the costumes cheap, compared the look to a reenactment TV show and picked apart Ju Ji-hoon's complexion as Emperor Sovieshu, Sports Kyunghyang and The Korea Times reported this week.
By our analysis of Google Trends data, pulled Nov. 6, worldwide searches for the show have beaten Bridgerton and Squid Game every day since its Nov. 3 premiere. On Nov. 4, it out-searched Bridgerton about 6 to 1. Both Netflix shows are between seasons, so it wasn't exactly a fair duel.
The 10-episode Korean series is based on the Naver Webtoon of the same name. In the U.S., it streams on Hulu and Disney+, with two new episodes every Wednesday through the Nov. 25 finale.
Why are viewers mocking The Remarried Empress costumes?
In comments collected by Sports Kyunghyang on Nov. 5, one viewer asked whether the production team had ever watched Bridgerton. Another said the outfits looked like something from a school drama club. Others compared scenes to Surprise, a long-running Korean reenactment show.
Then online communities matched Shin Min-a's gowns to designer labels. A pale mint tulle gown and bolero by Lebanese designer Georges Hobeika is listed online at $12,690, about 18 million won, Sports Kyunghyang and Money Today reported. Two Jenny Packham dresses run $4,356 and $3,784.
That's a lot of money to look cheap. Some commenters moved the blame to lighting and color grading. One said beaded dresses need "runway lighting" to look right on camera.
Critics split, too, at the same outlet. Forbes contributor Rick Ellis wrote that the costumes are "occasionally an uneven mixture of historical influences." Forbes contributor Laura Sirikul called the production and costume design "absolutely stunning." Same site, same day.
Why are fans upset about Ju Ji-hoon as Sovieshu?
Ju's look drew the harshest criticism of the four leads, The Korea Daily reported Nov. 3. Viewers said he looked tired and older than his co-stars. "Joo Ji-hoon looks unwell," read one comment Sports Kyunghyang quoted. Another said, "His liver looks bad."
"Someone please give Ju Ji-hoon a reflector, too," another viewer wrote, The Korea Times reported. Defenders praised his charisma, and The Korea Times noted that makeup, lighting and color grading all change how an actor looks on screen.
Sovieshu himself is the other target. In the first four episodes, he scolds Navier for treating Rashta coldly, Sports Kyunghyang reported, and he's the one asking for a divorce. Ju saw the anger coming. At a Nov. 3 press conference in Seoul, he said that if viewers "point fingers" at him, he's "satisfied as an actor," SBS reported.
He almost passed on the part. Ju told a Busan International Film Festival audience on Oct. 9 that he turned the role down "two or three times," Star News reported, because he felt he didn't understand the story's world. A trusted associate changed his mind by writing him a letter.
His job was done well. I’m a couple of episodes in, and I think his character is a jerk.
What other Remarried Empress controversies are going around?
The Soo-ae video: It wasn't a product ad. In October 2019, Naver Series released a promo for the web novel in which actress Soo-ae read Navier's lines in a plain black outfit, with no sets. It went viral again this week, OSEN reported via The Korea Daily. "Her vocal tone is truly amazing," one viewer wrote.
The bedroom scene: Episode 1 includes an intimate scene between Navier and Sovieshu. Shin married actor Kim Woo-bin in December 2025, so commenters on the Korean portal Daum went straight to jokes like "I suddenly feel bad for Kim Woo-bin," KbizoOm reported. Kim has his own drama, tvN's Gift, due in December.
The "Instagram reel" posts: Posts on X with thousands of likes knocked the visuals, with one calling it "some instagram reel drama." Another said it "deserves a much more visually convincing cast." Replies defended Shin and Lee Jong-suk.
A prop apology: In November 2025, producer Studio N apologized for "carelessness" after fans said a medal on Ju's costume in early stills looked like a Nazi medal, Soompi reported.
Some longtime readers object to the source material itself. ComicBook.com reported Oct. 17 that some readers dislike how the story handles slavery and class, with Rashta, a young escaped slave, as the villain. Writer Tulisha Srivastava said the story "glosses over the issues of slavery."
Lee Se-young, who plays Rashta, described her this way at the Nov. 3 press conference: "I want to kill her, but I also feel for her and understand her," Sports Kyunghyang reported.
How popular is The Remarried Empress?
FlixPatrol ranks titles by where they land on each country's Disney+ Top 10 list. It doesn't count viewers, and Disney hasn't released viewing numbers. Star News listed the U.K., Brazil, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Switzerland among the 76 countries.
In Korea, Star News reported the show is No. 1 on the ranking sites Kinolights and Watchpedia and leads Naver's list of most-searched dramas.
By our analysis, worldwide search interest peaked in the hour starting at 12 a.m. ET Nov. 5, and Nov. 4 and 5 were the two busiest days. As recently as Nov. 2, Bridgerton out-searched it more than 3 to 1.
The Philippines leads all countries in search interest over the past 90 days by our analysis, followed by Thailand and Mongolia. The U.S. isn't in the top 15.
Here's our look at worldwide daily search interest from Oct. 30 through Nov. 6:
Among the cast, Lee Se-young has drawn some of the warmest fan reactions. The Korea Daily reported that her performance beat expectations, with fans calling her Rashta "a natural villainess." Not everyone agrees. Sirikul wrote in Forbes that Ju and Lee Se-young "have no chemistry."
Who's in The Remarried Empress, and what's it about?
Empress Navier's husband, Emperor Sovieshu, falls for Rashta, an escaped slave, and asks for a divorce. Navier agrees on one condition: she gets to remarry Prince Heinrey of the Western Kingdom. Heinrey can also turn into a bird, as princes do.
Shin Min-a: Empress Navier
Ju Ji-hoon: Emperor Sovieshu
Lee Jong-suk: Crown Prince Heinrey
Lee Se-young: Rashta
Cho Su-won directs, and Yeoh Geena and Hyun Choong-yeol wrote the adaptation. The team scouted 16 castles in Europe and shot at Schleissheim Palace near Munich, Deadline reported. Lee Jong-suk's reason for signing on: "When else would I ever get to play a prince?"
When do new episodes of The Remarried Empress come out?
Disney moved the premiere up a day, from Wednesday, Nov. 4, to Tuesday, Nov. 3, and announced it at a Seoul press conference that morning. Disney called it a thank-you for fans' "overwhelming support." The Herald Business tied the change to the response at the Busan festival screenings. We covered the early drop Nov. 3.
Nov. 3: Episodes 1 to 4
Nov. 11: Episodes 5 and 6
Nov. 18: Episodes 7 and 8
Nov. 25: Episodes 9 and 10, the night before Thanksgiving
In the U.S., it streams on Hulu and on Disney+ for subscribers with Hulu access. In most other countries, it's a Disney+ release. CBR lists it as TV-14.
How is Webtoon cashing in on The Remarried Empress?
The webtoon, adapted from Alphatart's web novel, had 2.97 billion views worldwide as of July, Naver told Korea JoongAng Daily. The 2.6 billion figure in older stories dates to Disney's June 2025 announcement. The main story ended in January at episode 247, Anime News Network reported.
WEBTOON's English site now pitches it as "the original webcomic of the hit drama," says it's "now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu" and runs an "up to 88% off" sale on the whole series. The English edition alone shows 569.9 million views.
A new English spin-off posted Episode 1 on Oct. 29 and Episode 2 on Nov. 5. As of Friday morning, it had 313,567 views and 55,351 subscribers on WEBTOON's site. It's rated Young Adult (16+), with new episodes on Fridays.
An anime is coming, too. Crunchyroll announced a TV anime from studio TROYCA at New York Comic Con in October, set for 2027.
Mikyung Kwon, CEO of Studio N, Webtoon's Korean production company, told Deadline on Nov. 6, "This project will define my life." She said several directors passed because they wanted a more Korean setting. Studio N kept the European names and skipped hanbok, the traditional Korean dress.
Studio N has made 48 projects from webcomics since 2018, Deadline reported. On the built-in fanbase, Kwon said, "We need to embrace the fans." Some of those fans are also the ones posting the memes.
Variety reported Nov. 5 that Webtoon Entertainment is entering "a new phase in Hollywood." Webtoon president Yongsoo Kim said the company is "working on so many Hollywood productions." One is a live-action The Mafia Nanny in development at Hulu, with Charlize Theron as an executive producer.
Disney said the final trailer passed 13 million views in 48 hours across YouTube and social media. In August, Sports Kyunghyang reported the first teaser drew 11.7 million views in 24 hours, the most for any Disney+ Korean original teaser, though it didn't say who counted.
What does The Remarried Empress mean for Disney+ and Hulu?
Laughing Place noted Nov. 3 that South Korea is one of the regions with the most growth potential for Disney+, and Korean originals are part of Disney's spending there.
In April, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Perfect Crown, starring IU and Byeon Woo-seok, had the biggest K-drama debut in Disney+ history. By mid-May, it was Disney+'s most-viewed Korean premiere ever, Philstar reported. Disney hasn't said how The Remarried Empress compares.
At D23 in August, Disney executive Eric Schrier pointed to Moving and A Shop for Killers as local shows that found fans far outside their home markets, The Korea Times reported. The Remarried Empress trailer debuted at that same session.
Should you watch The Remarried Empress?
Most early English-language reviews are positive, with one common complaint: the pace. Rotten Tomatoes listed four critic reviews and no score as of Nov. 6.
Forbes (Rick Ellis): "Shin Min-a is terrific in the role," but the show "takes its time getting where it needs to go."
Forbes (Laura Sirikul): "If only it didn't take so long."
Screen Rant (9 out of 10): Praised its "masterful cinematography, and sheer opulence."
Collider (7 out of 10): Called it "a world that's deceptively easy to get lost in."
Cineplay (3 out of 5): Critic Seong Chan-eol said "the thrills fall a little short."
Ellis reviewed the first four episodes and signed off with "Long live the queen." Episodes 5 and 6 arrive Wednesday, Nov. 11.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
Star News (Nov. 6, 2026), the FlixPatrol No. 2 ranking, Top 10 in 76 countries, Korean rankings and the "mixed reviews" framing
Sports Kyunghyang (Nov. 5, 2026), costume criticism, the Georges Hobeika and Jenny Packham prices and the lighting comments
Money Today (Nov. 6, 2026), the dress prices and costume criticism
Sports Kyunghyang (Nov. 4, 2026), viewer comments on Ju Ji-hoon's look
The Korea Times (Nov. 5, 2026), the Ju Ji-hoon complexion debate and his defenders
The Korea Daily (Nov. 3, 2026), early cast reactions, Ju's criticism and Lee Se-young's reception
The Korea Daily and OSEN (Nov. 5, 2026), the resurfaced 2019 Soo-ae promo video
SBS (Nov. 3, 2026), Ju Ji-hoon's press conference comments
Star News (Oct. 9, 2026), Ju turning down the role two or three times
KbizoOm (Nov. 5, 2026), viewer reactions to the Episode 1 scene, citing Daum
Star News (Oct. 31, 2026), Shin Min-a and Kim Woo-bin's wedding date and Kim's next drama
Soompi (Nov. 16, 2025), Studio N's prop apology
ComicBook.com (Oct. 17, 2026), reader criticism of the slavery and class themes
Sports Kyunghyang (Nov. 3, 2026), Lee Se-young and Lee Jong-suk press conference quotes
The Walt Disney Company (Nov. 3, 2026), the early premiere, schedule, finale date and trailer views
Soompi (Nov. 3, 2026), the premiere date change and 10-episode count
Laughing Place (Nov. 3, 2026), U.S. availability and Disney's Korea growth context
The Herald Business (Nov. 3, 2026), the Busan festival response tied to the date change
CBR (Nov. 5, 2026), the TV-14 rating
Deadline (Nov. 6, 2026), the Mikyung Kwon interview, Studio N's history and filming details
Variety (Nov. 5, 2026), Webtoon Entertainment's Hollywood projects and Yongsoo Kim's comments
Korea JoongAng Daily (Oct. 29, 2026), the 2.97 billion views figure and side stories
Anime News Network (Feb. 25, 2026), the episode 247 ending and the 2.6 billion figure
Laughing Place (June 19, 2025), Disney's adaptation announcement and the 2.6 billion figure via Variety
WEBTOON (Nov. 6, 2026), the English spin-off stats, the 88% off promo and the original's English views
Anime.com and Game Rant (Oct. 2026), Crunchyroll's 2027 TROYCA anime and NYCC announcement
Sports Kyunghyang (Aug. 28, 2026), the 11.7 million teaser views
The Hollywood Reporter via Pulse (April 17, 2026), Perfect Crown's record Disney+ K-drama debut
Philstar (May 15, 2026), Perfect Crown as Disney+'s most-viewed Korean premiere
The Korea Times (Aug. 17, 2026), Eric Schrier's D23 comments
Forbes (Nov. 5, 2026), the Rick Ellis and Laura Sirikul reviews
Rotten Tomatoes (retrieved Nov. 6, 2026), the review count and the Screen Rant and Collider quotes
Cineplay (Nov. 5, 2026), Seong Chan-eol's rating
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