Disney has a royal success on its hands. The remarried empress became the most-watched local original premiere ever on Disney+ and Hulu globally, setting a new benchmark for the company’s international programming just three days after its debut.
The Korean romantic epic, starring Shin Mina, Ju Jihoon, Lee Jongsuk and Lee Seyoung, launched on November 3 with four episodes. Disney said Friday that the series also delivered the biggest premiere of a Korean title to date in more than 50 markets, including the United States, Britain, France, Spain, Germany, Mexico, Chile, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
Disney has not released viewing figures. The world premiere record is based on views during the first three days of the show’s availability.
The remarried empress supplanted Disney’s previous Korean breakthrough, Mobileas the streamer’s biggest original local premiere. The 2023 superhero drama has become Disney+ and Hulu’s most-watched Korean original and has attracted particularly strong appeal in South Korea and across Asia. The first results for The remarried empress suggest a more broadly global breakthrough, with his records stretching across Europe and the Americas.
Set in a fantasy world of rival empires, the series follows Empress Navier (Shin), whose marriage to Emperor Sovieshu (Ju) begins to deteriorate when he falls in love with Rashta (Lee Seyoung), an escaped slave. Navier agrees to divorce on the condition that she can marry Heinrey (Lee Jongsuk), the crown prince of a neighboring kingdom, sparking a struggle for love, dignity and imperial power.
Yeoh Geena and Hyun Choongyeol adapted the series into a film, starring Cho Suwon (17 more, Pinocchio) realization.
The series is a particularly good fit for Disney+, combining the regal grandeur and storybook fantasy associated with the Disney brand with the scandal, romantic reversals, glossy production values, and wildly appealing stars that have made the K-drama a global phenomenon. The world of the series is familiar to Disney princesses, but its heroine’s challenges—infidelity, divorce, and the prospect of a strategically advantageous second marriage—give the fantasy an appealing, adult melodramatic charge.
The launch follows months of anticipation for the series, including sold-out previews at the Busan International Film Festival. Its trailer generated 13 million views on YouTube and social media in its first 48 hours, according to Disney. The Naver webtoon the show is based on has racked up nearly 3 billion views, making it one of the most popular titles in the genre.
Disney moved the premiere forward a day from its originally scheduled launch on November 4, announcing the change at a press conference in Seoul earlier this week as a thank you to fans.
Following the four-episode premiere, two new episodes will arrive every Wednesday starting November 11, with the finale scheduled for November 25.
Gn entert
