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After revealing the various facets of Shin Min-ah in the role of Navier, « The Remarried Empress »This time, the story focuses on the man whose decisions will turn the empress's life upside down.". Disney+ has released new images of Ju Ji-hoon in the role of Sovieshu, a ruler who appears to wield absolute authority, but whose emotions are far from being as under control as his appearance suggests.
Based on the popular web novel of the same name, the drama will follow Navier (Shin Min-ah), empress of the Eastern Empire, as her husband Sovieshu has an affair with Rashta (Lee Se-young) before getting a divorce. Navier then decided to make a fresh start by marrying Heinrey (Lee Jong-suk), prince of the Western Empire.
But the new photos suggest that Sovieshu will be a more troubled character than his status would suggest.
An imposing emperor who hides his anxiety
In the first image, Ju Ji-hoon is seen seated on his throne, dressed in an exquisitely crafted imperial robe. His solemn expression and posture convey all the authority of a man accustomed to governing and making decisions.
Yet the contrast is immediately apparent in the following photographs. Once stripped of his ceremonial attire, Sovieshu reveals a completely different side of his personality. His face seems more marked by the anxiety and inner conflicts that trouble him.
Another photo shows him staring at a sword with a cold expression, while a final snapshot shows him on horseback in a sun-drenched forest, in a much more peaceful atmosphere.
Through these various situations, Ju Ji-hoon will have to portray both a ruler with considerable power and a man unsettled by emotions he cannot fully control.
«A man who has everything, but is willing to risk it all»
Director Jo Soo-won drew particular attention to the first encounter between Sovieshu and Rashta, played by Lee Se-young. He considers this scene a particularly revealing moment in Ju Ji-hoon’s performance, praising his ability to convey the various facets of his character’s charisma.
Screenwriter Yeo Ji-na, for her part, offers a description that helps us better understand the emperor’s contradictions: «He is a man who, even though he has everything, is willing to risk it all to fulfill the one thing he lacks. The character comes to life thanks to Ju Ji-hoon.»
This sense of loss and the desires it sparks are likely to play a decisive role in Sovieshu's choices.
For while the emperor seems to have reached the pinnacle of power, his personal decisions will have far-reaching consequences for those around him, starting with Navier. In particular, his relationship with Rashta and his desire to divorce her will trigger the empress’s unexpected decision to remarry Heinrey.
The new images thus invite us to look beyond Sovieshu’s imperial authority: behind the man capable of ruling an entire empire lies a figure whose insecurities could cost him far more than he realizes.
«The Remarried Empress» will be available on November 4 on Disney+.
