The K-drama “Remarriage & Desires” (재혼 황후), starring Shin Min-a (신민아), Ju Ji-hoon (주지훈), Lee Jong-suk (이종석), and Lee Se-young (이세영), recently premiered, generating significant buzz. Beyond its plot, the characters' costumes and overall visual presentation have sparked unexpected debate. Ju Ji-hoon’s portrayal of Emperor Sovieshu (소비에슈) has become a particular focus for netizens, with everything from his outfits to his makeup, hair, and skin tone being scrutinized. Some have even revisited his role as Crown Prince Lee Shin (이신) in the classic K-drama “Princess Hours” (궁) from 20 years ago, leading to a “royal character fashion showdown.”
In “Remarriage & Desires,” Ju Ji-hoon plays Emperor Sovieshu, whose numerous costumes are notably daring, with many designs featuring sheer and cut-out elements. Viewers couldn't help but criticize them, describing them as resembling “a trot singer's runway outfit” or “something out of 'Amazing Race.'” Even Ju Ji-hoon himself had something to say about these ensembles.
On November 11, the Korean YouTube channel “MMTG” (문명특급) released a short video titled “Ju Ji-hoon's Costume Controversy (?).” Host JaeJae (재재) discussed his outfits in “Remarriage & Desires,” jokingly asking, “I heard that when you first tried them on, you wondered, 'Are these really the clothes I'm supposed to wear?'”
Ju Ji-hoon openly shared his feelings at the time, admitting that every time he saw the costumes prepared by the production team, he couldn't help but think, “Can I really wear this? Is it okay for it to be this sheer?” He noted that some of the outfits had particularly bold necklines and cuts, making him wonder, “To what extent should an emperor maintain his dignity?” He humorously asked himself, “Where does an emperor's dignity end? At the chest, or at the navel?” This made JaeJae laugh, who exclaimed, “It really goes down to the navel!”
Ju Ji-hoon then retorted, “So, is it the chest or the navel?” seemingly equally perplexed by the “scale” of the emperor's attire. He concluded with a humorous explanation: “Homewear would hang below the chest, while formal wear would be pulled above the chest.” His remarks amused everyone present, revealing that he himself had been puzzled by these styles.
“Remarriage & Desires” is an original Disney+ K-drama with a production budget of tens of billions of Korean won. Before its premiere, it garnered anticipation due to its star-studded cast and large-scale production. However, after its official release, the quality of the costumes and props in the drama unexpectedly drew mixed reviews. Some viewers felt that the actual presentation fell short of their expectations, even finding some styles too jarring, which affected their immersion in the series.
Among these, Ju Ji-hoon’s character, Emperor Sovieshu, became the center of discussion. Not only were his costumes criticized as “over-the-top,” but his makeup, hair, and overall appearance also drew scrutiny from netizens. In particular, some brought up Ju Ji-hoon’s iconic look as Crown Prince Lee Shin in “Princess Hours” 20 years ago, comparing the two “royal characters” and sparking a wave of nostalgic discussion.
Some viewers noted that Ju Ji-hoon’s skin tone in “Remarriage & Desires” appeared darker, and his overall complexion seemed somewhat fatigued, especially when appearing alongside other actors. Others felt his face looked deeper and more yellowish on screen, differing from the dreamy image many had for the original webtoon character.
Netizens left comments such as, “Can someone help Ju Ji-hoon’s face with a reflector?” “He looks darker than his original skin tone,” “Only the emperor looks much older,” and “The styling isn’t quite what I imagined for Sovieshu,” expressing disappointment with his makeup, hair, and overall visual presentation.
In contrast, Lee Jong-suk, who also took on a royal role in “Remarriage & Desires,” received considerable praise for his visual appearance. Lee Jong-suk plays Prince Heinry (해인리) of the Western Kingdom. His character, already established as a “handsome prince” with outstanding looks, appeared in various splendid military uniforms and capes, immediately capturing viewers' attention upon his debut.
To better align the character with the dreamy prince image from the original work, Lee Jong-suk even personally participated in the design of his costumes and accessories, meticulously attending to everything from earrings and necklaces to his overall styling. After the drama aired, his visual performance was widely acclaimed by viewers, who felt he successfully conveyed the character’s intended grandeur and nobility.
While both played royal characters, Ju Ji-hoon faced criticism for his costumes, makeup, and appearance, whereas Lee Jong-suk garnered praise for his refined styling. This “royal costume showdown” in “Remarriage & Desires” unexpectedly became another hot topic after the drama's premiere.
