The K-drama “The Remarried Empress,” starring Shin Min-a (신민아), Joo Ji-hoon (주지훈), Lee Jong-suk (이종석), and Lee Se-young (이세영), recently premiered and has since become a hot topic. Beyond its plot, the characters' costumes, styling, and overall visual presentation have also drawn unexpected discussion. Joo Ji-hoon’s portrayal of Emperor Sovieshu, in particular, became a focal point for netizens, with his costumes, hair, makeup, and even skin tone criticized as “old and dark.” Some even dug up photos of him as Crown Prince Lee Shin in the classic K-drama “Princess Hours” (궁), which he starred in 20 years ago, sparking a “royal character comparison” trend.
In contrast, Lee Jong-suk, who also took on a royal role in “The Remarried Empress,” received considerable praise from viewers. He plays Prince Heinrey of the Western Kingdom, appearing in lavish military uniforms and capes. Coupled with the character's inherent description as a “beautiful prince” with outstanding looks, he immediately captivated audiences upon his first appearance.
Recently, Lee Jong-suk appeared on the YouTube channel “MMTG Civilisation Express” alongside Shin Min-a, Joo Ji-hoon, and Lee Se-young to promote “The Remarried Empress,” where he unexpectedly shared several behind-the-scenes filming anecdotes. The most amusing of these was his awkward experience while filming for his character, Heinrey.
During the show, host JaeJae playfully teased Lee Jong-suk, saying, “You have a lot of back shots. After turning from a bird into a human, you had to be naked, right?” Lee Jong-suk couldn't help but laugh, replying, “It was truly regrettable.” Their exchange filled the set with laughter.
JaeJae then brought up the original character setting, asking Lee Jong-suk if he had specifically trained his shoulders for the role, inquiring, “How long did you train for your broad shoulders?” To her surprise, Lee Jong-suk revealed that he hadn't prepared anything special because the director initially told him “not to prepare anything at all.”
However, once filming began, the director suddenly changed his mind, asking him to take off his clothes for the scene. Lee Jong-suk recalled the awkward situation: “The director initially said not to prepare anything, but then during filming, he suddenly asked me to take off my clothes. The camera even shot from my legs upwards, but I hadn't even shaved…”
Lee Jong-suk admitted he was caught completely off guard, feeling that leg hair didn't quite fit the image of his character, Heinrey. This experience made him realize he might encounter similar revealing scenes at any time, prompting him to start preparing himself. Reflecting on the incident, he couldn't help but mock himself, saying, “I actually had to endure such humiliation…” Host JaeJae laughed and chimed in, “You really went through a lot!” Their playful banter added much humor to the behind-the-scenes story.
“The Remarried Empress” is adapted from a popular web novel and webtoon of the same name. The story follows Navier (Shin Min-a), the perfect empress of the Eastern Empire, who is divorced by Emperor Sovieshu (Joo Ji-hoon). Sovieshu decides to abandon Navier after falling in love with a runaway slave, Rashta (Lee Se-young).
Facing her husband's betrayal, Navier chooses not to beg him to stay but readily accepts the divorce, proposing a condition: she demands permission to remarry Prince Heinrey (Lee Jong-suk) of the Western Kingdom. Thus begins a romantic fantasy filled with palace power struggles, love, and hatred.
Lee Jong-suk’s portrayal of Heinrey not only showcases his handsome looks and noble demeanor but also includes several scenes designed to highlight his physique. His recent sharing of this awkward behind-the-scenes experience has left fans both shy and amused, unexpectedly becoming another major talking point for the new drama.
