Meet the Cast of 'The Remarried Empress'

Shin Min-a and Lee Se-young star in Hulu's romantasy adaptation of a hit web novel.

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A woman in a white gown and tiara (Shin Min-a as Empress Navier) stands at a podium in front of ballroom stairs adorned with flowers, in Hulu's 'The Remarried Empress.'
(Image credit: Disney)
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Hulu's highly-anticipated K-drama The Remarried Empress is finally here to delight fantasy-romance fans. Based on the global-hit web novel and WEBTOON of the same name, the series follows the titular ruler of a magical kingdom (played by Shin Min-a) as she finds new love with a foreign prince after her husband the emperor leaves her for a runaway slave (Lee Se-young).

In the middle of this soapy love square are two women determined to take control of their destinies, with the fate of two realms on the line. Ahead of the series's premiere on November 3, actresses Shin Min-a and Lee Se-young sat down with Marie Claire in Seoul, South Korea, to tease their roles in the drama.

A queen in a ruby-adorned red gown (Shin Min-a as Empress Navier) walks down a palace hallway with three female attendants behind her, in Hulu's 'The Remarried Empress.'

To bring the WEBTOON to life, The Remarried Empress was filmed on location in Germany and the Czech Republic.

(Image credit: Disney)

Among K-drama fans, Shin Min-a is beloved for leading rom-coms like Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha and No Gain No Love, playing strong women who hide their vulnerability behind ambition and charm. Shin tells Marie Claire that her new titular role, Empress Navier, is no different.

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"I found her range very appealing," she says. "She really is the most composed and the most careful character, and holding her emotions in was difficult. But Navier also shows a very human side later in the series, so I had some hope that the character could come across as multifaceted."

Meanwhile, Lee Se-young is stepping into the role of a villainess, though she's best-known for playing a strong-willed queen herself in The Red Sleeve.

"The web novel portrayed her so well as someone who expresses her desires so purely, someone so infuriating and yet impossible to hate," Lee says of Rashta, the runaway slave that catches the eye of the emperor. "I developed the desire to bring that conflict to life through myself — to create tension in the work and to portray her in a really compelling way."

A red-headed woman in a white, petal-adorned gown (Lee Se-young as Rashta) faces another woman in a tiara and black gown (Shin Min-a), who stands under an umbrella held by a lady's maid. They all stand in a palace rose garden, in Hulu's 'The Remarried Empress.'

Rashta (Lee Se-young) and Empress Navier (Shin Min-a) face each other for the first time.

(Image credit: Disney)

Ready to dive into this breathtaking world? Below, read on for everything to know about the main cast and characters of The Remarried Empress.

Everything to Know About the Cast of Hulu's 'The Remarried Empress'

A large crowd watches a couple (Shin Min-a as Empress Navier and Lee Jong-suk as Crown Prince Heinrey) dance in a ballroom, in Hulu's 'The Remarried Empress.'

Empress Navier (Shin Min-a) and Crown Prince Heinrey (Lee Jong-suk) share a dance upon meeting for the first time.

(Image credit: Disney)

Shin Min-a as Empress Navier

Shin Min-a as Empress Navier, wearing a ruby gown and diamond tiara while flanked by blurred figures, in Hulu's 'The Remarried Empress.'

(Image credit: Disney)

Navier Ellie Trovi is the beloved empress of the Eastern Empire, who has helped her husband Sovieshu lead the kingdom to prosperity. Despite being renowned as wise and benevolent, Navier has been unable to give the emperor an heir. When Sovieshu asks to take a mistress out of the blue, Navier remains poised and elegant in public as she explores a mysterious new romance behind the scenes.

Shin Min-a, 42, is one of Korea's most famous actresses. Since her 2000 debut, she has starred in beloved K-dramas and movies including A Love to Kill, Lucifer, Gyeongju, Oh My Venus, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, Diva, Our Blues, and No Gain No Love. Last year, she and her longtime partner, actor Kim Woo-bin, married after 10 years of dating.

Shin Min-a's Instagram: @illusomina

Ju Ji-hoon as Emperor Sovieshu

A man in a historical uniform (Ju Ji-hoon as Emperor Sovieshu) sits on a throne in front of a crest and regalia, in Hulu's 'The Remarried Empress.'

(Image credit: Disney)

Several years into Sovieshu's reign as emperor, he seems to be a faithful husband, though he is troubled by his lack of an heir. But everything changes when he comes across a beautiful maiden in the woods. Soon after, Sovieshu shocks the palace by instilling his new love as a mistress, with plans to have a child with her.

Ju Ji-hoon, 44, became an international star with his lead role in another manhwa adaptation, the 2006 rom-com Princess Hours. He has since appeared in acclaimed dramas like Kingdom, Hyena, Light Shop, and Trauma Code: Heroes on Call, as well as the blockbuster film duology Along With the Gods.

Ju Ji-hoon's Instagram: @_jujihoon

Lee Se-young as Rashta

A woman with red hair (Lee Se-young as Rashta) wears a white gown adorned with rose petals while standing in front of two maids in a rose garden, in Hulu's 'The Remarried Empress'.

(Image credit: Disney)

Runaway slave Rashta was fleeing the household of her sadistic owner, Viscount Lotteshu (Park Ho-san), when Sovieshu rescued her. Though she appears naive and helpless, Rashta

Lee Se-young, 33, has starred in acclaimed historical K-dramas since 2003, when she drew praise in Dae Jang Geum (also known as Jewel in the Palace) for her role as a child actress. Since then, she's appeared in The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop, A Korean Odyssey, The Crowned Clown, The Law Cafe, The Story of Park's Marriage Contract, and The Red Sleeve.

Lee Se-young's Instagram: @seyoung_10

Lee Jong-suk as Crown Prince Heinrey

A man in fictional military regalia (Lee Jong-suk as Prince Heinrey) holds a blue rose to his chest while standing in a ballroom, in Hulu's 'The Remarried Empress.'

(Image credit: Disney)

Crown Prince Heinrey of the Western Empire is a talented swordsman and known playboy. He also has the ability to transform into an enchanted bird, which he uses to strike up a flirtation with Navier. (She believes she's exchanging notes with the bird's anonymous owner.)

Lee Jong-suk, 37, worked as a model (and briefly trained as a K-pop idol) before his breakout roles in the dramas School 2013 and I Can Hear Your Voice. Since then, he has starred in hit shows like Doctor Stranger, Pinocchio, W, While You Were Sleeping, Romance Is a Bonus Book, and Law In the City. He was previously in a four-year relationship with fellow actress IU.

Lee Jong-suk's Instagram: @jongsuk0206

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Quinci LeGardye
Quinci LeGardye
Culture Writer

Quinci LeGardye is a Culture Writer at Marie Claire. She currently lives in her hometown of Los Angeles after periods living in NYC and Albuquerque, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in English and Psychology from The University of New Mexico. In 2021, she joined Marie Claire as a contributor, becoming a full-time writer for the brand in 2024. She contributes day-to-day-content covering television, movies, books, and pop culture in general. She has also written features, profiles, recaps, personal essays, and cultural criticism for outlets including Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, HuffPost, Teen Vogue, Vulture, The A.V. Club, Catapult, and others. When she isn't writing or checking Twitter way too often, you can find her watching the latest K-drama, or giving a concert performance in her car.