Ju Ji Hoon’s appearance in Disney Plus’ new fantasy romance series The Remarried Empress has sparked an unexpected online debate, with some viewers questioning his noticeably darker complexion and tired-looking appearance as Emperor Sovieshu.
The series premiered its first four episodes on November 3rd, introducing the central characters played by Shin Mina, Ju Ji Hoon, Lee Se Young and Lee Jong Suk.
Following the premiere, online discussions emerged comparing Ju’s appearance with those of his co-stars, with some viewers commenting that his darker skin tone stood out against the show’s lavish imperial setting.
“He looks like he just came from a night of heavy drinking and is looking for something to cure his hangover,” one viewer joked. Others wrote, “He looks unhealthy,” and “Someone get him a reflector. He’s the freaking emperor.”
Another viewer joked that Sovieshu looked ready to pull out a microphone and start singing trot music. Some also questioned whether Ju appeared older than the character depicted in the original webtoon.
Based on the popular web novel and webtoon of the same name, The Remarried Empress follows Navier (Shin Mina), the empress of the Eastern Empire, whose husband, Emperor Sovieshu (Ju Ji Hoon), demands a divorce after falling for runaway slave Rashta (Lee Se Young). Rather than contest the divorce, Navier agrees on the condition that she be allowed to marry Prince Heinrey (Lee Jong Suk) of the Western Kingdom.
At a press conference ahead of the premiere, Ju acknowledged that Sovieshu is a character widely disliked by readers of the original story and said he was prepared for the backlash.
“If watching me gets your blood boiling or gives you a way to vent your frustrations and feel better about your own life, then I’ll be satisfied as an actor,” he said. “You’ll find it even more satisfying as the story progresses.”
“After more than 20 years in the industry, I’ve seen hundreds of thousands of comments. I’m mentally prepared. As long as people enjoy the show, I’m fine with whatever they say,” he added.
>>Shin Mina Reveals She Couldn’t Stop Laughing at Ju Ji Hoon’s Outfits in ‘The Remarried Empress’
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