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Studio N Apologizes After The Remarried Empress Live-Action Series' Costume Prop Causes Controversy
posted on by Wonhee Cho
The upcoming Disney+ original series based on The Remarried Empress webtoon, set for release in the second half of 2026, became embroiled in controversy immediately after releasing its first stills.
Disney+ unveiled the images on November 13 during its “Disney+ Originals Preview 2025” event in Hong Kong. The stills featured Min-a Shin as Empress Navier, along with Ji-hoon Ju as Sovieshu, Jong-suk Lee as Heinrey, and Se-young Lee as Rashta, all dressed in fantasy-style imperial costumes that matched the tone of the romance drama.
However, shortly after the release, users on social media and online communities raised concerns over Ju's costume (pictured above). Viewers pointed out that a medal attached to his uniform resembled the Nazi German Long Service Award, citing similarities in the medal's shape, color, and red ribbon.
In response to the growing controversy, production company Studio N, a subsidiary of Naver Webtoon, apologized.
“We sincerely apologize for the discomfort caused by the costume prop in question,” the company said in the statement delivered to Korean entertainment media OSEN, adding that the production team “recognizes the seriousness of the matter and will take careful and thorough follow-up measures to prevent recurrence.”
Disney+ Korea's social media posts featuring the still have been deleted.
The Remarried Empress revolves around Navier, the perfect Empress of the Eastern Empire, who chooses divorce after discovering that her husband, Emperor Sovieshu, plans to replace her with his mistress. Determined to reclaim her status, Navier resolves to become an Empress in another land.
The webtoon has over 2.6 billion global views and has been translated into 10 languages. The series has a strong international following, particularly in Japan.
The English version of the The Remarried Empress webtoon is available on WEBTOON. Ize Press is releasing the series in print.
Source: OSEN (Chae-yeon Kim)
