The Disney+ original series The Remarried Empress, set to be released next year, was embroiled in controversy as soon as it released still cuts that some say evoke Nazi medals.
On the 13th, Disney+ held the "Disney+ Original Preview 2025" event in Hong Kong and unveiled the first still cuts of The Remarried Empress, scheduled for release next year.
The released still cuts raised expectations for the upcoming The Remarried Empress by showing Shin Mina transformed into the Eastern Empire's perfect empress "Navier," Ju Jihoon as "Sovieshu," Lee Jong-seok as "Heinri," and Lee Se-young as "Rasta" wearing dresses and uniforms befitting a romance fantasy.
However, after the still cuts were released, internet users on social media and online communities raised objections to the still cut of the male lead Sovieshu (played by Ju Jihoon). The reason was that the medal attached to the uniform he was wearing resembled the German Nazi third-class long-service medal.
When comparing the two medal photos pointed out by netizens, the shape of the medal, the colors, and the use of a red ribbon were similar.
In the end, production company Studio N issued a statement to OSEN regarding the controversy over the costume prop, bowing and saying, "We sincerely apologize for causing discomfort due to the costume prop issue that has arisen this time."
In particular, the production company said, "The production team fully recognizes the seriousness of this matter, and we will carry out follow-up measures to prevent recurrence carefully and thoroughly."
Since the production company acknowledged negligence in prop inspection and apologized, the released still cuts will be replaced. However, it has not been decided whether the medal will be changed through editing or whether the prop will be changed and reshooting will begin.
Meanwhile, The Remarried Empress, which will be released on Disney+ next year, is a drama based on the popular web novel and webtoon of the same name that was greatly loved as a Korean-style "roman-fantasy".
The romance fantasy epic, one of next year's most anticipated works, centers on the Eastern Empire's perfect empress Navier (Shin Mina), who is informed of divorce by Emperor Sovieshu (Ju Jihoon), who has fallen for the runaway slave Rasta (Lee Se-young). Rather than accept it, she demands permission to remarry Prince Heinri (Lee Jong-seok) of the Western Kingdom.
[Photo] OSEN DB, provided by The Walt Disney Company Korea.
[OSEN]