After the confirmation of Lee Jong-suk separation with singer-actress IU after four years, Lee Jong-suk has once again landed on the list of most seeked Korean actors in SE Asia. As fans mull over the emotional news, a lot of them also have moved their focus to his new fantasy romance drama The Remarried Empress.
The highly anticipated adaptation of the globally popular web novel and webtoon is expected to be one of Disney+’s biggest Korean releases of 2026. So, if you’ve been wondering where to stream the series in Southeast Asia, here is all you need to know.
Why Is The Remarried Empress Getting So Much Attention?
It is the one of the most successful fantasy romance stories in Korea that is adopted in the drama so it has been making headlines before the drama’s release. It had garnered millions of readers not just in Korea, but throughout the world as an original web novel, before getting released as an equally popular webtoon, which had expanded into the enormous market of international readers.
Since the personal news of writer Lee Jong-suk, interest has been even greater. When the official announcement from EDAM Entertainment and ACE FACTORY in IU and Lee Jong-suk relationship has finished, fans naturally increased interest in his work. This has led to a spike in search queries for The Remarried Empress all across the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.
Where to Watch The Remarried Empress in Southeast Asia?
The Remarried Empress is being sold everywhere else in Southeast Asia, except in Disney’s native Japan where it will be called The Remarried Empress in Japan.
The show is available to stream for the common Disney+ application for viewers in the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.
The drama will be available on Disney+ Hotstar, which is still under Hotstar’s brand in Indonesia, for viewers.
There is no word yet on whether the series will premiere at the same time on other streaming giants like Netflix or Viki, but it is likely that Disney will have the premier stream.
When Will The Remarried Empress Be Released?
The Remarried Empress will premiere in the second half of 2026, Disney has confirmed. The company hasn’t yet confirmed the exact date of the series, but it’s thought to be 10 episodes long.
More details of episodes on a weekly basis, and premier dates will probably be revealed nearer to launch.
Lee Jong-suk’s Role as Prince Henry
Lee Jong-suk plays Prince Henry, the popular son of the West Kingdom. Henry’s intelligence, kindness and dogged loyalty are well renowned. The story continues to unfold as he gradually becomes the emotional support for Empress Navier after she is highly publicized for her divorce from Emperor Sovieshu and eventually falls in love with him.
Henry, unlike a lot of traditional more-romantic heroes, displays royal style and a playful character, and has his own agenda of politics. Many readers of the original novel have long venerated him as one of the greatest male arguably male protagonists in fantasy romance.
A Star-Studded Cast and Reunion Behind the Camera
Featuring an outstanding ensemble of actors including Shin Min-a (as Empress Navier), the intelligent and beautiful ruler who will not be parted from her destiny after being betrayed.
The latter, Lee Se-young, as Rashta, the former slave who makes a difference in the empire, joins her. Cho Su-won is also the director of the drama, who previously collaborated with Lee Jong-suk on popular dramas such as Pinocchio and I Can Hear Your Voice. The fact that their characters are reuniting has already raised a lot of expectations from all those who have been watching Kdrama for so long.
How the IU Breakup Has Renewed Interest?
EDAM Entertainment and ACE FACTORY respectively on July 10 of 2026 officially announced IU and Lee Jong-suk had broken up after four years together. Both agencies said that the two agreed that they would be good co-workers in the future and work on their own careers.
The split is said to be based on hectic working hours. After shooting her successful drama Perfect Crown, IU has been working all out for the follow-up album and concert, while Lee Jong-suk has been in the heat of filming The Remarried Empress. While fans were sad to see the news, they still praised the stars and chose to go with them on a new path.
Why This Could Be One of Disney+’s Biggest Korean Dramas?
The, as always very Old-Fashioned, Fantasy romance adaptations are still very strong in Asia, and The Remarried Empress already has a bit of a cult following around the world, waiting for a live-action adaptation.
Shin Min-a’s popularity, Lee Jong-suk’s star power and the latter’s investment in Korean originals has all the makings of this series becoming one of the cornerstones of the year for Disney+. As it relates to viewers in southeast Asia, this could be one of the biggest events of the year to watch online.
FAQs
In which countries can I see The Remarried Empress in Southeast Asia?
The drama will be available on Disney+ for people in the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, with Disney+ Hotstar available to stream the drama for Indonesian viewers.
When will The Remarried Empress be released?
The show is set to air in the second half of 2026 officially, though the Disney company has not specified when the show will air.
What is the character Lee Jong-suk has in The Remarried Empress?
Lee Jong-suk plays a compassionate Prince Henry of the Western Kingdom, who is later to be Empress Navier’s ally and love interest.
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