The Remarried Empress has turned its first week into a record run, becoming the most-viewed local original premiere of all time on Disney+ and Hulu worldwide. The fantasy romance reached the mark on the strength of its first three days of viewing after its November 3 launch.
Disney announced the milestone as the series also ranked as the number one Korean title premiere in more than 50 global markets. The list includes the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany, Mexico, Chile, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
The record did not arrive quietly. Preview screenings at the Busan International Film Festival sold out ahead of the premiere, the series' payoff trailer pulled in 13 million views within its first 48 hours across YouTube and social platforms, and the original webtoon behind the adaptation has drawn nearly 3 billion views since its release.
Demand was strong enough to move the premiere itself. The Remarried Empress was originally scheduled to debut on November 4, but Disney+ brought the launch forward a day to November 3 as a thank-you to fans for their support.
Critics have matched the audience's enthusiasm. The Chosun Daily hailed the series as a "global triumph," while Collider called it "your next must-watch fantasy romance" — praise Disney highlighted in the same announcement that confirmed the record. For a local original to lead its platform's premieres across more than 50 markets at once, the rollout has become the clearest sign yet of how far a Korean title's opening reach now extends on Disney+ and Hulu.
The series follows Empress Navier of the Eastern Empire, whose marriage to Emperor Sovieshu fractures when he falls for Rashta, a runaway slave he is determined to win over. Refusing to surrender her dignity, Navier agrees to the divorce on one condition — that she be allowed to remarry Crown Prince Heinrey of the Western Kingdom — and sets out to reclaim her power.
Shin Min-a leads the cast as Navier, with Ju Ji-hoon as Sovieshu, Lee Jong-suk as Heinrey and Lee Se-young as Rashta. The series was adapted by writers Yeoh Geena and Hyun Choong-yeol and is directed by Cho Su-won.
Disney+ describes The Remarried Empress as follows:
Empress Navier is shocked when her husband seeks divorce to wed his mistress; refusing defeat, she allies with Prince Heinrey, risking all to reclaim her throne and outshine her ex amid palace intrigue and romance.
Four of the series' 10 episodes are streaming now, with two new episodes of The Remarried Empress arriving every Wednesday from November 11 through the finale on November 25. The series streams internationally on Disney+ and on Hulu in the United States, in Korean with English subtitles and with an English-dubbed version also available.
Source: Disney press release
