From prince to emperor: Ju Ji-hoon's appearance in 'The Remarried Empress' sparks debate

Ju Ji-hoon has returned to a royal role as Emperor Sovieshu in Disney+’s The Remarried Empress, which premiered on Nov. 3. Some viewers criticized his complexion and styling, while others praised his charisma and portrayal of the emperor’s arrogance and complicated emotions. The discussion has revived comparisons with his 2006 role as Crown Prince Lee Shin in Princess Hours. Viewers have also noted that the characters and productions differ, making appearance-based comparisons potentially unfair.

The Remarried Empress is based on a Korean web novel and webtoon of the same name.

Ju played Crown Prince Lee Shin opposite Yoon Eun-hye in the 2006 MBC drama Princess Hours.

The article notes that makeup, lighting and color grading can affect an actor’s on-screen appearance, so the drama’s visuals do not establish Ju’s actual health.

The article says elaborate costumes, hairstyles and makeup in romance-fantasy productions can make casting and styling sensitive issues among fans of the original works.

Published Nov 5, 2026 3:06 pm KST

Updated Nov 5, 2026 4:13 pm KST

Ju Ji-hoon / Xportsnews, captured from Disney+

Nearly 20 years after winning hearts as a young crown prince in the hit Korean drama "Princess Hours," actor Ju Ji-hoon has returned to a royal role in Disney+'s "The Remarried Empress." But his transformation into an emperor is drawing mixed reactions, with some viewers questioning his on-screen appearance and styling while others praise his commanding performance.

"The Remarried Empress," which premiered on Disney+ on Nov. 3, is based on the popular Korean web novel and webtoon of the same name. The adaptation had attracted considerable attention from fans of the original story even before its release.

Following the premiere, Ju's appearance as Sovieshu, the emperor of the Eastern Empire, quickly became a talking point among viewers.

Some expressed disappointment with how his complexion appeared on screen, saying he looked unusually tired. Others said his face appeared noticeably duller and more sallow than those of his fellow cast members.

However, an actor's appearance on screen can be influenced by makeup, lighting and color grading, making it inappropriate to draw conclusions about Ju's actual health from his appearance in the drama.

Ju Ji-hoon / Captured from Disney+

"Someone please give Ju Ji-hoon a reflector, too," one online commenter said, referring to the lighting equipment used to brighten actors' faces.

"His complexion looks even darker than his natural skin tone," another said.

Other reactions included, "He looks much older than the other actors," and "His styling is different from how I imagined Sovieshu."

Ju Ji-hoon, right, while filming "Princess Hours" / Courtesy of MBC

Comparisons with 'Princess Hours' adds to the buzz

The discussion has also revived memories of Ju's breakout role in the 2006 MBC drama "Princess Hours."

In the romantic comedy, Ju played Crown Prince Lee Shin opposite Yoon Eun-hye as his love interest. His youthful appearance and on-screen chemistry with Yoon helped propel him to stardom, making the series one of the defining Korean romantic dramas of its era.

His return to a royal setting nearly two decades later has naturally invited comparisons between the two characters.

While Ju portrayed a young, sharp-featured crown prince in "Princess Hours," he now plays Sovieshu as a more imposing and authoritative emperor in "The Remarried Empress."

Some viewers have said that the contrasting personalities of the two characters, along with the different atmospheres of the productions, make direct comparisons based solely on appearance unfair.

Despite criticism of his styling, Ju has also received positive responses for his charisma and assured acting.

Viewers have praised his portrayal of Sovieshu's arrogance and complicated emotions, saying his performance gives the character weight and helps anchor the drama.

Others have suggested that the elaborate costumes, hairstyles and makeup associated with traditional romance fantasy productions may feel unfamiliar to Korean audiences, as the genre has been relatively uncommon in domestic television dramas.

Such productions often rely heavily on visually elaborate world-building, which can make casting choices and character styling particularly sensitive issues among fans of the original works.

For Ju, the role marks another chapter in a career that began with his memorable portrayal of a crown prince and has now brought him back as an emperor.

As "The Remarried Empress" continues its run, attention is turning to whether his performance can move the conversation beyond the early debate over his appearance and convince viewers of his interpretation of Sovieshu.

This article from Xportsnews was adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.

朱智勋在Disney+新剧《再婚皇后》中再次出演皇室角色，饰演苏维舒皇帝，该剧于11月3日首播。一些观众批评了他的肤色和造型，而另一些观众则称赞他魅力十足，将皇帝的傲慢和复杂情感演绎得淋漓尽致。这场讨论再次引发了人们对他2006年在电视剧《宫》中饰演的李信世子的比较。观众也指出，这两个角色和制作风格不同，仅凭外貌进行比较可能并不公平。

《再婚皇后》改编自同名韩国网络小说和漫画。

朱浩伟在2006年MBC电视剧《宫》中饰演世子李信，与尹恩惠搭档。

文章指出，化妆、灯光和调色会影响演员在屏幕上的形象，因此该剧的画面并不能反映朱的真实健康状况。

文章指出，浪漫奇幻作品中精心设计的服装、发型和妆容，可能会使选角和造型成为原著粉丝关注的敏感问题。

发布于2026年11月5日下午3:06（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年11月5日下午4:13（韩国标准时间）

Ju Ji-hoon / Xportsnews，取自 Disney+

近20年前，朱智勋凭借在热门韩剧《宫》中饰演年轻的皇太子而俘获了无数观众的心。如今，他再次出演皇室角色，参演Disney+新剧《再婚皇后》。然而，他变身皇帝的形象却引发了褒贬不一的评价。一些观众质疑他的荧幕形象和造型，而另一些观众则称赞他气场强大的演技。

《再婚皇后》于11月3日在Disney+首播，改编自同名热门韩国网络小说和漫画。这部改编剧在播出前就已吸引了原著粉丝的广泛关注。

首播之后，朱浩伟饰演的东帝国皇帝索维舒一角迅速成为观众热议的话题。

一些人对他在荧幕上的气色表示失望，说他看起来异常疲惫。另一些人则表示，他的脸色明显比其他演员暗淡蜡黄。

然而，演员在荧幕上的外貌会受到化妆、灯光和色彩调整的影响，因此根据朱在剧中的外貌来推断他的真实健康状况是不合适的。

朱智勋 / 取自 Disney+

一位网友评论道：“也请给朱智勋一块反光板吧”，指的是用来提亮演员面部的照明设备。

“他的肤色看起来比他原本的肤色还要深，”另一位网友说道。

其他评论包括：“他看起来比其他演员老得多”，以及“他的造型与我想象中的索维舒不太一样”。

朱智勋（右）在拍摄《宫》期间 / 图片由MBC提供

与《公主时刻》的比较更增添了热度。

这场讨论也唤起了人们对朱智媛在 2006 年 MBC 电视剧《宫》中一举成名的角色的回忆。

在这部浪漫喜剧中，朱浩伟饰演世子李信，尹恩惠饰演他的恋人。他青春靓丽的外形和与尹恩惠的荧幕情侣形象，使他迅速走红，也让这部剧成为当时最具代表性的韩国浪漫爱情剧之一。

时隔近二十年，他重返皇室，自然而然地引发了人们对这两个角色的比较。

儒家在《宫》中饰演年轻英俊的太子，而在《再婚皇后》中，他饰演的索维舒是一位更加威严专横的皇帝。

一些观众表示，这两个角色截然不同的性格，以及作品氛围的差异，使得仅仅根据外表进行直接比较是不公平的。

尽管朱浩伟的造型受到批评，但他的个人魅力和沉稳的演技也获得了积极的评价。

观众称赞他演绎了索维舒的傲慢和复杂的情感，表示他的表演赋予了角色分量，并有助于剧情的连贯性。

另一些人则认为，传统浪漫奇幻剧中精致的服装、发型和妆容可能会让韩国观众感到陌生，因为这种类型在韩国国内电视剧中相对少见。

此类作品往往非常注重视觉上的精细世界构建，这使得选角和角色造型对于原作粉丝来说成为特别敏感的问题。

对朱浩伟来说，这个角色标志着他演艺生涯的又一个篇章，他最初以令人难忘的皇太子形象开始演艺生涯，如今又以皇帝的身份回归。

随着《再婚皇后》的继续上映，人们的注意力转向了他的表演能否将讨论从早期关于他外貌的争论转移到让观众信服他对索维舒的诠释上。

本文原载于 Xportsnews，经人工智能生成系统改编，并由《韩国时报》编辑。