Disney+ and Hulu have a new local original benchmark. Korean fantasy romance The Remarried Empress delivered the biggest premiere ever for a local original on the two platforms worldwide, based on viewing across the three days after its Nov. 3 launch.
The series is also the No. 1 Korean title premiere in more than 50 markets, including the U.S., U.K., Canada, Mexico, Chile, France, Spain, Germany, Australia and New Zealand. Disney+ moved the bow up from Nov. 4 by one day and described it as a gesture of gratitude to the series’ fanbase.
What’s on screen
Adapted from the Naver Webtoon of the same name, the story follows Empress Navier after Emperor Sovieshu falls for another woman. Navier agrees to end the marriage on one condition: she can wed Heinrey, crown prince of a rival kingdom, and take back her power. Shin Mina, Ju Jihoon, Lee Jongsuk and Lee Seyoung star, with Cho Suwon directing.
The launch came with demand already showing:
- Record first three days: biggest local original premiere ever on Disney+ and Hulu.
- No. 1 Korean title premiere in more than 50 markets.
- Payoff trailer: 13 million views in 48 hours across YouTube and social platforms.
- Source webtoon: close to 3 billion views since it first appeared.
Why the record matters
Disney has been using local originals to deepen engagement in specific markets and then exporting the breakouts. A Korean title leading launches this broadly across the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific signals that the audience is not limited to Korean-language households—it is travelling as a mainstream global release.
The pre-launch indicators show why. The webtoon had built close to 3 billion views, and the payoff trailer added 13 million more in two days. Disney+ didn’t have to create demand from zero; it had to convert an existing fandom into opening-week viewing.
What to watch next
The release schedule stretches the campaign beyond the premiere. The first four episodes are streaming now, two more arrive each Wednesday starting Nov. 11, and the finale lands Nov. 25. In the U.S., Hulu programming sits inside the Disney+ app for bundle subscribers, so the show gives Disney another reason to push bundle usage through the end of November.
For media planners, the practical takeaway is to treat long-running webtoon franchises as a measurable audience base before a premiere—not just a buzz metric after one.
Source: Variety
