How Disney+'s 'The Remarried Empress' wins over Gen Z, global viewers

The Korea Times - Nov 10, 2026

Disney+’s new Korean original series "The Remarried Empress" features Korean actors addressing one another with Western names while navigating a fictional European-style empire in elaborate gowns and military uniforms. When the initial teaser trailers were released, some viewers expressed skepticism, comparing the visual aesthetic to a cosplay convention. However, upon its official premiere on Nov. 3, the series completely shattered expectations. Within just three days of release, the drama officially became the most-watched Disney+ local original series of all time worldwide, based on cumulative global views. Audience feedback across global fan platforms has mirrored this enthusiasm. Viewers who binged the first four episodes highlighted its "slow, subtle, addictive royal drama vibe." Fans on Reddit praised the adaptation as "visually stunning" with a "fairytale-like feel," admitting that while anyone expecting a literal live-action translation of the webtoon might be surprised, it remains deeply rewarding as a "K-drama in its own right." Ultimately, audiences voiced genuine appreci

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Korea, US hold combined air resupply exercise for wartime readiness

Korea, US hold combined air resupply exercise for wartime readiness

Korea and the United States conducted Tuesday a combined aerial resupply exercise aimed at bolstering their capabilities for rapid airborne logistics supply in wartime scenarios, the allies' combined forces said. The exercise, led by the Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC), is designed to maintain rapid aerial sustainment capabilities using combined air transport assets when ground resupply routes are compromised during wartime, the CFC said in a release. The latest drills focused on air-drop operations delivering both heavy loads and light supplies. In particular, forces practiced cross-aerial resupply of military hardware and equipment around the clock and from varying altitudes of more than 3,000 meters, the CFC said. The exercise enhanced the survivability of transport aircraft during wartime and improved the retrieval rate of air-dropped supplies by ground units, it added. The drills brought together their key military units, including the Army Special Warfare Command, the 1st Logistics Support Command, and the Air Force Air Mobility and Reconnaissance Command from the Korean s

Top diplomats of Korea, France discuss ties, Ukraine war

Top diplomats of Korea, France discuss ties, Ukraine war

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has met his French counterpart in Paris and discussed bilateral ties and international issues, including the war in Ukraine, Seoul's foreign ministry said Tuesday. Cho held talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Monday (local time) on the sidelines of a Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers' meeting, according to the ministry. The two reviewed relations that were elevated to a "strategic partnership" this year, the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties, and agreed to expand practical and mutually beneficial cooperation in high-tech industries and other areas. Cho asked France to continue its support for and interest in Korean companies doing business in Europe. The G7 ministerial meeting, the second this year, is taking place Monday and Tuesday in Marseille, southern France. It is expected to address key global challenges, including artificial intelligence (AI) and developments in the Middle East, following the G7 leaders' summit in June, according to the ministry. Also on the margins of the G7 gathering, Cho met bilaterally with Saudi Foreign Minis

N. Korea's Kim stresses importance of agriculture, vows to improve rural life

N. Korea's Kim stresses importance of agriculture, vows to improve rural life

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has emphasized the importance of agriculture and pledged to improve living standards in rural areas, state media said Tuesday. Kim spoke on Monday during a photo session with participants in the 10th Congress of the Union of Agricultural Workers of Korea (UAWK), the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. He praised the workers for boosting grain production and stressed the party "remains unshakable in its plan and decision to make the faithful agricultural workers enjoy the benefits of ideal society, highly civilized and prosperous, earlier than anyone else." He also called on the union to "play the role of the ideological agitator and vanguard that accelerates the rural development," describing it as the union's "primary duty." The congress, held in Pyongyang from Friday to Saturday, marked the union's 80th founding anniversary, and took place in the first year of implementing the policy direction set at the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPA) in February. The UAWK is one of North Korea's four major workers' unions, alongside the Gener

From NYC to Tokyo: aespa, RIIZE lead Seoul's international tourism push

From NYC to Tokyo: aespa, RIIZE lead Seoul's international tourism push

Seoul is taking its tourism pitch to some of the world's busiest streets, with K-pop stars leading an international advertising campaign spanning seven cities, including New York, Tokyo and Bangkok. The Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Tourism Organization said they are rolling out large-scale outdoor advertisements for their global campaign, "Absolutely in Seoul," featuring Karina and Winter of girl group aespa, along with boy band RIIZE, at prominent commercial and tourist destinations overseas. Built around the concept of "Seoul Syndrome," the campaign presents Seoul as a place where ordinary experiences become extraordinary, capturing the lasting impression the city leaves on visitors and their desire to return. New York's Times Square is the centerpiece of the international push, with campaign videos running on large outdoor screens through Nov. 29, reaching tourists and local residents in one of the world's busiest commercial districts. In Tokyo, advertisements are appearing around Shibuya Scramble through Nov. 20, while Bangkok began displaying the campaign Nov. 1, with scr

Stray Kids take 'Run It' tour global with 25 new dates in Japan, North America, Europe

Stray Kids take 'Run It' tour global with 25 new dates in Japan, North America, Europe

K-pop boy band Stray Kids will play 25 more shows in 23 cities across Japan, North America and Europe next year, extending its “Run It” world tour to 46 shows in 31 cities, the group’s agency JYP Entertainment said Tuesday. The eight-member group announced the new dates Monday on its social media channels and released a new tour poster. The new leg opens with two shows each in Yokohama on April 24 and 25 and Osaka on May 4 and 5. Stray Kids will then play 14 North American dates from May 16 to June 29. The stops are in Seattle; Vancouver, Canada; Santa Clara, San Diego and Los Angeles in California; Arlington and Houston in Texas; Atlanta; Miami and Orlando in Florida; Chicago; Baltimore; Toronto; and East Rutherford, New Jersey, near New York City. The European run goes from July 9 to 31, with shows in Paris, London, Munich, Vienna, Barcelona, Arnhem in the Netherlands and Milan. All dates are local time. The agency said many of the shows will be solo concerts at major stadiums. Stray Kids launched the tour with five sold-out concerts in July and August at KSPO Dome, an indoor arena

TXT to turn Lotte World into 'Magic Land' for 1,000 fans

TXT to turn Lotte World into 'Magic Land' for 1,000 fans

K-pop group TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT) is taking over Seoul’s Lotte World Adventure later this month, shutting down the theme park to host an exclusive comeback celebration for 1,000 fans. The five-member group announced Monday that it will host “TOMORROW X TOGETHER in MAGIC LAND” on Nov. 30 to celebrate the release of its ninth mini album, “PERFECT STORM.” The event will welcome members of MOA, the group's official fandom, to Lotte World Adventure in Jamsil, southeastern Seoul, for a two-part program combining live music and theme park attractions. Part one will feature a performance by TXT, while part two will give participants access to the indoor amusement park facilities. Adding to the occasion, all five members will take on roles as theme park cast members, allowing them to interact more closely with fans and share the experience. Fans unable to attend in person will also be able to watch the first-part performance through livestreams on the group's official YouTube channel and Weverse, its global fan community platform. The event announcement was released at 5:53 p.m. Monda

Students from 30 countries gather in Seoul to learn Korean language and culture

Students from 30 countries gather in Seoul to learn Korean language and culture

Ninety-two students and teachers from 30 countries wrapped up a five-day immersive camp hosted by the Ministry of Education. A group of 92 secondary school students and teachers from 30 countries completed a five-day immersive journey into Korean language and culture, concluding a nationwide youth camp organized by the Ministry of Education. To mark the end of the 2026 International Korean Education Youth Camp, the ministry and the International Korean Education Foundation held a celebratory ceremony Tuesday evening at Sarangjae, a traditional guest house on the National Assembly grounds in Seoul. Running from Friday to Tuesday across Seoul and Incheon, the camp brought together students enrolled in Korean language classes at their home schools. This year’s cohort welcomed its first-ever participant from Mexico, alongside students from Malaysia and Uzbekistan who were recently featured in a KBS documentary aired on Hangeul Day, the Oct. 9 national holiday celebrating the Korean alphabet. During the program, participants engaged in level-tailored Korean lessons leveraging artificial int

Seoul plant hospital admits 10,000 potted patients since 2023 opening

Seoul plant hospital admits 10,000 potted patients since 2023 opening

A city-run hospital for houseplants? Welcome to modern Seoul. Seoul’s dedicated emergency room for sickly flora has administered 10,886 diagnoses, treatments and house-call consultations since opening its doors in 2023, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday. Nestled inside the Seoul Agricultural Technology Center in Seocho District, the Companion Plant Hospital functions like a full-scale medical center for dramatic greenery. Resident plant doctors diagnose bug infestations and mysterious wilting, prescribing everything from targeted pesticides to emergency repotting. Plants needing intensive care can even be admitted for up to three months of inpatient recovery, while anxious plant parents leave with tailored home-care prescriptions. The hospital often handles high-stakes, emotional cases. In one instance, a resident rushed in a wilting Chinese money tree — the final gift from their late mother. The facility immediately admitted the botanical heirloom into critical care, nursing it back to life. In another success story, a Rhaphidophora tetrasperma — the trendy "mini monst

Army temporarily grounds Apache helicopters amid US inspection for possible defect

Army temporarily grounds Apache helicopters amid US inspection for possible defect

The Korean Army has temporarily grounded its Apache military helicopters as U.S. authorities began inspections on the fleet over a possible malfunction of their transmission system, an Army official said Tuesday. The grounding of the AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters has been in place since early October, after the Army received a safety advisory from the U.S. military regarding the transmission component, Army spokesperson Capt. Bae Seok-jin said in a press briefing. "As a safety precaution, the Army temporarily grounded the fleet in early October (for the U.S. side) to conduct technical inspections in phases," Bae said. "Operations will resume sequentially based on the inspection results." While routine training flights are paused during the grounding, the helicopters usually stand ready for an immediate operational launch in the event of a contingency. "There are currently no issues with our readiness or operational posture," the Army spokesperson added. Manufactured by Boeing, the Apache helicopters serve as a key asset for air-to-ground defense for the Korean military, which

Special counsel suspects NEC forged vote tally sheet in Gyeonggi education chief election

Special counsel suspects NEC forged vote tally sheet in Gyeonggi education chief election

A special counsel team said Tuesday it suspects a National Election Commission (NEC) employee concealed and forged a vote tally sheet during the election for education superintendent of Gyeonggi Province in June. Investigators were sent to the Gyeonggi provincial election commission and the election commission in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, earlier in the day to execute a search and seizure warrant and verify the suspicions, according to the team led by independent counsel Lee Tae-han. The team suspects the employee of the Gwangju election commission concealed and forged the vote tally sheet, which the local commission sought to cover up, leading to an incorrect final tally. Lee's team has been investigating various suspected irregularities involving the NEC after it was launched in early September to look mainly into what led to the unprecedented ballot shortages in June's nationwide local elections.

Top court schedules another deliberation for ex-PM's martial law trial, raising likelihood of release

Top court schedules another deliberation for ex-PM's martial law trial, raising likelihood of release

The Supreme Court on Tuesday scheduled another deliberation session on former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's appeal on insurrection charges, raising the likelihood of his release when his detention period runs out next week. The top court said it would hold the second deliberation round on Han's appeal on Nov. 19, a day before his six-month detention period expires over his role in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law bid. Given the schedule, Han, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison by an appellate court, is likely to be released when his detention period runs out as it can no longer be extended. Supreme Court proceedings for Han's appeal have been drawn out after the court referred the case to its full bench in August, citing the public's high interest and its historical importance. A Seoul district court sentenced Han to a 23-year prison term in January after convicting him of multiple charges, including playing a key role in an insurrection under Yoon's short-lived declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. An appeals court reduced his sentence to 15 years in May aft

PPP urges Lee to veto special counsel bill on alleged fabricated indictments

PPP urges Lee to veto special counsel bill on alleged fabricated indictments

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Tuesday called on President Lee Jae Myung to veto a recently passed bill on a special counsel investigation into alleged fabricated indictments targeting Lee and others. The PPP made the appeal as they held a general meeting of its lawmakers outside the presidential office, slamming the bill as a measure aimed at canceling all indictments against Lee. "The special counsel bill marks the final step in a project to free Lee Jae Myung from prison," PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok said. "It is a jailbreak bill designed to get Lee, who should be behind bars, out of jail." The legislation calls for appointing an independent counsel to investigate suspicions the prosecution under former President Yoon Suk Yeol fabricated evidence or induced false testimonies to build cases against then opposition leader Lee and others. "We must resume all trials and make Lee face the judiciary's judgment before his crimes are wiped away," Jang added. Rep. Jeong Jeom-sig, the party's floor leader, also warned, "The project to free Lee from prison will only lead to an ear

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