REVIEW: The Remarried Empress

This review is about an ongoing webcomic, currently on hiatus as it awaits the release of Season 3.

The Remarried Empress is a webcomic available to read on WEBTOON in English and LINE Webtoon in Korean. It is an adaptation of the webnovel created by Alphatart and published by Naver. It follows the story of the Eastern Empire’s Empress Navier Ellie Trovi, of House Trovi, who married the Crown Prince-turned-Emperor Sovieshu. Navier and Sovieshu grew up together, and despite having a “marriage of convenience,” Navier grew up committed to being the perfect Empress for her husband and countrymen.

The webcomic opens up by teasing readers with what’s to come — Navier’s divorce and declaration of intent to remarry Prince Heinley. However, readers only get to enjoy this truly satisfying moment in Episode 80 after building an emotional connection with Navier and Heinley while growing to despise the two-faced Rashta and good-for-nothing Sovieshu.

Despite Navier being a flawless empress and a faithful spouse to Sovieshu, she finds herself hurt and disappointed when her husband brings home a runaway slave, Rashta, and declares her his mistress. Although she has an innocent face, Rashta is insufferable. At first, it seems she says things out of thoughtlessness or a lack of education, having grown up poor, including her insistence that she and Navier were now sisters because they shared a husband. However, as time goes on, what readers could pass off as Rastha’s ignorance grows into something more malicious as the mistress starts to covet everything that belongs to the empress — including her position.

Navier is committed to maintaining her position and doing it well. Unfortunately, Rashta’s manipulations drive a wedge between the foolish emperor and his wife, as he begins to not only falsely accuse Navier of things she didn’t do but also uses her name to make his mistress look good, in turn making her look like a fool. During these trying times, a mysterious bird named Queen appears in Navier’s hour of need. Whenever the empress needs consoling, Queen never fails to turn up. Around this time, she finds herself getting closer to Prince Heinley of the Western Kingdom and Grand Duke Kaufman from the Kingdom of Luipt, who accidentally falls in love with Navier after drinking a love potion he gifted her in hopes of helping her reconcile with her stupid husband. Thankfully, by the end of Season 1, Navier finds herself freed from her ungrateful spouse and married, at least in the eyes of God, to Heinley, who, unknown to her, genuinely loves and cherishes her.

Season 2 begins with Navier moving to the Western Kingdom with her new husband, now tasked with winning over the citizens of her new country — no small task for the divorced former empress of a rival nation. However, as expected of Navier, she doesn’t lean on her husband and instead rises to the occasion, using her knowledge and charm to win people over naturally. As Navier settles into her new home, her ex-husband begins to realize what he’s lost and that his new empress is not everything he believed her to be, in addition to being a fool.

While much of Season 2 focuses on Navier and Heinley, as well as Sovieshu’s life slowly falling apart, there are enough unresolved issues throughout the storyline to leave readers hanging onto the edge of their seats as they pound at their chests in pain, like Sovieshu, as they longingly await Season 3.

I began reading The Remarried Empress on a whim after stumbling upon it on WEBTOON, having seen people talk about the gorgeous art on Twitter. I cannot emphasize enough how thankful I gave it a chance because I’m obsessed. I started it sometime late at night and ended up staying up until around 5:30 am binging it — at the risk of angering my friend redbeancake and getting scolded. (#WorthIt)

While moments of frustration make you want to snap your phone in half, the satisfaction of watching karma unfold makes any upset or discomfort readers felt on behalf of Navier worth it. Additionally, Navier is a strong and intelligent woman who knows better than to fall victim to the antagonizing of her enemies. Instead, she remains steadfast in herself and her morals, which is admirable no matter which walks of life you come from.

I’m obsessed with The Remarried Empress, and I think you will be too! Although, if you’re impatient like me, you may want to start reading after Season 3 begins!

Source: WEBTOON