Actor Lee Jong Suk showcases a unique character capable of shapeshifting into a bird in the Disney+ Original Series The Remarried Empress. The CG-rendered bird has sparked heated discussions among viewers due to its striking resemblance to Lee Jong Suk himself, leading to viral comments like, “He really turned into Lee ‘Bird’ Suk!”
In The Remarried Empress, released on November 3, Lee Jong Suk plays Prince Heinrey of the Western Kingdom, the first in line to the throne. Heinrey is a figure who draws immense attention for his captivating looks while harboring the special ability to shapeshift into a mysterious bird named “Queen.”
This unique character trait unexpectedly became a hot topic following the show’s premiere. Viewers quickly noticed that the bird’s appearance looked surprisingly similar to Lee Jong Suk himself, leaving comments such as: “Lee Jong Suk suits being a bird way too well,” and “The resemblance is absolutely insane!” Fans even coined clever nicknames combining his name with the word for bird, creating humorous buzz across social media.
In fact, the visual design of the bird intentionally incorporated Lee Jong Suk’s personal features. The production team explained that in order for viewers to naturally recognize the character even after Heinrey transforms into a bird, meticulous adjustments were made to his facial structure and overall aura.
Visual Effects (VFX) Director Kim Shin-chul shared, “We put a tremendous amount of effort into naturally embedding Lee Jong Suk’s unique charm into the visual design of the bird ‘Queen.’ Additionally, we carefully considered the harmony between peripheral elements such as Heinrey’s attire, hair color, and eye color to ensure the fantasy setting felt seamless, elevating the overall quality of the production.”
Lee Jong Suk himself actively participated in the CG creation process, exchanging ideas with the production team on multiple occasions.
At the press conference held on November 3 at the Conrad Seoul Hotel in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, he revealed, “The department head in charge mentioned that if I had any signature physical gestures, I could share them as references for production, so we had extensive discussions.”
Adapted from the hit web novel of the same name, The Remarried Empress is a romantic fantasy series. It follows Empress Navier (played by Shin Min Ah) of the Eastern Empire, who, after being served divorce papers by Emperor Sovieshu (Ju Ji Hoon), requests permission to remarry Prince Heinrey (Lee Jong Suk) of the Western Kingdom, setting off a compelling chain of events.
The Remarried Empress released Episodes 1 through 4 on November 3 and will continue to release two new episodes every Wednesday for a total of 10 episodes.
