Lee Jong Suk is receiving praise for his stylish prince outfits in Disney+'s The Remarried Empress, and the actor has revealed that singer Lim Young Woong's concert wardrobe played a surprising role in creating his character's look.
On November 3, Lee Jong Suk appeared on the YouTube variety show Salon Drip, where he shared behind-the-scenes stories about playing Prince Heinrey of the Western Kingdom in the fantasy romance series.
During the conversation, host Jang Do Yeon asked whether he had become comfortable being called a prince.
Lee Jong Suk replied, "I've become quite used to being called a prince. Maybe it's because I got used to it while filming, but I wanted to express beauty through accessories."
He explained that he initially worried about whether wearing earrings would be appropriate for a television drama. However, as filming continued, he became increasingly interested in adding more accessories.
"For scenes where I wanted to do more, I ended up wearing two necklaces and three earrings. I even asked the staff to stop me if I went too far," he shared.
The actor then revealed an unexpected source of inspiration for his costumes.
"I was watching Lim Young Woong's concert, and when I saw his outfits, I thought that changing the designs a little could make them work well for our drama," Lee Jong Suk explained.
Rather than simply suggesting the idea, he personally searched Pinterest for design references and found a costume production company to help create the outfits.
The company he worked with is reportedly known for making stage costumes for several K-pop idols.
Lee Jong Suk explained that beauty was one of the main ideas behind his character's appearance, making the costumes and accessories especially important.
He also recalled a memorable scene in which he wore an all-white suit and cape while riding a horse to meet Empress Navier, played by Shin Min Ah.
"I looked at myself riding in with the white cape flowing and thought, 'Is this really okay?' I looked so much like a prince," he said with a laugh.
The actor admitted that finding the right visual style was challenging because there were few Korean productions he could use as references for the romance fantasy genre.
"If this genre becomes established, our drama could become a reference point, so I felt a lot of pressure," he explained.
Following his comments, Korean online users praised his attention to detail, with reactions including *"No wonder the outfits looked so beautiful,"* "He found great references," and "You could really notice the difference in the details."
Meanwhile, The Remarried Empress stars Shin Min Ah, Lee Jong Suk, Ju Ji Hoon, and Lee Se Young. The Disney+ fantasy romance follows Empress Navier as she faces a major turning point in her marriage and royal life.
Lee Jong Suk's revelation has drawn additional attention to Prince Heinrey's elaborate costumes, showing how inspiration from Lim Young Woong's concert fashion helped shape the character's distinctive appearance.
