Hey, everyone! How’s it going? Today I’m here to review the drama The Last Empress, which delivers an absolutely wild ride through palace politics, murder mysteries, and one woman’s transformation from naive musical actress to cunning royal survivor in an alternate reality where Korea still has an emperor.
The Last Empress aired on SBS from November 21, 2018, to February 21, 2019, with 52 episodes running approximately 35 minutes each on Wednesday and Thursday nights at 22:00 KST. Originally planned for 48 episodes, the series was extended to 52 due to its explosive popularity and high viewership ratings. Set in an alternate universe where Korea maintains a constitutional monarchy in 2018, this palace thriller combines elements of political intrigue, murder mystery, and revenge drama to create one of the most addictive and over-the-top K-dramas in recent memory.
What sets The Last Empress apart is its fearless commitment to melodramatic excess while maintaining genuine emotional stakes. The series doesn’t shy away from outrageous plot twists, scheming characters, and palace intrigue that would make even the most seasoned soap opera writers blush. This unapologetic embrace of melodrama, combined with stellar performances and gorgeous production design, creates a viewing experience that’s impossible to look away from.
From Stage to Palace: A Commoner’s Dangerous Ascent
Oh Sunny is a bright and cheerful musical actress who has harbored a crush on Emperor Lee Hyuk for years, never imagining she would actually meet him in person. When the Emperor attends one of her performances, what seems like a fairy tale romance quickly reveals itself as a carefully orchestrated scheme by the Empress Dowager to deflect attention from the Emperor’s secret affair with ambitious royal secretary Min Yoo-ra.
The series excels at showing how quickly dreams can become nightmares when power and corruption are involved. Sunny’s journey from starry-eyed commoner to palace survivor isn’t just about adapting to royal life – it’s about learning to navigate a world where everyone has hidden agendas and every gesture could be a matter of life or death. Her transformation becomes the emotional anchor that keeps viewers invested despite the increasingly outrageous plot developments.
Oh Sunny: The Unlikely Empress Who Refuses to Break
Jang Na-ra delivers a powerhouse performance as Oh Sunny, showcasing incredible range as she evolves from innocent musical actress to formidable palace politician. Her portrayal balances Sunny’s genuine warmth and optimism with the steel determination that emerges when she realizes the true nature of the royal family she’s married into.
What makes Sunny so compelling is her refusal to become cynical despite experiencing betrayal after betrayal. Jang Na-ra masterfully conveys how Sunny learns to play the palace game while maintaining her moral compass, using her perceived naivety as both shield and weapon. Her character’s evolution from victim to victor becomes increasingly satisfying as she outmaneuvers enemies who consistently underestimate her intelligence and resilience.
Emperor Lee Hyuk: The Tyrant Hiding Behind Royal Charm
Shin Sung-rok delivers a chilling performance as Emperor Lee Hyuk, creating a character who embodies the worst aspects of absolute power combined with personal cruelty. His portrayal of the seemingly charming but fundamentally ruthless emperor makes every scene crackling with tension, especially as Sunny slowly discovers the true nature of the man she married.
The brilliance of Lee Hyuk’s character lies in how the series gradually reveals his capacity for violence and manipulation. Shin Sung-rok masterfully shifts between public charm and private menace, creating a villain who feels genuinely dangerous because his power is both absolute and completely unrestrained by conscience or empathy.
Palace Secrets Explode: When Murder Threatens the Monarchy
The series reaches its most explosive moments when a murder within the palace walls threatens to expose the royal family’s darkest secrets. As Sunny investigates the crime while trying to protect herself and those she cares about, the palace becomes a battlefield where every conversation could be a trap and every ally might be an enemy in disguise.
What makes these revelations so satisfying is how the series builds layer upon layer of conspiracy and corruption, making each new discovery feel both shocking and inevitable. The murder investigation becomes the catalyst for exposing decades of royal family dysfunction, giving Sunny the ammunition she needs to fight back against those who see her as disposable.
Success on SBS
The Last Empress became a phenomenon on SBS, consistently ranking as one of the most-watched dramas during its run and generating massive social media engagement. The series proved that viewers were hungry for unapologetically melodramatic content that didn’t apologize for its excess. Critics and audiences praised Jang Na-ra’s committed performance and the series’ gorgeous production values, while the daily format allowed for intricate plotting and character development that kept viewers coming back night after night for more palace intrigue.
A Melodramatic Masterpiece That Embraces Its Own Madness
If you love palace dramas with scheming royals and dramatic plot twists, The Last Empress is the perfect series to binge on Netflix, Viki, and various streaming platforms. The show delivers both guilty pleasure entertainment and genuine emotional investment, creating a viewing experience that’s both ridiculous and riveting.
Why This Royal Revenge Tale Deserves Your Crown
The Last Empress succeeds because it fully commits to its melodramatic premise while never losing sight of its central message about the corrupting nature of absolute power. The series proves that sometimes the most satisfying television comes from embracing excess rather than restraining it, making it essential viewing for anyone who appreciates fearless storytelling.
Series Details
Number of Episodes: 52 episodes
Platform: SBS, Netflix, Viki, OnDemandKorea, Kocowa
Release/End Year: 2018-2019 (November 21, 2018 – February 21, 2019)
Current IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Romance, Palace Politics
Type of Production: K-drama (South Korean daily palace drama)
Status: Completed
Protagonists: Jang Na-ra (Oh Sunny), Choi Jin-hyuk (Na Wang-sik)
Antagonists: Shin Sung-rok (Emperor Lee Hyuk), Shin Eun-kyung (Empress Dowager Kang), Lee Elijah (Min Yoo-ra)