The BEST episodes of The Last Empress
Every episode of The Last Empress ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Last Empress!
Oh Ssu-Ni is a musical actress with a bright personality. Suddenly, she marries Emperor Lee Hyuk. There, Oh Ssu-Ni goes up against absolute power of the palace and fights against the power. Meanwhile, she falls in love with Na Wang-Sik who is a bodyguard of the imperial family. Na Wang-Sik came to the palace to take revenge on the person responsible for his mother’s death. Due to death of Emperor Lee Hyuk’s grandmother, Oh Ssu-Ni breaks down the royal family with the help of Na Wang-Sik and finds true love.
#1 - The Prime Minister Loses His Edge
Season 1 - Episode 40 - Aired 1/30/2019
To ensure the promise of Princess Ari becoming the empress regnant, Kang Hee gives her recorded testimony of seeing Emperor Lee Hyuk of killing Empress So Hyun to the Prime Minister. However, the Empress gets hard evidence of the two's intimate relationship and intervenes her plot. Meanwhile, the Empress accepts the Emperor's proposal and gets him to tell her what she wants.
#2 - Wang Shik Mourns at His Mother’s Side
Season 1 - Episode 28 - Aired 1/3/2019
Wang Shik calls the Emperor again threatening to know where his mother's body is, and Woo Bin persuades the Emperor to make a deal with Yu Ra. Woo Bin releases Yu Ra from the hospital and finally learns of where his mother rests. Meanwhile, the Empress does a live broadcast in an attempt to clear her name of the Grand Empress Dowager's murder, but it ends up backfiring on her.
#3 - The Emperor’s Jealousy
Season 1 - Episode 29 - Aired 1/9/2019
Wang Shik recovers his mother's body and gives her a proper goodbye. He promises her that he will punish those who are responsible for her death. Sunny stays close by and consoles Wang Shik, and through the empathy, their relationship grows deeper. Meanwhile, the Emperor grows jealous of their relationship and tries to win the Empress back.
#4 - An Antique Clock
Season 1 - Episode 30 - Aired 1/9/2019
Prince Yoon charges into the Emperor's chamber and yells in disgust of the incident that took Sunny's mother's life to save the Emperor. The Empress Dowager feels no guilt or remorse of the event, but to the Emperor, it hits his soft spot. Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager orders Sunny to host the Imperial Family's bazaar.
#5 - The Scandal
Season 1 - Episode 31 - Aired 1/10/2019
The Empress recovers from the Empress Dowager's attempt to kill her, but it leaves her family outraged and wanting revenge. Sunny learns that Prince Yoon is helping to reveal Empress So Hyun's death, and Prince Yoon gives the hospital director a chance to come clean about what happened to Sunny's mother 10-years ago. Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager continues to manipulate Sunny's fate.
#6 - Prince Yoon Lights the Powder Keg
Season 1 - Episode 32 - Aired 1/10/2019
The hospital director kills himself to stop the truth from coming out, Prince Yoon publishes the second part of his novel depicting the death of Empress So Hyun, and Sunny finds out that the blood meant for her mother went to the Emperor. Meanwhile, Princess So Jin saves Woo Bin from the Empress Dowager's wrath.
#7 - Peanut Butter Cookies
Season 1 - Episode 33 - Aired 1/17/2019
Chief Chun proclaims his desire for the Empress in front of the Emperor, but the Empress rebukes his words for his sake. The Empress Dowager swaps cookies made by the Empress with ones with peanuts hoping to condemn the Empress's worth as a mother figure. But her recklessness for Princess Ari's well-being infuriates Kang Hee to get her to tell the Emperor the truth about the late Empress So Hyun. Meanwhile, Chief Chun locks up Ms. Choi.
#8 - Yu Ra’s Escape
Season 1 - Episode 34 - Aired 1/17/2019
After calling the Empress Dowager, Chief Joo helps Yu Ra escape from Sunil Mental Hospital. Yu Ra promises the Empress Dowager to give her Na Wang Shik and informs her of his little brother. Meanwhile, the Emperor forces the Empress Dowager to apologize to the Empress with incriminating evidence.
#9 - The Emperor Abandons the Empress
Season 1 - Episode 35 - Aired 1/23/2019
As the Emperor reads from Vincent Lee's book, the Empress Dowager screams for him to stop. Soon after, Chief Byun enters the room and demands to know the truth behind her daughter's death. The Crown Prince also emerges and confesses he is Vincent Lee and that the narrative of the book is true. Later, the Emperor abandons the Empress Dowager as his mother and swears to protect Sunny until the very end.
#10 - Yu Ra Teams Up with the Empress Dowager
Season 1 - Episode 36 - Aired 1/23/2019
Yu Ra intends to keep her promise to the Empress Dowager and fetches Dong Shik to the palace hoping to lure in Wang Shik. The Emperor finishes reading Vincent Lee's book and tracks down Prince Yoon to find out more of what he knows. Later, he succumbs to the Empress's words and heads off to the Empress Dowager's garden.
#11 - Princess Ari is Promised to Become the Empress Regnant
Season 1 - Episode 37 - Aired 1/24/2019
Princess Ari jumps up and down in joy after being told by Kang Hee that she will be the empress regnant very soon. Princess Ari keeps her joy in secret but ends up narrating to the Empress that the Chungeum Island painting by the Grand Empress Dowager was bequeathed to the Empress Dowager and not to her. Meanwhile, the Emperor visits Sunny's house and causes a commotion.
#12 - Woo Bin Runs Away With the Empress
Season 1 - Episode 38 - Aired 1/24/2019
The Empress Dowager orders Woo Bin to run away with the Empress in the middle of the night. Woo Bin tells the Empress of this, but she decides to play along with the Empress Dowager's scheme. After everything plays out, the Empress Dowager ends up being the one to answer to the media.
#13 - The Empress Regains Control of the Palace
Season 1 - Episode 39 - Aired 1/30/2019
When the Emperor is about to pull the trigger, Woo Bin promises to bring him Wang Shik. The Empress blackmails the Empress Dowager and regains command of the palace workers, and later, she uses her authority to fire Yu Ra as the Empress Dowager's court lady and places her under her control. Meanwhile, the Emperor continues to court the Empress.
#14 - Yu Ra’s Cry For Mercy
Season 1 - Episode 27 - Aired 1/3/2019
The Emperor brings back Yu Ra and forces her to make false statements accusing the Empress Dowager of murdering the Grand Empress Dowager. Sunny also confronts the Empress Dowager with Cheong Dan, the court lady who disappeared after stating she had eaten the poisoned food. Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager denies all accusations, and Woo Bin asks Yu Ra again where she hid Wang Shik's mother's body.
#15 - Gifts From the Emperor
Season 1 - Episode 41 - Aired 1/31/2019
Woo Bin reveals his true identity to Yu Ra, but he doesn't kill her. He takes her to Kang Joo Seung to help him remember the past. The Emperor, who is now free from his duties, continues to court the Empress. However, his gifts to her family as reconcilement turn for the worst. Later, desperate to claim her right to power, Kang Hee visits the Prime Minister's wife at the hospital and reveals his infidelity.
#16 - Joo Seung Starts to Remember
Season 1 - Episode 42 - Aired 1/31/2019
Joo Seung remembers the day he was supposed to meet Yu Ra and explains it to her in detail. Princess So Jin asks Woo Bin desperately to get back together, and later, begs the Empress Dowager to make him hers. Meanwhile, former Chief Guard Joo reveals himself to the Emperor with information regarding the real Na Wang Shik's whereabouts.
#17 - An Investigation of Prince Yoon’s Attacker
Season 1 - Episode 43 - Aired 2/7/2019
All the evidence found in the investigation of Prince Yoon's attacker points to the Emperor. However, the Empress suspects it was Kang Hee. But with Princess Ari as her alibi, she can't prove it. She resorts to using Yu Ra to find out more about Kang Hee by reviving Joo Seung's memory. Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager reviews the video evidence captured on Prince Yoon's phone and hides it in her safe.
#18 - A Trap for Kang Hee
Season 1 - Episode 44 - Aired 2/7/2019
The Empress and the Emperor set up a trap for Kang Hee. With so much on the line, Kang Hee takes the bait. When she couldn't look any guiltier of being Prince Yoon's attacker and of knowing something about the death of Empress So Hyun, the Empress Dowager comes to cover for her. Later, the Empress Dowager shows the Emperor proof that Woo Bin, the Empress, Prince Yoon, and even Baek Ho, are making a fool of him.
#19 - Wang Shik Starts His Revenge
Season 1 - Episode 45 - Aired 2/13/2019
To save Dong Shik and the rest of the imperial guards' lives, Wang Shik withdraws his gun and submits to the Emperor's wishes. However, when taken away by the Emperor's guards, they release him in return for his good deeds. Later, Wang Shik catches the Emperor off guard and gives him a little taste of what he had done to his mother. Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager instates Princess Ari as the Crown Princess.
#20 - The Emperor Returns to the Palace
Season 1 - Episode 46 - Aired 2/13/2019
The Empress Dowager is shocked to hear of the Emperor's return unscathed. When she talks to him, she tells him to divorce the Empress immediately, but the Emperor tells her he'll resolve the problem his way. Later, the Empress Dowager calls in Mr. Pyo and orders him to stop Empress Eun at all costs from entering the palace. Meanwhile, Kang Hee discovers from Joo Seung that Yu Ra was with him at the mental hospital.
#21 - Michelle Arrives at the Palace
Season 1 - Episode 47 - Aired 2/14/2019
Michelle, the former empress under Emperor Lee Jeong's rule 30 years ago, arrives at the palace to appoint the legal proxy for the Crown Princess, stunning everyone. Making things even more shocking is her aid, Na Wang Shik, who will also be making a special audit regarding the death of the Grand Empress Dowager and Empress So Hyun. Later, the Empress Dowager orders Ms. Choi to bring her Sa Goon Ja, the old lady living on Chungeum Island.
#22 - Sunny Is Appointed as the Crown Prince
Season 1 - Episode 48 - Aired 2/14/2019
The Emperor regrets getting mad at the Empress and begs her not to leave him as she sleeps. Michelle announces Empress Oh Sunny to be the Crown Princess' proxy and tells her about the conversation about her she had with the Grand Empress Dowager before her passing. Later, Sunny tries to match the hairpin she receives from Michelle with the one used in the Grand Empress Dowager's murder, knowing that the only other one, was owned by the Empress Dowager.
#23 - Michelle Reinstates Hyuk As the Emperor
Season 1 - Episode 49 - Aired 2/20/2019
The Emperor and Prince Yoon catch Kang Hee red-handed admitting to killing Joo Seung, but she reveals that it was the Empress Dowager's decree. Prince Yoon surprises the Empress Dowager in her chamber and accuses her of trying to kill him. Then he and the Emperor play Joo Seung's recorded testimony that coaxes her to admit to the poppy farm on Chungeum Island. Meanwhile, Sunny asks Michelle to reinstate Hyuk as the emperor before she leaves the palace.
#24 - The Emperor’s 10-Year Anniversary Celebration
Season 1 - Episode 50 - Aired 2/20/2019
Knowing that Sunny planned to reveal everything during his 10-year-anniversary as the emperor, he asks her for her forgiveness one last time before he locks her up. On the day of the celebration, Yu Ra helps Sunny escape. Sunny makes it to the venue just in time, and when she stands in front of the crowd, she tells everyone of the unthinkable heinous crimes the Imperial Family had committed. Meanwhile, Mr. Pyo and his henchmen run down Wang Shik, causing him to crash head-on with a wall.
#25 - The Emperor’s Vengeance
Season 1 - Episode 51 - Aired 2/21/2019
Sunny recuperates from the blast with Hyuk at her side. When she wakes, he tells her that it was Na Wang Shik who was behind the attack. Later, at a press conference held at the palace, the Empress Dowager affirms Na Wang Shik as the attacker, and when questioned about the Empress's accusations, she pins it all on the Emperor. Shattered by his mother's words, Hyuk dresses up as Na Wang Shik and carries on with his vengeance to destroy the palace. Meanwhile, someone buries Wang Shik next to his mother's grave.