The Last Empress: Episode 19 and 20 Live Recap

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Shorthand Chart: The Last Empress Character Chart

How we do this: We update the post around every 10 minutes. Sometimes sooner, sometimes later depending on the scene. There will be typos which we have fantasies of fixing once the episode finishes airing. Also, there might be lovely updates at the bottom, so check back in!

Recap Countdown: Starts at 11:20 am!…Check twitter for updates!

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KOREAN DRAMA THE LAST EMPRESS RECAP EPISODE 19+20

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#1

OPENING

We start right were we left off, Wang-sik is pulling Suni away. He opens the secret passge and goes in. he door closes just as Hyuk comes in. he does not see them. Int he secret passage, Suni bites Wang-sik’s hand so he makes her pass out with a pressure point touch.

In the room, Yura thinks that they are the only ones who know about the secret passage (because Piljoo died). But then Hyuk says that Woo-bin knows about it also. They go to look for him. Yura tells the head guard to go to a certain gate and find Woo-bin. Arrest the empress and the suspicious person.

He heads out.

Wang-sik carries a passed out Suni to the garage. But the head of security comes in with his gun pointed. Wang-sik thinks quickly.

Guard – Your highness, why are you hiding, just come out.

Wang-sik hits him and tries to sneak Suni out. But the guard gets the best of him. However Byun comes in and karate chops the guard. They get away.

Inside, Hyuk waits with Yura. The guard comes in and tells them that he saw the empress there, she was with Woo-bin. But then Woo-bin comes in and says that he was following the empress. The guard says that he is lying! You were at the garage with the empress.

WS – The empress was behind another building. I picked this up.

he gives them her glasses. Yura sees that these glasses where on the CCTV.

Hyuk yells at the head guard. Just think about security before you waste time suspecting our people! But the guard says that it was him! I know how to confirm it.

Hyuk grbs a glass vase and is about to hit the guard with it byt accidentally hits Woo-bin with it. Woo-bin is all bloody on the ground. Hyuk is all like, what are you doing? Woobin tells him that it was his fault. But Hyuk feels bad so he tells him to go get treatment.

Woobin leaves, Hyuk pulls out a box with a sedative or something in it. Or maybe it is poison? 

Hyuk – Do you see this. This only takes 5 minutes to spread poison. You should be responsible for today. You have killed yourself.

he gives him the syringe and then walks out. The guard yells, YOUR HIGHNESS, YOUR HIGHNESS!

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#2

KANG’S ROOM

Kang learns that Suni snuck back out. Yura explains it to her.

Yura – The head of security just killed himself because he is responsible. It is not only his fault. it is team leader Hong as well. I think she is helping.

kang – How dare she. Just bring her here and kill her.

Yura – If Hong is really planning with the Empress, then we should follow her. Then we will catch the Empress. She is a fugitive now so it should be easier than expected. She is the prime suspect.

Kang – How can we find the evidence that she ran away?

Yura – You said that if there is no evidence then we can make it. I will take care of it.

kang – if you plan to do nonsense to gain my trust. 

Yura – Instead, can you get rid of the Nanny and Ari? 

kang – What?

Yura – Promise me that they will not be next to the Emperor anymore. if you do that for me then I will be your loyal person until I die.

Kang – Are you making a deal with me? Nonsense. I am the elder emperor. I will not make a deal with someone like you. Just go away.

Yura – I just suggested it to you becuse it is nothing to lose for you. But if you don’t want to then you don’t have to. Goodbye.

Yura leaves. Kang thinks that she will need something so she will be back.

Meanwhile, Wang-sik takes a lot of pain killers in his room and tries to stop the blood. Blood rags aer all around. Hyuk comes in and tells him that he needs to go to the doctor. Wang-sik explains that it is nothing big.

Hyuk wants to treat him personally. He pulls Wang-sik to him to clean his wound. But then he sees that he has a previous wound. WS tells him that he was injured falling off a rock. Hyuk looks so feeling, he tells him, you got injured in the same spot you were injured in before? I am sorry. You should get proper treatment Tomorrow.

Wang-sik says that he will and is sorry that Hyuks hand got dirty. ur asks what his medicine is. WS tells her that it is anti-inflammation medicine. But Yura looks suspicious.

Outside, Kang is ont he news everyone giving a public statement. She tells everyone that she cannot stop crying. The royal family will give a one million dollar bounty for Suni. if you know where she is then find her.

In the house, the oyal family looks at the news as well. 

SOjin – Do you really think she is the murderer? Mabye someone else put the medicine in her lunch box, that makes sense right?

but now on eis listening to her. Sojin insists thta it must be true. Suni is stupid, but she can’t be stupid enough to put the poison in her own lunch box. It is like she is saying, “hello, I am the murderer.”

But no one listens and just starts talking details about what Suni might have taken from the office.

Sojin – Who am I talking to now? *she stands up.* Why are you not listening to me! *storms out*

Kang tells Hyuk that she is worried about what Suni is up to, she called the head of the police about it. They are searching everywhere so they should have good news about it. They think Hong and Byun are helping her.

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#3

Suni wakes up in a car. Byun is driving. She asks if he helped her again and who he is. He says that he is Queen Sohyun’s father. he gives her something to change into becuase everyone is looking for her.

Then they see a check point up ahead and bust a U-y. The police give chase in their cars.

They are able to get away when a hug truck cuts off the police cars on accident.

They end up going to a Chinese restaurant that has a secret falcon mark on it. Inside, they go into a secret passage in the back. OMG, there is a super secret agent Shield network inside the Chinese restaurant. At least a dozen people are here. They all bow to Suni. Byun tells her that these are the guys that gave her the wiretapper.

Suni sees a little boy sleeping and asks who he is. Byun tells her that they have to go somewhere together. The place everything started, the reason this boy is here. 

PALACE

Sojin is stupid drunk in the courtyard of the palace. She has a bottle in her hands and talks about how everyone looks down on her. Grandmother did it and even Ari does it. I am ostricized *sniff*.

But then Wang-seok walks up to her and asks what she is doing and that he was looking for her. Cheer up princess. He whipes her tear. But she tells him, how dare you! Why are you moving my heart up and down and shaking it. Do you think I am so funny? I met a lot of guys like you. You don’t even like me, why are you nice to me? I am confused. I got a divorce twice.

WS – Divorce is nothing bad, betrayals are bad. To me, you are pretty by yourself and should be loved.

Sojin – Why are you doing this? You are driving me crazy.

Flashback to the woods with Byun and Wang-sik.

Byun – Whenever the opportunity presents itself, put Sojin on your side. I have a report that kang made a lot of secret bank accounts with Sojin’s name.

WS – What? kang gave her a lot of money?

Byun – Sojin’s ex-husband use to work in a foreign bank. She used that.

In the present, Wang-sik tellsher that they should leave. They have a will reading event. I will take you there. he puts out his hand. She wavers but holds it happily and sinks her head into his chest as he leads her way.

Elsewhere, Byun and Suni get to the island. 

SN – Why are we at the island.

Byun – The day Hyuk went to your misical, do you remember it?

SN – Yes, it was so shocking that he came.

Byun – That day, he hit someone in his car.

SN – SOmeone died?

Byun – He hit a woman here and moved her boyd with Yura and killed her again. They killed this innovent woman twice.

SN – How can they do this scary thing

Byun – They removed the CCTV footage and made their own alibi – you.

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#4

SN – So the reason he came to see my musical was ~.

Flashback to the musical. But we see that he didn’t actually see it because he thought Suni was the star and she was not.

SN – All of that was acting for his alibi?

B – Lee Hyuk is that kind of guy. But on that day there was another victim that was hurt.

SN – One more?

WILL READING

Kang says that they know what was in the will, so lets just read it quickly.

Lawyer – All the money is to Empress Oh Suni.

Kang – WHAT!

Everyone is shocked. The lawyer starts to read everything. Everything goes to Suni, the house and the vacation home and everything. One painting goes to Kang. he gives her the painting.

kang – Just this painting?!

Hyuk – We had a verbal agreement that everyone gets a percentage according to the law.

Lawyer – She changed her will recently. We followed the proper steps and have it on a recording.

kang – This is invalid! I am the one that told her good morning. I wanted that island so much! How did the Empress get it? I cannot accept it.

Hyuk – Not the shopping mall, that is the base of our business.

SOjin – *drunk* she gave us a big F-you until the end. Big F-you.

Lawyer – This is all under one condition. This is only valid while she is the empress. If she gets a divorce or kicked out then she cannot get it.

kang – *happy* ah, okay, I thought that was strange.

Hyuk – *relieved* Okay, I shouldn’t be too upset.

Sojin says that this is a big F-you, then passes out. Ari comes in and thinks that the Empress is the richest, she will be my mother? Hahaha.

Later on, kang and Yura talk about making Suni stay in the jail forever. Kang says she will trust Yura this time.

Yura sneaks into Suni’s room and gets her finger print. She plants the finger print on a tiny bottle of poison. Then she hides it behind-inside the toilet.

The police show up to the palace and start to search Suni’s room. They are looking at everything. They find the poison.

ISLAND

Byun takes Suni to the woman’s restaurant. Suni thinks that Wang-sik is familiar to her. She remembers a necklace that had that name on it when she was rescued at the wedding. Byun tells her that he is the son of the victim. he was followed by Hyuk’s people and had to leave the island. he did not even have a chance to plan the funeral. The best time of your life covered up the death of Wang-siks mother.

SN – My marriage was used to destroy someones family. I was used from the begining. I really thought he liked me. i was happy everyday and got married to him. What can I do! She falls to the ground and yells that he is a bad guy. You Jashik! Then she looks up a Byun and asks what happened to Wang-sik.

B – He got shot in his head and fell into the water.

SN – Is he dead?

B – *looks around* then his phone rings so he answers….okay……your empress, they are done analyzing the wiretap.

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#5

The news says the police found poison in the empresses room, she is now the prime suspect. kang cannot believe that Min Yura is that useful.

In the Judo training room, Hyuk starts to sword fight, he looks crazy and says that now he just needs to catch the empress. hahaha. But Yoon comes inand tells him that his laugh is too big during this funeral time. Then he tells him that it is nonsense that Suni killed Grandmother. I preended like I was tricked in Sohyun’s case, but now this time.

Hyuk tells him that he does not know anything. Hyuk sswings his sword at him. Yoon dodges and pulls out something to block. He tells him that he is not 20 anymore and he is not coming back as a prince. I will take your seat!

Hyuk manages to hit him in the gut so Yoon falls. They talk about how Yoon can be emperor just because he knows more Chinese characters. But Yoon tells him that father wanted him to be the Emperor, don’ you remember? He smiles. Hyuk is about to stab Yoon but Wang-sik stops him. yoon stands and tells Hyuk that he looks upset I will be back later. i hope the Empress is back then.

Hyuk orders Wang-sik to kill him. But WS does not. Hyuk then asks if he is looking down on him? he yells Yoon’s name. Yoon looks back. the fathers image turns around.

Father – Do you know what you did wrong?

Little Hyuk – I did not pass.

Father – No, your biggest fault is that you humiliated me in front of your teachers. Because of your studying. Why should I be humilated.

he pulls out a golf club and swings it at the wall. Then he tells him that he should not cry this time. It looks like he is about to get a bunch of licks with a belt. Little Hyuk pees his pants.

In the present, Hyuk tells Wang-sik to hit him once, he remembers his fathers beatings. Please, I need to be hit now. Wang-sik tells him that he can’t hit the emperor. But Hyuk tells him that he needs to be hit! Now!

So Wang-sik hits him really hard. Hyuk tells him that he is super weak, do it again! So Wang-sik hits him again. But Hyuk tells him that he is super weak. Do it again! Wang-sik puts some weight behind it this time and punches him, Hyuk falls to the ground, he is almost passed out. But he starts laughing. HAHAHAHAHA. Then he stats crying and we see his punch wound in detail.

END PART ONE

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#6

FUNERAL

The nanny shows up to pay her respects to the Great Grand Queen. She has on funeral clothing like the Royal family does. Kang comes in and is all like how dare you wear Royal garments during this funeral. The Nanny tells her that Grandmother granted it. But kang tells her that she is the nanny until the day she dies.

The nanny gives something to Kang and tells her that she should read this first and then think about if she will kick her out or not. kang looks at it, it is all the corruption that Grandmother wrote. The nanny said that she snuck it out. She did it to show her royalty. kang wants to know if this is everything? The nanny says it could be but it might not be. I need to survive. Please accept Ari.

meanwhile, Ari is yelling at her servants. She says that seh is a princess! Call me princess! But they tells her that she is not a princess so they can’t call her one. Min Yura comes in and tells everyone to leave. Ari tells her to stop and asks if she is insane. How dare you wear those bright clothes during the funeral. 

Yura tells her that she went to the shopping mall, young lady. Ari tells her to call her princess and kneel! But yura just asks her who is a princess? You are Seo Ari, you are not a Lee. The Emperor did not accept you as his daughter.

The nanny comes in and slaps Yura. 

Nanny – Watch your mouth!

they start to argue back and forth. The nany says that she had the daughter, you are just a secretary he is playing with. She pushes her away. Hyuk comes in and asks what is going on. Ari cries and tells Hyuk that not having a father is not her fault. If you don’t like me then I will leave. Yura says it was all her fault. Hyuk tells Yura that is is none of her business.

Ari cries and says it is not the first time, I am okay….but my knee hurts a little bit…ah…my knee! the nanny plays up the injury as well. Yura is all like, I cannot believe this. Hyuk says for them to go to the infirmary. Yura tries to tell him that she is not just a little girl! But Hyuk tells her that she should not release her anger on a little kid. Find the Empress now!

Cut to the secret Chinese restaurant. Suni calls her family and tells them that she is okay. Are y’all okay. The sister is all like, how can you worry about is? But someone is listening in on the phone and traces the call.

At the Chinese restaurant, Suni asks Byun if he thinks the wire tap will help her? he tellsher that she should not cry and eat. I will get you water. But then the police come in to arrest her. Suni runs away but she is caught.

The news crew shows up as she is being taken in. The people start to throw eggs at her. She tells them that she did not kill her. ALl the evidence is fake, it is a wrong accusation!

hong yells, I KILLED THE GREAT GRAND QUEEN.

Everyone looks at her.

Hong – I killed the Queen and blamed the empress!

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#7

INTERROGATION

Hong tells the police detective that she had financial difficulties and asked the Queen for help but she did not help so I did it. I was jealous of Suni because Suni was favored. 

Suni tells her that it was not it, why is she doing this? The detective comes in and unlocks Suni’s handcuffs. But Suni tells him that she is lying, she is not the murderer, can I see her? Hong does not want to se her though. But Suni runs after her and says that she did not do this, why are you lying? Hong asks the police to just leave.

PALACE

Sojin tells them that it is nonsense that Hong killed the Great Grand Queen, that makes even less sense than Suni. But then Kang asks Yura how she did that job? Sojin thinks, hold up, what is going on now? She looks from Kang to Yura. kang tells Yura to fix this and make hong says that she was lying.

But then there is a news article about the two faces of Hyuk. There is a recording about Ari being his duaghter but he never accepted her as his daughter. This is on Naver and is #1 in realtime search. it is actually the full top ten. Everyone is talking about Ari, Suni, the affiar and Hyuk.

Hyuk wonders who did this! Kang thinks that the empress put in a wire tap, that is the reason. Hyuk tells them to put them all in jail, all the people who are spreading this rumor! But they need to calm down. kang thinks Yura is the reason everything is messed up. 

Meanwhile, Suni is about to walk out of the police station, but reporters are all outside so her family takes her away out the back. they tell her that Yoon found them a place to stay. They catch up in the car. Suni says that this is only the begining, she will show everyone who their empire is.

But then they get abducted by men in two black vans. hey are handcuffed and taken to an abandoned warehouse. Wang-sik comes in and suni’s mask is taken off. 

SN – It was you! Why did you touch my family!

Wang-sik – Did you wire tap the emperors office?

SN – Why? Is the emperor afraid? People should know how scary he is!

WS – Start.

The men pull appa and Helro away to a metal box and lock them in. He then tells Suni that she needs to sign the paperwork to divorce Hyuk and give them the disk. Suni refuses. the bad guys set fire to the metal box. So Suni relents and says she will do it. She can divorce him many many times. I will give you the file, just don’t kill them.

WS tells her that she can live in a foreign country with her family. Suni agrees and says that seh will give them the divorce documents and the original recordings. WS tells his men to stop; they put out the fire quickly.

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#8

Suni meets with Byun to get the wiretap. he gives it to her. She tells him that seh will divorce hyuk. She thinks she will hide with her family in a far far away country. grandmother died and team leader hong is in jail and my family is in danger. Don’t expect anything from me mister. I am going to live far far away. Thank you so much. She walks off.

Wang-sik walks up and tells Byun that this is the right thing to let her leave. We knew she would be in danger. I could not work knowing that she would be in danger. Byun thinks he is right, they need to do this their way.

PALACE

Elsewhere, there is a huge protest going on at the palace. Everyone thinks that the Emperor is a liar and a cheater. Explain yourself!

Hyuk has to come clean to the press. he says that he made a mistake. But it was just one mistake. he thinks it was too much burden to his wife. But she requested a divorce so he will accept her divorce. i am sorry for the unfortunate event and making you worry. For her, the empress who could not adapt to life in the palace. i am sorry to her. Please embrace her as she goes back to a normal life. he stands an bows.

Afterward he asks the secretary how the press conference went. The secretary says that teh public is still upset. They think you just made up a lot of excuses. Perhaps they should make a documentary. you are not the emperor but a man in pain? 

Hyuk says he does not want to do that. But Kang thinks it could be great. You could be a man that could not get over his love. it would be better than a press conference. Min, go do it.

Wang-sik comes in and tells them that hong killed herself in jail.

Kang – That crazy woman! First a false accusation and then she kills herself! Then that makes her the murderer!

YR – So we dont’ have a chance to make Suni the murderer!

WS – *What the F?*

kang says that whoever goes to Hong’s funeral is all fired! They ask if Suni left Korea yet?  WS says she is leaving tonight, she will give us everything tonight at the airport. Hyuk tells him to take care of it all so she won’t say anything stupid. kang asks Min what she is doing! Just prepare the documentary!

Cut to Suni going to the police station to see hong. She is really dead. Suni cries over her body that is being wheeled to the ambulance. She covers her face and lets the ambulance take her away. They drive off.

AIRPORT

The family wonders where Suni is now? Helro tries calling her but she is not picking up. it is almost time for them to leave.

Hyuk sits outside the playhouse that Suni used to work at.

Kang – The begining should be were you proposed to her first. Do a good job to draw pity from everyone.

Hyuk goes inside and fakes like he is crying in the theater. Suni comes in in a pretty red dress. Everyone stands up as they see her walking in. She smiles and looks gorgeous a she walks over to him.

Suni – Emperor, I married to this royal family and I was hurt a lot, I was sad for many many days. But when I thought about seperating from you, that was the saddest.

Hyuk – *dumbfounded* w-what are you doing?

Suni – Well, families don’t always just have happy times. When there are hard times then we need to be there for each other. That is family.

She looks around and smiles.

SN – I will take care of Ari also.

Hyuk – *covers mouth* This is not as we promised, just stop.

But the camera is right in front of him.

Hyuk – Oh Suni…no no no…. Empress.

SN – I love you, Emperor.

She hugs him. Everyone cheers. Suni smiles to everyone and to the camera. Hyuk also hugs her. Wang-sik is watching all this as well.

Fade Out

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COMMENTS

This show just hit it out of the park! My goodness this episode was so good! The ending was perfect. Encounter was amazing this morning and now The Last Empress is also amazing. I am in drama Heaven.

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