The Last Empress: Episode 17 and 18 Live Recap

The craziness continues. It does not look too good for the Grand Grand Queen which stinks because she was a favorite, but I also love how you just don’t know what to expect from this show. The craziness is crazy-stupid on an insane level.

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Caution: Be wary of typos

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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 11:15 am!…Check twitter for updates!

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KOREAN DRAMA THE LAST EMPRESS RECAP EPISODE 17+18

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#1

OPENING

Suni sits next tot he Grandmother and tells her that she is sorry, I have a bad temper. Please talk to me again. You ate all my lunch though you said you were mad. Grandmother, are you sleeping?

She rolls the grandmother over,she is all bluish purple and has a knife or something in her chest. Suni screams, Grandmother! Then Hyuk walks in and looks suspiciously at Suni.

Outside, Yoon is caught by Wang-sik outside the gate. But WS asks why the chicken parttimer is there? Yoon tells him to take what is in his pocket, thta is the answer. WS pulls out the royal family card.

Yoon – Let me introduce myself, I am the prince, Yoon. I wanted to see my grandmother, but maybe today was not a good day. Never tell anyone I was here, this is an order from your prince.

WS – Okay, I will take your order.

Yoon – See you at the chicken store as a parttimer and a guard.

he walks off.

All hell is breaking loose inside the palace. kang storms into the room and tells the doctor to fix her! She can’t die like this! The doctor explains that it has been two hours since it happened. kang, Sojin, and the little princess cry over the body, but it looks a bit staged. Hyuk does not cry, he stares at his grandmother and then looks at Suni.

Then he goes outside and tells the guards that they are going to have a national funeral. Please protect the royal family, control this site, and control the media so the citizens will not be shaken.

MORNING

the news explains that the great grand queen died. Cut to the chicken restaurant. Appa is pretty shaken. yoon also looks at it, stunned, he does not know what to do so he runs to the closet and asks, who did this to you Grandmother! Who killed you!

We also found out that Grandmother was poisoned because the hairpiece stab wound was not in an area that was deadly. Kang is  now at the head of the meeting. They all think they need to find the person that poisoned her.

Suni thinks they all need to find grandmother. But then they all start to attack her. She was not YOUR grandmother and why aren’t you at the vacation home? The first person on the scene is the first suspect! Suni tells them that Grandmother died when she summoned the investigation, what do you think that means? It means that that person is the criminal.

A man comes in and says that the police will start the interrogation. Sojin wonders why she has to do that? She is in the Royal family! Hyuk thinks they are a place free from investigations. But Suni thinks they all should do it, of course, the royal family is the biggest suspect.

Kang says that she will deide as the elder of the family. They re under an emergency, no one should go in or out. Everyone in the palace will be under investigation on top of the Royal Family. We will cooperate and leave no suspicions.

Quick montage of everyone lining up to get interrogated.

Interroagtions

A woman says that she saw Kang comingo ut of the room early in the morning. (she looked a bit shocked)

Kang – Yes, that is true, I always say hi to grandmother.

5am, the day of crime, Kang knocks on Grandmothers door to see if she is awake.

kang – Sometimes she sleeps late, I came back with no suspicions, I should have opened the door, I regret it.

Man – If we had team leader Hong, then this would not have happened.

Police – Why was she not there? She was there secretary and should be there all the time.

Kang – I heard she went to Gang wan vacation home with the empress.

Police- Why did you take Secretary to the vacation home?

Suni -I did not take her, Great Grandmama sent her with me.

P – Why did you come back early?

Suni – Because grandmother was going to internal investigation so I wanted to chear her up. i also felt sorry because she is fighting all by herself with everyone opposing her.

Yura – I never went to grandmother

P – What is your alibi?

YR – I was with the emperor, we were working on the Russian VIP meeting.

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#2

Hyuk – Yes, we worked late, I went to bed in the morning.

6:30 am, the day of the crime. hyuk wakes up to the sound of Yura coming in to his room. She slides in bed with him. He pretends like he is sleep and then looks at her.

Police – So you do not know where Min was in the morning?

Hyuk – Why should I know my secretaries morning schedule?

P – Sorry.

Cut to Hyuk opening a tea set and looking contemplative. Yura comes in and bows.

Yura – How was the investigation emperor?

Cut to one of the teas missing. Yura gasps. Hyuk pushes her against the wall.

Hyuk – Was it you? Were you the one that killed Grandmother? Were did you go early in the morning? You snuck out.

YR – Do you suspect me?

Hyuk – When I went to Grandmothers room in the morning, I smelled tea from the Thai Royal Family. It is a very distinctive smell so I noticed right away. I checked it and one was empty.

YR – Okay, I went to see her early that morning. I just wanted to convince her about the investigation.

Flashback to Yura going in to the room with the herbal tea. She tell sher that it is good for her blood circulation. Would you like to try it? Are you sleeping?

YR – She did not even look back so I had to leave.

Hyuk – Really, nothing happened?

YR – I suspect you!

Flashback to Yra picking up something on the floor.

YR – I saw your cufflink it was yours right? I wondered why it was there. Did you have an argument with her?

4:30am, the day of the crime. Hyuk argued with his grandmother and asked if she really wanted to make her grandson a murderer? Cancel it! 

Hyuk – That is nonsense, why would I fight with her?

YR – DOn’t be angry, if it is not you or me, only one other person should be a suspect. 

Cut to Kang burning clothing outside. Wang-sik saw it.

Inside, Kang’s secretary asks if she has anything to take care of? Kang puts her tea down and asks if she thinks she killed the Grand Grand Queen? That is nonsense, Yura did it. She should be afraid of the affair and grandmother revealing it.

Cut to Yura in the clothing area with the clothing that should have been washed. A police officer comes in and asks why she needed these clothes washed? There were a lot of stains. You need to come with me.

Police – We found your finger print on the cup and the herbal tea on our clothing. 

YR – I spilled it on accident when i went to her place, that is it.

P – WHy did you say you did not go there?

YR – it was so shocking, I am sorry.

P – We found a very strong sedative in the cup. Answer my question.

YR – Well, I did not kill her! It is just that she had a sleeping problem so I put a sleeping pill. Grandmother asked me to do it!

meanwhile, Kang is getting her mourning clothing put on by all her servants. She looks in the mirror and traces her lips. 

Kang – For 35 years, I endured and waited, mother. Now, my world came. Ha ha ha ha ha….

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#3

Outside, Suni walks to the crime scene in her mourning clothing. She is very sad and affected. She sees the signature she signed for Grandmother and thinks back to when she did it and all the happy times she spent with Grandmother.

VO – I already miss you like this. I really miss you. Can we really not see each other? Whoever made you like this, I will find that person. Just wait a little bit.

At the same time, Wang-sik gets a text and goes to meet Byun at a temple.

Byun – I don’t know what kind of monster did it?

WS – it botherrs me that the empress was the first person to find it, becuase I hurt her a lot.

Byun – She is already dead in the river without you. You should be thankful that Hyuk asked you to do it.

WS – Do you think the empress would be in danger?

Byun – Yes, it bothers me. Maybe the grandmother became like that because we told her the secret about So-hyun’s death. that is why it happened to her.

WS – We should at least protect the Empress. if Lee Hyuk tries to harm the empress again, I will kill Hyuk.

Byun – Is that the only revenge you want? The real revenge is….just destroy it all.

WS – I am going to make everyone come to my side. Even if I have to use my enemies. I will completely destroy the empire.

PALACE

Suni – Grreat grandmother died and thought of all of you as her kids. I don’t know what happened, but I need your help. Please write down all thta the Royal family did. There is no name on it, it is anonymous so please right down all that you know.

The maids and other servants start to write all they know. But then Team leader Hong pulls Suni off to the side. She looks disheveled.

Head Maid – Listen to me, i am just going to give this to you.

It is whatever Grandmother prepared. Grandmother told her head maid to give the envelope to the Prime Minister if anything happened to her. All of our corruption is in there. take it to the internal investigation team.

Head Maid – I did not know I would do this myself, but that is her will.

SN – Grandmother did all this and risked her life for me?

Head Maid – if the criminal target the grandmother then you are not safe. Grandmother worried about you until the last moment.

Suni – team leader, please be safe.

Suni goes back to her room. her father can’t stop crying about it. he asks Suni what happened? how did she die? How did that nice woman die? Helro tells Suni that she should pack, they are there to bring her home. They worry about her and all the unfortunate things that have happened. But Suni wants to stay. She says that she can’t even leave due to the emergency. But she also really wants to find out what happened. helro asks how? She is not a detective.

Suni asks them if they can go to the Prime Minister’s office and protect Team Leader Hong?

Cut to the Royals talking about how long the funeral will be. Kang says that it is 3 days. The princess thinks that is too short, she was the most respected person in the family. Kang keeps telling them how it is going to be and then tells Hyuk to show his respects.

Hyuk starts to show his respects and pour a alcohol for grandmother when Yoon comes in and snatches it away. Everyone is surprised to see Yoon.

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#4

Yoon holds up the glass to Hyuk.

Yoon – Do you think you deserve this? NO ONE HERE CAN SHOW RESPECT TO HER.

Hyuk – You are talking about deserving? You were outside all this time.

kang – Be quiet, your brother came back. Why are you so late? She always said she wanted to see you.

Yoon – Why didn’t you protect her! Why did you make her like this! WHY!

Hyuk – I took care of her, how dare you say these things.

Yoon – If you took care of her then why is she dead? Are you going to say that you are not guity? What about 7 years ago with Empress So-hyun and cover it up like that!

Hyuk punches him. Kang frantically tells them both to stay calm.

Yoon – I should not have left like that, I will not leave anymore. Find out the reason for the death, or you will know the reason why you should be afraid.

Yoon takes off, Hyuk walks after him calling his name. But then Suni’s appa comes crying up and cries all in front of Hyuk. Hyuk tells his team leader that they are not accepting visitors. He walks away. Appa is stuck there crying. 

Appa – Who did I talk to?

Helro – Now he is ignoring you publicly.

Suni – Appa, please remember what I told you.

Appa – *still crying* …. I am so mad…..

Cut to Byun talking to Yoon.

Yoon – Are you father in law?

Byun – Are you surprise that I am still alive after my daughters deatH I have a question. Why did you tell me sorry at the funeral for Sohyun? You wanted to say something to me, you knew someting right? I waited for 7 years looking for you to get the answer. 

Yoon – A lot of people are watching, lets meet another day.

they part, but the old head of the guard sees Byun and recognizes him.

Elsewhere, Hyuk breaks a lot of things in anger and then looks at himself and laughs.

At another area of the palace, Suni wants to talk to Hyuk but Yura keeps her out. Suni pushes her.

SN – Why are you behaving like the wife? Before I dump him, he is still my husband, you are the affair woman. 

YR – You are just an empress on paper.

SN – Even though I am the wife on paper, I have a lot more power than an affair woman like you. that is the law. You are not like the nanny, you did not have his kid.

YR – What are you talking about?

SN – head of secretary, you are so slow on information. Ari…didn’t you know she is the Emperors daughter? Oh, I should say Princess Ari.

YR – ARI is the Emperors daughter! NONSENSE!

SN – I thought you had no secrets between you two, but maybe not. Maybe the emperor does not trust you that much.

Yura goes inside the room and sees all the broken things. She asks if Ari is his duaghter.

Hyuk – Who said that? None of your business.

YR – Why isn’t it my business? She is your daughter!

Hyuk – I never thought she was my daughter.

YR – Denying it does not mean that it did not happen. That is why you kept the nanny next to you. The one who gave birth to your daughter!

Hyuk – That is the past, I have nothing to do with them.

YR – Kick them out now! It is dirty and makes me feel bad.

Hyuk opens his desk and grabs a gun. He points it right at Yura.

Hyuk – Don’t give orders to me! No one can talk about my past!

YR – You should have told me.

Hyuk – Now is not the time to talk about it. It’s not important!

YR – How can you be so cruel. You are so bad.

She runs out, he follows her with the gun but stops at the door. He turns around and sees his reflection, he shoots himself in the mirror several times and then continues to look at his cracked reflection.

END PART ONE

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#5

PRINCESS

Sojin asks Ari what she said? Ari tells her that she said to watch her mouth around her. Sojin is about to slap her but Ari grabs her hand and calls SOjin the first princess. WHen I become the princess you become the old princess, that is the order of the Royal family. You abandoned me first and said I am not your daughter. you told me not to call you Mom. But I am the emperors daughter, you know that. You are super low in the rank.

Sojin – I did not want to tell you, but do you know who your daughter is!

Ari – Of course I know, if the Emperor is my father than the empress should be my mom.

Sojin starts laughing. 

Sojin – Your nanny did not tell you, your real mother is…

Ari – *covering her ears* I don’t want to hear it, my mother is the empress! Do not talk banmal to me one more time! I will not stand for it!

Sojin – What are you going to do! They abandoned you, just leave! Follow your mother!

Sojin says a lot of things. But then she stops. Ari was covering her ears but she stands up and tells Sojin that she is a married woman! I thought married women should live outside the palace! We will see who will live here longer! 

She leaves.

Sojin – You bad girl!

PRIME MINISTER

The head maid waits for the prime minister with the important documentation. She does not want to give it to anyone but him.

The Prime Minister is actually at the Palace right now ( this is the guy that is dating the nanny). He pays his respects to Grandmother and then talks to Kang about moving forward with the internal investigation meeting.

Kang wants him to cancel the meeting because they are having a natiional funeral. You dont even know what we are going to talk about. The Prime Minister says that the topic should be in Secretary hong’s envelope, she is in my office right now.

Kang – Cancel the meeting, just follow my order.

Prime Minister – It is the Great Grand Empresses last will so we should follow it.

Kangg – Which side is more beneficial for you, the side of the dead or the side of the living? I can help you.

PM – I am the head of the inestigation and I decided to have this meeting. You shuold take care of the murder case. i will take care of the invetigation part. 

he leaves. kang mutters about, how dare he, and all that. Then she tells her secretary to send people to the Prime Ministers office to get the envelope first. The secretaries runout. Kang turns aoround holding her head and mutters to the GG Grandmother aout if she is really backstabbing her after her death.

At the Prime Ministers, the head secretary continues to wait. Someone calls her, secretary Choi, but seh does not answer. Then a lot of men walk in and asks if she is Secretary Hong? You need to cooperate on your murder case. 

They round her up and start todrag her out. But The head secretary says she has to meet the Prime Minister.

Appa and Helro walk up right at that time and try to pull the head secretary away. They can’t get her away though so the men get away with her, but they don’t seem like police. In the car, the head secretary asks who they are but they don’ t answer and just knock the secretary out with smelling tranquilizer.

The mystery person behind all of this is the nanny. She takes the documents from the passed out head secretary.

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#6

Cut to the Prime Minister calling Kang and asking why she had to do this! Do you think this will cover aup all your corruption? Kang is all like, what did I do? You sound angry. The prime minister tells her that they will have the meeting even if she tries to block it.

The nanny meets with the Prime Minister just then and asks if anything happened. he tells her that Kang snuck out the documents. The granmother thought this would happen which is why they snuck the documents out. The nanny tells him that they have to have a meeting and pass a law that the princess can become the Emperor. if that happens then Ari is the first in line. Everyone will agree with it. (Hmm, it seems like Ari might be there kid? Or maybe the Prime Minister just thinks that? Not sure.)

The Prime Minister agrees with her. She tells him thank you, when I have the palace, hald of it is yours.

WOODS

The head palace guard finds the house in the woods and asks Dong-sik how long he has lived there? He is about to take DS away, but byun is able to beat him up. They are able to escape and call WS to tell him they left the wood home and all the drills they practiced worked.

PALACE

Everyone pays their respects to Grandmother. 

When Hyuk bows, we see that he actually stabbed the Grandmother!

Kang looks around and thinks about burning her clothing.

Yura looks suspicious and we see her poisoning the tea.

Suni looks at Kang, Hyuk, and Yura suspiciously.

Afterward, Kang asks Suni where he head secretary is and tells her to stop whatever she is planning. A lot of people will get hurt. if you did  not want to do the reinvestigation of Sohyun, mother would not have died.

SN – It sounds like you killed her because of that.

Kang – How dare you say that!

SN – I am going to follow her will. From the death of So-hyun, the Emperor tried to kill me, the emperor and Yura’s affair, and the emperors death. i am going to tell everything to the investigation team and reveal the truth.

Kang – Stop acting up. You can’t do anything because I made you an empress from nothing. You should be a dog that listens well. How dare you act up. You came all the way here because of who?

SN – I came all the way here because I wanted it, Hyuk lied to me. I decide when I leave.

Kang – Do not be mistaken, you came here because I wanted you here. Do you think the palace is a place you can comea nd go as you please?

SN – Why don’t you just beg me to cover it up!

Kang slaps her.

Kang – How dare you be againts me.

SN – You slapped me like that so I should be more awake. I will show everyone what the palace is. DO you think that I can’t? The thing that Grandmother wanted to do, I will do it instead!

She storms off.

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#7

Yura walks in after hearing everything.

Yura – Did you bring Suni in only to be humiliated like this

Kang – Just shut up and leave. *annoyed*

YR – I don’t want to fight against you, I want to help you. I think you will need me. We all will be in trouble if the empress goes to the meeting. We are on the same side now, lets help each other. You, the Emperor, and me.

She bows and leaves.

Cut to the Emperor in his chambers.

Hyuk – What are you talking about?

Palace guards – Yoon secretly talked to Byun

Hyuk – Is he still alive???

PG – Yes. he was hiding on an island. There was a little boy with him but hey ran away.

he throws a photo on the table. Yura is there, her eyes grow wide and she yells in shock.

Hyuk – Do you know him?

YR – ….of course not….Do you know where they are?

PG – They dissapeard right away.

YR – YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW -.

But she stops, the emperor looks suspicious of her.

Hyuk – Byun is a crazy guy, he hid for 7 years and met Yoon all of a sudden. I think he is up to something. Find them both and take care of them quietly.

PG – Yes your highness.

Butler – Emperor, the police found the murderer!

Everyone looks at him in shock.

Cut to the meeting where the police explain the murder was poisoning. Suni asks who put the poison. The investigator looks around. Sojin tells him to hurry and tell!

Police – We found the same poison from the dead body in your lunch box.

Everyone looks at Suni. 

Sojin – What! You killed Grandmother!

SN – No, it shouldn’t be, in my lunch box? 

Police – I am going to arrest you.

SN – No, it is not me, this is the wrong accusation. I am blamed, I am not it! I am not!

they drag her away. Wang-sik looks alarmed.

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#8

Suni is taken the police interogation at the station. 

SN – Why would I cill grandmother.

Police – we heard you had ann argument and was dragged out. We have a lot of witnesses.

SN – Granmother wanted to send me to a vacation home. i did not want to go. I misunderstood her.

The polcie give her photos and asks what her relationship is with the bodyguard in the photos.

Suni looks possessed. She stares at the man with determination.

SN – What does this have to do with grandmothers death.

Flashback to Yura explaining tot he police that Suni had skinship with the bodyguard. But how can i say bad things to her? She has all the rights to hire everyone.

The police tell Suni that the victim also knew that Suni liked men, that is why they fought.

SN – Grandmother did not believe it at all, because she knew the truth. The emperor is the one who had the affair.

Cut to the Emperor telling the police that it is all his fault. He did not know about her men preference until after they got married. He tried to embrace it becuase he loved her. But Grandmotehr found out so he could not stop her. How is she right now? Is she having a hard time? She should eat something.

They also interviewed Kang. Kang tells them thta the topic that the Queen wanted to tell the prime Minster about was the Queens affair and how much she spent money. She talked about demoting the princess. Sorry, i should not tell outside people about this. You should not know because it is so embarrassing to our Royal family.

The policeman tells Suni that she arrested Yura using her power and also asked people in the palce to write about what they don’t like about the empire?

SN – Something is wrong….someone is planning this…..I never killed Grandmother, how can I! This is nonsense.

Police – Just confess everything, how did you find the poison.

SN – I don’t know, I never saw those things.

Police – Before you go to the prosecutor team, you should confess here, You will be arrested with circumstantial evidence.

SN – Arrested?

She has a flashback to a recording.

SN – Can I go back to the palace, I have evidence that shows my innocence, i beg you.

Head secretary Hong comes in and says that she will have the interrogation as well. 

hong – I just delivered the kimbap as the Empress asked me to, i did not know that there was poison inside.

SN – What are you talking about? What poison.

Hong – WHY DID YOU BETRAY HER FAVOR LIKE THIS! WHY DIDN’T YOU JUST KILL ME.

She runs up to Suni to grab her and push her but then whispers in her ear.

Hong – *whispers* We have an ambulance outside.

the policeman breaks them up and pull Hong out.

SN – I am hungry, can I eat something? I want to eat my last meal.

Police – You do so much, after you eat it you need to confess everything. He calls for bone soup.

PALACE

The palace has a press conference about this and what has happened. 

kang takes the mic and says that she is really sorry about the Empress as the prime suspect of the murder. We tried to cover up her dirty secrets but I cannot suppress my anger because she did this until the end. Hyuk tells them that the Empress will be under investigation as a normal citizen, not the empress. We will find out all her sins and pause all of her rights and powers as of today.

The press start to ask all their questions.

In the POlice Station Suni starts to eat frantically. The police are amazed. But then she couchs p the food and holds her belly. They run in and call for an ambulance.

The ambulance leaves just as soon as the real ambulance comes. Inthe back of the other ambulance, the police man says that she collapsed when she ate bone soup. What do you think happened?

The ambulance guy is all like, I don’t know. Then he karate chops the policeman. Its Byun!

Suni sits up and asks Byun to take her to the palace. He thinks it is to dangerous. But she says that they have to go! I put a wire tap in the emperors office, there should be something there. Byunthinks and then tells the driver to drive to the Palace.

In the Palace, Kang goes crazy as she asks how she got away! Find her! They all says that it has to do with Yoon and Byun. Hyuk stands up angryly and says he will find them! Kang yells for them all to find her!

Meanwhile, Suni pretends to be one of the cooks and sneaks intot he palace. She sneaks all around as everyone leaves to try and find her (lol!).

Outside, Hyuk tells everyone that the Emprees fleed the police, she is not the empress anymore, she is just a criminal! If you find her you can kill her! They all say yes, sir.

Someone says that CCTV saw that someone snuch into Hyuks office. Hyuk yells for them to close all the doors of the palace right now! it is an emergency! Move! Move!

Hyuk pullsout his gun and looks at it. 

Inside, Suni manages to get the wire tap but then a siren goes off. People show up right away and run inside. Suni hides. But then someone grabs her from behind and drags her away. 

Yura thinks that they should be here, maybe they are over there. Hyuk goes to the side area with his gun. Wang-sik pulls Suni into the secret passage. The door opens and then closes slowly, Hyuk sees her dragged away by Wang-sik? 

Fade Out

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COMMENTS

Love this show and all the craziness. I forgot about that wire tap! And Byun seriously karate chopped that guy and he passed out.

PREVIEW

Suni – I am not the murderer!

Yura – Can you take care of So Kang Hee and Ari?

Nanny – How dare you, you nothing woman.

Head Guard – How dare you sneak out the empress!

SN – Na Wang-sik, yes Na Wang-sik

SN – I am so tired, I want to run away.

The top Image is by SBS and edited using PicMonkey

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