The Last Empress: Episode 23 and 24 Live Recap

So to recap: Suni is the most popular royal, Hyuk wants Wang-sik to seduce Suni, Meanwhile Wang-sik was hit in the head with something hard while protecting Suni, which led to Suni finding out that Woo-bin is Wang-sik, so now Wang-sik is about to get his brain scanned, but Suni is about to stop it all,….Oh, and Helro is pretending to be Vincent Lee.

Whew, you cannot miss even thirty minutes of this show.

If you watch Encounter, we translated the preview and posted it to the end of the last recap. We also released all the English embedded press conference videos on our YouTube page! Subscribe to stay updated on all our translations!

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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 9:00 am!…Check twitter for updates!

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KOREAN DRAMA THE LAST EMPRESS RECAP EPISODE 23+24

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#1

Flashback to Wang-sik’s shot in the head that sent him falling off of the bridge. Then we cut right to the hospital where Wang-sik is about to get the results of his brain scan.

Suni comes in with another doctor who tells the current doctor to leave right now! You have a surgery to get to! Leave, I will take care of him. The other doctor leaves and this new doctor introduces himself. Byun told Suni that they had an Eagle that could help them in the hospital. Find him.

Suni finds him and pulls him away from his rounds. She gives him Byun’s message: Code Black, #1 Support. The man asks what she needs, he can help.

In the x-ray room, Yura brings up that she saw something in Wang-sik’s head. She points at the bullet. The doctor says that is something that happens often, it is just an optical illusion. he shows several other peoples brain scans that have a similar white area in them. He calls it something like a flare that is basically an instrument malfunction.

Hyuk tells him to provide the best care to Wang-sik.

PALACE

kang takes a bath that is all from the breast milk of woman who have just given birth. The maid prepared it because she heard it is good for your health. They heard the first milk from the first pregnancy is the best. kang says that this is good, she wants to live many hundreds of years without getting old.

They start to talk about secretary hong’s son as the one who did that today. But they took care of the media around it. Today is So-hyun’s memorial day. Grandmother died so no one remembers her, lets just put flowers on the gravesite. She sinks into the breast milk.

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#2

HOSPITAL

The doctor says that this man is in critical need. He wanted to do emergency surgery for him. Suni asks if it is okay to do the surgery for him? The doctor explains that he prepared another hospital for the surgery. then Byun calls Suni.

Cut to Wang-sik waking up in the hospital. His head is all wrapped and a bit bloody. Sojin is all teary near his bed. Yura and Hyuk are there as well. Yura wonders why Sojin is all reary next to Wang-siks bed. he is not your bodyguard. Sojin tries to play it off after getting a little signal from WS and leaves. 

Hyuk tells him that he is happy that he is fine, he can rest here. But Yura wants to know what he is hiding. She holds out the medicine that she stole but she says that she just picked it up and didn’t have a chance to return it. However, she investigated it a little bit, it is a strong pain killer. Why do you need that kind of medicine?

WS explains that he was injured after fighting Wang-sik and his injury did not heal yet. It is super strong pain killer used for bullet wounds. Hyuk thinks, wow, I am sorry, I was not considerate enough. you should take care of your body even with a small injury. your body is like my body.

Outside, Byun tells Suni all about the bullet and that he should take care of it. Byun explains that they will do the surgery. It seems like Wang-sik might be dying slowly due to the bullet wound in his brain? While they are talking, Yura looks out the window and sees them. 

Suni goes to meet with Wang-sik now knowing his true identity. They talk about how he tried to kill her but he didn’t mean it and had Byun rescue her. She wants him to get the surgery but he says that it is not the time. The pain killer might not work though. WS does not want to do it because he might not be cured 100%, there is no guarantee. Suni says that he will die if he doesn’t, Wang-sik think she might die if he does. He still has his revenge!

Suni tells him not to be stubborn, she will force him to get the surgery today.

Meanwhile, Hyuk walks off and sees a skirt in the pond at the palace, he has a flashback to the last Empress, Sohyun floating in the pond. he tells them to call his mother. Kang comes soon after and wonders who did this strange thing! Could it be Oh Suni? Not Oh Suni, she does not know this. maybe Byun Baeko? I will take care of it, don’t worry.

Flashback to Hyuk telling SOhyun that he wants her to fire her bodyguard, he did not want him next to her. Can’t you understand that? Sohyun asks wht the reason is to fire an innocent person? the Emperor of the country should not be fooled by his mothers lie. Your mother knows that I know the secret to the Island. That is why she is pushing me into a corner.

But Hyuk just wants to know what kind of relationship she has with the bodyguard! She pushes his hands away and asks if he is really this kind of person, she did not know that he was this cowardly. This is the first time she noticed. She pushes him away and walks outside.

He catches her by the pond and asks her to tell him the truth! She asks what more she can explain? He is her boduguard and like her own brother in the house. But Hyuk says he is not her real brother! The kid in you belly, is that mine? She slaps him and tells him to believe whatever, you dont’ want to believe what I say anyway.

He starts chocking her and yells at her and then pushes her into the pond, looks at her trying to stay afloat in her huge dress, and walks away.

In the present, Kang tells Hyuk not to worry about it. They are still outside near the pond. But hyuk looks very disturbed and starts backing away nervously. kang thinks that Sohyun is seperating them even after she died.

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#3

While walking away, Hyuk sees a silhoette of the nanny, he goes inside the room and pushes her on the bed and starts kissing her. But then he stops and gets up looking a bit ashamed. The nanny stands up and says that today is SOhyun’s memorial right? Would you like to have a drink?

Elsewhere, Yura was able to find little Dong-shik (her son) playing with a few other kids. he happily runs to her. Suni gets word of this as they try to sneak Wang-sik out. Byun tells them that the kids said that his noona took him. We have GPS on him, they are going to the harbor.

Wang-sik tells Suni that he has to find Dong-sik, he is his brother! Suni wants him to get his surgery. But he walks away, she yells at him to do whatever he wants! Then she angrily agrees to drive him to Incheon.

meanwhile, Hyuk has that drink with the nanny in the nanny’s quarters. He tells her that she was the colsest to Sohyun, so she should know if the bodyguard and her had a special relationship. The nanny says that she does  not know about them as a man and a woman, but he was definitely not just a bodyguard. Whenever you left the palace, she called the bodyguard and stayed with him until morning. I saw it many times.

Hyuk – So everything was true? Why are you telling met his now?

Nanny – She was my friend before she was an empress. And I should not talk bad about the dead.

Hyuk – *laughs*

nanny – *thinks*

kang goes to her room and sees a picture of So-hyun on a memorial table. She gasps. But then Yoon starts talking so she whips around and sees him sitting on the floor behind her. He says that he expected that no one would take care of SOhyun’s memorial with Grandmother here, so i am taking care of it.

Kang asks why he is doing this! She is dead already! Yoon tells her that she and his brother killed her. He asw it all.

Flashback to that night. Sohyun tells someone that she is going to have a press conference  about that Island and why mother is so interested in it! Hyuk is more interested in her relationship with the bodyguard. Sohyun runs out but Hyuk chases after her. Yoon sees it all. Then he sees her body in the pond.

Hyuk cried over her as she floated in the pond lifeless and says that he killed the baby and her. But Kang tells him that the baby is not his kid. Hyuk cries and says that he did not mean to kill her. Kang tells him that no one knows, they are the only people that saw it, she died via a heartattack. We need to get the dead body first and tell them that the cause of death is a heart attack.

In the present, kang says that Sohyun died from a heart attack, that is what the doctor said. But Yoon tells her that she is ignoring it. I know why you hated Sohyun, it is all because of that island! What is the secret! Why did you make her die!

Kang slaps him and asks how dare he can suspect his own mother. Did I raise you like this? Yoon thinks he was so stupid, he should have revealed everything back then. This Royal family, I was so stupid. I will give you one las chance, but if you are related to Grandmothers death then I have no choice but to abandon you. he storms out.

Kang asks how dare he abandon her! Who is abandoning whom? She breaks Sohyun’s memorial.

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#4

HARBOR

Elsewhere, Yura sits with Dong-sik in a car and says that she is the only one with him now right? Umma and Wang-sik are gone but I am here. Dong-sik asks where they are going now. Yura asks if he is thirsty and gives him juice. He drinks it and promptly passes out. But his little watch is showing that the beacon signal is on.

Yura tells another man to take the boy far far away so that no one can find him.

But Suni and Wang-sik are in the harbor as well and are asking the local workman if they have seen a small boy. One of them looks suspicious and tries to run and fight the two of them. Wang-sik and Suni are able to get the best of him so the man shows them where Dong-sik is. Dong-sik is in a box nearby so they get him out of it. Suni tells the man that he knows who she is so he can follow what she tells him or she will call the police. he agrees.

Yura is happy as she walks back to Emperors room, but he is not in his bed. he wonders where he went. Maybe….

Cut to Suni’s place. She brought Song-sik there to take care of him. Byun is there as well. Appa tells Byun that he can be there as well and the boy can live here too. He is fine with that. We are not just regular relationships, we are a marine sunbae hoobae and father in law, and another goroup, victims of the palace.

Dong-sik waited in the car, but his head hurts him. He thanks Suni but says that she will be in trouble also if she is with him. She says that she does not want to be involved with him personally, but they need to catch Yura and Lee Hyuk together. Lets share all our information on the way back. It will be morning soon.

MORNING

Wang-sik walks Suni back to her roomin the palace. One of he secretaries sees them and goes to report to Kang. She tells kang that the Empress and Wang-sik walked in together and looked secretive so it bothered her. kang tells her that she asked Wang-sik to seduce Suni, so maybe he is doing a good job. 

Kang then asked if it was true that the emperor slept in the nanny’s room? The secretary says yes, he is still there. kang thinks that he had Yura too long. Now everything is back where it should be. The world runs better with only one sun in the sky. She chuckles.

Hyuk wakes up in the nanny’s room. he slept in the bed. The nanny slept on the floor. He put a blanket over her from the bed and leaves. But the nanny was just pretending to sleep and sits up with a sinister look.

END PART ONE

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#5

HYUK goes back to his room, Yura is waiting for him and nicely asks where he went. He wants to know what is up so early in the morning. She smiles and says that she just wanted to say hello. He mutters thta he did not sleep well and took a walk. he will take a shower and peeple are still suspicious of them so she should not come to his place so often. She says that she will not if it makes him uncomfortable. 

She leaves and goes straight to the nanny’s to start a fight. She basically pulls her hair and manhandles her all around the room. It is a serious fight. But then Kang comes in and asks what they are doing this early in the morning! She asks Yura if this the level of the Emperors girlfriend.

Then she asks the nanny how she can get hit by a secretary, she has a noble title now. The nanny says that she withstood it just in case it would be bad for Ari and the emperor. She will clean up. Kang tells her that the maid will clean everything up, then she chuckles at Yura as she leaves. All the other people help the nanny stand up. The nanny gives Yura a look and smile and she walks out.

Outside, Wang-sik walks by Yura across the pond. Yura tells him that he is too noticeable with protecting the Empress. he says he just did his job as the captain of the security team. Yura tells him that he can fool the Emperor, but you cannot fool me. It is more obvious this time. I will take your mask off, look forward to it.

Wang-sik calls her name and walks aggressively to her then hold her over the pond. She yells, what are you doing! Wang-sik asks if she is afraid that the empeor will leave her? I am the emperors person, I am not someone you can touch. If you touch my things one more time, see what will happen. Behave yourself.

he pulls her back and walks away. Yura falls to the ground and screams, how dare he!

GOOD MORNING EMPRESS

Suni has another good morning Empress podcast live chat and tells everyone that she has a special guest today. She moves the camera to show Hyuk and Ari. She also tells them that they like to take a morning walk. She will also teach Ari how to play jaegi chagi (bouncing a ball on you foot). She even jokes with hyuk that he is not confident with it when he says enough. She puts the camera in his face. He smiles awkwardly.

There are a lot of comments. Suni tells them that they should figure out who will be the winner. They think the emperor will be the winner. But the emperor can only hit the ball one time before it hits the gorund. Ari laughs. Suni takes her turn and gives him the camera. She has her track pants on unndeneath and does a bunch of difficult skills with the jaegi ball. Everyone thinks she is the coolest. Hyuk also looks like he likes her.

Hyuk tells them that the Empress won but it was his first time so he was not prepared, he will practice and do it again. Good bye. He turns it off. Suni tells him that she has to say her goodbye greeting. Ari says they look like they are having a lovey dovey fight and happily giggles as she runs off.

The nanny sees all of this and looks worried.

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#6

Somewhere else, Sojin gives Wang-sik a massage in her quarters. She tells him that the Emperor makes him work too hard, so just rest. I also heard today that one of the maids disappeared out of nowhere. the reason is because that maid ate one of the kimbaps that Suni prepared. Grandmother said it was delicious so to try it.

Wang-sik said that he heard it was poisoned? Sojin said that is the strange thing, the maid should have died but she did not. Wang-sik asks where she is now. Sojin explains that the maid told mother Kang about it and then disappeared right away. She was either fired or my mother….did…..well, it is a secret for you because of our relationship, so that is why I am telling you. Does your head feel clearer now? How long should we keep this a secret? I want to reveal it to everyone.

Wang-sik hops up and accidentally knocks Sojin to the ground. He picks her up and says that seh is the best but he has to leave just in case the Emperor is looking for him.

he tells everything to Suni about the maid and the kimbap. So it lookslike someone killed Grandmother and blamed her. Wang-sik has a piece of the clothing that kang burned that day, they did an analysis on it, there is poison in that clothing so kang should be apart of it. But Suni should keep a low profile so they wont suspect her. Suni says that they agreed not to bother each others roles. She does not care what he does at all. Whether he ate or took his medicine or has a super headache or not.

He tells her that he ate breakfast and took his medicine but he will not answer. She says that she will not ask him. If you are done with your shift, go to the polcie station with me. We are meeting that person together right?

Cut to the polcie department to meet the assailant that attacked them. He says that his mtoher died taking all her sins. She went back to the palace and did not even go to the funeral. Suni tries to explain everything to him. He says that what Min Yura told him is all right. Wang-sik tells him that Min Yura cannot be trusted. But the man says that his mtoher worked for the Palace his entire life and became a murderer. Why should she commit suicide? This is all your fault! how could this happen!

MALL

Meanwhile, Helro and Sojin talk about mall business. There is a big end of the year thing going on. Everyone loves it and also calls Helro, Vincent. Chicken comes in from Yoon (the real Vincent) and everyone starts to eat chicken. They all talk about how great it is, so crispy. Sojin asks if he has a coupon? But Yoon does not look her in the eye. Sojin gets upset at him but Helro has to  come in break it up so SOjin does not find out that the delivery boy is her brother.

Helro and Yoon go outside to talk. She wants to know his true identity. he says that his family has a lot of problems, his mother wants to use him and his father wants to kill him. If they know that he is in Korea then they will cause a lot of problems. Helro says that her family can protect him. If you have that kind of story you should have just told us, why suffer all by yourself.

But then Sojin comes running up so Yoon quickly kisses helro. Sojin and Helro are so surprised. But then Helro sees Sojin so she pulls Yoon back into another kiss.

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#7

PALACE

Kang and Hyuk play chess. Kang tells Hyuk that the incident at the pond was taken care of. Hyuk wonders how much Kang thinks “he” knows that happened at the pond that day. Kang says that she is disappointed that Yoon is hanging out with Byun. The conersation changes to Suni, and what she is doing. They think she is not doing much and also think they should take care of her because they can’t keep the will a secret much longer.

the two of them share the inheritance and right now they have the power centralized so everything runs well. But I own Changum island. Hyuk asks why she is so obsessed with Changum island. Kang says that she wants to have a nice vacation home over there when she gets older and relax. Hyuk says that he will follow what she wants. Kang reiterates that they need to make a stronger empire with a centralized power. I will not let anyone block it, even Yoon. She check mates Hyuk.

then Hyuk gets a text that says he is fooled by Min Yura. There is a voice mail attached. Wang-sik looks on from a near distance. Hyuk excuses himself and listens to the message.

WS,VO – I don’t want to hurt you, you should keep this secret from Hyuk.

YR,VO – Oppa, you cannot win over the emperor.

WS, VO – No, hyuk is dead by me tonight, I am ready to die also. Tell me when the party ends.

Hyuk thinks that Yura knew Wang-sik, how dare he lie to her. Then Yura comes in with a report. Hyuk acts business like and asks her where her orphanage was, did they harrass you? Of course I should do something after listening to your story. Yura says that they don’t desrve it, just listen to this story. But then Hyuk brings up that other island. Yura says she does not know anyone there and that hyuk looks strange. he says he thinks he does not know her that well after all. He dismisses her by saying he has another appointment.

Yura fells the tides turning as wang-sik comes in and she leaves.

Hyuk asks Wang-sik to go to Beechee island and find out everything about Min Yura. Everything. Wang-sik agrees.

Ouside, Yura meets with Suni. Suni wants to talk to her for a second. She asks her if she meets peole with pain to give them more pain? Yura asks what she is talking about? Suni explains that she knows everything, you met Hong team leaders son and insighed violence from him. Yura asks if she did that? She just told him the truth. You know Hong is not the real murderer. Suni says she knows who the real murderer is, it is you right?

Yura smiles and asks for the evidence. Suni says that Grandmother was already dead when she went to see her and was stabbed. But why did you run away? You lied and said she was sleeping. Yura denies it. Suni tells her that she is a perfectionist so why would she leave the tea with sleeping medicine inside? Do you know why? You were too busy to take Grandmothers letter that you did not have a chance to pick up your teapot.

Yura says that Suni killed her with her kimbap. But Suni tells her not to get so angry, she will have evidence soon. But this anger is the first evidence. Suni walks away. Yura wonders how she knows this? Did she see me? No, no one was there, no one.

Suni walks away and thinks that Min Yura made a mistake, today is the begining of your fall.

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#8

Later on, Wang-sik meets with Hyuk and gives him a photo from an old photo studio. It is a family photo with Wang-sik, the baby, Umma, and Yura. He says that she grew up on the island just like their real daughter. Her relationship with Wang-sik was like husabnd and wife. the last five years, Wang-sik, Umma, and Dong-sik visited Yura. He hands him the palace records. He also says that Yura snuck the baby to a foreign country. Hyuk starts laughing like a loon and asks Wang-sik to do one more thing for him.

Yura gets called to come to Hyuk’s office. She is so happy to see him and asks about his appointment as she give s him a hug.

But he pushes her away and plays the voice mail that he got via text. Yura covers her ears. Hyuk asks if she knew Na Wang-sik? Don’t lie to me. he throws a photo of the two of them at her and ays that her mother was like her real mother and Wang-sik was like her husband. How dare you lie to me!

Yura pleads with him and says that it was not like that. i was always truthful to you. But Hyuk does not believe her and tells her that she needs to show herself.

Cut to them driving somewhere isolated. Hyuk gets out and pulls Yura out as well. She pleads with him to listen to her one more time. He says that she said she was truthful to him, you said you would die for me here, that is your true heart.

He walks to the side, uncovers a hidden truck, then start pouring gasoline all over it. he tells her to die for him here, otherwise it was all a show. She says it was not all a show and falls to the ground. But he just pulls her and throws her inside the car and then locks the doors with a special lock. He looks through the window and tells her to go back in time and die, Min Yura.

Then he opens a light and throws it on the car, it sets it on fire. Yura screams No, no no, but the Emperor just walks off. he looks at her in his car and drives away. She passes out in the car.

Hyuk goes to a bar and drinks his thoughts away. But he still remembers all his happy moments with yura. he remembers saying that he will protect her, if he can’t protect her then he is not a man, he is not an Emperor. He breaks the glass and gets his hands all bloody. Then he calls Woo-bin, flustered. But it looks like Wang-sik did not pick up.

Hyuk goes to the palace and keeps calling Woo-bin (aka Wang-sik). Then he sees Wang-sik, wang-sik kind of notices Hyuk but not enough for Hyuk to know that he notices him.

Hyuk looks at Wang-sik and then we see Wang-sik pull Suni into a hug. Hyuk is stunned.

Fade Out

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COMMENTS

Okay, who thinks Yura is dead? Because I am torn. Maybe Byun rescued her as well?

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The top Image is by SBS and edited using PicMonkey

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