Genre: drama
Written by Kim Soon-ok
Directed by Joo Dong-min
More information: Wikipedia / HanCinema
The Last Empress:
Revenge and Redemption
in the Modern Empire
Perhaps I have never seen a series where a protagonist was introduced into the story so strangely, and then written out of it even more abruptly and bizarrely, than in The Last Empress.
Since it is known that this highly-rated drama was extended by four additional episodes during its run, I could only assume that the actor playing the bodyguard could no longer fit the extra filming into his schedule. Thus, a solution had to be found for why we wouldn't see him in a fitting manner during the story’s conclusion. Looking it up afterward, my suspicion proved to be correct.
The drama is one of those "2-in-1" series that aims to target fans of both modern and historical dramas simultaneously. Consequently, we see once again that in this fictional story set within contemporary settings, the monarch’s court remains stuck in the world of historical period dramas.
The story begins with a romantic escapade by the Emperor, Lee Hyeok (Shin Sung-rok), that goes horribly wrong, leading to several consequences. First, the traces of a hit-and-run must be covered up, so an alibi is sought for him—and found. The price, however, is steep: he must soon marry Oh Sunny (Jang Nara), a musical actress who doesn't fit into the royal court at all. The "vulgar" but naively honest woman hopes for love from her husband, only to find herself in a love triangle supplemented by a mistress. Furthermore, the accident was witnessed by the victim's son, Na Wang-shik (Choi Jin-hyuk), upon whom the palace's "cleaners" are unleashed. It appears they succeed in disposing of him, but the man survives and, thirsting for revenge, joins the Emperor's guard.
The new Empress and the bodyguard soon become allies, working together to uncover the dark secrets of the palace, all of which lead back to the unscrupulous Dowager Empress, who truly pulls all the strings. The story doesn't differ much from a conventional historical series built on intrigue and internal power struggles; the difference lies mostly in the aesthetics. While the inhabitants of the palace wear hanbok with increasing determination, they now speak to modern media, and sword training alternates with car chases. A hideout that looks like a medieval farm coexists perfectly with the world of fast-food restaurants. This mixture allows for the involvement of many characters from different backgrounds, resulting in an entertaining diversity.
While the plot twists are interesting, the drama's strength lies in the performances of the lead actors. Jang Nara’s Sunny matures before our eyes from a whimsical, somewhat simple-minded actress into a woman who, fueled by disappointment and an innate sense of justice, gathers enough courage to face her numerous evil adversaries.
We see the bodyguard, hidden behind a new identity (Cheon Woo-bin), in two forms. I don’t know what the creators were thinking when they dared to expect us to believe that the straw-haired, impulsive, steel-strong, but somewhat dim-witted "meatball" from the opening scenes (played with great intensity by Tae Hang-ho) bulked up into a handsome, intelligent, model-like figure after about a month and a half of working out.
But this is what happened, and so we saw Choi Jin-hyuk in an action role. Besides holding his own in various combat techniques, he showed the elemental rage he can unleash from within. Although as a bodyguard he is subordinate to the members of the imperial family, he manipulates excellently, and we never doubt that he is a serious romantic rival to Lee Hyeok, against whom his revenge is directed. It is a great pity that he had to leave the stage without finishing his business; this not only prevents the character from reaching fulfillment but also tilts the balance of the drama. Even if his mission is taken over by someone we would least expect, it remains a blunder akin to a Western hero falling off his horse and breaking his neck just before the final duel.
The most psychologically complex character is the Emperor, brought to life by Shin Sung-rok. Treated as a puppet by his mother, the man has learned nothing but how to cling to power, making him capable of assorted cruelties. Like many characters of his type, he has no idea about life outside the palace or normal human emotions. Yet he suffers from his deficiencies, the nature of which he doesn't truly understand, so he constantly errs—hoping for love and friendship from his greatest enemies. His struggling, his aggressiveness alternating with spinelessness, and his eventual realization of his deception evoke pity. Although his gesture of joining the fight for the ultimate truth is heroic, his demise is wretched; he cannot achieve nobility in it, only become somewhat more human. At the same time, the metaphorical scene between mother and son, invoking the sacred cleansing of those heading toward death, is very beautiful. It is an extremely difficult role, but Shin Sung-rok presents it by perfectly crafting every trait of the character.
There are many other noteworthy performances, including high-caliber but one-dimensional villains like the Dowager Empress (Shin Eun-kyung). It is exciting how Lee Elijah oscillates between the extremes of diabolical and human faces in the role of Min Yoo-ra. The performers of smaller roles are too numerous to list, but Yoo Gun stands out as the bodyguard locked in a mental institution.
The drama often attempts to infuse humor, but it is not consistent in this at all. Therefore, the characters mostly break into comedy sporadically, in unjustified situations and moments. This also applies to stylistic breaks, such as comic book drawings appearing during an action scene or movements reminiscent of silent films. Naturally, we laugh at these, but they remain senseless patches in the overall fabric of the drama.
The extension by four episodes was not a fortunate solution either, as the drama completely lost its momentum and struggled to fill the resulting airtime. Despite all its flaws, I highly recommend watching The Last Empress because the emotional tension between the lead trio is one of the most peculiar I have experienced in the dramas I've seen so far, and the acting is simply magnificent.
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