The Last Empress

November 21, 2018

Skeletal remains turn up on the grounds of Ehwa Palace alongside a necklace worth millions, believed to be a gift from the Emperor to the Empress — a discovery that sends the story rewinding into the past.

November 21, 2018

Having saved the Emperor's life, Sunny returns home safely as the attacker is caught and revealed to be connected to a powerful, embittered family.

November 22, 2018

Racing from the scene of a hit-and-run he caused, the Emperor conceals the body with Wang-shik's mother inside, while Yu-ra talks him into trusting her to help cover it up.

November 22, 2018

Yu-ra falsely confesses to the accident and stages her own death, only to be saved just in time by the Emperor and his guards.

November 28, 2018

As the Imperial Family gathers to honor the Grand Empress Dowager's peace award, Sunny is asked to perform — though her real motives run deeper than anyone realizes.

November 28, 2018

Armed with evidence of the cover-up, the Empress Dowager reclaims her leverage over the Emperor and forces him into marrying Sunny.

November 29, 2018

Transformed into Chun Woo-bin, the boy once known as Na Wang-shik edges closer to revenge after being hired as an Imperial Guard.

November 29, 2018

As the nation watches the lavish royal wedding live, the platform beneath Sunny collapses and catches fire, and the new guard Woo-bin steps in to save her.

December 5, 2018

Unaware of Yu-ra's true nature, Wang-shik reaches out to her directly, only to abandon his plan the moment he catches sight of Ma Pil.

December 5, 2018

Learning who was truly responsible, Wang-shik returns to Bichido and vows revenge against Pil-joo, the Emperor, and Yu-ra.

December 6, 2018

Overhearing the Emperor and Yu-ra's secret affair, the Grand Empress Dowager forbids it outright and orders Yu-ra out of the palace.

December 6, 2018

Sensing the Empress's pain, the Grand Empress Dowager spends the day comforting her and invites her father to visit, while Pil-joo searches Woo-bin's quarters for clues.

December 12, 2018

Catching the Emperor and Ms. Min together, the Empress realizes how foolish she's been but decides to hear him out regardless.

December 12, 2018

Speaking to the Prince for the first time in seven years leaves the Emperor uneasy, aware that the Prince's return threatens his own position.

December 13, 2018

Attempting to catch the Emperor in the act backfires on the Empress, entangling her in her own predicament as Wang-shik betrays her trust.

December 13, 2018

Digging into the death of the late Empress So-hyun, Sunny uncovers that Ari is secretly the Emperor's daughter, and the nanny Kang-hee is her mother.

December 19, 2018

The Grand Empress Dowager is found dead, launching a murder investigation that puts every member of the Imperial Family under suspicion.

December 19, 2018

Evidence of the Imperial Family's corruption, entrusted by the Grand Empress Dowager to Ms. Hong, never makes it to the Prime Minister as intended.

December 20, 2018

Returning to the palace to retrieve a hidden recording device from the Emperor's chamber, the Empress narrowly escapes being caught.

December 20, 2018

Unaware her calls are being tapped, the Empress is caught reaching out to her family — until Ms. Hong steps in with a confession of her own.

December 26, 2018

As the Emperor tries to salvage his public image, Sunny publicly forgives him and asks to start over, leaving him with little choice but to agree.

December 26, 2018

Prince Yoon hands Baek-ho the late Empress So-hyun's diary, while Sunny's decision to go live sends the palace into a frenzy.

December 27, 2018

Rushed to the hospital, Woo-bin's true identity as Wang-shik is nearly exposed, but an ally inside helps keep the secret intact.

December 27, 2018

Wang-shik learns a court lady who once tasted the Empress's food for the Grand Empress Dowager has gone missing, deepening the mystery of her death.

January 2, 2019

After learning the Emperor dealt with Yu-ra without her knowledge, the Empress Dowager embraces him and reveals her plan to dethrone the Crown Prince.

January 2, 2019

Wang-shik begins taunting the Emperor and Yu-ra, letting them know he's alive and searching for his mother's remains.

January 3, 2019

Forced back into the palace, Yu-ra is coerced by the Emperor into falsely accusing the Empress Dowager of the Grand Empress Dowager's murder.

January 3, 2019

Woo-bin persuades the Emperor to strike a deal with Yu-ra as Wang-shik continues to threaten exposure over his mother's remains.

January 9, 2019

Wang-shik finally recovers his mother's body and gives her a proper farewell, vowing to punish everyone responsible for her death.

January 9, 2019

Prince Yoon storms into the Emperor's chamber in fury over the death of Sunny's mother, sacrificed years earlier to protect him.

January 10, 2019

The Empress recovers from an assassination attempt by the Empress Dowager, leaving her family enraged and determined to retaliate.

January 10, 2019

Desperate to bury the truth, the hospital director takes his own life as Prince Yoon publishes another chapter detailing Empress So-hyun's death.

January 16, 2019

Chief Chun openly declares his feelings for the Empress in front of the Emperor, though she firmly turns him down for both their sakes.

January 16, 2019

Chief Joo helps break Yu-ra out of Sunil Mental Hospital after a call from the Empress Dowager, who wants Wang-shik delivered to her.

January 17, 2019

As the Emperor reads from Vincent Lee's tell-all book, the Empress Dowager begs him to stop, right as Chief Byun demands answers about her daughter's death.

January 17, 2019

Yu-ra brings Dong-shik to the palace in an attempt to lure Wang-shik out, while the Emperor closes in on the truth from Vincent Lee's account.

January 23, 2019

Princess Ari can barely contain her joy after being told she'll soon become empress regnant, though she can't help sharing the secret.

January 23, 2019

Ordered by the Empress Dowager to flee with Woo-bin under cover of night, the Empress instead chooses to play along with her scheme.

January 24, 2019

As the Emperor prepares to pull the trigger, Woo-bin promises to deliver Wang-shik to him, while the Empress blackmails the Empress Dowager into ceding control of the palace staff.

January 24, 2019

Kang-hee hands the Prime Minister a recorded confession implicating Emperor Lee Hyuk in Empress So-hyun's murder, securing Ari's path to the throne.

January 30, 2019

Woo-bin reveals his true identity to Yu-ra but spares her life, instead bringing her to Kang Joo-seung to help him recover his memory.

January 30, 2019

Joo-seung recounts in detail the day he was meant to meet Yu-ra, as Princess So-jin begs Woo-bin to reconcile and pleads with the Empress as well.

January 31, 2019

All evidence from the attack on Prince Yoon points toward the Emperor, though the Empress suspects Kang-hee — who has Princess Ari as her alibi.

January 31, 2019

The Empress and Emperor set a trap for Kang-hee, who ultimately can't escape mounting suspicion of being behind the attack on Prince Yoon.

February 6, 2019

To protect Dong-shik and the other guards, Wang-shik lowers his weapon and surrenders to the Emperor's men.

February 6, 2019

Stunned that the Emperor returned unharmed, the Empress Dowager urges him to divorce the Empress immediately — but he insists on handling it his own way.

February 7, 2019

Michelle, empress under Emperor Lee Jeong three decades earlier, arrives unannounced to appoint a legal proxy for the Crown Princess, shocking the entire palace.

February 7, 2019

Regretting his anger toward the Empress, the Emperor begs her not to leave as she sleeps, while Michelle names Sunny as the Crown Princess's official proxy.

February 13, 2019

The Emperor and Prince Yoon catch Kang-hee admitting to Joo-seung's killing, but she reveals she was only carrying out the Empress Dowager's order.

February 13, 2019

Knowing Sunny plans to expose everything at his 10-year anniversary as emperor, he begs her forgiveness one last time before locking her away.

February 14, 2019

Recovering from an explosion with Hyuk by her side, Sunny learns Na Wang-shik was behind the attack, as a press conference unfolds at the palace.

February 14, 2019

With the Emperor dead, the Empress Dowager scrambles to flee the palace, only to be confronted by Kang-hee as police and media wait outside.