📺 Korean Tv Series Review: The Last Empress (황후의 품격)

Are you still mourning the cancellation of E! hit show "The Royals"? I know I am...
Do you fancy homicides, conspiracies, hidden agendas with some hilarious and romantic gags in between, all served in a luxurious setting such as a Korean palace? 

Look no further because dramaland has you covered!

As said at the beginning of each episode, this drama is about a fictional depiction of a constitutional monarchy of South Korea, lead by Emperor Lee Hyuk. Another important figure of the family is represented by his mother, the Empress Dowager, a despicable and power-obsessed woman.
In order to create himself an alibi after a hit and run accident, he attends the play of one of his most loyal and supportive fans, Oh Sunny. She's a lively, bright person and she's beyond the moon when the Emperor proposes to her.
What should be the start of a long-lasting fairytale, immediately turns out being the extreme opposite: the Emperor is a shady and unfaithful husband, the Empress Dowager is busy plotting a way to maintain the power and the only person Sunny can actually trust is the Emperor's grandmother, the Great Empress Dowager.

A complete stranger story is destined to cross with Sunny's: Na Wang Sik is an average young man, who promised himself to take revenge over his mom's death and to do so he enrolls into the palace's guards. He'll be appointed first at the Emperor's protection, but soon he'll start to grow feelings for the Sunny, jeopardizing his own mission and, possibly, his and Empress Sunny safety.

Because things aren't complicated enough as it is, the prodigal prince Yi Yoon returns after seven years of self-force exile, just too add more troubles and danger for everyone in the palace...

My Opinion👍👎

First (frivolous) things first: in the very first episode, the Emperor dresses in disguise to enjoy some freedom outside the palace...it has been since "Coming to America" with Eddy Murphy that I've not seen an Emperor dressed as the cast of Jersey Shore and, yes please, let's add a car that looks like it just came out from "Pimp My Ride".

After that, he decides to stick with a '40ies dandy look, with much of my joy! 

Appearances aside, we have:
- anger management issues that run in the Family: when they're not threatening people of death, they occasionally enjoy crushing random objects close to hand...whether may it be his possessions or someone else’s is irrelevant!
- as for the Emperor, the not so subtle first symptoms of bipolar disorder, since he first tries to have the Empress killed (multiple times, I might add) but at some point, he decides to do everything he can in order to protect her...with much of headaches for me.

Now, back to seriousness...this is by far the longest k-drama I've watched (52 episodes) and I loved every single one! The plot is catchy, both leading and supporting characters are fabulously good, especially the Emperor and Empress's respective sisters; I want them as my best friends. Period.

The scenographies and traditional Korean dresses are incredibly detailed and precise, the script is intense with a lot of plot twists and new characters additions, but it doesn't get messy.
The only thing I didn't quite like was the Emperor's continuous changes of heart regarding Oh Sunny; once, I can understand it, but after that it became frustrating...

To avoid spoilers, I'll just say that the Empress Dowager stays true to her character all drama long...watch it and you'll understand what I mean.

Ranking: 4/5

Ph: asianwiki.com