The Last Empress

The iron woman, Empress Myeong-seong, is the most outstanding politician in Korean history. No one can deny that her extraordinary patriotism and her special affection for the Chosun Dynasty have touched Koreans. Daewon gun, Emperor Kojong’s father, picks out Min Ja-young as his daughter-in-law, and she becomes the Empress Myeong-seong. Nevertheless, the Empress Myeong-seong is always alone because Emperor Kojong prefers the Precious Lee. Therefore, she reads many books imported from China so that she can get rid of her loneliness, and after all, the Empress Myeong-seong becomes a clever adviser for the Emperor Kojong. However, there is a critical moment for Empress Myeong-seong as an empress of the Chosun Dynasty. The Precious Lee has a baby in 1868 before she dies. Later, the Empress Myeong-seong also gives birth to a baby, but, unfortunately, the baby has just lived for 3 days. Since the baby has been dead, the conflict between her and Daewon gun gets deeper and deeper. She grasps the political power, and, against Daewon gun conservative policy, she introduces the Qing (China)’s system and dispatches envoys to China. Because of the rapid innovation, the Im-o Coup occurs by a conservative party in 1882, and the Empress Myeong-seong must escape from the royal palace in disguise herself as a maid…