[Drama 2018-2019] Empress Dignity / The Last Empress, 황후의 품격

[stevii]

i am surprised that quite a few people is not satisfied with Lee Hyuk (emperor)'s arc whereas i feel like his arc is really handled well. For one, he was abandoned and hated by his parents ever since he was a little boy. the evil dowager and her husband are also not a very good example for their kids obviously so no wonder Lee Hyuk and the prince grew up to be kind of rude-ish and unstable. Hence i feel like Lee Hyuk's evilness. and to the extend of killing people to get rid of them is just something he takes from his parents and the palace environment, like i mean thats how it is, kill if you dont want be killed. I like the paralels we see between Lee Hyuk and princess Ari. Grow up under the dowager's care you will turn out like Lee Hyuk, but Princess Ari under Oh Sunny's care hopefully is still redeemable.

 

Lee Hyuk only chooses very few people to trust and love (like when he chose to love Min Yu Ra and Woo Bin/Na Wang Shik he really loves and trusts them) but when those people betray his kindness he will go berserk and will resort to the 'kill that person' evil. Also, i think he just longs to be loved and he also longs for a loveable environment, so when he realizes that Empress Sunny is a kind and loving person, i feel like its justifiable if he immediately falls for her and if he wants her to love him back. Because i think he just wants an environment where he can love and trust people, and vice versa. 

 

NB. i wonder what actually happened to Lee Hyuk's and vincent Lee's father. Did he pass away because of some sickness? 

[PutriSalju]

I just don't get people are saying Lee Hyuk is pity due to the miss-education and hatred form his parents. Because from what I see, he's truly a mommy's boy. And it was the reason why he can't be feel sorry for the wrong things he's done just like Princess Ari before. He always get what he wants. Same as Princess So Jin. Though she's not as evil as her brother, but she's still selfish. If Lee Hyuk did wrong, his mom will cover it for him. It just him being mentality weak. That's why he's easy to get manipulated and used.

His redemption is nothing rather than just being nice to Sunny. And we know the reason just because he suddenly fall for her. And I don't think it is love either since he can't let her go and even saying he won't divorce her till they died. At least now he's aware about his daughter and wanna protect the empress though I'm nt sure if he knows Sunny in love with Wang Sik he still be the nice guy that latest episode show us.

No matter how regret he is, he have to pay what he did. And he needs to prove that by action not just being cutie.

However, I enjoying him being fool with his sister. They're really sibling lol.

[cucumbermelon88]

I kind of wonder if LH is aware that SN set him up to read that passage. If yes, I worry he’ll become more controlling next episode  I kind of could see him - being the psycho he is - preventing her from leaving her corridors and then WB, feeling bad for her, setting up the star display outside her window to cheer her up 

 

 

[autumna]

2 hours ago, stevii said:

Lee Hyuk only chooses very few people to trust and love (like when he chose to love Min Yu Ra and Woo Bin/Na Wang Shik he really loves and trusts them) but when those people betray his kindness he will go berserk and will resort to the 'kill that person' evil. Also, i think he just longs to be loved and he also longs for a loveable environment, so when he realizes that Empress Sunny is a kind and loving person, i feel like its justifiable if he immediately falls for her and if he wants her to love him back. Because i think he just wants an environment where he can love and trust people, and vice versa. 

 

Its interesting because when you think about it LH actually did have what he truly wanted and longed for with SH, someone who loves only him, a family and a lovable environment but it was him that destroyed it, yes ED manipulated him but he is the one in the end that didn't trust SH enough. 

 

Its like everything is coming back full circle against LH. SH and SJ was not real and they were loyal and never betrayed him and he never fully trusted them but now with Sunny/CB, feelings are developing and they are actually his enemies trying to bring him down and get revenge and he fully trusts them. 

 

How will he react once he finds this out...?

[katakwasabi]

54 minutes ago, PutriSalju said:

I just don't get people are saying Lee Hyuk is pity due to the miss-education and hatred form his parents. Because from what I see, he's truly a mommy's boy. And it was the reason why he can't be feel sorry for the wrong things he's done just like Princess Ari before. He always get what he wants. Same as Princess So Jin. Though she's not as evil as her brother, but she's still selfish. If Lee Hyuk did wrong, his mom will cover it for him. It just him being mentality weak. That's why he's easy to get manipulated and used.

 

 

Mmm. Your words contradict here. You don't get why people say Hyuk is a result of miss-education. But you say he is just like princess Ari before she met Sunny. Always getting what he wants stems from wrong education. Being selfish also stems from wrong education. If we werent shown his childhood i might have thought differently. But his childhood was shown, and he was brought up with no compassion whatsoever and became a spoiled brat and even worse a spoiled adult. Indeed, being mentally weak is also a factor. He did have a good relationship with SoHyun, but when pushed on edge and being fed by lies by his mum and SH's best friend, his mind was taken over by anger and led to bad judgement. What he did was not right. Being weak minded that he is, bad upbringing was just a catalyst for bad things to occur. (Bare in mind, only in dramaland am i trying to reason with this absurdity )

 

54 minutes ago, PutriSalju said:

His redemption is nothing rather than just being nice to Sunny. And we know the reason just because he suddenly fall for her. And I don't think it is love either since he can't let her go and even saying he won't divorce her till they died. At least now he's aware about his daughter and wanna protect the empress though I'm nt sure if he knows Sunny in love with Wang Sik he still be the nice guy that latest episode show us.

No matter how regret he is, he have to pay what he did. And he needs to prove that by action not just being cutie.

However, I enjoying him being fool with his sister. They're really sibling lol.

 

Awww..baby steps. He can't change immediately and give us whiplash. It would be too fast of a growth if he decides to let her go to wangshik for her own good. As you said, he always gets what he wants, how can he change his norm? Its hard to do. Change is gradual. At least he's trying to be nice now with his apology and quiet vow to protect sunny. His wrong deeds are not forgotten. Even the show reminds us of his wrongdoings. He will get punished sooner or later. 

 

I'm preparing for angst when Hyuk knows who Woo bin really is. I expect it would be a great learning curve for Hyuk to be nicer and beg for forgiveness. But it might also be used to show that Hyuk is cray and he will unleash his wrath to Woo Bin. Hua3

 

[0timelost]

1 hour ago, PutriSalju said:

I just don't get people are saying Lee Hyuk is pity due to the miss-education and hatred form his parents. Because from what I see, he's truly a mommy's boy. And it was the reason why he can't be feel sorry for the wrong things he's done just like Princess Ari before. He always get what he wants. Same as Princess So Jin. Though she's not as evil as her brother, but she's still selfish. If Lee Hyuk did wrong, his mom will cover it for him. It just him being mentality weak. That's why he's easy to get manipulated and used.

 

I haven't watch the most recent episode, so I can't say much about his current action. And..I'm just going to speak on my behalf on why I think he is pitiful. 

 

First, his crime cannot be dismiss. There's no doubt that he had broke the law and he must pay for his crime no matter what kind of background he grew up in. He has committed 1st degree murder (WS's mom), ordered several assassination (against WS, Sunny, and Yura as well), committed several attempts on murder (WS, Yura, Grandma, Sunny, the head body guard, his first empress, etc), falsifying documents (Grandma's will), and other crimes. These are criminal act and he should be jailed and punished for his crime. There's no gray area, and he shouldn't get a slap on the wrist for his actions. 

 

However, he is pitiful. He's a victim of child abuse, I cannot forget about that. The things he experienced is ten times worst that Yoon (who was doted on), his sister (who was neglected because she's not the heir), and his daughter (who was neglected by her dad, but was save by a loving step-mom). He was physically whipped by his dad when ever he does something that seems like an embarrassment to his dad, he was mentally abused by his dad and mom who don't hold back on putting him down and comparing him with Yoon, and he was threatened, all the time when he was young (his mom set his parrots on fire...as a warning for being disobedient). On one hand, his parents abuse him, and on the other hand, they put on a false pretense that they love him...and the sad thing is that, they never hide the fact that he's disposable if he doesn't meet their expectation. 

 

He's a mama's boy...he strives to get his mother's approval since he was young because like most children, they hope to receive love from their parents and approval. But that's not the only reason why he's a mama's boy...he's a mama's boy because he was threaten to be one (listen to your mom or you'll become like the parrot, listen to your dad or you will be punish for it, listen to your parents or we can dispose of you anytime) since young, and that mentality is very hard to break. For some people who are the victim of an abusive relationship, it is very hard for them to walk away from it. They have a lot of things they fear for because they were conditioned to believe they must rely on their abuser and that their abuser would hurt them if they escape. 

 

So in a way, I pity him because he is a victim of child abuse and he is still in an abusive relationship. He's still living with his abuser. His mind is scarred....he still has panic attacks when little things trigger his past trama. These ghosts in his memory still haunt him. However, as I said at the beginning, his background does not excuse his criminal action, and he would need to pay for his crime. 

 

And, I remember in one post, you asked why aren't people talk about WS's pitiful situation. I guess it's because the writing focuses more on the villain, so that's why people tend to discuss the villain more than WS. As for WS...he's pitiful. The woman that he trusted took away his mother, and he had a ticking bomb inside his head. His whole world was turned upside down in a matter of a few days. He's constantly living on pins and needles and he needed to discard his identity because he would be assassinated. He had no choice...he's pitiful. In some way, Sunny is pitiful too because she is stuck in an abusive relationship that she doesn't want to be in. I said, "in some way," because Sunny choose to use the relationship as the mean to discover the mystery in the palace. 

 

Anyways...that's my opinion. Also...does LH like Sunny...maybe. I think I tend to agree with your opinion on this issue. 

[PutriSalju]

I agree with all the comments here. But I have to disagree if it is used as excuse of the emperor for doing bad things. The miss-education has effect on someone's personality of course but we can't just blame all to the parents. 

Anyway, maybe because I don't have any knowledge about that makes me think as I said previously. 

Well, this is a drama after all. Everything is on the writer's hand....haha... 

This is the first time I'm so invested in korean drama after 'hiatus' temporary lol. Excited to see next episodes.

[AlexandraReid]

SSR updates

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

[katakwasabi]

Omo! How did i miss this clip? Hahaha

 

HyukxWoobin Special uploaded by SBS 

 

[ChewyChocolate]

For Lee Hyuk-Sunny shippers, Chapter 3: The Empress Has A Tender Heart is out.

 

Check it out here.

 

https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1386079/oh-sunny-s-diary-lee-hyuk-s-confusing-me-romance

[stevii]

6 hours ago, autumna said:

 

Its interesting because when you think about it LH actually did have what he truly wanted and longed for with SH, someone who loves only him, a family and a lovable environment but it was him that destroyed it, yes ED manipulated him but he is the one in the end that didn't trust SH enough. 

 

Its like everything is coming back full circle against LH. SH and SJ was not real and they were loyal and never betrayed him and he never fully trusted them but now with Sunny/CB, feelings are developing and they are actually his enemies trying to bring him down and get revenge and he fully trusts them. 

 

How will he react once he finds this out...?

i know  its actually sad to see. because of his environment growing up, he has become man full of suspicion, and that makes him drove SH and SJ away. 

 

I have actually been thinking of that you know, what happens when he found out. I feel like he would side with his mother again once he knew because, well , like his mother, he likes the status quo, being the emperor, being rich with all the benefits that comes with To have that, he will need to protect the royal family from crumbling down. That would be the most realistic approach. 

Another far fetched fantasy would be he actually helps sunny in bringing down the royal family because he realizes that the royal family is very rotten and needs a reformation from inside, but with that comes the risk of ending the monarchy. 

 

finally, i am actually looking forward for the plot development of princess Sojin. Please let her be more than a comedic relief... i want her to be actually secretly smart and cunning 

[sw33tm3lody]

7 hours ago, cucumbermelon88 said:

I kind of wonder if LH is aware that SN set him up to read that passage. If yes, I worry he’ll become more controlling next episode  I kind of could see him - being the psycho he is - preventing her from leaving her corridors and then WB, feeling bad for her, setting up the star display outside her window to cheer her up 

 

 

 

I don't know if LH will lock SN up (I really hope he won't) but I definitely believe that the star display was WS's doing because it was probably the result of a conversation between him and SN. Maybe she said that after arriving at the palace she hasn't been able to see the stars? Or maybe she went metaphorical and said that she hasn't been able to see the stars because the sky looks black to her ever since she got to the palace? IDK lol, but I do believe this scene will stem from a deep conversation between them.   

 

7 hours ago, autumna said:

 

Its interesting because when you think about it LH actually did have what he truly wanted and longed for with SH, someone who loves only him, a family and a lovable environment but it was him that destroyed it, yes ED manipulated him but he is the one in the end that didn't trust SH enough. 

 

 

This is extremely important. Lee Hyuk had good people in his life and he still chose to become a bad guy.  He's the product of a bad environment, yes, but he's also fully responsible for not being able to appreciate the good and kind people he had in his life. Not everyone in LH's life treated him badly, after all.

 

On another note, I believe he isn't even a psychopath, but a full-fleshed sociopath. His violent outbursts, inability to tolerate disappointment and disregard for morals and laws show his sociopathic side. I definitely believe the writing should be more responsible instead of making him into a victim in a helpless quest for love. He isn't just a victim of a sad fate after all. I believe there's no way of redeeming him without therapy or a mental facility. Mental illnesses can only be treated that way, after all.

 

5 hours ago, triplem said:

What is important is not LH's redemption arc...the question is does he feel remorse or not for any of his past actions. It does not matter, how sad his back story was...that may explain why he behaves like that but that does not in any way justify attempted murders, fits of rage whether you are the king or a commoner. 

 

I love SSR by the way., scene stealer in many episodes and thoroughly entertaining to watch.  But LH - hmmm he can swing from one end of the spectrum to the other. Step on his tail and he will turn around immediately to bite you  -- it's people like that , that scares me the most.

1

 

THIS. To be fully honest, LH's redemption arc is failing because the guy is truly unable to feel remorse. Sure, he learned how to apologize (that's a big step) but he still doesn't comprehend the weight and importance of what he's done. He's apologizing without really apologizing. Like, he seems to know that he did something wrong because SN is upset but, at the same time, he still wants to kill Wang Shik. He's focused his energy on getting SN's attention now, but he still wants to get rid of everyone who gets in his way. Instead of showing a gradual and believable shift in the way his mind processes his bad actions, the writer has chosen to make him wear a bunny costume and try to aegyo his way into SN's heart. It's a jarring contrast with who he really is and it doesn't make sense at all. This is supposed to be a redemption arc, but the writer is just patching up LH's wrongs with funny moments and I'm not buying it. Even when I saw him crying for So Hyun, I couldn't feel it, because within the same episode we saw how he and his mother have locked up Kang Seung Jung, and LH just showed up in his room to demand answers from him. Um… how about you free the poor guy? Put him in a less traumatizing atmosphere maybe? But, no, he keeps depriving KSJ of his liberty (which is a very serious crime that should be added to his already large dossier, btw) and continues to worry about himself.

[confusedheart]

Lee Hyuk has put my heart in a blender. I don't know what to feel anymore. My rational mind says that he's bad news and if ever one encounters him in real life, one should run in the opposite screaming and shouting. But, my irrational heart is suddenly thawing and has started sympathizing with him. It wants him to redeem himself, although his sins are too many to ever make him 'acceptable'.

 

I am shipping the Emperor Hyuk and the Empress Sunny so badly. I want Sunny to come to the rescue to this 'emperor' in distress and show him how beautiful life can be. All he has ever witnessed has left him the way he is, a monster.

 

I loved Choi Jin-hyuk and Jang Na-ra in Fated to Love You and I wanted their ship to sail in an alternate universe because I was too much in love with Jang Hyuk who had wormed his way into my heart in the show. Now that my wish is coming true, Choi Jin-hyuk and Jang Na-ra are finally together as a lead, I find my heart swaying in favour of Shin Sung-rok.

 

TBH, Na Wang-sik / Chun Woo-bin and Sunny  doesn't really have that kind of chemistry yet. He cares for her. She feels affectionate, grateful to have someone watch her back, but I don't think it's love. It's not that convincing. 

 

I was just browsing, looking up articles and I realized that I wasn't the only one with a confused heart. Also, I just realized he was also in Thank You, one of my all time favourite shows.

 

I never felt this conflicted before while watching a K-drama before. i will be extremely disappointed if Bin and Sunny end up together because it would be very unconvincing and contrived. On the other hand, Lee Hyuk and Sunny seem impossible and I have no idea how that would be possible but given how the show had been so unpredictable, I hope the writer has some tricks up her sleeve and somehow make the impossible possible. I know that one of the male leads is definitely dying, I just hope it's not crazy Lee Hyuk. 

[PutriSalju]

I hope we can move on to another chapter, solving the mysteries. I don't mind the identity of Wang Sik is revealed  soon because I really wanna see how deep Sunny's feeling for Ubin and how the emperor deal with the fact that his beloved girl and bro are in love and against him. 

 

25 minutes ago, confusedheart7997 said:

 

 

TBH, Na Wang-sik / Chun Woo-bin and Sunny  doesn't really have that kind of chemistry yet. He cares for her. She feels affectionate, grateful to have someone watch her back, but I don't think it's love. 

 

But Sunny seems hate the emperor and already promised to herself she'll protect woobin as much as she can. Woobin also did the same thing.

Sunny-Woobin's romantic scenes just started from latest episodes tho. Earlier episodes, they just talk about the strategy for open up criminality in the palace. Woobin is loving the empress for sure. He already prove that for so many times even risk his life. What kinda proof he should do? Woobin-Sunny romance isn't typical cat-mouse relationship as usual roco drama. It is heart warming, soft and sweet. Open your heart for Woobin-Sunny ship and you will see the wonderful love they have. 

[baranblaq]

 

 

 

 

 

[laivla]

I think we don't really care bout the ending, just wanna know behind the misteries that happen. 

- 10 y ago

- 7 y ago

- ED death case (today) 

- 1 y later (how SH corpse found) 

[autumna]

2 hours ago, confusedheart7997 said:

I never felt this conflicted before while watching a K-drama before. i will be extremely disappointed if Bin and Sunny end up together because it would be very unconvincing and contrived. On the other hand, Lee Hyuk and Sunny seem impossible and I have no idea how that would be possible but given how the show had been so unpredictable, I hope the writer has some tricks up her sleeve and somehow make the impossible possible. I know that one of the male leads is definitely dying, I just hope it's not crazy Lee Hyuk. 

 

I disagree, how is Sunny falling and getting together with WB unconvincing? WB is attractive, a nice guy, look at how he has treated those around him, his mother and DS and how loving he was when he was in a relationship with MYR.

He has protected and looked after Sunny and right now they are both looking out for each other and are team. Feelings developing is not exactly that farfetch.

If anything after everything LH has done to Sunny and other people could Sunny realistically ever really fall for LH...? The way he has acted in every relationship has been scary and unhealthy. LH is being slightly nice to her these last few eps but lets not forget how he has treated her and others.

 

[Matilda_Anne]

aigoo.. i feel conflicting about LH.. i really want him to have a decent ending,  considering how he was raised by his parents.. but i know somehow he needs to pay for everything evil he has done so far .. redemption wont be easy for him.. 

 

somehow i think CWB, sunny and LH are really pitiful (yes, including LH)..

 

side note: boyy that double date was awkward lol.. imagine going on a double date with your siblings lmao.. i just cant hahhaha

[Guest]

woohoo ! Poke @baranblaq -- uri super handsome Bin in the house yo!

 

Oh ahhh... uri super pretty jealous empress in the house too ...heeee

 

Ok chill... official OTP pics  updates from SBS : 18 jan 2019

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Sunny ♡ Cheonwoobin, Sele is a big difference

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*happy weekend!*

[Matilda_Anne]

7 hours ago, PutriSalju said:

But I have to disagree if it is used as excuse of the emperor for doing bad things. The miss-education has effect on someone's personality of course but we can't just blame all to the parents. 

 

 i dont think i can justify LH’s wrongdoings

coz he obviously is wrong on so many levels, but sometimes it’s hard to say how much parental guidance can influence their children’s lives.. some children, can be scarred emotionally from abuse while others  may successfully overcome the trauma and grow up to be a decent person.. 

 

it’s true that we cant blame all on the parents but i’ve work with problematic children before (i worked as a part time tutor during university time) and i realised that parents play a pivotal role in a child’s development, physically and mentally.. if the child grows up in abusive environment and constantly being told they are not good enough, it can damage their social developments, causing them to be insensitive to others and some may develop borderline personality disorder (jumping one extreme to the other)..

 

therefore, while LH must be held responsible for his actions, we must not forget the things he went through as a child that may have caused him to make wrong decisions in his adult life..