The Last Empress opens in a Hiroshima courtroom in 1896, where Japanese defendants stand trial for the assassination of Korea’s Queen Min, later posthumously known as Empress Myeongseong. The story then returns to 1866, when the young Min Ja-young is chosen as the wife of King Gojong.

Gojong’s father, Heungseon Daewongun, rules as regent and maintains a policy of national isolation. As Gojong and the Queen mature, they seek to move beyond his control and pursue modernization. Their political struggle ends with the Daewongun losing power and Queen Min emerging as an influential figure at court.

Joseon soon becomes the object of rivalry among Japan, Qing China, Russia, and other foreign powers. Seeking to protect the kingdom’s sovereignty, the Queen attempts to balance these competing interests while confronting division and betrayal within the royal court. Japan, determined to expand its control over Korea, comes to regard her diplomatic efforts as a major obstacle.

Japanese officials and armed agents ultimately enter Gyeongbokgung Palace and assassinate the Queen. The narrative returns to the Hiroshima trial, where those responsible evade meaningful punishment despite the evidence against them.

In the symbolic finale, Empress Myeongseong and other fallen figures reappear dressed in white. Their return transforms her death into a declaration that, despite invasion and political violence, the Korean nation and its people will endure.