Program Note
The Last Princess depicts the tragic life of the last princess of the Joseon Dynasty, Princess Deok-hye. Born as the beloved only daughter of Emperor Gojong, Princess Deok-hye was forced into exile in Japan after the fall of Joseon. There, she reunites with her former betrothed, Kim Jang-han (Park Hae-il), and plans an escape to Shanghai with her brother, Prince Imperial Yeong. However, the plan fails, and Princess Deok-hye is forced into an unwanted marriage, unable to return to the homeland that she had longed for all her life. Forgotten by people, she is eventually discovered in a Japanese mental hospital by Kim Jang-han in the 1960s.
Reuniting with director Hur Jinho, whom she worked with in April Snow (2005), Son Yejin took on the titular role of Princess Deok-hye, bearing the weight of the character. In the film spanning from 1910 to the 1960s, Son Yejin portrays the immense physical and emotional struggles Princess Deok-hye faced from her youth to her later years, her performance garnered immensely positive reviews. The film delicately captures the tragic and tender relationship between Princess Deok-hye and Kim Jang-han, with the actors’ calm and restrained performances adding emotional authenticity, along with director Hur Jinho’s masterful direction. (KIM Hye-seon)