Love Song for Illusion (2024) K Drama Episode 16 (Final Episode)

Episode 16 of Love Song For Illusion starts with Chung Ta sending Ak-hee into the mind space to look for the knife and stab Sajo Hyun. However, Sajo Hyun is aware of his plans, and a fight ensues leading to Ak-hee stabbing Sajo Hyun. Yeon Wol is crying hysterically in the Hall of Spirits, asking Ak-hee not to kill Sajo Hyun and shaking him to wake up. In the mind space, Ak-hee stabs Sajo Hyun and wakes up in the Hall of Spirits. When the one who wakes up calls her Gye-ra, Yeon Wol bawls, believing that Sajo Hyun is dead.

Does Sajo Yoong become the emperor?

Sajo Yoong gets a message from Chung Ta that Ak-hee successfully killed Sajo Hyun, and he starts to get ready to become the King. He runs into a devastated Yeon Wol on the way. He asks her to become his subordinate, and she agrees. He meets up with his mother in his residence and tells her the good news. She is excited that her son has finally made it and taken the throne. After changing into fresh clothes worthy of his new role as the King of Asatae, he takes the document that Ak-hee is to stamp to finalise the handover. 

Before meeting with Ak-hee, Sajo Yoong sits down with Yeon Wol and asks her to agree to leave with Ak-hee since he knows that Ak-hee might be reluctant to keep his end of the deal if Yeon Wol refuses to leave with him. Yeon Wol assures Sajo Yoong that she will agree to leave, since she plans to kill him. As Sajo Yoong has anticipated, Ak-hee is reluctant but agrees to sign the handover as soon as Sajo Yoong brings in Yeon Wol. 

However, before he can leave, the head minister, Moo-dal, enters with Sajo Yoong’s father, saying he has no right to become King since he is not of royal blood. However, claiming he is not of royal blood is not convincing enough, so Moo-dal brings in another witness who can prove that Sajo Yoong killed the late King Sajo Seung. However, Ki Chool was lying to Moo-dal, and he is not planning on betraying Sajo Yoong. Sajo Yoong manages to turn the tables and arrests Jin Moo-dal for false accusations. 

Now, Sajo Yoong has the signed document indicating that he is finally the King of Asatae. He quickly leaps into action, using his new powers and authority to imprison anyone threatening his future. He sends his men to storm the Queen’s chambers, killing anyone who stands in their way and takes Geum-hwa to prison with the accusation of carrying another man’s child and wanting to pass it off as the Sajo Hyun’s. 

In a surprising turn of events, Ak-hee is Sajo Hyun, and he and Yeon Wol have a complex plan to give Sajo Yoong a false feeling of achievement, so he lets his guard down and confesses his crimes. Sajo Hyun believes that the only way they successfully put a stop to Sajo Hyun is if he admits to killing Sajo Seung. Therefore, Sajo Hyun invites Sajo Yoong for a final meal, saying that he and Yeon will be leaving at dawn.

Yeon Wol thanks Sajo Yoong for carrying out the revenge for her family’s death on her behalf, but it is still not enough to get Sajo Yoong to confess. Sajo Hyun has more tricks up his sleeve, and he tries to provoke Sajo Yoong more, telling him about Sajo Seung’s plans to kill him. Sajo Yoong finally breaks and spills the beans, narrating the story of how he killed Sajo Seung for all to hear. 

What happens during the ritual?

Unbeknownst to Sajo Yoong, the ministers are listening to his confession. Sajo Hyun calls in the ministers and issues an arrest decree for Sajo Hyun. It turns out that Sajo Hyun fooled everyone, and the stamp on the document showing that he is the King of Asatae is fake. Sajo Yoong and all his men are locked up in jail. Later, Sajo Hyun decrees that they will die by beheading. 

After Ak-hee stabs Sajo Hyun in the mind space, he does not die but easily pulls out the dagger, and the wound closes up. Since Sajo Hyun is a human being, the ritual does not affect him in the mind space, and he cannot die unless he is killed in the real world. Sajo Hyun takes advantage of Ak-hee’s disbelief to hurt him and jump out of the mind space. Therefore, the one who wakes up in the hall of spirits is Sajo Hyun. He keeps appearances to ensure that Yeon Wol mourns him to convince Chung Ta, who was waiting inside and Sajo Yoong, who was waiting outside. However, after they are gone, Yeon Wol recognises Sajo Hyun, and they devise a plan to expose Sajo Yoong. 

What happens to Queen Geum-hwa and Jin-Seo?

After killing Sajo Yoong, Sajo Hyun calls Jin-seo and gives him an important mission. He asks him to leave immediately, and he will meet up with a certain woman in the woods. Sajo Hyun orders him to take the woman far away and take care of her for the rest of his life. Surprisingly, Jin-seo meets up with Geum-hwa wearing the clothes of a common woman, and they realise that Sajo Hyun knows about them, and they leave together. 

What happens to Ak-hee?

Ak-hee is trapped in the mind space since he is not strong enough, but he still tries to push through the walls and come out. He is in denial, saying he will not let Sajo Hyun win, especially by taking Gye-ra away from him. Chung Ta shows up in the mind space and tells him he has one option left. He can force himself out of the mind space, and after taking over Sajo Hyun’s body, he can drag Gye-ra into the mind space and stay with her forever.

Ak-hee gets his opportunity after Yeon Wol is hurt, and he forces himself out when Sajo Hyun’s mind weakens. He takes Yeon Wol into the mind space and intends to stay with her forever. However, Sajo Hyun realises that Ak-hee is an illusion, a figment of his imagination that brought his fears into existence. Therefore, Sajo Hyun believes that he can control Ak-hee, and he orders him to disappear, which he does. 

What happens to Chung Ta?

After inciting Ak-hee one final time, Chung Ta leaves Asatae, hoping to set up shop somewhere else and make a killing since the world is full of evil people. 

Do Sajo Hyun and Yeon Wol end up together?

After putting an end to Sajo Yoong’s schemes, Yeon Wol becomes a royal physician while Sajo Hyun continues to run the government. On the day of his execution, Sajo Yoon lures Yeon Wol into the execution grounds, saying that he knows where her mother is since he saved her during the massacre of her family. Yeon Wol believes in the possibility of her mother being alive since she never saw her body. However, the claim is a lie to lure her into the execution grounds. He has a poisoned needle hidden in his collar, and he wants Yeon Wol to get closer to him so he can shoot it at her. However, the guards refuse to let Yeon Wol get closer to Sajo Yoong, so he uses his mother instead. 

Sajo Hyun is informed about Yeon Wol rushing to the execution grounds, and he knows it is a trap. He rushes towards the execution grounds to stop Yeon Wol from approaching, but it is too late as Sajo Yoong’s mother shoots the needle and glazes Yeon Wol’s neck. Since it is poisoned, Sajo Yoong’s mother, Consort Cheol, dies instantly while Yeon Wol faints. Sajo Hyun takes a sword from the nearest soldier and throws it at Sajo Yoong, stabs him through the chest, and he dies. Yeon Wol faints as the poison starts to take effect. 

Ak-hee forces his way out and takes Yeon Wol into the mind space. However, Sajo Hyun follows soon after, and he tries to break through the wall put up by Ak-hee to get to Yeon Wol. However, Ak-hee is unwilling to let her go even when holding her hurts him. Yeon Wol continuously slips in and out of consciousness as the poison continues to take effect.

Realising that Ak-hee is not going to let Yeon Wol go willingly, Sajo Hyun masters all the courage in him to control Ak-hee since he is an illusion created from his fear and banishes Ak-hee from his mind, saving Yeon Wol. 

What happens at the end?

Yeon Wol and Sajo Hyun get married, making them the King and Queen of Asatae. Ak-hee’s voice is heard for the last time, telling Sajo Hyun to be happy with Yeon Wol. Sajo Hyun confesses his love for Yeon Wol, saying he loves her endlessly and without limit. Consequently, Yeon Wol confesses her love for Sajo Hyun, saying she loves him unmeasurably and forever. The episode ends with Yeon Wol and Sajo Hyun kissing on a bridge. 

The Episode Review

Love Song For Illusion ends on a satisfying and happy note, with Sajo Hyun’s love for Yeon Wol winning over Ak-hee’s greed and obsession. There are many twists in the final episode; some are resolved, while others leave us wondering. For instance, how did Yeon Wol survive the poison needle attack? Is her mother dead since she says that she did not find her body? Why did Sajo Yoong decide to use her mother at that moment?

Ak-hee, being a figment of Sajo Hyun’s imagination, easily resolved the issue of the dual personality, but it felt anticlimactic. Doesn’t Chung Ta deserve to get retribution for all the bad things they did?