Who Was "Empress Ki's" Tal Tal In History?

It becomes obvious in the last few episodes of "Empress Ki," that Seungnyang might not have survived if it was not for the cooperation of Tal Tal, Bayan's nephew.

Tal Tal, played by Jin Yi Han, has admired Seungnyang since the day he met her and felt that his uncle, played by Kim Young Ho, should have remained loyal to her. While he cannot openly support the empress in favor of his uncle, who raised him, he overlooks some of her undercover operations. And while he knows how cruel his cousin, the current empress, can be, he cannot expose one of his clan.

But the time has come for Tal Tal to take sides as he did in real life. History records that the real-life Bayan became obsessed with power and his ambition hurt the Mongol nation. Tal Tal was responsible for ousting his uncle and did succeed his uncle as the regent. Lady Ki, played by Ha Ji Won, became Empress Ki.

"Empress Ki" has offered up a long run of political intrigue, greed, ambition run amok, plots and counter plots. But while the drama "Empress Ki" will probably end with a coronation the real-life characters lived on to get tangled up in more plots and counter-plots.

Tal Tal, also known as Toqtoa, did become a wise regent. He ruled with the good of the people in mind rather than his own greed. But he still managed to make enemies. Eventually he was exiled and poisoned. 

Lady Ki became an empress and her son Ayushiridar was named crown prince. In real life, she had a brother, who wound up threatening the position of the king of Korea. The empress was involved in sending troops to Korea to install a new king but the troops were defeated when they crossed the Yalu River. That's why some historians objected to any drama that would glamorize the real Empress Ki.

Back at the palace, the fight for the throne continued. At one point Empress Ki and Ayushiridar were forced to flee. After his father died Ayushiridar eventually ascended the throne. When he did so, Empress Ki became the Empress Dowager. But soon after that she disappeared.

After years of famine and pointless war for glory, the Mongol rule of China ended.  But the story of Empress Ki and Tal Tal's role in helping her become an empress lives on.

Jin Yi Han does a great job of playing Tal Tal. His character did not have a lot to do in the first few episodes but his role became pivotal and his portrayal will be remembered.