Political intrigue, betrayal, peril and forbidden romance play out in this lavish, critically acclaimed, historical epic set in the royal palace of Korea's ancient Joseon Dynasty. Amid national chaos and fear for his life, tyrannical King Gwanghae orders his trusted counselor to find a royal body double. He recruits a crude, working-class peasant, Ha-seon, a village performer who bears a startling resemblance to the ruler.  When the king falls into a coma from poisoning, he is secreted away to recover and Ha-seon reluctantly assumes the throne, forced to pull off history's biggest masquerade. Narrowly evading exposure or yet another assassination attempt by his power-hungry court, he stumbles through his daily rituals and onerous royal duties  covertly coached by the king's stoic chief advisor and chief eunuch.Soon, however, Ha-seon finds he must follow his own heart  no matter what the price  to save his country from collapse and its oppressed people from despair.