Masquerade

Set during the Joseon Dynasty, the story follows King Gwang-hae, a paranoid ruler who fears for his life amidst constant assassination threats and political infighting. To protect himself, he orders his trusted councilor, Heo Gyun, to find a body double who looks exactly like him. They discover Ha-sun, a humble, witty, and kind-hearted acrobat who performs satirical plays in the marketplace. When the King is poisoned and falls into a coma, Ha-sun is forced to take his place on the throne. Initially terrified and out of his depth, Ha-sun begins to embrace the role, using his genuine empathy and common sense to implement reforms that benefit the people rather than the corrupt nobility. As he navigates the treacherous court, he finds himself falling for the Queen, who is unaware that the man she is beginning to love is not the cold-hearted monarch she married.