Prince Lee Hyun, from a foreign land, is to stay in the imperial palace with the Emperor for three years. Though the Emperor is rumored to be a cruel tyrant, he initially shows a childlike innocence, only to quickly reveal his true nature, leaving Lee Hyun bewildered. As the Emperor's obsessive behavior toward him grows disturbingly intense, Lee Hyun feels a growing sense of fear and becomes increasingly emaciated, longing to see his family again. Will Lee Hyun be able to escape the Emperor's madness and safely return to his homeland?