As a fictional period drama, this miniseries tells the story of a crown prince named Lee Sun who fights the Pyeonsuhwe society that holds absolute power over the kingdom and also controls the water supply by privatizing it. The drama involves romance, action and court politics as the Crown prince, Lee Sun fights heroically on behalf of the people and Han Ga-eun finds herself falling in love with him instead of avenging the execution of her father at his hands. In “The Emperor: Owner of the Mask,” there is palace intrigue revolving around the true power behind the throne, and a plot twist when the prince switches identities with a commoner. But the overall theme of the show is love, which underlies the romance between a prince and his girl as well as the compassion for the country and people.

本劇以1700年代的真實歷史事件“水資源私有化”為題材，講述了王世子李煊與霸占朝鮮八道水資源的強權勢力“邊首會”鬥爭抗衡的故事，是將政治與言情融為一體的虛構歷史劇。世子李煊正義果敢，與邊首會鬥爭，為了百姓成為英雄；韓佳恩本想報復將父親斬首處死的世子，卻在不知不覺中與世子相愛。世子李煊為何必須戴假面？閃閃發光的假面之下究竟隱藏了什麼陰謀？