Ruler of Mask starts off with 2 digit ratings.

MBC's latest sageuk period drama Ruler of Mask 군주-가면의 주인 has a little breakthrough of 2 digit ratings for first two episodes. Around the Seoul Metropolitan area, it has recorded 10.5% to 12.1% ratings. The period drama has a line of wonderful casts such as Yoo Seung Ho, Kim So Hyun, INFINITE's L and Yoon So Hee. Other veteran casts include Heo Jun Ho, Park Chul Min, Lee Ki Young and Uhm Hyo Sub.
It starts off during the Joseon dynasty period whereby the current King is being controlled by the powerful and evil Pyungsoo group who controls the master trade of poppies and even water in the country. The leader Dae Mok is preparing to invite the Crown Prince Lee Sun (Yoo Seung Ho) to join their group- in lay man terms- become the puppet of the country. Dae Mok sends his granddaughter Hwa Gun (Yoon So Hee) to the palace as a spy and she had her first encounter with the Crown Prince seeing his real face. 

Nobody has ever seen the Crown Prince's face as the King ensures he wears a mask. Whoever sees the Prince's face will be killed, the rumour says it all the heir to the throne has leprosy and nobody knows why and what happened. Poor Lee Sun endures all the humiliation and kept in a secret greenhouse without any communication with anyone except his close eunuch. He has no idea why his father is making him wear the mask all these years because to protect his identity and life.

Dae Mok is suspicious about the Crown Prince's real identity and sends his spies to monitor the Palace's movements. The King was furious that the Crown Prince has escaped from the Royal Ancestors Shrine and disguised himself as a commoner.

For past 14 over years, the very first time Lee Sun walks freely among the commoners in the market witnessing happiness, laughter, girls smiling at him and even sufferings among the poor people. He tries to give a poor child some water to drink only to discover that the Bureau of Water Supply is mean and having citizens to pay for a bucket of water. The Crown Prince also meets the commoner Lee Sun during the water supply riots. 

Thanks to Dae Mok's group and they were chasing over the Crown Prince. He ran for his life and stumbled across the pretty Han Ga Eun. He tumbled across the market only for her to held him up - a twist when usually the hero saves the damsel in distress. Hah!

And what we will be expecting is the real Crown Prince swaps his position with the commoner Lee Sun to investigate the Pyungsoo group. And will the commoner Lee Sun grows greedy after taking up the fake identity....?