Forbidden Dream

Forbidden Dream is a historical drama set in Joseon-era Korea, centred on the relationship between King Sejong and Jang Yeong-sil, a man of humble origins who becomes the royal court's most capable scientist. The king wants to strengthen his kingdom and improve the lives of its people through astronomy, and he tasks Jang with building instruments for measuring time and mapping the sky. Their work runs against the interests of Ming China, to which Joseon pays tribute and which forbids astronomical research, so the project carries real danger for both men.

Hur Jin-ho directed the film, which came after The Last Princess in his filmography and was followed by A Normal Family. The screenplay is by Jung Bum-shik and Lee Ji-min, and Kim Chul-yong produced it for Lotte Entertainment and Hive Media Corp. Choi Min-sik plays Jang Yeong-sil and Han Suk-kyu plays King Sejong, with Shin Gu, Heo Joon-ho, Kim Tae-woo and Kim Won-hae among the supporting cast.

The film runs 132 minutes and was released on 26 December 2019. On TMDB it holds a rating of 7.1 out of 10 from 21 votes, a modest sample that suggests a small but positive response from those who have logged it.