(Full Synopsis)

Set across multiple time periods including early Joseon, Renaissance Europe, and the present day, the musical unfolds through a dual narrative structure that traces the mystery of Jang Yeong-sil’s disappearance and its possible continuation beyond historical record.

In the present day, a documentary producer begins investigating a manuscript connected to a drawing known as “Man in Hanbok,” leading to renewed interest in a controversial theory about Jang Yeong-sil’s life. The manuscript reveals a speculative account of Jang’s journey after his fall from royal favor.

In Joseon, Jang Yeong-sil rises from enslaved origins to become a trusted scientist under King Sejong, developing inventions such as the water clock and pursuing dreams of scientific advancement. Political opposition grows against him, culminating in a royal incident that leads to his disappearance. To protect him, the king arranges his secret exile, allowing him to leave Joseon under the pretense of death.

In Europe, Jang arrives in Italy and collaborates with scholars and religious authorities, contributing to scientific and astronomical developments. His ideas, including heliocentrism, provoke conflict with the Church, forcing him into further displacement. Ultimately choosing not to return to Joseon, he remains in Europe, where his life fades into obscurity but leaves traces through artistic representation.

The narrative concludes in the present, where the attempt to uncover Jang’s story meets skepticism and suppression, leaving the truth unresolved while suggesting the enduring legacy of his life and imagination.