| Director | Chang Yoon-hyun |
|---|---|
| Genre | drama film, mystery film, spy film |
| Runtime | 115 min |
| Country | South Korea |
| Budget | $4.4 million |
After his wife Empress Myeongseong is assassinated by the Japanese army and under threat of coup d'etat, Gojong the 26th king of Korea's Joseon Dynasty (Park Hee-soon) briefly seeks refuge at the Russian consulate in 1896. While he is there, he tastes and falls in love with a bittersweet drink that had yet to gain popularity in his homeland: coffee.
Upon returning to the throne, King Gojong hires the beautiful and cosmopolitan Tanya (Kim So-yeon) as his personal barista. Tanya becomes involved in a dangerous social circle that involves not only the Russian sniper Ilyich (Joo Jin-mo) but also the mysterious socialite known as both Bae Jeong-ja and Sadako (Yoo Sun). With the Russian army hot on their trail, Tanya and her lover Ilyich eventually become ensnared in a plot to assassinate King Gojong that is orchestrated by Sadako, a Korean-Japanese collaborator. Ilyich becomes a spy to protect Tanya, who has begun to fall for Gojong while she makes his coffee every day.
With her intimate connection to the King, making a drink that could easily conceal poison, Tanya must decide if she will become a pawn in the political battlefield of late 19th century Korea.