It is directed by Yoo Ha and stars Zo In-sung, Joo Jin-mo and Song Ji-hyo.

[8][9] The King (Joo Jin-mo) of Goryeo is married to a Yuan Dynasty princess (Song Ji-hyo), but they do not have any children.

There is constant pressure on the King both from the Yuan emperor and his own counselors to produce a crown prince and ensure the continuity of the royal dynasty.

Some time later, and having recovered from his wound, Hong-rim realizes that the Queen is still in the palace and not on the run, as his subordinates were ordered to tell him.

Meanwhile, as the King returns to his private quarters, he encounters the Queen, but he snubs her, and orders his junior commander to escort her back to her room.

The junior commander then calls a meeting of his most trusted subordinates and reveals the truth about the King, the Queen and Hong-rim.

Ignoring the palace guards, who plead with him to leave before he is captured and killed, he fights his way to the King's quarters, cutting down all who oppose him.

The junior commander then declares that the King has been killed by an assassin, and he orders his men to quickly remove the bodies, and to tell no one of what has transpired.

According to historical records, after the death of his Mongolian-born queen, Princess Noguk, King Gongmin descended into a life of homosexual debauchery, hiring a team of handsome male bodyguards of noble birth to serve in the palace in 1372.

But some historians disagree with this account, insisting that Gongmin was slandered in an attempt to justify the founding of the Joseon Dynasty, and that the youths were just bodyguards.

[4] A Frozen Flower takes its title from a song of that era which described the sexual relationships between Hong-rim and the Queen.

"[12] Zo In-sung was on board from the beginning of the project, and turned down other acting roles to make A Frozen Flower his last work before enlisting for military service.

He chose to appear in the film without knowing the exact details, having faith in the director following their earlier collaboration in 2005 on A Dirty Carnival.

Jo began training for the role in August 2007, learning martial arts, fencing, horse riding and geomungo.