With the help of crime boss Hak-Soo (Lim Dong-Jin), Eok-Kwan (Cho Jae-Hyun) becomes the number 2 ranking member of his gang in the port city of Pusan. Nevertheless, Eok-Kwan worries about his rival Dok-Sa (Lee Jae-Yong).
In order to become the crime boss, Dok-Sa sets up a trap for Hak-Soo, by conspiring with another gang.
Somehow Eok-Kwan manages to escape and heads back to their hideout. Crime boss Hak-Soo is arrested and Dok-Sa goes missing. Under the circumstances, Eok-Kwan becomes the gang leader. Not long afterwards, Dok-Sa takes over the position held by Eok-Kwan and Eok-Kwan is exiled from the gang.
Eok-Kwan now lives a hard life, when he is contacted by a woman he lived with for a short time in the past. Eok-Kwan travels to Seoul to meet the woman, but instead of her, his young son, Jae-Soo (played later by Ko Soo), is waiting for him alone.
Meanwhile, after the death of her husband, who was a district attorney, Hye-Rim (Jo Min-Soo) decides to move back to her hometown of Pusan with her two children Lee Su-Ah (played later Kim Ha-Neul) and Lee Kyung-Ho (played later by Zo In-Sung). Hye-Rim sells her home in Seoul and travels to Pusan by train.
On the same train Eok-Kwan and his son Jae-Soo are passengers. Eok-Kwan plans to abandon Jae-Soo on the train, but because Hye-Rim and her children are there he can't go through with it. Instead, Eok-Kwan and Jae-Soo continue on the train to Pusan.
In Pusan, Hye-Rim prepares for her new life by remodeling a building into a piano teaching institute. Hye-Rim's son Kyung-Ho still can't accept the death of his father or his new hometown of Pusan. Kyung-Ho constantly fought with the kids in the neighborhood, including Jae-Soo (Eok-Kwan's son).
Eok-Kwan did not do anything during this time, with his son Jae-Soo even paying their rent with the money he saved. One day, Eok-Won, who seemed to be giving up on his life, saw Hye-Rim, who was teaching kids in the neighborhood.
With Eok-Kwan's consistent romance towards Hye-Rim, the couple married. Nevertheless, Hye-Rim's children, Su-Ah and Kyung-Ho, could not accept their marriage. Prior to their marriage, Su-Ah and Jae-Soo met and became to like each other. After the marriage, Su-Ah tried to conceal her feelings towards Jae-Soo by acting indifferent to her new stepfather Eok-Kwan and stepbrother Jae-Soo. Kyung-Ho also did not like his new stepfather, believing he was a no good dad and could not compare with his district attorney father. Through all of this, Eok-Kwon was able to change his ways and become a good father and husband.
Several years later, Eok-Kwon and Hye-Rim was having a good time on a boat in the lake, but the boat turned over. Hye-Rim dies and Eok-Kwon survives. Because of the tragic accident, Kyung-Ho hates his stepfather even more. Su-Ah and Kyung-Ho attempts to move out of their home, but Eok-Kwon pleads with them to stay and that he will try to be the best father for them.
Several more years later, Su-Ah is about to be raped when Kyung-Ho suddenly appears and kills her attacker. After the incident, Jae-Soo takes the wrap for the murder and goes to prison. His sentence was lenient because of his trouble free background.
Kyung-Ho leaves his hometown and goes to Seoul. There he becomes a gang member. Years later, Jae-Soo becomes a doctor and Su-Ah works in a record shop. They still love each other but suppress their feelings.
Kyung-Ho comes back to Pusan and becomes involved in the criminal world there.
AWARDS
Year | Award | Category | Recipient |
2001 | SBS Drama Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actor | Cho Jae-hyun |
2001 | SBS Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actress | Kim Ha-neul |
2001 | SBS Drama Awards | New Star Award | Go Soo |
2001 | SBS Drama Awards | New Star Award | Jo In-sung |
2001 | SBS Drama Awards | Popularity Award | Go Soo |
2001 | SBS Drama Awards | Top 10 Stars | Cho Jae-hyun |