Geum Na-ra was once a top-ranked investment banker, until his life falls apart when his debt-ridden father commits suicide after constantly being harassed by loan sharks. Traumatized, his mother collapses and is rushed to the hospital. Na-ra applies for a bank loan but is flatly denied, and his disgruntled boss takes advantage of Na-ra's troubles and uses them as an excuse to fire him. His mother eventually dies, despite his and his sister Eun-ji's (Lee Young-eun) desperate efforts to obtain cash to pay for her hospital fees. Newlywed Eun-ji had become a room salon hostess, while Na-ra agreed to break up with his longtime girlfriend Lee Cha-yeon (Kim Jung-hwa) in exchange for cash from Cha-yeon's disapproving grandmother Madam Bong (Yeo Woon-kay). Believing that it's the source of all evil, Na-ra declares war on money and becomes obsessed with avenging his parents' deaths. However, realizing the only way to defeat his enemy is to understand the enemy, Na-ra decides to become a loan shark himself, and begins working as a ruthless money collector for the notorious loan shark Ma Dong-po (Lee Won-jong), while learning the trade secrets along with life's philosophies from the old and legendary pro Dokgo Chul (Shin Goo) who reluctantly takes Na-ra under his wing.
Na-ra enters into a rivalry with Ha Woo-sung (Shin Dong-wook), another moneylender who works for Madam Bong and has secretly loved Cha-yeon for years. Then Na-ra meets Seo Joo-hee (Park Jin-hee). Joo-hee was supposed to marry a divorced man to solve her family's financial problems, but on the day of the wedding, Na-ra showed up to collect the debts and ended up ruining her plans. Joo-hee vows to take her revenge on him but she falls in love with him instead. When Na-ra learns that his gangster boss Ma Dong-po was the very man responsible for his father's death, he keeps his cool, waiting for the right time and the right place to seek his revenge. Meanwhile, competition between banks and loan sharks is getting tense and a war over money threatens to erupt.
AWARDS
Year | Award | Category | Recipient |
2007 | SBS Drama Awards | Daesang (Grand Prize) | Park Shin-hyang |
2007 | SBS Drama Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actress | Park Jin-hee |
2007 | SBS Drama Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries | Lee Won-jong |
2007 | SBS Drama Awards | New Star Award | Shin Dong-wook |
2007 | SBS Drama Awards | New Star Award | Lee Young-eun |
2007 | SBS Drama Awards | Top 10 Stars | Park Shin-yang |
2007 | SBS Drama Awards | Top 10 Stars | Park Jin-hee |
2007 | SBS Drama Awards | Netizen Popularity Award | Park Shin-yang |
2007 | SBS Drama Awards | Achievement Award | Shin Goo |
2008 | 44th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Drama | War of Money |
2008 | 44th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor (TV) | Park Shin-yang |