Cheonae orphan, Deok, is accidentally discovered by Park Chi-sam in Namsadang, and disguises himself as a man and enters Namsadang. Deok becomes close with Man-jin, a man of the same age, and endures all kinds of hardships.

Mild-mannered and modest Sook-young looks like your usual middle-aged woman, but happens to be a man-killing murderess. On a train trip to Mokpo, she remembers an earlier trip as a prisoner on furlough accompanied by a menacing but kind butch female guard. On the train they meet Hoon, a young man who falls for Sook-young. The guard lets them be alone at a bizarre marriage in a hill-top graveyard.

In 1980s South Korea, a former cop, now in destitution, is placed in a rehabilitation center, where, by chance, he finds the Communist guerilla who had eluded his capture more than 30 years ago.

Kim Myung-wu studies modern music in Germany and meets Ji-suk, a pianist. She disappears on the day of his recital to get money for her mother's treatment in hospital and no word from her for a month since. He sees through her mother's funeral when she's gone. When there's a fire in the village, Myung-wu witnesses Ji-suk playing piano at the church watching the flame. She sets a fire at a store she was trying to get the money from but the owner reported her. She blamed her mother's death on the store owner and revenged with the fire. She completes the Pyro-Sonata with help of Myung-wu hiding her from police.

After 10 years of marriage, Sun-young and Tae-yeon save up a significant amount of money. Tae-yeon runs a food processing company and works hard to expand business but Sun-young wants to enjoy the fruits of their labor. While partying with her friends, she meets fashion designer Pierre Kang and has an affair with him. When her infidelity is found out by her husband, he asks for a divorce. When he refuses to forgive her, she seeks it through suicide.

Chim-Ae, an orphan, is saved by an old monk of Seo San Temple, Mu Bul Dang while he is wandering in war fires. Then he enters the priesthood and trains himself a mountaineering asceticism. When he becomes an eminent young priest, the last trial to receive the mantle of the preceding abbot applies on him. The old monk sends the fairest of the fair, Myo-Hyang of cottage Ni Am to Chim-Ae to form a connection with her. But Chim-Ae quickly removes his earthly desires towards woman and goes through this hardship by fasting meditation. However the old monk recognizes that love sprouted between two youngsters and shows Chim-Ae the face of transgression which he mentally violated without hesitation to make Chim-Ae and Myo-Hyang go back to mundane existence.

Young-ju's wedding is cancelled when it is revealed that her mother was a prostitute for American soldiers. Young-ju, pregnant by her fiance, gives birth to a child, but her ex demands that she give up custody to him as she has no future.

Dok-gu who has seen his son's family off to America lives alone, keeping a close relationship with Bok-rye who lives at an old people's home. Won also likes Bok-ye. Since he finds out his son cannot come back, he marries Bok-rye out of anger and Won falls into sickness. One day, Dok-gu has a stroke and Bok-rye takes care of him selling snacks on the street. His son offers to take him to America but he insists on staying with his wife. Won dies blaming Dok-gu for putting Bok-rye in such hardship. Dok-gu falls out of shock at the death of Won and dies.

Min Su-hyung, an entrepreneur, lives with his wife Han Mi-yun and daughter Ji-suk with their nanny Kang Young-suk. While Su-hyung is away on a business trip, Yu-jin, the company executive comes to Mi-yun and rapes her. Soon after, Su-hyung's business falls apart and he dies shortly after from an accident. Young-suk takes Ji-suk and raises her and sends her to college. Mi-yun manages a restaurant and raises Sung-hi an orphan girl. Mi-yun sees Young-suk at Sung-hi's school orientation day and secretly helps Ji-suk. Ji-suk passes the law exam. When Yu-jin comes to her asking for money, she stabs and kills him. She is taken custody by Ji-suk. When Young-suk finds out, she tells Ji-suk that Mi-yun is her mother. They embrace in tears.

Seong Ji-yeon, a female officer of the North Korean army, is discovered by southern forces on a snow covered mountain. She suffers from severe frostbite so she is taken to a military hospital. There she falls in love with a doctor, Captain Lee. However, when he is sent to the front, she is sent to try to survive the hardships of a POW camp.

North Korean agents are sent to Seoul to disrupt the visit of important international dignitaries.