King of Ambition

Special Assistant Prosecutor Ha-ryu investigates First Lady Chu Da-hee. Arriving to search the presidential residence, he finds himself alone with Da-hee and murmurs, "This investigation is just the beginning. The First Lady is a murderer." In that instant, Da-hee points a concealed pistol at Ha-ryu...──Twelve years ago. Ha-ryu went to a house to collect a debt. ©SBS

Da-hye stabbed her father-in-law to death. Ha-ryu, who rushed to the scene, convinced Da-hye that "I killed him." Following the incident, the two fled their home, moved away, hid everything, and started a new life in Seoul. Five years later. A daughter, Eun-byul, was born to them. To make ends meet, Ha-ryu lied to Da-hye and worked at a host club to support their livelihood.©SBS

Da-hye is shocked to learn about Ha-ryu's job. Seeing this, Ha-ryu decides to quit being a host, but Da-hye's feelings for him begin to cool... Meanwhile, when Da-hye's brother-in-law comes to visit, Ha-ryu, fearing that the murder of Da-hye's father-in-law will be discovered, makes Da-hye live alone in an apartment near his workplace.©SBS

One day, Do-hoon learns that the company hockey team is going to be disbanded. It was his father, Chang-hak, who was behind it. He chases after his father to get him to rescind the disbandment, but gets into a traffic accident on the way. With his dream of becoming an athlete dashed, Do-hoon decides to study abroad in America as his father had wished.©SBS

Upon learning Da-hee had returned to Korea, Ha-ryu rushed to meet her, but she left the airport with Do-hoon. Later, Da-hee reunited with Do-gyeong as Do-hoon's girlfriend. Believing she approached him for money, Do-gyeong showed his anger and refused to accept her. After hearing from Tek-pe that he saw a woman resembling Da-hye at a hotel, Ha-ryu goes there. ©SBS

Having resolved to part ways with Dahye, Haryu begins working at a riding club through an introduction by Dogyeon, whom he met by chance. Dahye, now promoted to section chief at Baekhak thanks to Do-hun's father Jang-hak's recommendation, visits the planned construction site for the equestrian leisure town with Dogyeon. ©SBS

Dong-kyung learns the body discovered at the construction site is Da-hye's father-in-law and begins to suspect Da-hye, who was trying to stop the excavation. He tells Da-hye to break up with Do-hoon and disappear from his sight. Meanwhile, Ha-ryu, who was celebrating Eun-byul's sixth birthday, is arrested on suspicion of murder and abandoning a corpse due to Da-hye's false testimony.©SBS

After Eunbyul's funeral, Dahye collapses at the hotel where she's staying after encountering Haryu's intense anger and is rushed to the hospital. Upon receiving the news, Do-hun rushes to her side and pleads with her to stay, promising he'll become stronger. Observing Do-hun's actions toward Dahye, Jang-hak realizes her value. ©SBS

Samdo, awaiting his release, consults with his lawyer and encounters Ha-ryu's twin brother, Je-woon, in the visiting room. Shocked by the sight, Samdo informs him of Ha-ryu's existence. As Ha-ryu's release approaches, Da-hye attempts to blackmail him using Yang-hong, but accidentally causes the death of his brother, Je-woon.©SBS

Da-hee is shaken by seeing Ha-ryu impersonating Attorney Je-woon and confronts Yang-hong, demanding to know why Ha-ryu-who should be dead-is alive. Meanwhile, Ha-ryu rescues Do-hoon, who was caught up in a scandal due to Sam-do's scheme, and through Do-hoon, successfully learns the details of Da-hee's past betrayal. ©SBS

Dogyung is shaken to discover Haryu's photo bears the same face as Je-eun. Haryu quickly claims he's her twin brother, escaping the crisis. Meanwhile, Dahye pushes forward with her marriage to Dohun. She proposes a plan to Dogyung: marry her to buy time and expose Dahye's true identity. Dogyung agrees and delays Dahye's wedding.©SBS

After learning the secret of Do-hun's birth, Da-hye blackmails Do-gyeong into accepting his marriage to Do-hun. Ha-ryu promises the despondent Do-gyeong, "I'll stop you from entering the ceremony," and carries out a plan on the wedding day. Before the surging media, Da-hye's past is exposed, and she becomes violently shaken with fear.©SBS

Haryu reveals his true identity to Dahye and presses her to tell the truth. Meanwhile, Do-hun recommends Ha-ryu as the advisory lawyer for the newly established Baekhak Foundation. Lacking legal knowledge, Ha-ryu begins studying with the help of Su-jeong, who was once his brother Je-woon's lover. ©SBS

Amid the upheaval within the Baek family over the poisoning incident involving Chang-hak, the toxin is revealed to be antifreeze. Immediately after the incident, Ha-ryu searches for the kitchen housekeeper who suddenly resigned. Ji-mi confesses to Da-hae that she is the culprit and demands she prevent Ha-ryu from contacting her, in exchange for keeping her relationship with Eun-byul a secret. ©SBS

With the chairmanship now assured, Dahye finds Haryu's presence increasingly irritating. She manipulates Haryu's father, Sim Bong, to force Haryu into resignation. Unable to forgive Dahye for endangering not only Eunbyul and Jae-eun but now his father too, Haryu imprisons Dahye in a warehouse as retribution and uses her phone to summon Do-hun.©SBS

When asked why she withdrew, Dahye lies, claiming she was threatened by Jimi. She further accuses Jimi of being the poisoner, but loses credibility when Jimi destroys the evidence. Meanwhile, Ha-ryu reveals to Yang-hong the identity of the man who killed her father and urges her to turn herself in, warning that Da-hye will betray her someday. Yang-hong refuses to listen.©SBS

Da-hee is pressured by Jang-hak's men to divorce Do-hoon. But Da-hee, refusing to let it end this way, steals confidential documents from Jang-hak's mansion and goes into hiding. Meanwhile, Ha-ryu has obtained a decisive audio file linking Da-hee to Jae-woon's murder. Da-hee summons Ha-ryu, offering to exchange the file for the confidential documents, but Do-hoon interrupts.©SBS

The car explodes, leaving Do-hoon critically injured. Haryu is consumed by guilt, blaming himself for endangering others. Meanwhile, Da-hye uses classified documents as bait to get close to Seok Tae-il. She urges him to run for president, drawing him into the presidential election. Learning that Do-hun is recovering, Da-hye sneaks into the hospital.©SBS

Da-hye, now working as Seok Tae-il's campaign strategist, schemes to exploit the weaknesses of the supporters to gain their backing for Tae-il's election. Suspecting Da-hye's involvement in Do-hun's case, Do-gyeong stabs her in the abdomen in a fit of rage. Ha-ryu is shocked and panics, but Da-hye doesn't report it to the police.©SBS

Da-hae, questioned by police on murder charges, maintained her silence. However, she was released after Yang-hong turned himself in and took the blame. Haryu was shocked but declared he would never give up. Having lost the confidential documents, Dahye was abandoned by her supporters. As a last chance, she confessed to stabbing Dogyeon to extort election funds.©SBS

Da-hae informs Do-kyung that Chairman Baek killed Jimi's husband and demands election funds. However, it was actually Tae-il who staged the murder to look like a suicide. Learning Do-kyung is being blackmailed, Jang-hak resolves to turn himself in to bring down Tae-il. ©SBS

Da-hye forces Tae-il into marriage, demanding he suppress the testimony of witnesses complicit in the cover-up and Chan-hak's confession. With no recourse, Tae-il agrees to the marriage, and Da-hye becomes First Lady. Having become the nation's idol, Da-hye publishes her autobiography. ©SBS

Da-hye is cornered by Ha-ryu, who became a special assistant prosecutor over election bribery allegations. She tries every trick in the book to disband the special investigation team, but Ha-ryu's preemptive strategy thwarts her efforts. Finally, the existence of the illicit funds transferred from Baekhak Group to Dahye by Dong-kyung is made public. ©SBS

Haryu, who tried to stop Dahye from committing suicide, was seriously injured by an accidental gunshot and rushed to the hospital. Though he survived, Dahye ordered that Tekpe and Ansim be barred from visiting him. Amidst this, Haryu slipped out of the hospital and headed for the slums. ©SBS