CAST: Lee Jae-wook, Lee Jun-young, Hong Su-zu

DIRECTOR:Min Yeon-hong

In the debut episode of “The Impossible Heir,” the complex relationship between Han Tae-Oh and Kang In-Ha is introduced. Tae-Oh’s father, currently incarcerated, threatens to harm his mother again, prompting Tae-Oh to assist her in fleeing. After relocating to his mother’s native town, Tae-Oh encounters Kang In-Ha, the unrecognized heir to the chaebol fortune. Initially clashing, they eventually agree to forge a partnership, with Tae-Oh assisting In-Ha in his ambitions to take control of the Kang-Oh group as he ventures into significant business leagues.

The narrative then transitions to 2013, showcasing the continuity of their friendship as they attend a prestigious university. Tae-Oh supports himself through various part-time jobs and meets Na Hye-Won, who shows interest in him. Concurrently, the chairman of Kang-Oh group, Kang Jung-Mo, is in the process of deciding which of his two sons, Kang Seong-Ju or Kang In-Ju, will take up a key position in the Future Strategy Office.

Meanwhile, Tae-Oh consults with Professor Choi Dong-Wuk, who lauds his insightful analysis of the Kang-Oh group. It’s revealed that the professor’s request for reports on the group’s strategic future was a maneuver to assist Kang Seong-Ju and secure a strategic position for himself within the conglomerate. Through this, Tae-Oh learns of Jung-Mo’s plans to designate the conglomerate’s leadership to one of his sons.

During a chance meeting in the cafeteria, In-Ha and Tae-Oh noticed Hye-Won dining there. Once In-Ha learned that Tae-Oh was not interested in her, he revealed his own intentions to pursue her. In-Ha then tasked Tae-Oh with tutoring his step-sister, Kang Hui-Ju, in math at the Kang Oh Group’s family home, Bisunjae. Although Hui-Ju showed interest in Tae-Oh, he kept his distance. Upon his return, Tae-Oh uncovered that Hye-Won had her own troubled background, enduring financial exploitation and abuse from her mother, a situation that resonated with Tae-Oh due to his own traumatic experiences with his father’s abuse towards him and his mother.

The next day, In-Ha received a call from his stepmother, Jang Geum-Seok, who presented him with an inheritance waiver agreement to sign. In line with his strategy with Tae-Oh, which dictated full commitment to their plan even if it meant relinquishing his claim, In-Ha signed the documents and departed. That evening, Tae-Oh and In-Ha had arranged to dine together, a plan that changed when they ran into Hye-Won. In-Ha invited her to join them, and she accepted. The dinner was initially set to take place at Tae-Oh’s residence, where Hye-Won showed interest in Tae-Oh, though he kept his distance. The venue was then moved to In-Ha’s place, where he openly expressed his desire to date her, but Hye-Won suggested they remain friends instead.

Afterward, Tae-Oh offered to escort Hye-Won home, and on their journey, they decided to grab another drink. During their conversation, they acknowledged their mutual ambition to overcome their circumstances, with In-Ha being their “golden spoon” bet. Tae-Oh emphasized that although their goals were aligned, their paths to achieving them would be separate. Meanwhile, In-Ha, visiting Tae-Oh’s home, found out that both his friends lived near each other.

The second installment of “The Impossible Heir” unfolds with a family dinner at the Kang Oh Group, where Hui-Ju proposes inviting In-Ha to their next gathering. Despite some pushback, Jung-Mo voices his intention to have his stepson join them, a move that Jang Geum-Seok, his wife, disapproves of due to In-Ha’s status as an illegitimate heir. Jung-Mo, aware of Geum-Seok’s actions in having In-Ha sign an inheritance waiver, decides to extend an invitation to In-Ha for dinner. In response to this invitation, Geum-Seok, in frustration, demands the disposal of the signed documents.

Tae-Oh suggests that Jung-Mo’s motive for inviting In-Ha was primarily to irritate Geum-Seok, especially since she had preemptively made In-Ha sign the waiver, a task Jung-Mo had intended to undertake himself. This preemptive move by Geum-Seok frustrated Jung-Mo, leading him to make the dinner invitation. Tae-Oh counsels In-Ha to maintain an appearance of innocence while avoiding naivety during the dinner. Concurrently, Seong-Jo engages with Professor Choi Dong-Wuk, and together they envision the establishment of the Co-Prosperity Cooperation Center, aligning with the plan laid out by Tae-Oh and In-Ha.

During an evening outing, In-Ha and Hui-Ju had dinner at a hotel and encountered Hye-Won, who was working there as a waitress. Tensions arose between Hui-Ju and Hye-Won, leading In-Ha to apologize for his sister’s conduct. Despite expressing his interest in Hye-Won again, she revealed her distrust towards people, to which In-Ha vowed to earn her trust. Later, Hye-Won bumped into Tae-Oh, but when she attempted to engage him in conversation, he suggested she rest instead.

The next evening, In-Ha attended a family dinner, which was marred by conflict when his step-brother, Kang In-Ju, protested his presence, prompting Hui-Ju to bite In-Ju in protest, causing chaos. Geum-Seok then demanded In-Ha leave, blaming him for the disturbance. After his departure, the household assistant reported the commotion to Jung-Mo. In-Ha shared the ordeal with Tae-Oh, who reassured him that this was all part of their overarching strategy, eyeing their future involvement in the conglomerate post-establishment of the Co-Prosperity Cooperation Center.

Following these events, Hui-Ju stormed off from the dinner table, upset over In-Ha’s forced departure, with Geum-Seok in pursuit and Jung-Mo rebuking In-Ju for his actions. Geum-Seok’s confrontation with Hui-Ju led to the latter fleeing the house, seeking out Tae-Oh, who then contacted In-Ha. The trio crossed paths with Hye-Won en route. Ultimately, In-Ha took responsibility for transporting Tae-Oh and Hye-Won, before departing with Hui-Ju.

Tae-Oh was informed by the conglomerate that his tutoring services for Hui-Ju were no longer needed. He suggested to Hye-Won that she should strategize and make her move, though she opted to wait for an opportune moment. The next day, Hui-Ju skipped school to see Tae-Oh, who deliberately offended her to deter her from pursuing anything further, causing her to storm off. Hye-Won, having observed this exchange, criticized Tae-Oh for his harshness and questioned why he didn’t leverage Hui-Ju’s connection to infiltrate the conglomerate. Tae-Oh responded, emphasizing that such a tactic would be crossing a moral boundary. Unbeknownst to them, In-Ha was secretly listening from behind the curtains and left quietly, becoming increasingly intrigued by Hye-Won.

Later, Hye-Won’s mother absconded with 50 million KRW from lenders, who then accosted Hye-Won at the university demanding its return. Tae-Oh intervened to protect her. Upon hearing about Hye-Won’s predicament, In-Ha sought her out, but Tae-Oh, returning to offer further help, witnessed In-Ha and Hye-Won in an intimate moment and withdrew.

That evening, Tae-Oh and Hye-Won had a confrontation about her decision to move in with In-Ha. Despite Tae-Oh’s pleas, Hye-Won explained that aligning with In-Ha seemed her only escape from her dire circumstances. After returning home, she reconsidered and rushed to Tae-Oh’s place. Yet, Tae-Oh had resolved to prioritize his ambitions with In-Ha over his relationship with Hye-Won.

The episode concluded five years later, coinciding with the opening of the Co-Prosperity Cooperation Center, marking In-Ha and Tae-Oh’s ascent into the conglomerate’s ranks.

The Impossible Heir Streams on Hulu every Wednesday and Thursday.