Synopsis
In the 1970s, during the height of political corruption, Gangnam, the southern part of Seoul, is starting to transform into a developed area. Childhood friends, Jong-dae (Lee Min-ho) and Yong-ki (Kim Rae-won) struggle to get by, until their shanty homes are demolished by local thugs. Desperate for cash, they get involved in violent political clashes, and are separated during one of the skirmishes.
Three years later, Jong-dae lives as an adopted son of a former gang leader, Gil-soo (Jung Jin-young) and unknown to him, as a small-time gangster. Meanwhile, Yong-ki has risen as a made man inside Seoul's most powerful criminal organization, the Myeongdong-pa, under Yang Ki-taek (Jung Ho-bin). Jong-dae acquaints Min Seong-hee (Kim Ji-soo) and is entangled in real estate business through the tips Min Seong-hee gets from Park Seung-gu (Choi Jin-ho). Together, they enter into a bigger business of land-dealing. Jong-dae finally crosses paths with Yong-ki and they decide to co-operate and plan to eventually come into possession of what they desire; Jong-dae desires land while Yong-ki wants money. Min Seong-hee introduces Jong-dae to a disgraced politician, Seo Tae-gon (Yoo Seung-mok), who still has political controls and they agree to raise him up in the ladder of the political arena. They enter high-stake battles going on between various political parties over land in Gangnam, to acquire the land before its plot-value drives up, after being tipped on intel from the inside about the government's plan to include Gangnam as an extended part of the capital.
While the gangs fight over the rights to various plots and to maintain dominance in the power structure, Yong-ki betrays his people and eliminates opposition with Jong-dae. After falling under suspicion, Yong-ki kills Gil-soo to regain his gang's trust and keeps the truth from Jong-dae. Jong-dae finds out the truth on his own and keeps an eye on him. Meanwhile, Yong-ki's gang motivates him to overthrow Jong-dae when the mission is over and take over the entire gang and operation. After Seo Tae-gon's final mission, Yong-ki sets an ambush to kill Jong-dae, but Jong-dae, who is one step ahead, eliminates Yong-ki's gang members and spares Yong-ki after telling him to disappear.
Seo Tae-gon, to turn a new leaf in his career, recruits two new goons as his henchmen and assigns them to assassinate both Jong-dae and Yong-ki and they do so, while Seo Tae-gon announces his nomination for election. The ruling government then declares its intent to adjoin Gangnam to its capital. After years, an aged Seo Tae-gon addresses the developed city of Gangnam about his commitment to the city.
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