Born into a Joseon scholar-official family, Kam-dong lives in Gangwon with her demoted husband, and later receives a pardon to come to Hanyang. After fleeing to escape a man who was to become a live-in son-in-law in her husband's family, Kam-dong is raped by Kim Yeo-dal, who had long coveted her. She then becomes the concubine of Jeong Tak, the Minister of the Right. After having an affair with Jeong Hyo-mun, Jeong Tak's nephew, she is driven out and then abandoned by Jeong Hyo-mun, whereupon she opens a brothel. Due to anonymous letters from women whose husbands were taken, Kam-dong is sentenced to death by hanging, but her sentence is commuted to exile thanks to the defense of Park Seong-ji of the Saheonbu, her first love. During her exile on a remote island, Kam-dong has a moving reunion with Park Seong-ji, who has resigned from his post to come down and see her.