The Scam

After losing everything, Hyun-soo spends five years glued to his computer screen as an unshaven, full-time 'ant' investor. He sacrifices comfort and nutrition, subsisting on instant noodles while chasing a single goal. His dream is a nine-digit savings account to support his mother and his studious younger brother.

After reaching the top, his ascent comes with a price: a five-year diet of instant noodles and the sacrifice of the cost of three luxury sedans. The grind secures his place among the elite investors. He vows to retire from the market the moment he hits his nine-digit target.

One day he hits the jackpot, unaware that disrupting a stock market scam will trigger consequences. His success attracts the anger of Hwang Jong-gu, a gangster-turned-financier seeking power in the top percentile. The new fortune sets off a dangerous game.

Hwang recognizes Hyun-soo's talent and hires him for the biggest scam yet, giving him a dramatic makeover. He adopts a refined persona while planting him at the center of the operation. Hyun-soo enters a gilded, dangerous world.

Hyun-soo joins a crack team: Jo Min-hyeong, Yoo Seo-yeon, Park Chang-joo, and Bryan Choi. They become the core of a 60 billion won heist, using specialized roles to outsmart the market. Each member brings a different skill to the elaborate fraud.

The team deploys new scientific tools to fuel the fraud, while a famous broadcaster hypes the scheme to the public. Seo-yeon has a client buy the company's shares, magnifying legitimacy. Bryan creates the illusion of genuine foreign investment, letting cash flow from blind 'ants'.

An outsider, Hyun-soo, becomes the ultimate insider as he climbs into the center of the ring. The operation is a tangled web of backstabbing and shifting loyalties. The line between participant and pawn blurs.

Hyun-soo's insider status deepens as others manipulate him, turning him into a pawn in a larger scheme. Backstabbing rivals test his loyalty and restraint. He discovers that the bigger plan may outgrow his control.

The team targets a 60 billion won payoff, pushing the limits of their scheme. They rely on a mix of stock manipulation, fake investments, and public hype to push the price skyward. The operation edges toward a breaking point as risk mounts.

Disrupting the stock market scam unleashes consequences that ripple through the financial world. Hwang's fury intensifies as the scheme spirals beyond control. Hyun-soo realizes the damage his jackpot has caused.

Hwang Jong-gu presents a refined, almost elegant front with Italian shoes, masking his brutal power. He uses this facade to command respect and fear within the operation. His threats and decisions shape the course of the scam.

The inner circle turns against itself as betrayals mount and loyalties crumble. Hyun-soo navigates the treacherous politics of the scam, trying to maintain power and protect his own interests. The dream team fractures as the plan starts to unravel.