In The Impossible Heir, Na Hye-won, played by Hong Su-zu, aims to move up the social ladder by marrying Kang In-ha.
Na Hye-won’s life has been far from easy. Her mother, a gambler, neither loves her nor provides for her.
Hye-won resolves to make her life worthwhile, no matter what she has to do. She works hard and gets into a top college.
She wants nothing to do with her mother, but she fails to cut ties with her. As a result, her mother keeps pestering her for money.
When Hye-won meets In-ha, the illegitimate son of the chairman of the Kangoh Group, she sees a way to attain the life she has always yearned for.
Choosing between In-ha and Tae-oh
Hye-won lives across from Tae-oh, drawing both his and In-ha’s attention. When In-ha asks Hye-won out, she rejects him.
Hye-won knows that her rejection will only make In-ha more interested in her. She makes all the right moves, and soon enough, In-ha becomes serious about dating her.
Hye-won recognizes that Tae-oh is as ambitious as her and asks him for help in becoming part of In-ha’s life. While Tae-oh refuses to help her, he promises not to stand in her way.
When Hye-won gets attacked at college because of her mother’s actions, a worried In-ha confesses his feelings to her, and the two start dating.
Tae-oh also has feelings for her and asks her to be with him instead of In-ha, but Hye-won believes that the two of them will regret letting In-ha go.
Not long after, Hye-won regrets her decision and goes back to Tae-oh, but this time, Tae-oh chooses to stick to his goals.
As In-ha’s girlfriend, Hye-won then joins In-ha and Tae-oh’s group and aids them in their plans to make In-ha his father’s successor.
Joining forces with Tae-oh
Eventually, Hye-won starts working on a political campaign for a congressman and then gets the opportunity to become a political aide.
However, when Hye-won agrees to marry In-ha, the chairman makes her quit her job, which is another sacrifice she makes for the life she desires.
Despite dating In-ha for years, Hye-won still does not love him. She regrets choosing In-ha over Tae-oh, whom she keeps meeting at their secret spot to discuss their plans.
Hye-won realizes the depth of her feelings for Tae-oh when he is attacked. The assault leaves Hye-won shaken, and she realizes that Tae-oh still reciprocates her feelings.
Hye-won and Tae-oh end up kissing. She then discovers that In-ha is aware of her and Tae-oh’s secret meetings, but she still marries In-ha.
Soon after, Tae-oh is framed for murder, and while In-ha does not do anything to help him, it is Hye-won who believes in his innocence and helps.
It is then revealed that In-ha framed Tae-oh. In-ha admits to Hye-won that he was the one manipulating her all along, not the other way around.
He only began dating her and married her because Tae-oh liked her. In-ha had been using her to keep Tae-oh in check.
Hye-won now finds herself trapped in an abusive marriage, but instead of divorcing In-ha, she chooses to remain with him and claim the life she has worked hard for.
She seeks Tae-oh’s help, and he promises to use his skills to make her the next chairperson of the Kangoh Group. Together, they will make In-ha pay.
Also Read: Han Tae-oh: The Impossible Heir character explained