This is an underdog success story about a poor man (Jang Hyuk) who inherits an inn and eventually becomes a powerful businessman who doesn’t cave to threats, and fights against the shady alliances between government and big business. He never loses sight of his humble beginnings as a peddler even after achieving great success, and eventually shapes the way that industry and business are done in his time.

Based on the ten-volume original novel “Gaekju” by Kim Joo Young which was published from 1979-June to 1983-Feb through daily newspaper “The Seoul Shinmun”. A drama that tells the story of tradesmen in the late years of the Joseon era. Cheon Bong Sam (Jang Hyuk), the descendant of a merchant family, starts off in the market as a barker and makes his way up to become a wealthy merchant.