Innocent Bok-nyeo is sold at 18 years old to an elderly widower who sends her to work in the salt mines. There she is raped by the supervisor. Becoming very cynical about life, Bok-nyeo becomes the mistress of a couple of rich men, Choi and Wang. In this way, she becomes accustomed to the high life. However she panics and takes desperate steps when one of her sources of income is about to cut her off.
Shin-ho wants to visit his son but Hye-yeong refuses to allow them to meet due to his past treatment of the boy. Hye-yeong feels that it is time to put the past behind her and, leaving her son in the care of a friend, she leaves Korea with a new lover.
Eul-hwa discovers that she has a talent for shamanism. She sends her son away to be raised by monks while she delves into shamanistic rituals and spells. Eventually she becomes a powerful shaman. However, with Christianity taking hold in Korea, Eul-hwa finds her way of life threatened and herself at odds with her religious son.
