The story takes place during the time of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, which would later unite in their struggle against the Chinese invaders. The main character, Jumong, is the son of General He Mo-su and Lady Yu-hwa, a princess from the Heabak tribe. After his father is captured and blinded by his enemies, Jumong's mother becomes a concubine of King Geum-wa. Jumong grows up in the palace alongside the crown princes Dae-so and Yeon-po, causing them to resent and despise him. However, after reuniting with his biological father and falling in love with the beautiful So-sukh-no, Jumong embarks on a journey to claim the throne and estab...