# King of Ambition

King of Ambition (Korean: 야왕; Hanja: 野王; RR: Yawang) is a 2013 South Korean television series, starring Kwon Sang-woo, Soo Ae, Jung Yun-ho, Kim Sung-ryung, and Go Joon-hee. It aired on SBS TV from 14 January – 2 April 2013 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:55 for 24 episodes. Based on Park In-kwon's manhwa of the same title, the same source material as Daemul, the drama tells the tale of an ambitious woman born into poverty who will let nothing stand in her way as she tries to become the First Lady, and a hopeless romantic who will sacrifice anything for her. But when she betrays him, he takes his revenge.

## Plot

The name Ha Ryu means "a child flown from heaven." He was given this name by the nun who first found him in front of an orphanage; it came to her immediately the moment she saw his pure, innocent face. Ha Ryu's life began in earnest when he first laid eyes on Da-hae at the orphanage. Ha Ryu was a simple boy who disliked chores; however, for Da-hae, there was nothing he would not do or any place he would not go. Whenever Da-hae cried, Ha Ryu became too restless to do anything. But when Da-hae was adopted, they had to part.
Ten years later, Ha Ryu runs into Da-hae again. He feels electrified and like he is losing his mind. Then and there, he swears that nothing will ever come between them again. He also promises himself that he will do anything and everything to make her happy until the day he dies. Da-hae is a bright young woman and Ha Ryu works day and night with all his strength to earn money to pay her university tuition abroad. No matter how tired he is, all he requires to be happy is Da-hae's smile.
But over time Da-hae changes. Ha Ryu thinks it cannot be permanent when he admires her beauty and sophistication, like a bright, shining star. Even when she frames him for a murder, he tries to understand her. However, when she loses their daughter, Eun-byul, he finally snaps and he cannot forgive her. Ha Ryu changes, too. His wrath erupts like a volcano because of the betrayal of his one true love and turns Ha Ryu into a beast. He, who was once a mere minion in a gang, makes his way to the top and becomes CEO of Baekhak Group, one of South Korea's leading corporations. "I will bring you down with my own two hands and put you back to where you first began. I will step on you and hurt you more than you can imagine," he promises her and his bitter revenge against Da-hae, the woman he, for so long, loved more than life itself, begins... in the end Da-hae becomes the first lady of South Korea, then she is exposed for her crimes after she shoots and injures Ha Ryu.
Ha Ryu then chases after her when Da-hae's step brother escapes with her. He confronts Da-hae for killing his father and when she admits to it he tries to run her over. Ha-Ryu jumps in the away and then he and Da-hae are both hit by the car. Da-hae, still conscious, cries and apologizes to a severely injured Ha Ryu. Then they both pass out and end up in hospital beds. They both imagine having conversations with each other when they were young and finally understand why they grew into the people they became. Ha Ryu wakes up from his coma only to find out Da-hae has died. Ha Ryu continues to live his life and ends the series back at the old house he, Eun-Byul, and Da-hae lived. He looks at the portrait Eun-Byul drew and thinks about all he has lost trying to pursue revenge.

## Cast

* Kwon Sang-woo as Ha Ryu / Cha Jae-woong
** Chae Sang-woo as young Ha Ryu
* Soo Ae as Joo Da-hae
** Kim So-yeon as young Da-hae
** Park Min-ha as young Da-hae
* Jung Yun-ho as Baek Do-hoon
* Kim Sung-ryung as Baek Do-kyung
* Go Joon-hee as Seok Soo-jung
* Kwon Hyun-sang as Yang Taek-bae
* Lee Deok-hwa as Baek Chang-hak
* Cha Hwa-yeon as Baek Ji-mi
* Lee Jae-yoon as Joo Yang-heon
* Sung Ji-ru as Uhm Sam-do
* Lee Il-hwa as Hong Ahn-shim
* Go In-beom as Cha Shim-bong
* Cho Yoon-woo as Ha-ryu's partner
* Jung Ho-bin as Seok Tae-il
* Yoon Yong-hyun as Director Park
* Park Min-ha as Ha Eun-byul (6 years old)
** Kim Ha-yoo as Ha Eun-byul (5 years old)
* Choi Hyun-seo as Eun-joo
* Jung Soo-in as Pyo Eun-jung
* Kim Sung-hoon as prisoner
* Son Tae-young as room salon customer (cameo, ep 2)

## Ratings

| Episode # | Original broadcast date | Average audience share | Average audience share | Average audience share | Average audience share |
| Episode # | Original broadcast date | TNmS Ratings | TNmS Ratings | AGB Nielsen | AGB Nielsen |
| Episode # | Original broadcast date | Nationwide | Seoul National Capital Area | Nationwide | Seoul National Capital Area |
| 1 | 14 January 2013 | 8.7% | 9.8% | 8.0% | 9.3% |
| 2 | 15 January 2013 | 7.8% | 8.5% | 8.1% | 8.8% |
| 3 | 21 January 2013 | 8.2% | 9.2% | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| 4 | 22 January 2013 | 9.8% | 10.6% | 9.9% | 10.6% |
| 5 | 28 January 2013 | 10.4% | 11.7% | 10.1% | 11.2% |
| 6 | 29 January 2013 | 12.0% | 13.5% | 12.3% | 13.6% |
| 7 | 4 February 2013 | 13.4% | 14.7% | 12.7% | 14.0% |
| 8 | 5 February 2013 | 16.4% | 18.4% | 15.3% | 16.4% |
| 9 | 11 February 2013 | 16.4% | 18.7% | 15.2% | 16.1% |
| 10 | 12 February 2013 | 20.1% | 23.3% | 17.5% | 18.4% |
| 11 | 18 February 2013 | 19.4% | 21.8% | 18.6% | 19.9% |
| 12 | 19 February 2013 | 19.6% | 21.1% | 19.4% | 20.8% |
| 13 | 25 February 2013 | 17.9% | 20.2% | 17.5% | 18.9% |
| 14 | 26 February 2013 | 18.8% | 20.4% | 17.7% | 18.1% |
| 15 | 4 March 2013 | 17.4% | 19.2% | 16.3% | 17.2% |
| 16 | 5 March 2013 | 18.3% | 20.0% | 18.6% | 19.9% |
| 17 | 11 March 2013 | 18.8% | 21.3% | 18.5% | 20.3% |
| 18 | 12 March 2013 | 18.8% | 21.0% | 18.3% | 19.4% |
| 19 | 18 March 2013 | 18.2% | 21.4% | 17.8% | 19.1% |
| 20 | 19 March 2013 | 18.3% | 21.9% | 18.6% | 20.1% |
| 21 | 25 March 2013 | 17.0% | 20.0% | 18.0% | 19.9% |
| 22 | 26 March 2013 | 22.8% | 26.1% | 22.9% | 24.3% |
| 23 | 1 April 2013 | 23.1% | 25.9% | 22.5% | 24.5% |
| 24 | 2 April 2013 | 26.7% | 30.7% | 25.8% | 27.5% |
| Average | Average | 16.6% | 18.7% | 16.3% | 17.5% |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
| 2013 | Baeksang Arts Awards | Best TV Actress | Kim Sung-ryung | Nominated |
| 2013 | Mnet 20's Choice Awards | 20's Drama Star - Female | Soo Ae | Nominated |
| 2013 | Seoul International Drama Awards | Outstanding Korean Drama | King of Ambition | Won |
| 2013 | Seoul International Drama Awards | Outstanding Korean Drama Actor | Kwon Sang-woo | Nominated |
| 2013 | Seoul International Drama Awards | Outstanding Korean Drama Actress | Soo Ae | Nominated |
| 2013 | Seoul International Drama Awards | Outstanding Korean Drama OST | "Ice Flower" by Ailee | Nominated |
| 2013 | Seoul International Drama Awards | Outstanding Korean Drama OST | "You Don't Know" by Kim Nam-gil | Nominated |
| 2013 | Seoul International Drama Awards | Most Popular Actor | Jung Yun-ho | Won |
| 2013 | Korea Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actress | Soo Ae | Nominated |
| 2013 | APAN Star Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actress | Soo Ae | Nominated |
| 2013 | APAN Star Awards | Acting Award, Actress | Kim Sung-ryung | Won |
| 2013 | APAN Star Awards | Acting Award, Actress | Go Joon-hee | Nominated |
| 2013 | SBS Drama Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Drama Special | Kwon Sang-woo | Nominated |
| 2013 | SBS Drama Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Drama Special | Soo Ae | Nominated |
| 2013 | SBS Drama Awards | Special Acting Award, Actor in a Drama Special | Lee Deok-hwa | Nominated |