A group of very different people set sail on an old warship. The passengers include a senator with his son, a newly-wed couple, a mysterious old man, a group of sex workers and a gang of violent criminals. At first the aggressive behaviour of the thugs and their leader is directed at the first class passengers, but then more and more indiscriminately against the rest of those on board. Rape is followed by murder and it’s not long before the first of numerous and increasingly brutal mutinies takes place.

Yong-hu, a world champion martial artist who believes in no God, only himself, suddenly develops stigmata on his palms. Visiting a church in hopes of healing the stigmata, he ends up saving Father Ahn, who falls into danger while performing an exorcism. In this way he learns of the power of the stigmata. As time passes Yong-hu accepts his new calling and begins saving people who are possessed by demons, but then he must prepare for a final confrontation with the evil Jisin, who ensnares people with the power of the devil.

Set years ago in the era of the Joseon Dynasty, the story follows a young police officer named Namsoon (Ha Ji-won) who, along with her fellow officers, discovers a counterfeit ring operating out of the area they’ve been assigned to protect. However, as the criminals aren’t just printing up their own money, they also plan to use it to topple the economy and take down the government. As her investigative work continues, Namsoon soon makes the acquaintance of a young man known only as Sad Eyes (Gang Dong-won), for the way that he looks out at you from underneath his hair – he doesn’t say much, but he’s got that look and that’s all it takes to pique Namsoon’s interest in him, even if she shouldn’t be thinking those thoughts about someone she might have to toss in jail. Of course, Namsoon can’t deny her feelings even if the object of her affection belongs behind bars, and it’s not long before she’s starting to act on her emotions.