The thrilling opening of The Manipulated's first episode unfurls with a pulse-pounding chase between Park Tae-joong, pedaling his bike with determination, and a man in a flaming yellow car. Tae-joong vows to seek vengeance, even if it means sacrificing his own life in the process.
We then delve into the past, where Tae-joong is meticulously making deliveries across the bustling city. A snobbish couple in a sleek red car carelessly drops one of his parcels, spilling their food (mistaking him for another deliveryman who jostled with the woman). Tae-joong cleverly parks his bike in front of their car, forcing them to pay up for their carelessness.
As he brings a hearty meal to his younger brother, they discuss Tae-joong's upcoming cafe venture and Tae-jin's impending exams with excitement. Back at home, Tae-jin begins a live video of his studying while Tae-joong transforms the rooftop of his cafe into a serene oasis with his friends, complete with a stunning garden. His girlfriend Su-ji stays the night, her presence adding a touch of warmth to the scene.
In the morning, Tae-joong embarks on his deliveries with a kind heart, offering assistance to an elderly woman in need and even leaving a thoughtful note by someone's houseplant, instructing on its care. While enjoying a snack, he stumbles upon an abandoned phone ringing outside a convenience store. A woman calls, asking Tae-joong to retrieve her phone and offers to pay him for the favor. She provides him with an address that leads him to a dark tunnel. The woman instructs him to leave the phone in a phone box within the tunnel, where he discovers his payment. He drives away, unaware of the sinister plot unfolding behind him.
Back home, Tae-joong and Tae-jin pay their respects on their mother's death anniversary. However, that evening, things take a sinister turn. Cops storm Tae-joong's cafe and arrest him for rape and murder. It emerges that a woman's dismembered body has been found in a tunnel near the Han River, and Tae-joong is their prime suspect.
Tae-joong is held in custody, and Su-ji hires a lawyer to defend him. She visits him in prison, where the lawyer informs them that since the time of death of the victim isn't fixed, they need to gather evidence from over two days to prove his whereabouts. They scour receipts and CCTV footage, and the lawyer seems hopeful for Tae-joong's acquittal.
During the trial, the prosecution effectively highlights that Tae-joong made a delivery at the victim's residence and lingered longer than necessary. Tae-joong recalls moving a plant and leaving a tip for the homeowner. However, the prosecutor introduces footage of Tae-joong dragging a suitcase up a hill, revealing that he assisted an elderly woman, though she is not visible in the footage. Intriguingly, this same suitcase was discovered near the victim's body and could have been used to transport it.
The prosecutor then delves into the incident with the phone and tunnel, which transpires to be the victim's own phone. Furthermore, Tae-joong's DNA is discovered within the victim's body. In a photograph from the murder scene, Su-ji observes Tae-joong's bracelet on the floor, adding to the mounting evidence against him.
Unfortunately, the abundance of evidence proves overwhelming for Tae-joong, and he is led away in disgrace. Later, Tae-joong's lawyer quits, and even Su-ji begins to waver in her beliefs. She removes her matching bracelet and departs. In the end, Tae-joong is sentenced to prison, his fate sealed by a web of compelling evidence that leaves no room for doubt.
