Episode 1 of *The Murky Stream* unfolds in the tumultuous Joseon era, where the Gyeonggang River's waters have breathed life into the bustling Mapo port, transforming it into a thriving hub of commerce. Yet, beneath this veneer of prosperity, a shadow looms as bandits seize control of the marketplace, imposing their own cruel regime. A hefty tax is levied upon the weary workers, demanding a pass as the price for their toil. In return, they receive their daily sustenance—a meager handful of grain. Any voice of dissent is swiftly silenced, with dissenters blacklisted and subjected to brutal beatings.
Among the bandit leaders vying for supremacy, each group's chief maintains their grip on power by paying homage—and hefty sums—to Deok-gae, a middle-class thug who sits atop this chaotic pyramid. Mu-deok, once a dominant force, finds himself unable to meet his monthly obligations. Enter Bang, a brash newcomer to the bandit ranks, eager to assert his dominance by punishing Mu-deok. As the most senior bandit leader, Mu-deok is compelled to fight Bang in a bid to reclaim his lost honor, while Deok-gae watches the spectacle unfold with cold indifference.
But Mu-deok, a coward at heart, is no match for Bang's prowess. He is easily defeated, his humiliation compounded by Bang's taunts. A new hierarchy is established, with Bang now calling the shots and ordering Mu-deok around. Frustrated and humiliated, Mu-deok inadvertently picks a fight with a group of menacing-looking individuals. Alas, his subordinates are cut from the same cowardly cloth, refusing to lift a finger in his defense.
As a storm gathers on the horizon, Kang Haeng-su, a salt supplier, finds himself ensnared in the web of banditry. Bang has ordered Mu-deok's men to prioritize a rival supplier, leaving Haeng-su in dire straits. The blame game ensues, with each middleman passing it up the chain until it reaches Deok-gae. Yet, even Deok-gae is not the ultimate power; he too has a master in the form of Assistant Officer Lee Dol-gae, a government official who revels in toying with Deok-gae even as he accepts his bribes.
Later, it is revealed that Haeng-su is but a cog in the larger machine, serving the Choi merchant guild. The guild leader's son aspires to become an official and eradicate the corruption that plagues their world, but his father has other plans—he wants him to inherit the family business. Meanwhile, the guild leader's daughter, Choi Eun, has defied him by stealing his Ming goods and forging alliances with female silk merchants. Despite doubling the profits and offering to take over as heir, Choi remains unyielding. He harbors no faith in female merchants and is determined to see her married off.
As the narrative unfolds, it becomes clear that Dol-gae is but one link in a much larger chain of power. He commands an army of men like Deok-gae, who oversee other marketplaces with an iron fist. Dol-gae squeezes them dry, resorting to violence if they dare to show any sign of rebellion. And even he, it seems, has a patron lurking in the shadows—most likely a lord whose influence stretches far and wide.
One fateful day, the workers were burdened with an exceptionally heavy load. Among them was a frail, starving little old man. Sensing his weakness, Mu-deok, ever the opportunist, replaced him with the tall and robust Jang Si-yul. The old man, desperate and pleading, reached out to Si-yul for help, but Mu-deok's ruthless henchmen simply tossed him into the river without a second thought. Si-yul's fury simmered beneath the surface, yet he chose to hold his tongue for the moment.
Later, as Si-yul bathed in the stream, his disgust mounted upon witnessing Mu-deok urinating in the same water. He attempted to leave, but Mu-deok, captivated by Si-yul's formidable sword scars and imposing physique, ordered his right-hand man, Walwal, to keep a close watch on him.
A minister's arrival in Mapo brought a new task for the workers: unloading his luggage. The old man, barely able to lift a trunk, stumbled and tumbled into the river once more. This time, Si-yul swiftly intervened, saving him from certain drowning. However, Dol-gae, a brute among Mu-deok's men, flew into a rage, accusing Si-yul of prioritizing the old man over the minister's precious trunk. He pummeled Si-yul, who, despite his glaring anger, instantly apologized when Dol-gae threatened him with arrest. Forced to descend into the murky depths of the river, Si-yul retrieved the trunk, his pride and body battered.
More trouble brewed when the bandits declared that there would be no pay, framing the unloading as a patriotic duty. When a daring worker dared to demand food, Bang, another of Mu-deok's lackeys, unleashed his fury upon him. Spotting Si-yul's steely gaze, Bang attempted to attack him as well. Mu-deok watched with glee as Si-yul, with calculated precision, gave Bang a taste of his own medicine. Dol-gae intervened, breaking up the skirmish, but not before demanding Mu-deok's pay as a fee for his services.
That night, Si-yul, having secretly stolen someone's pay along with his own meager earnings, rushed to give it to the old man. But his efforts were in vain; the old man had hanged himself, a tragic victim of starvation and despair, following his wife's death from the same cruel fate.
The next day, history repeated itself as the workers were once again denied payment for unloading the Chois' luggage. This time, Mu-deok's bandits claimed that the Chois had not compensated them. Si-yul, driven to the brink by hunger and injustice, decided to take matters into his own hands. He confronted Choi Eun, insisting that he had not been paid despite his three-day fast. Bang, ever the bully, interrupted and ushered her away. As Si-yul stood his ground, Mu-deok's bandits prepared to unleash a brutal beating upon him, their eyes gleaming with malicious intent.
