The Glory - Characters & Cast

Her primary motivation is to make her tormentors' lives a living hell, ensuring they face a ruin as complete as the one they inflicted on her. She doesn't seek financial compensation or a simple apology; she wants to destroy their world, their relationships, and their souls. This motivation later expands to include protecting her allies and finding a way to live on after her vengeance is enacted.

Dong-eun begins as a bright high school student with dreams of being an architect. After being subjected to unimaginable torture and abandoned by everyone, her soul becomes an empty, frozen shell dedicated solely to revenge. For nearly two decades, she lives a life devoid of color and emotion, meticulously preparing for her enemies' downfall. Her transformation is not about becoming a hero, but about reclaiming her life through vengeance. Initially, she plans to commit suicide after her revenge is complete, but her relationships with Yeo-jeong and Hyeon-nam offer her a new path. She evolves from a lone, self-destructive avenger to someone who can accept help and find a new purpose in fighting for another's justice, signifying a small but profound step toward healing.

Yeon-jin is motivated by a narcissistic need for superiority and control. She bullies others because she can, and she believes her wealth and status put her above consequences. Her primary motivation throughout the series is self-preservation: she will lie, manipulate, and even kill to protect her perfect life and prevent her past from being exposed.

Yeon-jin is the personification of unchecked privilege and cruelty. As a teenager, she is the sadistic ringleader of the bullies, deriving pleasure from others' suffering without a hint of remorse. As an adult, she has built a perfect life as a successful weathercaster and the wife of a rich CEO, burying her past crimes under a veneer of sophistication. Her arc is a downward spiral from the pinnacle of society to utter ruin. She shows no growth or remorse, remaining defiant and self-justifying until the very end. As Dong-eun's plan unfolds, every pillar of her life—career, family, friends, and even her own mother—is systematically destroyed, leaving her imprisoned and abandoned by everyone.

Initially motivated by his love for Dong-eun and a desire to help her heal, his motivation evolves to confront his own trauma. Seeing Dong-eun's determination inspires him to stop fantasizing about revenge and actively pursue it. His ultimate goal is to make his father's killer suffer and to build a new life with Dong-eun where they can both find peace.

Yeo-jeong is introduced as a cheerful and kind plastic surgeon from a wealthy family. However, his bright exterior conceals a deep darkness stemming from the unsolved murder of his father. He lives with constant fantasies of brutally murdering his father's killer. Initially, he offers Dong-eun support and medical help, but as he falls for her and learns the extent of her suffering, he embraces his own darkness. He transitions from a passive victim of his trauma to an active participant in revenge, offering to become Dong-eun's "headsman" or "executioner". His arc culminates in him and Dong-eun joining forces to exact revenge on his father's murderer, finding a shared purpose in their respective quests for justice.

Her sole motivation is to protect her daughter from her abusive husband and create a safe future for her. This desperation drives her to ally with Dong-eun. As she grows more confident, her motivation expands to genuine loyalty and friendship with Dong-eun, whom she sees as a fellow sufferer.

Hyeon-nam is a housekeeper and a victim of brutal domestic violence. Initially, she appears timid and beaten down by life. She discovers Dong-eun's plan and offers her services as an investigator in exchange for Dong-eun killing her abusive husband. Through her work, she transforms from a powerless victim into a competent and brave operative. She learns to drive, take photographs, and tail people, gaining skills and confidence. While Dong-eun ultimately arranges for her husband to be dealt with in a way that doesn't make Hyeon-nam a murderer, the journey empowers her to protect her daughter and start a new life. Her arc is one of the most hopeful, showing a path of empowerment and escape from victimhood.