Line #405 Characters/TheHeirs


1	The following tropes can be applied to the characters of the {{Main/Korean Series}} ''Series/TheHeirs''.
2	----
3	[[foldercontrol]]
4
5	!The main trio
6
7	[[folder: Cha Eun-Sang]]
8
9	->'''Played by:''' Park Shin-ye
10
11	The main protagonist of the drama. She's an 18-year-old girl from a poor family who ends up living with the rich and powerful Kim family.
12
13	----
14
15	* BerserkButton: Insulting her mother is one of the few things that can make Eun-sang ''really'' goes physical. [[spoiler: Rachel]] finds it the hard way.
16	* BigSisterWorship: She's envious that her sister is capable of working overseas in a land of opportunities and the moment the chance to visit her appear, she wastes no time to leave Korea. Unfortunately, the truth isn't as wonderful as she thinks it is.
17	* EarnYourHappyEnding: [[spoiler: After all she goes through and facing a crapload of discrimination, abuse, and hardships, she does manage to date Tan with the blessings of everyone involved.]]
18	* IJustWantToBeSpecial: She wants to escape from a life of poverty with, as much as she hates to admit it, a mother whose disability prevents them from advancing up the social class.
19	* InterClassRomance: With Kim Tan, the son of an extremely wealthy and powerful family.
20	* NewTransferStudent: At Jeguk High.
21	* OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent: Starts out as one, and the desperation to find a better life is what motivates her to visit the United States. The rest is history.
22	* RagsToRiches: [[spoiler: By the end of the series, she is dating Kim Tan, a shareholder of one of the wealthiest families in Korea.]]
23	* ScholarshipStudent: Is given a pass for an instant enrollment to one of, if not, the most prestigious high school in South Korea. The package doesn't include uniforms, though. Or extracurricular fees.
24	* SingleGirlSeeksMostPopularGuy: Yes, yes she does.
25	* StarCrossedLovers: With Tan, since both parties have to go through hell to maintain it. [[spoiler: Thankfully, they do.]]
26	* StepfordSmiler: Habitual. A highlight includes the time when [[spoiler: she is given two weeks to stay in Seoul before Chairman Kim sends her away]]; she stays cheerful while transparently hiding her intentions to say goodbye to her friends, topped by her giving Tan a reassuring smile and hug to Tan, [[spoiler: despite knowing that she won't meet him again not one hour later.]]
27	[[/folder]]
28
29	[[folder: Kim Tan]]
30
31	-> '''Played by:''' Lee Min-ho
32
33	The second son of the Jeguk group who falls in love with Cha Eun-Sang.
34
35	----
36
37	* AmbiguouslyBrown: Noticeably darker-skinned than the other male teenage characters, due to mostly spending his time in the United States surfing, which [[{{Pun}} tanned]] his skin.
38	* ArrangedMarriage: To Rachel. [[spoiler: It doesn't stick.]]
39	* TheAtoner: His family problems aside (which aren't actually his fault), he's genuinely sorry about all the things he had done before he immigrated to the United States, such as bullying the social care students, and wants to make them up whenever possible.
40	* BerserkButton: Badmouthing his (biological) mother is a very bad idea.
41	** Oh, and don't you dare endanger Eun-sang, either. Doing that is a one-way trip to hell.
42	* BettyAndVeronica: The Betty to Eun-sang's Archie and Young-do's Veronica.
43	* BigBrotherWorship: Is in awe of his brother, no matter what the latter does to repel him away.
44	* BookDumb: Routinely takes the last place in all tests, since he never bothers to study.
45	* BullyHunter: To atone past mistakes (see above). When he sees Young-do once again bullying Joon-young, he punches him point blank in the face.
46	* ChickMagnet: Girls in Jeguk High swoon over his good looks, though it's surprisingly not played up other than for one episode, as doing so will risk angering the wealthiest girl in the school.
47	* ChildhoodFriends: With Choi Young-Do.
48	* CunningLinguist: Can speak Korean, English, and Chinese.
49	* DespairEventHorizon: [[spoiler: After Eun-sang is forced to leave him, he is completely crushed and stops caring about the world or his own safety.]]
50	* LoveAtFirstSight: With Eun-sang.
51	* LovableJock: To contrast with Young-do's JerkJock.
52	* NoSenseOfPersonalSpace: Hugs, glomps, and holds Eun-sang's hands whenever the two meet, usually by surprise. Eun Sang is at first annoyed and embarrassed, but soon comes to accept them.
53	* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: You know something must be done when Tan's usual optimism disappears. [[spoiler: The utter mess he becomes after Eun-sang leaves him is the final step for Won's HeelFaceTurn.]]
54	* PerpetualSmiler: Especially when faced with Eun-sang.
55	* ThePollyanna: Despite all the shit he receives from his family, he never lets his face and sunny disposition down. Which is why [[spoiler: his complete shutdown after his separation from Eun-sang disturbs Won so much.]]
56	* ReformedBully: Dialogues indicate that he used to be even worse than ''Young-do'', being the one most enthusiastic in bullying lower-class students and the one responsible for designating the "Social Care Group Seat" in the cafeteria. Compare then and now.
57	* ShirtlessScene: In the pilot episode. Thing is, the scene is [[FemaleGaze played again and again in all 20 episodes]], due to being a part of the opening intro.
58	* StarCrossedLovers: With Eun-sang.
59	* WeUsedToBeFriends: With Young-do and, to a lesser extent, Rachel.
60	* WouldntHitAGirl: Says this to [[spoiler: Rachel after seeing the latter throw Eun-sang's uniform to the bin and degrade her mother. No matter how much he wants to hit her, he can't hurt a girl physically. Psychologically is another matter, though.]]
61
62	[[/folder]]
63
64	[[folder: Choi Young-Do]]
65
66	-> '''Played by:''' Kim Woo-bin
67
68	The heir of Hotel Zeus Group and Kim Tan's childhood friend.
69
70	----
71
72	* BettyAndVeronica: The Veronica to Eun-sang's Archie and Tan's Betty.
73	* BookDumb: Like Tan, though Young-do at least is able to be one step ahead of him.
74	* TheBully: One so feared that it makes at least one student transfer out.
75	* ExpositoryHairstyleChange: His hairstyle during middle school is very different from the current upward-facing one, being more like Tan's. Once CharacterDevelopment hits and [[spoiler: he fully realizes his feelings for Eun-sang]], he returns it back. Rachel lampshades this.
76	* FireForgedFriends: [[spoiler: With Rachel, due to going through their mess of political marriages and betrayal together.]]
77	* FriendlyEnemy: [[spoiler: Graduates to this for Tan by the final episode. They're not buddies, but they're not strangers, either.]]
78	* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: No matter how much he tries to put a scary and trickster-like exterior, when he says he values his friends, he values his friends for real. Not even a set of nine experienced bodyguards can stop him [[spoiler: freeing Tan from his house arrest.]]
79	* JerkJock: Of Jeguk High.
80	* MyGreatestFailure: [[spoiler: Not heeding Tan's desperate warning to see his mother one last time before she moved away.]]
81	* RomanticRunnerUp: [[spoiler: To Eun-sang.]]
82	* ReformedBully: [[spoiler: Ultimately becomes this.]]
83	* ReformedButRejected: [[spoiler: He apologizes to Joon-hyung for the bullying, but the latter refuses to accept it and tells him to live his life with that guilt. He agrees.]]
84	* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Ramen. [[spoiler: It's the food that he would have eaten with his mother during their last meeting together, had he arrive sooner.]]
85	* TheTrickster: Affects everything, including his method to get close to Eun-sang.
86	* WeUsedToBeFriends: With Tan.
87
88	[[/folder]]
89
90	!Jeguk High students
91
92	[[folder: Yoo Rachel]]
93
94	-> '''Played by:''' Kim Ji-won
95
96	The heiress of RS International, a clothing company, and Kim Tan's betrothed.
97
98	----
99
100	* AlphaBitch: The girl that threatens Eun-sang the most at school, but unlike other examples, she doesn't flaunt it excessively. Instead, she prefers a more psychological (and personal) approach.
101	* BigDamnKiss: [[spoiler: With Hyo-shin, twice and in quick succession.]] There are ''[[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial no feelings involved]].''
102	* BitchInSheepsClothing: Can fake manners as easy as she breathes.
103	* BrokenBird: Her mother controls her since she's three to be the "perfect" heiress, ignoring what Rachel actually wants. It obviously shapes up the person she is now.
104	-->'''Rachel:''' [[spoiler: (''after her engagement is canceled'')]] I'm not your new product for the season!
105	* CunningLinguist: Speaks Korean, English, and Japanese since she's a child. Eun-sang's attempt to disguise her identity fails horribly due to this.
106	* TheFashionista: Say what you want about her, but the girl's fashion sense is ''godly''. Even if only to go to school.
107	* FireForgedFriends: [[spoiler: With Young-do.]]
108	* HimeCut: To fit the high-class heiress.
109	* NotSoStoic: [[spoiler: She outright cries when her mother cancels her engagement with Kim Tan for good. Esther notes that Rachel rarely does it openly.]]
110	* {{Ojou}}: Princess-like and all.
111	* ShipTease: [[spoiler: With Hyo-shin, though it's cut away with his conscription.]]
112	* SugarAndIcePersonality: It's amazing how she goes from snarking everyone to acting sheepishly in front of Kim Won.
113
114	[[/folder]]
115
116	[[folder: Yoon Chan-young]]
117
118	-> '''Played by:''' Kang Min-hyuk
119
120	A class representative of Jeguk High and Eun-sang's oldest and best friend. As his father is merely a secretary, he's one of the few so-called "social care group" students in the school.
121
122	----
123
124	* BrainyBrunette: Tops the whole school in every test ever. It's more or less the only reason why he's not being picked at despite being a social care student.
125	* ChildhoodFriends: With Eun-sang.
126	* ClassRepresentative
127	* InterClassRomance: He dates Bo-na, who is one step up the social ladder from him. This is a plot point in one episode, but otherwise the topic is not brought up frequently.
128	* PlatonicLifePartners: Again, with Eun-sang. There's absolutely no romance involved. Of course, Bo-na would beg to differ, but then again, she's [[ClingyJealousGirl Bo-na]].
129	* SickeninglySweethearts: With Bo-na.
130	* {{Troll}}: Deliberately irritates Bo-na, because she's cute when angry!
131
132	[[/folder]]
133
134	[[folder: Lee Bo-na]]
135
136	-> '''Played by:''' Krystal Jung
137
138	Daughter of the CEO of the talent-searching Mega Entertainment and Chan-young's girlfriend.
139
140	----
141
142	* AmicableExes: With Tan, whom she dated sometime during middle school.
143	* ButtMonkey: In the case of romance, she's constantly the butt of many jokes.
144	* CatchPhrase: "So annoying!"
145	* ClingyJealousGirl: Her overclinginess to Chan-young is legendary within Jeguk High. It never delves into {{Yandere}}, though, since it's PlayedForLaughs.
146	* TheDitz: A variation in that it's only focused on one thing. Bo-na is smart in many fields, such as education and management...but when it comes to romance, she's completely a sitting duck and very easy to get fooled with. And yes, many characters do exploit this, including Eun-sang, whom she befriends "so Chan-young doesn't have to".
147	* InterClassRomance: She and Chan-young. Chan-young may be rich, but Bo-na is richer.
148	* LovableAlphaBitch: Is a part of the popular crowd and simultaneously friends with Eun-sang [[spoiler: and Ye-sol]].
149	* {{Ojou}}
150	* SickeninglySweethearts: With Chan-young. Heck, the one time they make up after a few days of not talking to each other, they throw a large celebration at a bar.
151	* SpoiledSweet: Despite looking to be yet another one of those rich brats, she's actually a very kind girl. Other than befriending Eun-sang (under the guise of protecting her boyfriend), she [[spoiler: quickly forgives Ye-sol for lying about her parents' occupation.]] Lampshaded by Eun-sang when her mother asks her who she is:
152	--> '''Eun-sang:''' Oh, she's Bo-na. She's pretty on the outside as well as the inside.
153	* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: She and Eun-sang are ''definitely not friends''.
154	** Also, it's Tan who can't move on, ''not her''.
155	* {{Tsundere}}: Switches between the two temperaments rather constantly. A specific target of hers is Eun-sang, whom she helps many times throughout the series, either consciously or unconsciously, but she always dismisses with "so Chan-young doesn't have to".
156	[[/folder]]
157
158	[[folder: Lee Hyo-shin]]
159
160	-> '''Played by:''' Kang Ha-neul
161
162	Son of an attorney general and head of the school broadcasting system of Jeguk High.
163
164	----
165
166	* BigDamnKiss: [[spoiler: With Rachel, twice.]]
167	* ClassClown: Is one to the entire school. Not surprising, considering what he does.
168	* {{Conscription}}: [[spoiler: Enters the draft in the final episode as an act of protest against his parents.]]
169	* DeathSeeker: [[spoiler: Has attempted to kill himself once in the past, just to escape from the burden of entering law school. He stops this attitude once he finds out that he doesn't like hospital food.]]
170	* HeterosexualLifePartners: Following his estrangement from Young-do, Hyo-shin is Tan's closest male friend.
171	* ObfuscatingStupidity: He agrees on tutoring mainly so he can get close to Hyun-joo.
172	* OperationJealousy: [[spoiler: Tries to make Hyun-joo jealous by making her see him kiss Rachel. Unfortunately for him, Hyun-joo never sees him more than as a student.]]
173	* ShipTease: [[spoiler: With Rachel.]]
174	* TeacherStudentRomance: With Hyun-joo, though it's one-sided.
175
176	[[/folder]]
177
178	[[folder: Jo Myung-soo]]
179
180	-> '''Played by:''' Park Hyung-sik
181
182	Son of the CEO of a law firm and an aspiring photographer.
183
184	----
185
186	* ButtMonkey: Even more than Bo-na, as jokes fall not only about romance.
187	* CameraFiend: Never seen without a camera.
188	* ChivalrousPervert: Ogles women more than money, and is mad if people mistreat them. On one occasion, he's disgusted by Young-do (apparently) picking on Eun-sang that [[EveryoneHasStandards he laments how low he has fallen]].
189	* TheDitz: Is dim-witted and slow on catching things up. For the record, he's also consistently on the bottom three of the school ranking.
190	* HeterosexualLifePartners: Just as Hyo-shin is one to Tan, Myung-soo is Young-do's closest male friend after his estrangement from Tan.
191	* InTouchWithHisFeminineSide: May be an indicator that he's not fully het.
192
193	[[/folder]]
194
195	[[folder: Kang Ye-sol]]
196
197	-> '''Played by:''' Jeon Soo-jin
198
199	Daughter of the CEO of a water-making company and Bo-na's best friend. [[spoiler: Actually, her mother owns hostess bars in Seoul.]]
200
201	----
202
203	* AlphaBitch: Leads the main mean girl squad who bullies Social Care Group students. [[spoiler: The irony is that she is part of the Social Care Group herself.]]
204	* BoomerangBigot: [[spoiler: Bullies social care students, yet is a social care student herself.]]
205	* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Bo-na. [[spoiler: Social differences does not separate them, either.]]
206	* SatelliteCharacter: Is undefined in contrast to her friends, and she mostly appears as part of them, rather than on her own. The revelation about [[spoiler: her mother's occupation]] slightly offsets this, but nevertheless, she's the least developed of the main gang of Jeguk High.
207	* SonOfAWhore: [[spoiler: Once the truth about her family is revealed, she is seen by many students as nothing more than this.]]
208
209	[[/folder]]
210
211	[[folder: Moon Joon-young]]
212
213	-> '''Played by:''' Cho Yoon-woo
214
215	A Social Care Group student who is the primary target of bullying by Young-do and his lackeys. He later transfers out of Jeguk High.
216
217	----
218
219	* BackForTheFinale: [[spoiler: As part of Young-do's redemptive arc.]]
220	* NerdGlasses: Which honestly only makes him even more susceptible to bullying. [[spoiler: It's probably why he no longer wears them once he transfers out.]]
221	* PutOnABus: He transfers out of Jeguk High in the middle of the series. [[spoiler: As noted above, he appears one more time in Episode 20.]]
222	* SchoolBullyingIsHarmless: Averted. Young-do's bullying takes a toll in Joon-young, and he becomes bitterer and more unforgiving to people. [[spoiler: And he never forgives Young-do, no matter how often the latter tries to apologize.]]
223
224	[[/folder]]
225
226	!Other characters
227
228	[[folder: Kim Won]]
229
230	-> '''Played by:''' Choi Jin-hyuk
231
232	The first son of the Jeguk Group and Tan's older half-brother. He is leading the corporation's activities, although ''de facto'' his father remains influential.
233
234	----
235
236	* AloofBigBrother: Is smarter, sharper, and more experienced than Tan, as well as undoubtedly much colder. He's the person responsible for his exile to the United States, and some of what he does to Tan can easily classify him as a BigBrotherBully, albeit passively.
237	* BigBrotherInstinct: Though ultimately, Won cares for Tan very much. Tan learns from Hyun-joo that behind his back, Won always speaks positively of Tan, and he does mentor Tan, [[StealthMentor even if the latter doesn't know]]. Then there's the case when [[spoiler: Tan undergoes a DespairEventHorizon after Eun-sang leaves him; Won is the first person to defy their father's order and contact her to return.]]
238	* ButNotTooForeign: His mother was American.
239	* CareerVersusMan: Or rather, Career Versus ''Woman''. He is faced with the prospect of losing his job in favor of marrying a commoner. [[spoiler: He chooses career.]]
240	* GreenEyedMonster: What makes him disdainful to Tan is because he's afraid that Tan is going to usurp him as leader of Jeguk Group, being the favorite son of their father. Plus, Tan is also the living reminder that their father's love for Won's mother is not absolute.
241	* InterClassRomance: With Hyun-joo.
242	* PerpetualFrowner: Polar opposites with [[PerpetualSmiler Tan]].
243	* StarCrossedLovers: To mirror Tan and Eun-sang's relationship, Won is paired with Hyun-joo, a working-class commoner, and they have to go through their own challenges to retain it. [[spoiler: Unlike their younger counterparts, the relationship eventually ends, because Won prefers career over woman, and Hyun-joo does not contest it.]]
244	* TheStoic: Seemingly has that scowl permanently plastered to his face no matter what the situation is.
245	** NotSoStoic: It however does break a few times, such as when he indulges in [[WhenSheSmiles rare laughs]], or when [[spoiler: he mourns his breakup with Hyun-joo.]]
246	* StrongFamilyResemblance: He looks remarkably alike with Tan, despite being only his half-brother.
247
248	[[/folder]]
249
250	[[folder: Jeon Hyun-joo]]
251
252	-> '''Played by:''' Lim Ju-eun
253
254	A tutor and later teacher for Jeguk High, she is Won's secret girlfriend.
255
256	----
257
258	* HotTeacher: Lampshaded by Eun-sang.
259	* InterClassRomance: With Won.
260	* StarCrossedLovers: Again, with Won. [[spoiler: It doesn't held on.]]
261	* SternTeacher: Don't let the pretty face and commoner status fool you; she can silence a snobbish girl as quickly as she can swat a mosquito and place two wealthy boys under lockdown until they personally apologize to each other.
262	* ScholarshipStudent: Like Eun-sang, she was personally offered a scholarship to Jeguk High by Chairman Kim.
263	* TeacherStudentRomance: Hyo-shin doesn't hide the fact that he likes her, and she notices it, but she doesn't return his feelings.
264
265	[[/folder]]
266
267	[[folder: Park Hee-nam]]
268
269	-> '''Played by:''' Kim Mi-kyung
270
271	Eun-sang's mute mother and a personal maid for Chairman Kim.
272
273	----
274
275	* AlmightyMom: Seemingly has the ability to bail not only Eun-sang but anyone out of trouble. And she apparently possesses some hacker skills if [[spoiler: deducing the code for Chairman Kim's safe by blowing wood powder]] is anything to go by.
276	* GoodParents: To Eun-sang and Eun-suk. In fact, she still attempts to connect with the latter even after she abandons them and takes away all their savings.
277	* HeterosexualLifePartners: Slowly grows into one for Ki-ae. [[spoiler: Near the end of the series, Ki-ae is allowed to go out and enjoy the world, but she prefers to do it with Hee-nam.]]
278	* OddFriendship: With Ki-ae.
279	* TheSpeechless: Due to an illness affecting her articulation. Note that her hearing is not affected.
280	* UsefulNotes/SignedLanguage: Only with Eun-sang (who understands it). For everyone else, she has to use simple gestures or, more commonly, notes.
281	* TalkingWithSigns: Since not everyone knows sign language, Hee-nam has to resort writing with notes to talk with other characters.
282
283	[[/folder]]
284
285	[[folder: Han Ki-ae]]
286
287	-> '''Played by:''' Kim Sung-ryung
288
289	Chairman Kim's mistress and Tan's biological mother.
290
291	----
292
293	* AmazinglyEmbarrassingParents: To Tan at times. Heartwarmingly, the thing that other people consider to be the most shameful about her (namely, her mistress status) explicitly ''does not'' embarrass Tan.
294	* ButtMonkey: Many a jokes are made at her expense, and she receives no respect from many people. That said, sometimes it does veer into TheWoobie (which is of course intentional, given her circumstances).
295	* GoodParents: Unlike Chairman Kim, she ''loves'' Tan and always tries to make the best of his screwed up life. This is done partly out of guilt of letting him be shunned due to his illegitimate child status.
296	* HeterosexualLifePartners: Becomes this with Hee-nam in the two years they are together. [[spoiler: By the end of the series, the two have effectively become companions.]]
297	* TheMistress: Self-expalanatory.
298	* PluckyOfficeGirl: Before she became Chairman Kim's mistress, she was a receptionist girl at a Jeguk office.
299	* TraumaCongaLine: Her life takes a nosedive since the time she met Chairman Kim. See The Woobie below.
300	* {{Tsundere}}: Seemingly brushes off Hee-nam and Eun-sang if they do not satisfy her, then quickly regretting her decision and asks them not to hold grudges.
301	* TheWoobie: Dates a rich guy only to be made his mistress, is not allowed to go out freely or meeting with her son for many years, faces shit from people who do know who she is, is constantly locked out of situations particularly when it comes to her son, the list goes on.
302
303	[[/folder]]
304
305	[[folder: Kim Nam-yoon]]
306
307	-> '''Played by:''' Jung Dong-hwan
308
309	Or Chairman Kim, the ''de facto'' leader of Jeguk Group, even though he is now retired. He is the father of Tan and Won.
310
311	----
312
313	* AbusiveParents: To Won and Tan.
314	* ArchnemesisDad: Inevitable due to the family in-fighting that Jeguk Group involves itself.
315	* BigBad: He's essentially this for Eun-sang, being the person that hinders her relationship with Tan the most. It's telling that [[spoiler: the moment he approves of their relationship, the series is nearing its end as there's little to no conflict anymore.]]
316	* BigBrotherIsWatchingYou: Orders a secretary to monitor and take photos of people he considers to be worrisome for his children (e.g. Hyun-joo and Eun-sang), as well as other incidents that might prove beneficial in the future (such as Esther and Jae-ho's secret relationship).
317	* TheChessmaster: Always a step ahead of everyone in the fields of business, politics, and even love.
318	* DarkLordOnLifeSupport: His sickness prevents him from taking matters of Jeguk directly, yet despite this he still manages to exert a powerful influence on everyone. Imagine how things would turn out had he been healthy.
319	* DefrostingIceKing: Believe it or not. [[spoiler: In the final episode, he finally accepts Eun-sang and Tan's relationship with minimal fuss.]]
320	* TheDreaded: Inevitable given his status as supreme leader of the chaebol.
321	* ToughLove: He ''sees'' his actions as this for Won and Tan. To outsiders, however, they come across as simple neglect and abuse of power.
322	* {{Tsundere}}: [[spoiler: During his hospitalization, he asks Eun-sang not to flatter him, then says thanks anyway when she offers books for him to read.]]
323
324	[[/folder]]
325
326	[[folder: Jung Ji-suk]]
327
328	-> '''Played by:''' Park Joon-geum
329
330	Chairman Kim's second wife and registered mother of Tan. She is the headmistress of Jeguk High.
331
332	----
333
334	* BigBad: She becomes one [[spoiler: once Chairman Kim is hospitalized, as she attempts to take over Jeguk Group for herself and her relatives.]] To Eun-sang, however, she frankly doesn't figure much, unlike Chairman Kim. In fact, the two never talk to each other and only has a single, albeit an intense, eye contact.
335	* BlackWidow: [[spoiler: She marries Chairman Kim only so she can inherit his property if they divorce and, preferably, take over things completely if he's rendered vegetative in some way.]]
336	* ChildHater: Implies that she never tries to conceive a child because she's afraid that they're going to cause trouble for their parents later on.
337	* DeanBitterman: Subverted. While no doubt nasty in her own ways, it's not applied to her job as headmistress, and she carries out her duty effectively, handing out tasks and punishments according to merit, not wealth. She even states that she favors the school's reputation above influence.
338	* EvilMatriarch: Of Jeguk Group.
339	* WickedStepmother: To Won and Tan.
340
341	[[/folder]]
342
343	[[folder: Lee Esther]]
344
345	-> '''Played by:''' Yoon Son-ha
346
347	CEO of clothing company RS International and Rachel's mother.
348
349	----
350
351	* AlphaBitch: Has a very sneering view to people not her class, including to [[spoiler: Ye-sol's hostess bar-owning mother.]]
352	* ArrangedMarriage: With Dong-wook. [[spoiler: Like her daughter, it doesn't stick.]]
353	* CareerVersusMan: [[spoiler: Despite her love for Jae-ho, she twice snubs him because she favors the life of a millionaire.]]
354	* TheFashionista: Since she's the CEO of a fashion company...
355	* GoldDigger: To be expected, but she states outright that she only agrees to marry Dong-wook so their companies merge and become larger. [[spoiler: Once he's implicated on a corruption scandal, she immediately cancels their engagement.]]
356	* MyBelovedSmother: Overly controls Rachel's life as part of her plan to designate her heiress.
357	* StarCrossedLovers: With Jae-ho.
358
359	[[/folder]]
360
361	[[folder: Yoon Jae-ho]]
362
363	-> '''Played by:''' Choi Won-young
364
365	Secretary to Jeguk Group and Chan-young's father.
366
367	----
368
369	* TenMinuteRetirement: [[spoiler: After Chairman Kim fires him, he only spends several days without a job before being offered the office of vice-president of Jeguk Construction by Won.]]
370	* DidNotGetTheGirl: Is snubbed from the chance of marrying Esther twice due to their social differences.
371	* GoodParents: To Chan-young.
372	* HandsOffParenting: After the result of the finals is out with Chan-young (once again) topping the list, Jae-ho admits that he never oversees his studies, due to knowing how predictable his score is.
373	* MentorArchetype: For Tan. He serves as the latter's management teacher.
374	* NeutralNoLonger: [[spoiler: Decides to side with Won during the power struggle for the position of president.]]
375	* NeutralityBacklash: Thanks to not taking sides during the Great Jeguk In-Fighting, [[spoiler: he is dismissed as secretary by Chairman Kim.]]
376	* StarCrossedLovers: With Esther.
377
378	[[/folder]]
379
380	[[folder: Choi Dong-wook]]
381
382	-> '''Played by:''' Choi Jin-hoo
383
384	CEO of Hotel Zeus and Young-do's father.
385
386	----
387
388	* AbusiveParents: Regularly beats Young-do for not living up to his standards.
389	* ArrangedMarriage: With Esther. [[spoiler: It's canceled due to the corruption scandal.]]
390	* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: [[spoiler: Nevertheless, he tells Young-do that he will make the latter inherit his property and be well-off, no matter the cost. Or even despite his possible incarceration due to a corruption scandal.]]
391	* TheCasanova: Shamelessly flaunts women by his sides, ''even to his own fiancee''. [[spoiler: He possibly did this to his ex-wife, as well.]]
392	* FourEyesZeroSoul: Is this. [[spoiler: At least at first.]]
393	* ToughLove: He genuinely believes that by neglecting and abusing Young-do, he is on his way to make him the perfect heir for his company.
394	* WellDoneSonGuy: All he wants is for Young-do to become like him.
395
396	[[/folder]]
397
398	[[folder: Yoo Kyung-ran]]
399
400	-> '''Played by:''' Choi Ji-na
401
402	Young-do's mother who lost custody of her son after her divorce.
403
404	----
405
406	* GoodParents: Certainly this, compared to her ex-husband.
407	* MissingMom: Non-dying example, she presumably lost the legal battle for Young-do, forcing him to live with his abusive father. Her absence greatly impacts Young-do and makes him the bitter person he is now. The fact that [[spoiler: he could have met her for the last time had he forwent his ego]] just adds to the tragedy. Her whereabouts is completely unknown until [[spoiler: the final episode, where Young-do learns that she has been working as a cafe owner for some time now.]]
408
409	[[/folder]]
410
411	[[folder: Hyo-shin's parents]]
412
413	-> '''Played by:''' Seo Yi-sook (mother), Jung Won-joong (father)
414
415	Hyo-shin's parents came from a law background and are pressuring him into entering law school. Hyo-shin's father, Lee Chan-hyuk, is an attorney general.
416
417	----
418
419	* EducationMama: Wants Hyo-shin to enter law school using any way they can.
420	* MyBelovedSmother: Both of them qualify, but especially Hyo-shin's mother (who is a stay-at-home mom), as she actually postpones the date for the law interview so Hyo-shin can't escape them.
421	* UnnamedParent: Hyo-shin's mother is unnamed. By contrast, her husband, who appears as a mere cameo, is named.
422
423	[[/folder]]
424
425	[[folder: Other students' mothers]]
426
427	-> '''Played by:''' Lee Yeon-kyung (Bo-na's mother), Ra Mi-ran (Myung-soo's mother), Choi Eun-kyung (Ye-sol's mother)
428
429	The Jeguk parent-student meeting introduces, among other people, Bo-na's, Myung-soo's, and Ye-sol's mothers.
430
431	----
432
433	* HostessClub: [[spoiler: Madame Ban, Ye-sol's mother, owns the most in Seoul.]]
434	* UnnamedParent: None of them are named, though Ye-sol's mother's surname is known to be Ban.
435
436	[[/folder]]
437
438	[[folder: Lee Hyun-jin]]
439
440	-> '''Played by:''' Lee Hyun-jin
441
442	Bo-na's older brother who lives in New York City.
443
444	* TheDanza: Lee Hyun-jin plays Lee Hyun-jin. Wonder if Bo-na really is related to the real actor.
445	* RelativeError: Bo-na calls him "oppa", which literally means older brother. However, "oppa" is also figuratively used to mean an older guy in general (from a female perspective), most importantly, a guy whom the speaker is close with and/or attracted to. Chan-young briefly [[ClingyJealousGirl takes a fit in this]]...until he is informed that Bo-na's use is literal. Cue [[OhCrap backtracking panic]].
446
447	[[/folder]]
448
449	[[folder: Yang Da-kyung]]
450
451	-> '''Played by:''' Wang Ji-won
452
453	Granddaughter of Jeguk Group's shareholder who is chosen by Chairman Kim to marry Won.
454
455	----
456
457	* AlphaBitch: Likely, considering that the words she says during her first date with Won is her saying if he is satisfied breaking off with his girlfriend.
458	* ArrangedMarriage: Is engaged to Won as part of the "respectable marriage" that he has to endure as a heir. [[spoiler: Unlike other examples in the same series, Won chooses to retain it.]]
459	* SatelliteLoveInterest: Her character revolves around her engagement to Won.
460
461	[[/folder]]
462
463	[[folder: Cha Eun-suk]]
464
465	-> '''Played by:''' Yoon Jin-seo
466
467	Eun-sang's older sister who works at the United States. Attending her supposed wedding is the reason why Eun-sang decides to visit the country.
468
469	----
470
471	* AwfulTruth: In actuality, she's not studying, not marrying, and not working in an office. She's actually a waitress barely making ends meet as her abusive ex-boyfriend took away all her money.
472	* BrickJoke: The bean powder. She requests it likely out of homesickness, but has no time to take it from Eun-sang as she desperately wants to leave out of embarrassment. [[spoiler: Come the end of the series, and she's still homesick enough that the first thing she asks when she contacted her mother is for another case of bean powder.]]
473	* CoolBigSis: Is one to Eun-sang, who envies her for living in a land of opportunities. When the truth comes out, [[BrokenPedestal she doesn't take it well]]. Nevertheless, Eun-sang still holds her in high regard and still remembers the song they like to hear together.
474	* DestructiveRomance: Her ex-boyfriend who took her money and beat her for questioning his fidelity.
475	* DroppedAfterThePilot: Due to serving as an ExcusePlot for Eun-sang to visit the United States and thus meet with Tan.
476	* SmallRoleBigImpact: Holy hell yes. Without her, Eun-sang would never meet with Tan, they wouldn't fall in love, Tan wouldn't have the necessary push to return to Korea, and the drama surrounding Jeguk Group would never ensue.
477	* UngratefulBastard: She only wants the entire family savings so she can run off with them. Without saying anything afterward. [[spoiler: The final episode reveals that she eventually contacted her mother, though.]]
478	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Disappears after the pilot episode. [[spoiler: Episode 20 reveals that she has found a job and a phone, and has reestablished contact with her family.]]
479

Context Characters / TheHeirs