A female slave or woman of a private home who was paid for mourning at funerals is called a dirge singer. Dan Geum is a dirge singer but her daughter Yun Shim doesn't want to be one because she would have to mourn and lament for her life. Yun Shim runs away to become a gisaeng, a female entertainer, thinking that smiling for life is better. But it's not easy as she's a daughter of a dirge singer, a low-born. Yoon Soo is born out of wedlock and is angry at his life as he cannot do anything because of his position. One day, Yoon Soo's brother, who is a true noble, dies. And Yoon Soo becomes the chief mourner of the house. He has never been treated that way so he gets confused. Will they be able to change their unfortunate destiny?.