It introduces a dark and secretive adoption organization run by Park Se-hee, operating under the guise of Happiness Obstetrics Clinic. The organization connects infertile couples with children from unwanted pregnancies, allowing clients to select children based on detailed profiles of their biological parents. The chilling twist lies in the organization’s “free refund” policy, which permits adoptive parents to return children within 20 years if they fail to meet expectations. Instead of protecting these returned children, the organization eliminates them to erase evidence of its illegal operations. Park Se-hee, the mastermind, is a cold and calculating figure who values perfection, as seen in her warped parenting of her adopted daughter, Chaeyeon, whom she molds into a “princess” while condemning less refined behaviors.
The story begins with a focus on Kim Ahyeon, a 19-year-old survivor of the refund policy. Adopted and later “refunded” by Park Se-hee at age 10 for failing to meet her exacting standards of elegance and academic excellence, Ahyeon was meant to be killed but miraculously survived. Now, she leads a group of other “refunded” children: Lee Si-woo (14), Somi (16, real name Kang Seo-hyun), Seok-su (18, real name Kim Yoon-ho), and Ju-an (17, real name Park Jae-young), who have banded together to expose and dismantle the organization. Each child carries the trauma of abandonment, with unique struggles: Si-woo’s father is unaware of his adoption, Somi harbors resentment toward her adoptive mother, Seok-su communicates through writing due to selective mutism, and Ju-an’s past is shrouded in mystery.
The plot accelerates when Ahyeon, presumed dead, reappears at the Happiness Obstetrics Clinic, catching Park Se-hee off guard. Recognizing Ahyeon, Park Se-hee launches a manhunt to silence her and her companions before they can expose the organization. Ahyeon’s group, meanwhile, is driven by a mix of survival instincts and a desire for justice. They uncover the horrific fates of refunded children, learning that Kim Tae-sik, a former gangster tasked with killing Ahyeon, had a change of heart that allowed her to escape. Tae-sik becomes a reluctant ally, haunted by his past and seeking redemption.
A parallel storyline follows Somi’s quest for answers about her abandonment. She initially blames her adoptive mother, Kyung-mi, for refunding her due to her opposition to Somi’s dream of becoming a singer. However, a shocking revelation unfolds when the group tracks down Somi’s adoptive father, Kang Chung-man, a professor at Yerin University. During a confrontation, Ahyeon visits his home, where Kang mistakes her for a woman involved in his illicit paid encounters. The group discovers that Kang, not Kyung-mi, orchestrated Somi’s refund to conceal his sexual assault of her. Overwhelmed by the recovered memory of the assault, Somi kills Kang in a moment of anguish, cementing the group’s resolve to bring the organization down.
As the refunded children gather evidence, they encounter resistance from both the organization and societal indifference. Seok-su’s backstory reveals the unfair pressure he faced from his parents, who favored their biological son, Kim Dong-ho, and subjected both children to grueling elite education. Dong-ho, though not refunded, sympathizes with Seok-su’s plight, resenting their parents’ obsession with status. His strained relationship with his mother, who prioritizes her social standing over his well-being, adds depth to the theme of parental expectations.
The group’s efforts draw the attention of Detective Kim Mu-hyeok and his colleague, Detective Choi, who begin investigating the mysterious disappearances linked to the clinic. Prosecutor Park also becomes involved, though the organization’s influence initially hampers their progress. Park Se-hee, desperate to protect her empire, escalates her tactics, targeting the children and their allies with increasing ruthlessness.
In a tense climax, Ahyeon’s group stages a daring infiltration of the Happiness Obstetrics Clinic to obtain definitive proof of the organization’s crimes: records of refunded children and their fates. They face off against Park Se-hee, whose obsession with Chaeyeon’s perfection blinds her to the moral decay of her actions. Tae-sik plays a pivotal role, using his knowledge of the organization’s inner workings to guide the children. The confrontation reveals the full extent of Park Se-hee’s hypocrisy: she herself participated in the refund system, discarding Ahyeon for failing to embody her idealized vision of a “princess” while cherishing Chaeyeon, who meets her standards.
With the detectives’ help, the group exposes the organization to the public, leading to its dismantling. Park Se-hee is arrested, and the refunded children find some measure of closure. Somi reconciles with Kyung-mi, who, unaware of the refund policy, genuinely loved her and now supports her dreams. Ahyeon emerges as a resilient leader, helping her companions heal from their trauma. The story closes with the group looking toward an uncertain but hopeful future, determined to redefine their worth beyond the “shopping” system that once discarded them.
