Paper Friends

Kim Jinwoo, a construction worker burdened by debt, sees his life change overnight when he wins a record-breaking lottery. Initially, he showers his loved ones with gifts, but the sudden wealth quickly warps his perspective, revealing an inner void he attempts to fill with extravagance. He trades his humble apartment for a lavish penthouse and his loyal friends for a crowd of fawning sycophants. His long-time crush, Minseo, a principled and observant woman who values character over wealth, watches in dismay as the kind, hardworking man she knew vanishes, replaced by an arrogant stranger obsessed with luxury. When she and his oldest friends confront him, Minseo, representing sincerity and emotional honesty, is met with his cruel dismissal of them as merely jealous. He indulges in every excess, but the thrill is fleeting, leaving him feeling emptier than before. The turning point comes when he collapses from stress and alcohol-induced liver failure, finding himself alone in his hospital bed. Faced with his own mortality and profound loneliness, Jinwoo realizes the true cost of his fortune. After his recovery, he embarks on a difficult journey of atonement, humbly seeking out each person he wronged, starting with Minseo, hoping to prove he is once again the man worthy of their trust and affection.