How far can a woman get when she sets her mind on building an empire out of her father's business, which once reigned over the world of finance but now faces ruin?

The forthcoming MBC series "Night Light" seeks to provide an answer in the life of protagonist Seo Yi-kyung (Lee Yo-won), a cold and ambitious woman who sees no wrong in displaying her unfettered desire for power and wealth. Seo is the only child of a Korean-Japanese business mogul who moved to Japan in search of his father after Korean liberation from Japanese occupation. From a young age, she has been groomed to take over the family business. But when crisis hits, she moves to South Korea to find a solution and runs into two people -- her ex-boyfriend and a poor but daring young woman -- who could reshape her future.

(Yonhap)

"It's a story about a woman in a world that is dishonest about greed, ambition, money and power, who reveals her greed honestly, doesn't hide it and boldly walks toward her goal," Lee Jae-dong, the series' director, said during a press conference held at MBC headquarters in western Seoul.

In her quest for power, Seo meets Lee Se-jin (Uee) and discovers in her a thirst for money and other things she wasn't born with. The heiress begins to train her and draws her into the corporate hell.

"(My character) is someone who could do nearly anything to get her hands on the things she wants," Lee Yo-won said. "It's my first time playing a character who reveals such greed and ambition, and I'm really enjoying filming and feeling vicarious gratification."

The actress said she was drawn to her character as soon as she read the script. She then took the role because she believed it wasn't something she could come across twice.

"I, too, have a cold side, and I tried to bring that out in my acting," she said. "(My character) speaks very bluntly to Se-jin and I also tend to speak bluntly in real life. I tried to shape my character in that direction."

Uee, who debuted as a member of the girl group After School, described her character as a young woman who admires and wants to emulate Seo.

"When I first shot a scene with Seo Yi-kyung, I immediately felt that she was a chic woman," the singer-actress said. "I've been filming with that impression in mind. It makes me excited and look forward to more."

The Monday-Tuesday series comes at a time when the country has been roiled by a corruption scandal involving the president and her confidante.

(MBC)

Jin Goo, who plays the ex-boyfriend and a chaebol heir, hinted that audiences may find the drama more entertaining in light of the current political situation.

"The protagonist is a woman ... we see a lot of women and men in dark suits in the news. I just thought that there are similarities in terms of the picture," he said. Lee, the director, played down the similarities, saying the drama was conceived long before the scandal broke.

Jin is best known for his role as a tough special forces soldier in the megahit series "Descendants of the Sun," which aired early this year.

This time, his character looks people in the eyes as he speaks and doesn't give up on the woman he loves, the actor said.

"I've become a lot softer, but (both characters) reflected different sides of me, so I didn't really have difficulties (playing the new part). There's a warmth deep inside of me," he said with a laugh.

"Night Light" will premiere at 10 p.m. Monday. (Yonhap)