In episodes one and two of Love in the Big City, Go Young arrives late to a photo shoot after breaking up with his unfaithful boyfriend. The photographer, Kim Nam Kyu, is initially cold towards him but becomes impressed with Go Young’s modeling skills. They part ways amicably after introducing themselves, setting the stage for their future encounters.
Unexpectedly, Go Young runs into Nam Kyu at an Itaewon gay club. After a night of partying, Go Young flirts with Nam Kyu and drunkenly kisses him. Nam Kyu kisses back, but their moment is interrupted when Go Young’s classmate, Choi Mi Ae, catches them. In a panic, he rushes to Mi Ae, pleading with her not to reveal his secret. She promises to keep quiet, but by the time he turns back, Nam Kyu has already left.
At school, Go Young overhears his straight friends gossiping about Mi Ae, labeling her a promiscuous woman and suggesting she was flirting with him. When they start pressuring him about his first experience with a girl, Go Young becomes defensive, which escalates the tension. As his friends continue to disrespect Mi Ae, he loses his temper and cuts ties with them, choosing to isolate himself and become a loner.
Later, Go Young reaches out to Nam Kyu to apologize for the awkward kiss, and to his delight, Nam Kyu reveals he actually liked it. Despite their differences in taste and personality, they begin to fall in love. Meanwhile, Go Young bonds with Mi Rae over their shared status as outcasts. Go young and Nam kyu’s relationship quickly blossoms, highlighted by a visit to Namsan Tower, where Nam Kyu surprises Go Young with an expensive couple’s ring, leaving him feeling undeserving and uneasy.
He shares his worries with his gay friends, some of whom express jealousy but suggest he keep wearing the ring to spare his boyfriend’s feelings. That night, Go Young and Mi Rae hit the club to blow off steam. While Go young flirts with a popular Instagram influencer, Mi Rae finds herself drawn to the DJ. Afterward, they head to Mi Rae’s house and share stories about their past relationships. Although she spots Nam Kyu’s picture on Go Young’s phone, he avoids the topic, deepening their friendship. They eventually decide to live together, discovering that they both struggle with their mothers.
Go Young’s frustration with Nam Kyu escalates during karaoke on his friends’ last night before military enlistment, leading him to end their relationship, citing their differences. Later that night, Nam Kyu rushes to the police station after learning that Mi Rae is causing a scene due to a man who allegedly assaulted her. He takes her home, and as they comfort each other, their bond deepens, providing solace amid their tumultuous lives as Mi rae cuts ties with her family who have been a burden.
After work at the café, Mi Rae encounters a charming tattoo artist who asks her out, leading her to lie about being single despite dating the DJ from the club. Meanwhile, Go Young is seeing the influencer but feels they lack chemistry. Ultimately, the influencer breaks up with him over Go Young’s public affectionate nature, leaving him heartbroken. However, upon returning home, Go Young is shocked to learn that Mi Rae is pregnant and uncertain about the baby’s father—either the tattoo artist or the DJ. This situation places both Mi Rae and Go Young in a tough spot. They decide to seek an abortion, but at the clinic, the doctor reprimands Mi Rae for having unprotected sex and pursuing the procedure. Frustrated, she causes a scene by stealing a delicate uterus sculpture and running away, leaving chaos in her wake.
A nurse catches up with Mi Rae and Go Young, offering to help by referring Mi Rae to another hospital for her abortion. After going through with it, Initially, she struggles with depression but eventually begins to heal. Meanwhile, Nam Kyu continues to hang around Go Young’s home, pleading for a second chance and insisting that love isn’t a sin. Go Young firmly rejects him, feeling suffocated during their relationship. Just as Nam Kyu becomes emotional, Mi Rae arrives and takes him away, leaving Go Young feeling unsettled as he confides in friends who offer little support.
As time goes on, Go Young and Mi Rae navigate their lives while ignoring the rumors about their cohabitation and Mi Rae’s abortion. Mi Rae becomes more focused, studying diligently and reducing her drinking. She successfully passes her exams, graduates and lands a job at a major company. When she leaves for a work camp, Go Young finds himself alone for the first time. Feeling bored, he decides to take up writing, following Mi Rae’s advice.
When Mi Rae returns, Go Young plans a surprise celebration but is taken aback when a man drops her off. She dismisses him as just an ordinary guy, leaving Go Young surprised that she would date someone like him. Mi Rae introduces her boyfriend, Jun Ho, to Go Young, who quickly realizes that Mi Rae has kept much of her past hidden. It soon becomes evident that Jun Ho is now her top priority, as their relationship deepens and she spends more time with him and her work colleagues.
Things take a dramatic turn when Jun Ho discovers that Mi Rae and Go Young are living together. Just as he’s about to break up with her, Mi Rae reveals that Go Young is gay, which saves her relationship but puts Go Young at risk. When she tells Go Young, he reacts angrily, doubting that Jun Ho will keep his secret. Their argument escalates, with Mi Rae accusing Go Young of leading a reckless life and being a loner. In his frustration, Go Young heads to the club, where he drowns his sorrows and ends up forcefully kissing someone.
Drunk outside the club, Go Young reaches out to Nam Kyu for help. When Nam Kyu arrives, he surprises Go Young with his changed demeanor and hopes to rekindle their relationship. However, Go Young firmly breaks up with him, acknowledging that Nam Kyu is a good man and wishing him well in finding true love. After sharing a final hug, they part ways. Back home, Go Young finishes his romance novel, “Blueberry and Cigarettes,” which unexpectedly mirrors his relationship with Mi ae.
Go Young and Mi Ae maintain their connection, and during a phone call, Mi Ae becomes emotional when he shares that his book made it into the newspapers. To his surprise, she reveals that she’s getting married to Jun Ho. Later that day, Go Young receives devastating news: Nam Kyu has died in a car accident caused by speeding, something he had always disliked but did for Go Young. Overwhelmed with guilt, Go Young realizes he never took their relationship seriously.
Go Young and Mi Ae pack her belongings, and she asks him to sing at her wedding. That night, they share a heartfelt moment as Go Young assures her that she can always come back if her marriage doesn’t work out, while he expresses his doubts about ever finding lasting love. At the wedding, despite his terrible singing, Mi Ae helps him through the performance, turning an embarrassing moment into a lighthearted one. After the celebration, Go Young returns to his empty apartment, reflecting on how quickly everything has changed.
