"Scent of a Woman" is a romantic-melodrama that depicts the life of a 30'ish woman who works as a low-level clerk. She works hard, but lives her life without much joy. She then learns that she is dying. The woman decides to travel aboard to find happiness ...
Lee Yeon-Jae (Kim Sun-A) works at travel agency Line Tour as an under-appreciated assistant. She's often belittled, sexually harassed, & tasked to do menial jobs by her boss, but she never stands up for herself, fearing for her job. Lee Yeon-Jae supports her mother and without her job, believes she won't be able to get married.
One day, because of a car accident, Lee Yeon-Jae goes to the hospital. There she meets Dr. Chae Eun-Suk (Uhm Ki-Joon). As children, Yeon-Jae and Eun-Suk were friends, but Eun-Suk now acts as if he does not know her. Dr. Eun-Suk informs Yeon-Jae that she has a tumor and needs another examination. Yeon-Jae goes back to the company and asks for a day off to get the medical examination. Instead of getting the day off, Yeon-Jae is assigned to be a guide for high profile client Andy Wilson.
Kang Ji-Wook (Lee Dong-Wook) is the only son of Line Tour's company president. He is good looking, physically fit, rich and the successor to the company, but he isn't excited by anything. His father planned his marriage to Im Se-Kyung (Seo Hyo-Rim), the daughter of conglomerate Seo-Jin. Im Se-Kyung is beautiful, but highly arrogant. She's the one who arranged for musician Andy Wilson's one day tour.
Meanwhile, the tour for Andy Wilson encounters turbulence. A misunderstanding for his lunch includes pork which is forbidden by Andy Wilson's Muslim religion. Andy Wilson becomes furious and returns to his hotel. To make-up for the misunderstanding, Yeon-Jae visits Andy Wilson's hotel with traditional Korean rice cake which she believes he may enjoy. Shortly later, Andy Wilson discovers that his ring is missing. Im Se-Kyung and Andy Wilson both suspect that Yeon-Jae stole the ring. Yeon-Jae vehemently denies taking the ring, but she is eventually slapped by Im Se-Kyung.
Yeon-Jae, under a lot duress, finally goes to the hospital for her re-examination. Yeon-Jae is informed by Dr. Eun-Suk that she has cancer and is expected to live for only 6 more months. Still in shock, Yeon-Jae returns to her office. When her boss starts to pick on her yet again, Yeon-Jae finally reaches her boiling point. She throws her resignation, which she wrote a long time ago, to his face and leaves her job ...
