The plot of the series takes place in pre-war Warsaw in 1937, in turbulent times before World War II, during the birth of nationalisms. Kum Kaplica’s gang operates mainly in the Jewish quarter, organized around the Karcelak Square – a marketplace in pre-war Wola. The main character of “King”, a Jewish boxer and gangster – Jakub Szapiro, perfectly embodies Warsaw of that era, and just like the city itself, he, too, is full of contradictions and contrasts. Szapiro is a non-believing Jew, and he’s also not a socialist, although he takes part in poor people and workers’ marches. He’s a bandit, who got rich from extortions, protection money, and prostitution. He visits brothels on a regular basis, but he always comes home to the woman with whom he lives together without marriage. At home he speaks Polish, with Jews he speaks Yiddish, and with his friends – in a peculiar jargon. He is the opposite of the image of the oppressed Jew – popular mostly due to the Nazi propaganda, he is a heavy weight boxer, fighting under the banner of the Makabi sports club, and winning in the ring. Strong, brave, and handsome. No wonder he’s also hugely popular with women.

But there is more than one king, and they all fight for the crown. Bandits, politicians, Jews, and goys. They all use diplomacy and violence without discrimination, peddle influence, generate political intrigues, and murder people. They’re willing to do whatever necessary to sit on the throne. Some of them, like Kum Kaplica and Jakub Szapiro, only dream of ruling Warsaw, but others have bigger ambitions and look with envy on the Third Reich and the position of chancellor, which they would gladly transplant into the Polish soil.

The world of „The King” is a multicultural melting pot, full of national, social and religious conflicts boiling. It is a world of political conspiracies, fight for power and money. A world that will cease to exist in a couple of years.