We start with a panoramic view of city of Macau as the music plays and we catch glimpses of a bustling marketplace with food cooking and purchases being made. We see some of the fine buildings and architecture and the sprawling metropolis of Macau before returning to the marketplace once more. We’re given the date (2002) and a picturesque view of the needle building and bridge leading into the city. We see an overhead shot of a teen-aged boy LEE JANG-GO (Yoon Chan Young) happily riding his bike through the streets with friends shouting out “Hey Jang-go!” and and he haggles a bit with a vegetable shopkeeper.
Later we see Jang-go at back at home coming into the room he shares with his younger brother LEE JANG SOO (Jang Se Hyun) and he warns his brother goodnaturedly that he better get his lazy butt out of bed before Mom comes in & beats him again. Jang Soo stays in bed with the blanket pulled over his head and tells Jang-go to “mind his own business” which draws an angry response from their mother LEE GEUM SHIL (Geum Bo Ra) scurrying into the room to administer some much-needed swats to Jang Soo before Jang-go tries to push him off the bed with his foot.
With several protests Jang Soo finally pops up from under the blanket with oddly green hair which draws shocked looks from his mother and older brother. Jang Soo grins at their reaction while brushing back his colorful hair with a little pride before rushing out the front door of the house with his mother hard on his heels yelling that he better come home with his hair fixed or else.
Jang Soo’s father LEE KYUNG-SIK (Lee Dae-Yeon) also follows them out into the street asking what all the noise was about as Jang Soo hops on his older brother’s bike all the while complaining how Jang-go always gets a new bike and he is stuck with the old one and that he has to go to the regular school while Jang-go goes to the prestigious (and more expensive) school. He tells his parents that when he returns to Korea next year he’s going to have a DNA test done because there’s no way she can be his real mother although he smiles at his father while saying he knows he’s his real Dad which draws out a grin from his Dad and he chuckles at his son’s audacity.
Meanwhile Jang-go comes out saying he’s off to school too while his mother advises him that his younger brother stole his bike but he shrugs that off saying he’s off. As Jang-go pedals away his parents watch him leaving wistfully and Geum Shil asks about sending Jang Soo to the same school as Jang-go now that they’re almost out of debt. Kyung-Sik smiles a bit with a noncommittal shrug as he returns to the shop with his wife asking about any cash he must have stashed away.
As Jang-go gets closer to his school we see fellow students on either side of the street moving quickly to start their day as a car speeds up behind him. Jang-go glaces over his shoulder and narrowly avoids another cyclist passing in front of him which causes him to ditch his bike and fall to the ground. The car skids to a halt and a young student with glasses hops out of the back with a look of concern asking if he’s injured while Jang-go brushes himself off.
A cute younger girl in the back seat quickly rolls down the window and peers at Jang-go with a concerned look on her face. Both Jang-go and the youth speak to each other in English with Jang-go saying he’s fine. The youth offers his hand to help him to his feet before he does a quick bow and jumps back into the car. As the car rushes off, the girl tells Jang-go in a friendly manner to “drive safely” and “no speeding” and gives him a little wink leaving Jang-go to realize they’re also heading towards his school.
Next we see that same young girl at the front of her new classroom introducing herself (with a massive grin) to her new classmates as KIM SEUNG-HEE (Lee Young Eun) from the Demographic Republic of Korea and that she will be studying at the school for a year before returning home. She mentions that she is a good student but what she really enjoys is dancing before busting a few moves Michael Jackson style (moonwalk and all). She tells them if any of them want to learn how to moonwalk, she’ll be more than happy to show them (to the applause of her new classmates).
Meanwhile, the young man from the car is in the same class as Jang-go and the teacher welcomes him. His name is KIM YUN CHEUL. The teacher tells Jang-go that although both he and Yun Cheul come from North and South Korea they both come from Korea so he should help Yun Cheul as much as possible to which Jang-go readily agrees although we see that Yun Cheul tenses up a bit realizing that Jang-go is from the south but he doesn’t say anything, initially.
After their teacher leaves the classroom several students approach Yun Cheul and welcome him to their school with smiles and handshakes as Yun Cheul responds in kind.
Jang-go sees his friends greeting Yun Cheul and he realizes he should do likewise so he speaks to him in korean welcoming him to their school and offers his hand saying they should be friends. Yun Cheul responds coolly and fixes Jang-go with a hard look saying “Forget it. I have no business with a South Korean boy like you” while he refuses to shake hands and gets up leaving the class. Jang-go is left confused, thinking Yun Cheul must be incredibly arrogant to refuse his genuine offer of friendship given his friendly responses to his other classmates.
Our focus switches to a Seoul aerobics class (still 2002) with one member of the class being MA CHUNG JA (Lee Hwi Hyang) wearing a florescent pink headband and glistening from the enthusiastic effort she’s putting into the workout. Following the aerobics class we see Chung Ja with a friend at the offices of a plastic surgeon getting some preliminary counselling on some procedures. She is practically gushing about how slender her face will look and that as much as 10 years might be removed from her appearance.
As they are leaving the doctor’s office they discuss Chung Ja’s “much younger husband” (he’s 2 years younger than she is) and her friend says it must be exhausting. “You have to make the effort” Chang Ja laments as she gets a call from her daughter’s teacher.
At her daughter’s school, JO HEE-RA (Hwang Bo Ra)’s bag is unceremoniously emptied on a table revealing no books but a TON of makeup products. Chang Ja berates her daughter shallowness for wearing so much makeup at such a young age. It’s a tale as old as time as she embarrassingly explains that her daughter leaves home “looking normal” but likely plasters her face with these cosmetics before arriving at school.
Hee-Ra’s teacher advises that she has given the girl several warnings that have gone unheeded which was why her mother was called. The teacher starts to state that “The school rules-” but (like a stereotypical teen) Hee-Ra makes excuses, saying they “draw on paper, so why can she draw on her face” as Chang Ja looks somewhat shocked at her daughter for talking back to her teacher and tries to wipe all the makeup off her face.
Later Chang Ja drags her disobedient and screeching daughter into her living room by the ear as Hee-Ra loudly protests her right to do her hair & appearance as she likes. She demands that her mom send her to study abroad, preferably to the U.S. as they are allowed to wear makeup to school. Chang Ja says that even in good U.S. schools you can’t wear THAT much makeup.
Hee-Ra tries to placate her with smiles and the usual promises to “study hard” if she allows her to study abroad. Just then Chang Ja’s son JO HEE DONG (Han Joo Wan) arrives with good news as the results from his midterm exams came out today. His mother gushes about how well Hee Dong did as he was one of the top 10 students for the entire school.
As she hugs and kisses her successful son, she looks at Hee-Ra and tells her to try to be even half as successful as her big brother. Hee-Ra bristles at the “big brother” reference and casts a disdainful glace at her shorter brother saying he’s “a foot shorter than me” getting a disdainful look back from Hee Dong. Hee-Ra starts up again with demands to be allowed to study abroad threatening to run away if she can’t have her own way before storming out of the room.
At this point Chung Ja’s husband JO DAL HO (Lee Jong Won) gets home, weary and wonders what all the noise is about. When his wife asks him why he’s home now he explains that his father JO EOK-MAN (Jung Jong Joon) was tired and needed to come home. As Chung Ja asks if he was sick, her father-in-law also comes in the living room to say he had to go out. Before he leaves, Chung Ja tells him how well Hee Dong did with his exams, and an obviously pleased grandfather pats his smiling grandson’s shoulder telling him he did a good job and to keep studying hard.
Chung Ja grabs Dal Ho before he can follow his father, pushing him into their bedroom. He’s a little nervous with Chung Ja smiling but she holds him to ask if he had spoken with his father about the fees needed to send the twins abroad to study. Dalo Ho says he’s told her many times that they don’t have the money to do that and she should stop acting so foolishly. When she continues pressing the issue he complains they “aren’t on the same wavelength” and he’s feeling lonely. (Methinks their money problems are a bit more serious than he’s told her).
Chung Ja tickles Dal Ho saying “how can you feel lonely when you have me?” He pushes her off saying sternly that she doesn’t understand how tough things are for him and his Dad. She advises him to “talk to the elder” about the kids’ tuition. Dal Ho asks if she’s gone mad but she says that the elder has all kinds of money and that the price of their kids going to study abroad would cost “the same as a piece of gum” to him (He must be pretty rich I guess).
He tells her to put aside such ideas and walks out as Chung Ja yells at him that Hee-Ra’s threatening to run away if she doesn’t get to go, but Dal Ho yells over his shoulder that he doesn’t care. She decides to ask this rich older relative herself as she admires herself in the dresser mirror while putting on lipstick and looks pleased as punch with herself.
Next we see an older businessman emerge from an office elevator advising one of his flunkies to kick out a tenant because they cannot pay their rent displaying a bit of a hard-nosed business attitude. As he comes out of the building into the street another apparent employee bows and holds an umbrella while helping him into his car. Later we see this same businessman leaving a meeting as other businessmen bow and deferentially thank him for his patronage again indicating the old fellow must be quite the bigshot.
As he passes an office everyone stands to bow as he goes through their office. One young girl questions one of her male coworker that “isn’t he the old man who owns the noodle shop nearby” and is told that the old man is VERY rich and the noodle shop is merely one of his hobbies and that he also owns an office building in Gangham.
Meanwhile, at the bustling noodle shop Chung Ja is busy thanking some patrons leaving after a meal when an employee thanks her for her help, but she is a guest so she really doesn’t have to do that. She snootily informs the woman that she’s the “Elder’s cousin’s daughter-in-law” so she’s “the owner too” and shoves the employee while ordering her to clean the tables.
Personally I think she’s being a little presumptuous implying that but at this point the businessman from earlier walks in the door and is mildly surprised to see Chung Ja there. She claims she had some free time so thought she would help out a bit. As Elder walks past her he asks her to bring him a glass of cold water before going into a larger, more private dining area.
As she giddily trots over to Elder’s room she has a smile plastered on her face and offers him the glass of water. “So,” he asks, getting right to the point. “are you here to tell me something?” as he surveys the busy dining area. Just as she nervously begins to mention her kids’ tuition, a employee interrupts to tell the Elder that he has a guest whom he greets as Jo-jik and tells Chung Ja to get him a glass of water too. She gets up shooting daggers at the customer with a cold greeting of “hello” and stomps off to get the water all the while muttering to herself about this older man interrupting her.
When she returns she hesitates to evesdrop as the men discuss the Elder’s difficulty in locating his missing family that he left behind in North Korea years before. Chung Ja realizes she might lose her meal ticket if Elder does find his family and whines to herself that he’s doing this behind their backs.
When Chung Ja gets back home she works herself into a tizzy about this development and laments possibly losing out on Elder’s fortune. She resolves to just forget about Elder and if he wants to treat her family so shabbily (by not lavishing them with his money) they can just be strangers. (So Chung Ja is a bit of a gold digger apparently).
Finally we get back to Macau and find Seung-hee walking with classmates between classes when one points out the old abandoned music room reputed to be haunted. Seung-hee scoffs at the story but the other two tell her that if two people not destined to be together go in the room at 9pm a ghost appears to harass them. But, they tell her, if the two people ARE destined for each other, they will hear music and will be able to avoid the ghost. As the trio scurries past Seung-hee studies the door with a quizzical look on her face.
Outside she and Jang-go bump into each other causing Seung-hee to fall to which he quickly apologizes and asks if she’s hurt at all. She replies that she’s fine and that it was her fault. He realizes she is the girl from the car earlier and quickly switches from English to Korean to say they had met earlier that morning. Smiling, he continues that she must be the little sister of Kim Yeong-cheol. She expresses mild shock that this boy was speaking to her in Korean asking if he was from “South Joseon” (the North’s name for South Korea). Jang-go smiles saying not South Joseon, but South Korea. He goes on saying she should show him a bit of respect as he is older than she is but she gets a dismissive look saying “You? Respect? How could I possibly respect someone from South Korea? Don’t expect to get any respect from me!” she snaps at Jang-go.
He smiles wondering what in the world is wrong with these to siblings. Again she gets combative telling him he should speak clearly as she cannot understand him. Getting a little upset Jang-go calls her “a little tadpole” and asks “how dare she talk back to him”. He lectures her on respecting her elders and questions the North Korean education she has received. As Jang-go’s talking to her, Seung-hee looks him over from head to toe and notices something and with a thinly veiled smile she tells him his fly is open. Openly embarrassed he quickly turns away from Seung-hee to correct the situation.
Triumphantly, she smiles saying how could she possibly “respect” someone as dumb as him and that in the North they call people like him a “pumpkin head”. At that, she turns on her heel and walks off feeling very good about herself. She turns back to a speechless Jang-go and sticks out her tongue before again pointing to his fly and gives herself a quick congratulatory nod of approval for having bested him before skipping off.
Later Jang-go is carefully carrying a school project down some stairs and into the hallway when he and Yeong-cheol collide causing Jang-go’s project to fall to the ground shattering. Yeong-cheol shrugs and moves on without a word leaving Jang-go staring at his broken work. He yells after Yeong-cheol asking why he cannot even offer an apology for causing the project to get ruined but Yeong-cheol just continues walking without looking back. Jang-go runs after him demanding an apology but Yeong-cheol just just sluffs him off saying he didn’t bump into him on purpose so why should he apologize. As Jang-go looks at him with a dumbfounded expression, Yeong-cheol continues by insulting South Korea asking why they blame others whenever they do something wrong leaving Jang-go staring after him in disbelief.
Back at home Jang-go is telling his family at dinner about the new transfer students and his mother remarks that they must be from a wealthy family if they are attending all the way from North Korea. His younger brother Jang-soo points out that they are “not as wealthy” but still send Jang-go to this expensive school. His mother reminds Jang-soo that he might have found a placement at the school too if he hadn’t failed with his English studies. His father also chides Jang-soo to “study English diligently” and they will send him to Jang-go’s school but Jang-soo just waves them off saying he’s happy with his own school and has adjusted to it. His mother commends him as a good son for thinking like that as they’ll be able to save a bit of tuition money.
Jang-soo gets a little spiteful, promising that on second thought, he’ll work hard on his English studies and get into that school after seeing his mom celebrating about saving money but Geum Shil lovingly reproaches him and calls him a “tree frog” which draws a chuckle from the boys’ father. They continue discussing the North Korean family saying Jang=go should probably avoid them if possible as nothing good could happen by becoming entangled with them to which Jang-go agrees that he has no desire in associating with the two students.
That night, while Jang-soo is again sprawled across his bed sleeping (what happened to those promises to study hard Jang-soo?) the camera pans over to Jang-go who is still studying at his desk late into the night. As he finishes and breathes a sigh, his mind wanders back to Seung-hee’s words and that she called him a “pumpkin head” (he snickers at the memory) but when he remembers Yeong-cheol’s words after his project was ruined he is a little more sober thinking he won’t be cutting Yeong-cheol any slack and won’t be giving him any second chances.
The next day at school there’s a basketball game going on in the gym with a small crowd of students on the sidelines cheering them on when Jaqng-go receives the ball and Yeong-cheol is guarding (this won’t end well). Jang-go does a quick spin move and drives towards the net and easily drops a layup over Yeong-cheol and the boys glare at each other (with Jang-go wearing a slight “I beat you” smile and Yeong-cheol staring at him). The ball is passed to Yeong-cheol who tries to drive towards the hoop but Jang-go has a better position thwarting Yeong-cheol who grabs Jang-go with his free hand and throws up a wild shot that misses and they both fall to the ground.
Yeong-cheol stars at Jang-go in obvious anger before lunging at him and punches him in the face as the spectators express shock at the turn of events. Jang-go is surprised but immediately welcomes the chance to fight and throws a punch of his own but Yeong-cheol deftly ducks and grabs Jang-go, throwing him onto his back. With Yeong-cheol on top trying to throw more punches, their teammates grab both pulling them apart but Jang-go breaks free and drops Yeong-cheol with a punch to the head. Now Jang-go’s on top hitting Yeong-cheol repeatedly as Yeong-cheol covers his head as the others again try to pull them apart. Just then Seung-hee walks past the open gym door and is shocked seeing her older brother being beaten.
She throws her school books aside running over to help and quickly bites Jang-go’s arm causing him to cry out in pain as she pushes him off her brother. Both boys look up at Seung-hee in shock as she threatens to kill Jang-go for hurting her brother and then she goes after Jang-go, flailing punches as one player drags her off. FINALLY, the school principal arrives, bellowing for them to stop leaving Yeong-cheol and Jang-go eyeing one another (with both looking the worse for wear).
Jang-go’s mother and father jump off a nearby bus and rush into the school. In the meeting with Mr Johnson, the school’s Principal and Yeong-cheol’s parents, Geum Shil exclaims “What? Expulsion?!” She asks her husband and then Jang-go (standing sheepishly beside Yeong-cheol) if the principal had actually said expulsion. She says excitedly in her weak English that “Jang-go was a very good boy” she tells her husband to tell the principal not to expel her son and he asks the principal to reconsider because it is so severe. The principal says school regulations prohibit violence. Geum Shil, having some difficulty with the principal’s english tells Jang-go to translate for her. We catch a glimpse of Yeong-cheol’s mother KIM YOUNG AE (Lee Il Hwa) as Jang-go tells his mother that the principal said that violence cannot be tolerated.
A frustrated Geum Shil tells Jang-go to translate for her and exclaims “What a crappy situation this is!” which illicits shock from her husband, Yeong-cheol’s mom and Jang-go (lol) but she says to leave that part out. She goes on to extol Jang-go’s good character and the fact he’s been an excellent student while at this academy. She points out that Yeong-cheol hit her son first. so why was he being punished for defending himself (a good point, but Jang-go did continue fighting after the initial altercation was broken up. so there’s that). Young Ae counters Geum Shil’s argument by saying that “inducing violence is another form of violence” but Geum Shil turns towards her with a baleful look saying although she is dressed eloquently she accuses Young Ae of cutting off her words. Jang-go translates what Young Ae said, telling his mother that “inducing violence is far worse”.
At this point Geum Shil turns on Young Ae with a mixture of disbelief and anger and tells her she’s being ridiculous. She asks if she taught her son to hit others if he felt offended and that she was saying Jang-go incited violence leaving Young Ae open-mouthed with Kyung-Sik trying to rein her in. She tell’s Jang-go’s father that Young Ae was being ridiculous by accusing Jang-go of inducing violence but Kyung-Sik stands saying that she’s said too much before addressing the principal to please reconsider the expulsion. Yeong-cheol’s father, KIM DAE HOON (Han Gab Soo) stands up saying “Please. We’ll make sure nothing like this ever happens again”. The principal agrees but sets one provision for revoking the expulsion (unstated, but presumably acceptable to all parties).
We see Jang-go’s parents leaving and visibly relived walking to the street as a Yeong-cheol’s parents’ car pulls up. Geum Shil and Young Ae make eye contact and Young Ae rolls up her window while the women coldly look at each other. Geum Shil gets defensive asking her husband if he saw how Young Ae looked down on them. Ticked off, she tells her husband they need to buy a car like that one – no BETTER! But he just shakes his head at his wife’s attitude while she complains about the bus being late as she pulls out a fan to cool herself off.
When they finally get back home Jang-go initially refuses to follow through with the provision set by the principal that the boys become friends. “Didn’t you see the way that coldhearted jerk glared at me?” he demands. But his parents are insistent that he make the effort. His father points out he needs to graduate from this school to get into university, but his brother tells him to just come to his school if he gets expelled. Jang-soo tells his mother matter of factly that you can’t always make friends with someone you hate but flinches and falls silent when she makes a gesture that she’s about to hit him.
Geum Shil points out that he graduates in a couple of months so if he gets expelled he will have no where to go and advises that President Johnson offered Kang-go a second chance that he needs to seize. Jang-go pouts a bit and walks out of the room while his mother guilt trips him a bit saying they paid a lot of money to send him to this prestigious school. She also says he doesn’t have to really become friends with Yeong-cheol – he can just “pretend” to become friends for the time being, but Jang-go still storms out the house.
Meanwhile over at the Kim’s house, a similar exchange is going on between Yeong-cheol and his parents. His father reminds Yeong-cheol that he told him not to become involved with “that South Korean kid”. Seung-hee peeks in the door listening to her father’s words. Dae Hoon tells Yeong-cheol he better shape up or he’ll have to head back to Pyeongyang on his own.
Young Ae tries to calm him down saying quietly that “that’s enough”. He thinks for a second before telling Yeong-cheol to go to his room. He bows to his father but remains expressionless as he turns and walks out.
Seung-hee also stops listening in and closes her bedroom door saying to herself that her brother got into trouble because of “that pumpkin head” before plunking herself down in front of her mirror, resolving that Jang-go “won’t get away with this” and we see her bunch her hands into tiny little fists of fury (better watch out Jang-go).
Jang-go left the house and was thinking about what President Johnson told them, that both students “disrespected the other” and he wanted them to do some community service at the school for one week. If they became real friends at that time, they won’t be expelled. The next day we see both Jang-go and Yeong-cheol’s empty desks as school resumes. Both are outside wordlessly sweeping the yard.
In his head, Jang-go tries to put into words what he will say to Yeong-cheol to get them to agree to a truce of sorts but as he approaches, Yeong-cheol grabs a bag of garbage and walks away. Jang-go gets frustrated saying they BOTH have to make some effort, maybe eye contact to become friends (or at least PRETEND to become friends).
While he fumes about Yeong-cheol, he notices he is getting sprinkled with water and jumps aside seeing Seung-hee on an upper floor balcony pouring water out of a water can. She apologizes (in a cute sing-song way) saying she didn’t see him there, calling him “acorn comrade”.
Again, he calls her a tadpole. She asks him if she looks like a tadpole? And that there’s no tadpole in the world as big as she is. She yells that if she’s a tadpole, then he’s a fish that she’ll tear to pieces and make into a soup. “Fish comrade! Your fly is open!” she yells down to him, making him exclaim “What?!” before turning away to check.
She watches his embarrassment with glee. When Jang-go asks what her problem was, she said it was a mistake and again sticks her tongue out at him before scurrying off.
Back at their store, the Lees are opening a box of stuff from her Kyung-Sik’s mother when Geum Shim finds a new pair of underwear for him (moms ALWAYS send underwear and socks don’t they?). He tells her to call his mother to thank her and we get a look at DAL RAE (Kim Young Ok) and Geum Shim’s sister LEE NAM YI (Kim Hee Jung) and she tells them about Jang-go fighting with a North Korean boy. Dal Rae tells her not to let Jang-go fight anymore.
Meanwhile at the cleanup, Jang-go spots Principal Johnson approaching so he quickly rushes over to Yeong-cheol, throwing a hand over his shoulder to make it look like they were best buds. He greets the president asking about the nice weather they’ve been having while Yeong-cheol steals a glance at Jang-go hand on his shoulder. Principal Johnson smiles and gives a word of approval before walking away leaving Jang-go watching him.
Yeong-cheol tells him to let him go and Jang-go realizes he still has his hand on his shoulder, quickly withdrawing the staged attempt to display friendship. While Yeong-cheol walks away Jang-go calls after him that he does realize he wasn’t being genuine and that they have to at least put on an appearance of being friends.
As he dunks a mop into a water bucket, something whizzes past him and he looks around but sees nothing (the audience sees Seung-hee hiding behind a nearby tree). When he continues with the mop, we see Seung-hee wind up and throw candy at him striking Jang-go in the temple. He spots her dress and leg behind the tree before picking up the hard candy to look at it.
He sees her peek around the tree at him and he decides to take some revenge on the treatment she has been putting him through. He touches his temple and falls to the ground crying out in pain causing Seung-hee to look in horror as if she had really hurt him. As Jang-go lay motionless, she creeps over, pushing him and pleading more and more urgently for him to open his eyes but when he doesn’t move, Seung-hee begins crying and calls out for help.
Worried that she might have killed him she openly weeps while pleading for him to open his eyes and that she was sorry for everything. Jang-go then replies that she’s sorry for everything? She then stops, noticing Jang-go looking at her and she asks how he could pretend to be dead. Yeong-cheol shows up seing his crying sister and rushes over to demand what Jang-go did to Seung-hee. Jang-go shows him his forehead with a bit of a goose egg where Seung-hee hit him. Yeong-cheol asks her if she did this and she nods yes but says she was trying to get revenge for him. He asks why she was crying and she says she thought “Fish boy” had really died, so she was scared.
“What? Fish boy?” Yeong-cheol asks and Seung-hee says “Isn’t he ugly? Just like a fish?” Jang-go tries to suppress laughter and says this was the first time anyone had called him ugly and even Yeong-cheol had to stifle his smile. Jang-go told them that he envied those who had little sisters and that Yeong-cheol should be happy he has a little sister like Seung-hee. As Jang-go returns to his mop duties, Yeong-cheol becomes reflective, faces Jang-go and apologizes, extending his hand. Jang-go also says he’s sorry and accepts Yeong-cheol’s hand in apology (with Principal Johnson watching with approval from a distance) and Seung-hee looks from one to the other with a glimmer of a smile emerging through her tears.
In the principal’s office, both Jang-go and Yeong-cheol are standing before Principal Johnson (with Seung-hee off to the side) as he tells the boys they seem like they have become friends so he will not expel them after-all. Both are extremely relieved at their good fortune and hug while Seung-hee beams at them. Both awkwardly disengage from their hug and express thanks to the principal. Afterwards, all three jump into a pool, splashing each other and we see Seung-hee eyeing Jang-go as he shows Yeong-cheol how to flex his arm muscles (THIS is the point where she begins to really like him) but she slips under the water in embarrassment when Jang-go glances over at her.
When she’s back in her bedroom, Seung-hee is thoughtfully stroking her hair with a brush while thinking back about their swim and smiles to herself remembering Jang-go looking all muscular. She tries to get a hold of her feelings but then imagines Jang-go sitting on a chair in her room. As she looks, the image of Jang-go vanishes leaving her to question herself and that maybe she was becoming mentally ill. (but not to worry Seung-hee. Its just young love that’s clouding your mind.)
In another room we see Seung-he’s mom Young Ae rush in through a door as Dae Hoon prepares to leave to return to North Korea where his mother has reportedly fallen ill. Young Ae worries about him returning without his family (which might raise suspicions they might have defected). He reassures her that everything will be fine but tells her not to tell the kids which will worry them and leaves. Young Ae somberly wishes him to “be safe” as Dae Hoon’s car pulls away.
Next we see Chung Ja walking down the street to visit her husband and his father at work when she hears a man loudly demanding his money from Dal Ho who tries to reassure him that the funds were coming but needs a little more time to sell more villas. The man throws aside the real estate display Dal Ho has been working on and grabs him by his collar to again insist on immediate payment. Just then Chung Ja yells “Father!” as Eok Man collapses behind Dal Ho who tears himself away from the man holding him to rush to his stricken father. (Chung Ja throws the bags she was carrying at the man and his associates rushing over to help revive Eok Man).
Later, Dal Ho pleads with his father to rest but he insists on meeting Duk-Cheon to ask him for help even though he seems visibly weakened. Dal Ho asks his father not to run to Elder again just to ask for money but Eok-Man tells him they cannot afford to have pride if they are going to go bankrupt as Chung Ja realizes in shock how dire their finances have become as the two men leave.
At Elder’s noodle restaurant, Eok Man, Dal Ho and Chung Ja are seated with Duk-Cheon as Eok Man tries to tell him that “this is the last time” they’ll bother him with their money woes. Duk-Cheon asks Dal Ho to take his father home because he is very drunk and begins to leave. Eok Man becomes insistent that he get some money from Duk-Cheon, telling him he knows he has a lot of money and gets more every month from his properties yet he is slamming the door on his own family when they’re in need. Dal Ho tries to calm his father down but he throws off his son’s hands yelling that he’s okay.
Again he speaks to Duk-Cheon, asking what he plans on doing with all that money – will he be able to take it with him into his next life? He plays the loyalty card by mentioning the family left behind in North Korea so many years before who have done nothing for him while he has been beside Duk-Cheon every since they came to South Korea. He mentions that Duk-Cheon insisted he come with him to this land rather than hiding in the attic and that he wishes Duk-Cheon had let him stay hidden in that attic all those years ago (talk about a guilt trip).
As he mentions his mother, father and grandfather, Eok-Man begins to weep softly, remembering those they had to leave behind as Duk-Cheon looks off in sad remembrance.
Dal Ho asks that Elder not think poorly about his father because he doesn’t mean to bring up these painful memories but Duk-Cheon relents asking Dal Ho how much his father needs to fix this problem.
As the realization that his cousin will again bail him out sets in, Eok-Man slowly looks up at Duk-Cheon but before he can answer, a man comes up to Elder saying “Mr Kim?” Duk-Cheon immediately tells him to come with him to the back room with him and Eok-Man leaving Chung Ja whispering “Who is he?” to Dal Ho. We also see Elder’s friend Jo-jik watching them leave from a nearby table.
Quickly seating themselves in the more private room, Duk-Cheon and Eok-Man stare intently at the man asking what has happened and if he has found them (meaning their North Korean families). Looking down, the man says “Yes” but from his demeanor it doesn’t look like there’s good news.
Chung Ja and Dal Ho both listen from outside the door and she asks her husband if he knew his father and Elder were searching for their families back in North Korea. Dal Ho says he didn’t and they turn their attention back to the conversation going on in the room. The man says that although he found them, unfortunately not one of their families have been left alive. Duk-Cheon and Eok-Man listen in disbelief as they’re told that the military stormed their village executing everyone.
The man pulls a paper from his shirt pocket saying “Pyeongyang, Taedong County, Big house. Your father Kim Bok-dong died during the war. Your mother Kim Jin-boon died during the war. Your brother Kim Yeong-Cheon deported and died. Your wife Kim Soon-ok deported and died” which leaves Duk-Cheon openly weeping and Eok-Man also crestfallen at their loss. Duk-Cheon sags and collapses and Eok-Man, Dal Ho and Jo-jik rush to his side.
Eok-Man turns to the man hesitatingly asking about his own family but is told his father, Jo Jang-hoon also died during the war and his mother Lee Sa-wol became sick, dying shortly afterwards. Poor Eok-Man also convulses into tears as the grief sets in that all hope any of their family surviving is crushed by this heartbreaking news.
In the washroom, Chung Ja is washing away her tears and lamenting the sad news and that her face has become swollen because she’s been crying. She also is upset that Elder likely won’t let them borrow money anymore (hey lady? How about NOT thinking about your own lack of money and think about these poor guys finding out everyone they knew as children are all dead. Sheesh.)
As she whines about her father-in-law’s company possibly going bankrupt she has a sudden realization that Elder now has no one to leave his inheritance to beside Dal Ho and her. As she giddily crows about her sudden good fortune she hears a toilet flush and runs out of the washroom as an female employee emerges.
Her next step is to get a consultation with a lawyer who she feebly uses the story of a hypothetical “friend” needing inheritance advice. She asks if her friend’s father-in-law can inherit money if he was the cousin of the deceased and the lawyer advises that yes, provided there is no other family, and the cousin would become heir. Breathlessly she continues, asking if her – or rather her friend’s father-in-law dies before the rich relative, will the father-in-law’s children become heirs in his place. The lawyer tells her that yes, those children would take the place of the father-in-law and receive the entire fortune.
She can barely contain herself with this news and is fairly bursting with happiness about her good news rushing out to the street while reciting the names of the various buildings and shopping centers Elder owns and how much they are likely worth. She wonders how she will possibly spend all that money while doing the math – “If I spend 100 million a month for 10 years, that’s only a measly 12 hundred million” and thinks she will have enough to live lavishly for a hundred years. She decides that it was inappropriate for her to be thinking like this. She needs to score brownie points with Elder and her father-in-law NOW and rushes off in total happiness.
While Chung Ja wallows in her mercenary dreams, our focus switches to a more somber view of the fence between North and South Korea and Duk-Cheon looking in wonder at the hundreds and thousands of ribbons tied there in remembrance. As his hand cradles one ribbon, he looks skyward and he’s transported back decades to a cold, snowy river with a young man tenderly holding the hands of a young woman as he tearfully tells her that he doesn’t want to leave her there alone. She advises stoically that “There’s no choice and he has to leave before he gets drafted into the army”.
He pledges he will be gone no more than a week, no, a mere three days, and then he will return for her. They’re wearing matching silver rings as we see another glimpse of him not wanting to let go of her hands. A woman behind them at the river pleads “Deok-cheon! Please hurry! The military is coming!” He looks to her but cannot release the woman’s hands in tears crying that he “doesn’t want to go” but she pushes him off towards the waiting boat. He again says he will return soon as he grabs the arm of another young man who also is in tears, dragging him along. Just before they get on the small boat he turns back towards his family screaming “Mother! Father! Yeong-Cheon! I’ll be back!” while bowing as deeply as he can.
His uncle yells “Take care of Eok-Man!” as he waves them off and he replies that he will. Again through many tears he yells that he will come back while Eok-Man tearily mumbles “Mother!” while looking back at their families. Duk-cheon steals a last look at Kim Soon-ok and she sadly waves back at him as he leaves. (Such a sad scene)
The young face of Soon-ok slowly fades to that of an older woman lying in a hospital bed in Pyeongyang as we return to 2002. It’s Soon-ok and she shares the same sad parting memory as Duk-cheon.
We see a man’s hands hold her hand and it turns out to be Dae Hoon who is at his sick mother’s bedside. He says “Mother” and she slowly turns to face him and she breaks into a smile when she sees his face. She is happy to see him. He tells her that he’s sad to be there with her so ill but she says she is the one who should be sad as her son has important work to do abroad. She tells him she has something important to tell him before she dies. He smiles at her tenderly and asks how she could possibly die. Soon-ok look over at the nurse working at a nearby desk and whispers to Dae Hoon to “Listen to me carefully. Your father… is in South Korea.” The smile momentarily leaves Dae Hoon’s face but she continues “Your father’s name is Kim Deok-cheon.”
Dae Hoon looks away as he takes in this information. She continues “If he’s still alive… and if there is a union… make sure you meet him.” He looks at his mother’s face in shock at this news mumbling only “Mother” at this surprise. (So – that man who told Duk-cheon ALL his and Eok-Man’s family were dead was partially mistaken. His wife, Soon-ok survived and had a son. Also Chung Ja probably shouldn’t plan to much about spending all those millions as there are legitimate heirs to Duk-cheon’s fortune – namely Dae Hoon and his family).
Meanwhile, back in Macau, Jang-go is leaving school when one of his classmates asks where his bike was. He tells him there was a problem with the brakes so its getting repaired. After he leaves Jang-go continues on his way home but we see he’s being followed (stalked actually) by a smitten Seung-hee. She resolves she is going to make Jang-go hers and slips on a masks as a sort of disguise while following Jang-go through the streets of Macau.
She follows him at a distance, creeping along the opposite side of the street while eyeing Jang-go’s every step. She has to run a few steps then walk then run again to keep up with him and Jang-go becomes aware he’s being followed. He stops, looking quickly down the street as Seung-hee jumps behind a pillar to hide but he saw her and from his face he’s thinking “What is that crazy girl up to now?” before slipping into a doorway.
When Seung-hee peeks out at him – he’s gone. She rushes over to where he was standing asking herself “Where did he go?” but then he walks out saying “Hey Tadpole!” which surprises her. He asks her what she’s doing. She’d already drenched him with water and threw candy at him. She pulls down her mask saying it was nothing. She said she “wasn’t following him secretly, she was just exploring the streets of Macau”. He doesn’t fully believe her but she gets a little pouty saying she’s been in Macau for a while but haven’t been able to look around. “Can you show me around since we’ve met?” she asks with a big smile leaving Jang-go wondering if he should.
Back in North Korea, Soon-ok tells Dae Hoon that his father didn’t even know about him when he left Bokjeong. She pulls her silver ring off her finger telling Dae Hoon that his father will remember the ring. She gives it to her son and tells him the character on the ring is “Cheon” for the the sky and repeats his name again telling Dae Hoon his father’s name is “Kim Deok-cheon”. She also tells him that his father will have a matching silver ring with the symbol “Ok” from her own name “Soon-ok”.
Dae Hoon now asks how his father could be alive. He tells her that she always said he had “died during the Great Fatherland War” and that he had been a hero. She tells him that his father was evacuated to South Korea during the war. He asks how she could tell him this now but she tells him to lower his voice. They glance around and people seem to be listening nearby. She tells him he wouldn’t have come so far in North Korea if he (or others) knew his father had fled. If Dae Hoon’s uncle hadn’t taken them under his wing neither she nor Dae Hoon would have likely survived. Dae Hoon resolves to find him immediately but his mother tells him to put aside those thoughts for now as he will probably lose everything if the truth were to come out now in the current circumstances.
Soon-ok also tells him to think about his kids’ (Yeon-cheol and Seung-hee) future as well. “Do you want to cut off their wings?” she asks. With tears in his eyes he asks “But if he is alive…” but she tells him “Later… when there’s a union… find him then”. A nurse comes in to adjust Soon-ok’s medication and after the nurse leaves she whispers “Dae Hoon… you must… heed my words”.
And we return to the bridge with elderly Duk-cheon still looking northward thinking about his broken promise to return. “Father… Mother… Soon-ok. …Soon-ok…” and he begins to cry.
On a brighter note, a beaming Seung-hee trails behind Jang-go wondering how “Even his back looks cool!” When Jang-go turns around to look at her she loses her smile but then as a bus passes he excitedly says “That’s the bus that will take us to the city! Run Seung-hee! We need to catch it!” He smiles and reaches for her hand and as she feels his hand, her heart beats wildly and she thinks “Oh my goodness! He’s SO manly!” and her big smile returns and they run for the bus with Seung-hee dreamily staring at Jang-go.
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