Amid the chaos of refugees fleeing the Korean War in December 1950, a young boy, Duk-soo, sees his fate change in the blink of an eye when he loses track of his younger sister and he leaves his father behind to find her. Settling at Gukje Market in Busan, Duk-soo devotes himself to his remaining family, working all manner of odd jobs to support them in place of his father. His dedication leads him first to the deadly coal mines of Germany, where he meets his first love, Youngja, and then to war-torn Vietnam in this powerful generational epic about one man’s personal sacrifices.

Man-sik and Yeon-hee, are unsure as to whether they can overcome past wounds and continue being a couple. Dr. Kim, who cautions against a possible mega-tsunami at Haeundae, collapses in agony springing from an unexpected turn-up of his daughter and divorced wife. Hyoung-sik, after rescuing a woman from Seoul, rides out a ferocious storm to gladden her heart. A tsunami which destroys Haeundae symbolizes the establishment of a typical axis called provocation of conflicts, and later the inner spaces of the couples without anything left behind after all conflicts have ended

At Sunjong University, a few students are serious, including Eun-hyo, who works hard at aerobics in hopes of doing well in a national competition. Most students goof off: drinking, partying, and focusing on sex. Eun-shik, a law student who’s been in the military, is older but socially inept. He likes Eun-hyo; even though his earnest and simple side appeals to her, his juvenile excesses make him irrelevant when Sung-ok, a good-looking rich kid, charms Eun-hyo. They begin an affair, leaving Eun-shik on the sidelines. The national competition approaches and complications arise.