The life and experiences of Susanne Brink, an adult Korean adoptee from Sweden who suffered abuse and racism in her adoptive home and country.

Donghak Rebellion (Donghak Peasant Movement) takes place in Hongjuseong (now Hongseong). Manhae, a boy who participates in the Donghak Rebellion as a 16-year-old, steals 1,000 nyang and sends it to military funds. At the age of 55, at Simujang in Seongbuk-dong, Manhae remarried while staying in a boarding house. While making a living by sewing his wife's wages, Manhae continues to resist Japanese imperialism by participating in the movement against the name change of the Chang clan and against the dispatch of Korean student soldiers along with writing. He takes over the military funds from Madam Baekhwa of Myeongwol in Yongjing. Lee Hwa-yeong hands over the military funds with Man-hae. In 1944, Manhae passed away at the age of 66. As the poem "Your Silence" flows, Manhae's achievements are introduced as highlights, and his subtitles flow.

A young woman is tricked into prostitution, thinking she is going to sell beverages at a village store. She soon learns about the dark world of Korea's red-light districts, where their pimps and society exploit her.

The 1930s. Wishing to pass down his knowledge, the father teaches his children to sing Pansori. The elder daughter and the younger son become professional singers but time has changed and people are no longer interested in folk singing. The younger boy gives up on his studies and runs away from home. Fearful that the daughter might do the same, the father blinds her. The blind girl continues to practice with great diligence and achieves perfection in this art. Years pass, the brother is roaming the world in search of his sister and eventually finds her. All night long they sing together sharing their memories.

One rainy night, Sodan's grandmother disappears, only telling her she's going to see a movie. In an effort to track her down Sodan gets a job as a box office attendant at the local theater. But there's more to this run down cinema than meets the eye.

Low-ranking civil servant Pil Yong (Park Joong Hoon) has things hard looking after his disabled wife(Ye Ji Won). He takes charge of a hanji project in hopes it will bring him a promotion. His wife comes from a family of hanji masters. One of his tasks include working with quarrelsome filmmaker Ji Won (Kang Su Yeon), who is shooting a documentary about hanji. Though he knows little about the subject to begin with, the more he learns about hanji, the more it takes on a new significance for him and the world around him.

Upon being released from prison, Kim Du-han begins rebuilding his street gang in the face of Hayashi's Yakuzas and increasing Japanese influence.