A screen adaptation of the first part of the eponymous trilogy by Lee Gi Young about the national liberation struggle of the Korean people against the Japanese invaders in the late 19th - early 20th centuries.

The film tells about the life and struggle of the Korean peasants living on the Phundekber plain, near the 38th parallel, against the Americans and the Lisinman people. The film is set in 1950.

Jung-ae volunteers at a juvenile prison when she graduates from college; but the violent boys threaten her safety. Her boyfriend visits and begs Jung-ae to quit. She considers but feels compelled to continue; until the day when an escapee puts her methods at risk. Will she get to the escaped boy in time? Will his negative attitude convince her to quit, or will she affect him positively? And will there ever be happiness at the prison?

This was the first feature film to be produced after the liberation of North Korea. It gives a pictures of boundless joy and emotion of the Korean people who are now liberated from the colonial yoke of Japanese imperialism thanks to the glorious anti-Japanese struggle organized and led by the great leader Comrade Kim Il-Sung. Unable to endure the insult of the landlord, Gwan Pil gives vent to his rage. Because of this, the Japanese imperialists deprive him of his tenant land and put him in jail where he gains class consciousness under the influence of a KPA operative.

Fisherman Choon-sam (Yoon Buk-yang) is suffering financially because of a prolonged scarcity of fish. Pestered by miserly Mr. Jang to pay back his debt, Choon-sam goes out to sea in hopes of a catch but meets a watery end instead. As payment for the debt, Mr. Jang tries to take Choon-sam's daughter In-soon as his second wife. Meanwhile, In-soon (Park Noh-kyung) is mutually in love with Chun-suk (Park Hak), but torn about the suggestion of Ok-bun (Chun Hyo-bong), who lives in Seoul, to join her in the city. In order to get a job and pay back her father's debt, In-soon follows Mr. Jang's son Chul-soo to Seoul, not knowing that he harbors illicit intentions toward her.

Story of two brothers, stayed in different parts of Korea. Elder one works on recovery of electric plant. Younger brother comes back to native town with sabotage task.

Life in Korea seen from the perspective of the 'cheollima' philosophy encouraged at that time. The aim of 'cheollima' was to speed up both the economy and cultural and artistic achievements.

The main character of the film, Man-sik Kim, is a fighter of the Korean People's Army. Through his bravery and resourcefulness in battle, he crushed the enemy's air superiority and dealt a crushing blow to the enemy.

Shortly before the start of the Korean War, the two Koreas fought small-scale battles on the 38th parallel. This film is a reconstruction of one of these battles.

The film tells the story of a small group of the Korean People's Army, led by Hakcheol Lee, deputy chief of the reconnaissance division, which went behind enemy lines.