Suk-hee's mother is remarried to a man who has a son a year senior than Suk-hee. The two don't get along well first, but soon they grow intimate. Suk-hee learns, though, that she needs to give up her love for her mother's happiness. One day she leaves her mother and her new family, and goes on her way to her hometown, where she sees a Zelkova tree.

Following the death of his parents, Yeong-cheol shines shoes in the streets, struggling to care for his sick younger sister Yeong-hui and make ends meet. Despite the persuasive efforts of low-life criminal boss Wang-cho, pickpocket Jjang-gu, and prostitute Mi-hwa, Yeong-cheol vows to lead an honest life by looking after Yeong-hui with cigarette salesgirl Myeong-sun and helping newly arrived shoeshine boy Dong-seok settle in. However, a tragic accident forces Yeong-cheol to make an important decision that may change his life. ※ Sharing the same Korean title with Vittorio De Sica’s classic Shoeshine (1946), this film was noted at the time of release for its strong neorealistic approach. All of the picture elements have been lost and only 4 original sound negative reels (around 40 minutes) survive today. The plot summary and scene descriptions have been added in the form of title cards as well as a selection of production stills to aid the viewing experience.

After the death of Mal-Suk's father, her eldest brother, Dong-suk, becomes the sole breadwinner for his three siblings. With rumors of impending strikes and job cuts at the local mine, the struggling family faces difficulties in providing food and school fees for Mal-Suk and her brother Dong-il. This situation forces the two older siblings to move to Seoul, leaving the younger ones with their neighbors. Mal-Suk's only outlet is in her diary, where she candidly shares her hopes and troubles.

Heo Seung, who states that he was “born from soil, will live in soil, and die in soil”, becomes a lawyer in Seoul. However when villagers in his hometown are imprisoned for protesting against Japanese oppression, he decides to return to his village and rediscovers the true way to help his country.

A man accused of embezzlement starts a life as first a vagabound and later a thief. He feels he is unable to return to his family and home.