Synopsis

Jin-tae shines shoes on the streets of Jongno, hoping to save money to send his younger brother, Jin-seok, to university and to marry his fiancée. One day in June, rumors spread about a war breaking out, and Seoul, which had been peaceful, is suddenly filled with the sounds of sirens and screams. Jin-tae and Jin-seok are swept into the Korean Civil War. Without any proper training, they are sent to the Nakdong River, the last frontline. Jin-tae becomes a war hero to save his younger brother, while Jin-seok realizes that to survive the war, he must become stronger. They head for Pyongyang, where an unexpected fate awaits them.

Director

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  • Kang Je-gyu
  • Kang Je-gyu entered the film industry as a screenwriter for the 1990 film *Who Saw the Dragon’s Claw*, directed by Kang Woo-seok. His directorial debut, *The Gingko Bed*, was praised for its fresh approach to Korean cinema. He rose to fame with the 1999 film *Shiri*, which marked the beginning of the 6 million viewer era in Korean cinema, sweeping over 10 awards and earning him a spot on Business Week's list of ‘50 People Who Are Changing Asia’.