In the latter years of the Korean Empire, Lee In Hwa, disguises herself as a man so she can join a group of young men determined to overthrow the colonial government. They fight together with young national activists presided by Hwal Min and supported by Daewon-gun, the Prince Regent, against Min Gyeom Ho and his peers. But Min and his team perform a surprise attack on Hwal Min and his peers.

The film is based on the 1925 short story of the same title by Na Do-hyang and revolves around the story of a deaf farm hand who is in love with a landlord's daughter-in-law.

The story takes place on a mountain slope where defectors from North Korea live. These families sell cheap things such as socks and pens to make a living and there is a serious gap between the parents and their children. A widower Kim Deok-sam nags his son Geo-buk to join the American army. Ok-Mae who lives next door teaches her daughter Bok-soon traditional Korean folksongs and forces her to become a gisaeng.

이옥례는 가난한 가정에서 해녀일을 하여 가족을 부양하는 열입곱살의 대견한 딸이다. 옥례는 옥례의 집에 양식을 보태준다는 조건으로 단양산골의 신랑 근식과 혼례를 거행하게 되나, 뜻밖에도 신랑은 앉은뱅이였다. 옥례는 모든 것이 하늘이 정해준 인연이라고 생각하며 고행을 시작한다. 불구인 남편의 대소변 받아내기, 시아버지의 죽음, 시어머니의 오랜 병간호, 옥례에게 눈독을 들인 장서방의 유혹. 그러나 세월은 흘러 옥례는 어느덧 2남 1녀의 어머니가 된다. 그녀의 고생도 헛되지 않아 어머니상, 효부상 등 영광을 얻게 된다.

Mi-Rye is a high school girl who participates in volunteer service in a rural village during summer vacation. When she gets lost in the mountain, she meets Tae-Ho who is a member of biology club of boys' high school. He is on his way down to village after he finishes gathering herbs and plants on high altitude. They stray in the thick fog and finds a villa where they stay awake. The next morning, they are found by teachers. They are expelled from school because the older generation and teachers don't believe their sexual morality. Years later, Mi-Rye fails to accomplish her love with Tae-Ho, and marries to another man.

There is a poor farmer couple. The landowner, an old man, covetous of the tenant's wife, tries to seduce her and sometimes threatens her. The wife spends every night with the old man at the water mill. Her husband, hearing the news, runs to the water mill and witnesses them together. He picks up the sickle that was placed near and kills his wife. The landowner escapes and the farmer gets arrested by a Japanese policeman.