This story of dreams, disappointments, disagreements and friendship experienced by a group of boys in the same class takes place early in the sixties, at a time when Korea had yet to experience its economic miracle. The film’s narrator is Professor Han Byung Tae who reminisces about events he lived through thirty years before. At that time his whole family was moved from the prestigious capital to the rather godforsaken countryside. Byung Tae starts primary school there and soon comes up against the local class bigwig, Um Suk Dae. The conflict between the two boys is heated but neither wants to back down – and indeed, few adults are able to treat their enemies as bitterly and cruelly as children treat each other. But their new teacher steps in between Byung Tae and Um Suk Dae. He has no intention of letting slip by such a choice opportunity for inculcating ideals of equality, justice, truth and democracy into the kids. And as is usual in such cases, the young teacher employs his own fresh methods. . . .