Former policeman Song Kiyeol, now an old, sick tramp, is detained at a rehabilitation camp for the homeless, where he encounters Jjakko, a one-time communist partisan. Jjakko was also an object of pursuit during Kiyeol’s entire policing career. Some 30 years before, Kiyeol’s duty was to round up partisans like Jjakko. His life was completely ruined because of Jjakko, Song Kiyeol now wants recompense by finally catching Jjakko. At last, Im Kwon-taek objectifies his unhappy personal history after long avoidance by using terrible war memories as the film’s subject. Deep human understanding and compassion partnered with a cool, silent, pessimistic gaze reflected in elaborate flashbacks make this film timeless.