Almost half of the lights that fill the Seoul nightscapes are motel signboards. It is in these places that many spend their youth. Hyun-Ju is sentimental about her memories at the motel, and Min-Gu finds Hyun-Ju a burden. To these two, the motel represents a space for instant consumption and pleasure. This also applies to others who frequent motels, such as Jun-Ki and Seo-Kyung who unintentionally have sex while waiting for a friend. They leave the motel without accomplishing their primary mission of shootion a film. Hyun-Ju visits the motel again where she has meaningless sex with a stranger. The man Suk-Tae asks her, "how do you know this place?" Suk-Tae brings his old flame, Hee-Su to the motel after attending his senior′s funeral. Time has passed and Suk-Tak reminisces about this rendezvous, but both have changed too much for any chance of reconciliation. The film depicts a deep loneliness of the people who come to Motel Cactus. What they leave behind are dry and painful memaries captured in the smell of their flesh.