这部影片交织着两个分别用黑白和彩色胶片拍摄的故事。头一个故事讲述的是一位名叫全台的贫苦青年从1965年到1970年的经历。期间他从街头小贩变成了服装厂工人，工厂环境骇人听闻，于是他购买了法律书籍，寻求政府援助，组织工会，与新闻记者交流。但情况始终没有得到改善，于是他采取了一项可怕的举动。五年之后，一位名叫Shin Jung-Soon的年轻孕妇追随全台的道路，也试图在她工作的服装厂组织工会。之后她便受 ...

Charged with leading demonstrations for the democratization movement, student activist Kim Gi-young (Moon Sung-keun) is a fugitive from the law. He sneaks into a mining village on the verge of being shut down, with a fake ID in hand. Feeling frustrated with the current state of activism, which centers around the intelligentsia, he gets a job as a man-of-all-work at a coal factory and meets the motley inhabitants of the mining village. Dae-sik (Yang Jin-yeong) works to support his family in place of his father, who is in prison for instigating a strike. Detective Kang (Lee Su-chan) always keeps a sharp eye on everything that goes on in the village. Then there are strike organizer Cheon Do-seong (Kang Neung-won), fellow worker Jeong (Hwang Hae), Taek's mother (Kim Kyung-ran), and Sun's mother (Jo Ju-mi). Sung-cheol (Park Joong-hoon), whose father is a local bigshot and the owner of the coal factory, lords it over the neighborhood bars and cafes. Angry at his father (Park Kyu-chae) for leaving his mother and marrying another woman, Sung-cheol vents his resentment on the cafe girls and factory workers. Meanwhile, Young-sook (Shim Hye-jin), who works as a prostitute at the local cafe, is becoming fed up with Sung-cheol's violent and demeaning treatment of her. When she meets Gi-young, who is reserved but warm, she begins to have feelings for him and stops selling sexual favors. As the impending miners' strike darkens the horizon, Gi-young and Young-sook fall in love and enjoy each other's company. Then one day, Sung-cheol receives news of his mother's death and wreaks havoc at the cafe. When Young-sook refuses to satisfy his demands, he starts to beat her up. Gi-young tries to stop him, but his intervention brings him to the attention of Detective Kang and he is hauled off to the police station. Gi-young undergoes torture at the hands of the police, but he is eventually cleared of all charges and released. When he finally comes to through Young-sook's devoted care, he tells her that he is a wanted fugitive. His identity is soon exposed and he is forced to run once more. Young-sook decides to leave the village with him, and heads to the cafefor her things. While making her last coffee delivery, Young-sook runs into Sung-cheol, who tries to stop her from leaving. She ends up killing him, and is dragged off by the police as Gi-young waits for her at the train station.

Born in Dongduchon, Chil-su is talented in art. While waiting for a wedding invitation from his sister in America, Chil-su quits his job painting theater signs which is his livelihood. He becomes Man-su's assistant. Man-su is in the army serving his military duty. He suffers under the dark shadow of his father. Chil-su gets dumped by Ji-na, a college student, and he loses all contacts with his sister. Understandably, Chil-su feels a little shaken. On the other hand, Man-su is unable to find stability. One night after they finished a large billboard, the two rave around the tower goofing around. However, the police are deployed when they misunderstand and think that they are trying to kill themselves. Through their misunderstanding, Man-su ultimately falls and injures himself while Chul-su is led away by the police.

Sun-kyung是个样子平凡的女子高中学生，身形较一般同龄女生肥胖。就在Sun-kyung高中生活的最后一年，为求容易找到工作，老师们都对她和一班同学的仪容，特别是身材，都相当着紧。不少同学都纷纷到减肥中心或美容中心减肥和整容。

Sun-kyung虽然也想到美容中心割双眼皮，可是她的妈妈对这个要求毫不动容。Sun-kyung为了令自己的眼睛更好看，于是作出了一个冒险的决定……


在将来某处，住宅的建筑又有着新的转变。住宅大厦以井字型设计，由中间的空旷地方可窥看到大厦内的每个单位。

大厦内住了一位Ａ先生，他是一个涉及多宗利用网上虚拟世界犯案的强奸犯，正被警方通缉。不过大厦内的住客大都不知道这件事，唯一知道的是一个住在Ａ先生隔邻的小朋友。

这个小朋友有一个习惯，就是尿床。他的妈妈为了好好教训儿子，有一晚赶了光着身子的儿子出去，要他问邻居借食盐作为惩罚。但儿子却到了Ａ先生处……

济州道的居民饱受当地天主教的陋习和沈重的税项负担所困扰，当地因为饥饿而死亡的比率正不断上升。当地的居民终于抑压不了他们的愤怒，决定发起革命推翻济州道政府。当地的平民之一李在守明白革命需对自己所造成的死伤负责，他仍愿意放弃自己的爱人Sook-hwa，全情投入革命工作。

李在守决定将五名被视名极邪恶的天主教徒处决，用以来救赎当地天主教的祸害及导致民不聊生的政府税制。当他们包围了济州的堡垒时，一场关于他们自己的战争亦随即展开……