Based on the life of Heo Jun. The son of a low-level politician, Heo Jun studied medicine. He soon became more sought-after than his teacher and his social status was officially increased until he was granted nobility and allowed to be the king's personal physician. Surviving several plots against him by the jealous nobles, Heo Jun eventually succumbs to the black plague.

Bun-rye, the eldest daughter in a poor family, is violated by Yong-pal, who is a married man, and out of desperation she becomes a concubine of Young-cheol, a gambler who is impotent. Kong Jo-shi is in love with Bun-rye, though she still has feelings for Yong-pal. After losing his money, Young-cheol takes out his anger on Bun-rye and throws her out of his house. In retaliation, Jo-shi kills Young-cheol, and Bun-rye is driven to madness.

The wife of a painter complains that her husband ignores her whenever he is working on a picture. One day her husband unexpectedly goes to Paris to study and when he returns he works all the more. His wife sleeps with another man out of frustration and anger, but when she sees that her husband's painting is of her as a model of purity, she decides that she cannot go on.

Father An is locked up in a basement by retreating North Korean soldiers while reconstructing his church ruined during the Korean War (1950-1953). The North Koreans hide in the basement with Father An and tries to escape the church by using him as a shield. Captain Choe Dong-ho of the South Korean Army has been chasing the remnants, but he cannot annihilate them because of the safety of Father An. However, thanks to the clever strategy of Captain Choe, the North Koreans are killed and Father An is safely saved.