This film is based on the true events that took place in Nogunri, Korea.
The characters and events have been reconstructed.
- On August 15, 1945, World War II ends. - North occupied by Soviets, South by the U.S.
On June 25, 1950, the Korean war begins when N. Korean troops storm across the border.
On June 27, the U.S. Decides to send in air and naval forces. The North captures Seoul on June 28.
The U.S. Decides to send in ground troops on June 30.
On July 5, Americans suffer defeat in the first battle
with the N. Koreans and are sent retreating South.
July, 1950 One month after the start of war.
Heard they took in some comrades in town, yesterday.
They won't come way up here.
I think I'd better run away.
Again? Where?
Maybe go to the American camp.
The Americans?
Bet they could use someone who speaks English.
You converted to the South.
Aren't you safe?
Doesn't matter, it's a war.
How much longer on the run, then?
Don't know.
Hope the war ends soon.
This way! Hurry!
You'll wake Jayun.
- Hurry! He'll run away! - Jayun...
What's that sound?
Go! Hurry!
This way!
Sungun!
Come out, right now!
Who's there?
Sungun!
I know you're home, pal. We came to ask ya somethin'.
Mr. Moon? Send out your son-in-law!
Father's at the shop in town.
We know Sungun's here!
Come out, Sungun!
Find him! Go!
A Little Pond.
Attack North for Unification -
Make sure you eat all your meals, Miss.
Hurry off to my father, then.
Staying overnight, again?
I'm on night watch.
I'll come back for you in the morning.
- No need. - How's your toe?
It's fine. Good day.
- Bye. - Bye.
Be careful!
- You too. - Bye.
Ta-da!
Ma'am!
My! Here so soon?
Yes!
- Have a seat. - I only run errands at home.
I said I'm coming to practice for the singing contest.
- Where are the boys? - Not here, yet.
Probably splashing in the stream.
- Have you been well, ma'am? - Have you been well, ma'am?
- Were you bathing? - Yes.
Silly boys.
This is for you, ma'am.
Why thank you, Jjang!
I wish everyday was vacation day.
Silly! School's temporarily closed.
Same thing, stupid girlie!
Silly boys.
Stupid girlie!
Stop calling me girlie!
Then you're a boy?
No. I'm Jaya.
Enough!
Do you know why people sing?
Why do we sing?
- Don't know, ma'am. - Silly.
Why you little!
Stop fighting, kids.
People sing for peace. Understand?
Yes, ma'am.
When's vacation over, ma'am?
I don't know.
We're going to Seoul after harvest, right?
Right.
- Kyunghee? - Yes?
- Jungju? - Yes?
- Jjang? - Yes?
- Gaby? - Yes?
- Jaya? - Yes?
- Jiwon? - Yes?
- Sulan? - Yes?
What will we do in Seoul?
See the Royal Palace!
See the South Gate!
Go to the National Children's Singing Contest.
Right. And what will we do at the contest?
Sing!
- Silly. - Girlie!
Stop.
How will you sing?
- Well! - Win!
Can't we go to the palace?
Of course we'll go.
Let's go by train.
Sure we'll go by train. Then what should we do?
Practice hard!
Then let's practice!
Okay!
Are you ready, Jaya?
*The morning sun over the hill
*Shining brightly through the clouds
*With the blue endless sea at its feet.
*Dear villages under the hills, have you slept well overnight?
*The leaves fly past...
- After 'em! - After 'em!
Here, here.
How are ya feeling, today?
Eat up.
Get off the can and make your move.
Quiet.
- Have you eaten, sirs? - Sure.
Coming from the field?
- Have some rice wine. - Thank you, sir!
Give me more!
Grandpa!
- My little angel! - Coming from school?
Go play.
Dani!
- See you later! - See you later!
- Let's play house. - Sure.
- Make your move. - Have you eaten, sirs?
- Hi, boys.
Gahee! Let's go home.
Dani! Hold on.
Boo!
Can't you do better than that?
Why you!
- Grandpa! Jjang made her cry! - Did not!
- Kooli! - Stop bothering 'em!
- I didn't do nothing! - Let's go.
- Have you eaten, sirs? - Stop fighting.
- Going to the field? - Yes, sir.
- Hard working lad. - Have fun, sir.
Kooli bastard!
What did I do!
- You made her cry! - Did not!
Get lost!
- Let's go. - Put 'em up!
Let's go.
You bastard!
Kooli bastard!
Let's go!
Have you eaten, sirs?
- Coming from the field? - Yes.
Stop fighting, Jjang and study hard!
How could you!
You little...
How could you!
With your father gone, you'd better act like a man!
Go on in!
Boys don't hide in kitchens!
Come out, now!
Darlin'!
I won't do it again!
I'll die if ya want me to! Please!
- I'll be right back, Father. - Sure.
Have you eaten?
- Something wrong? - It's nothing.
They're always fightin'.
That's part of bonding.
Bonding? What good will gambling ever get ya.
The hell you care? Lay off my son!
Why you...
- Hello, there. - Hi.
Everything going well, Mr. Min?
Come to stay at your brother's house?
For now.
Has the attack come to town?
Not yet. Hope nothing bad happens.
We'll catch up, later.
Sure. Let's go.
Darlin'!
They're at it, as always.
He probably gambled, again.
Guess old habits die hard.
Let's go.
- Have you all eaten, sirs? - Hello.
- Who's this? - Jjang's aunt's family.
Say hi, kids.
- Came up to stay? - Yes.
- Go on up, then. - Have fun, sirs.
Let's go up.
- Anybody home? - Hello?
- Welcome! - Bow to her, girls!
- No, need. - Hello.
They're so pretty.
- No... - Greet them, Yun.
Have you been well?
- Hi. - Greet them, Jjang!
You're all grown up, little man!
Come back, here!
Let's go back home!
Come on!
Hello, sir.
- Going somewhere? - Yes.
Hello, sirs.
- How are ya? - Good.
The cops came to your house last night.
It's probably nothing.
How are things in town?
- Quiet, for now. - Your shop's okay?
It's fine. Take care, sirs.
Hey, Kim!
Still can't get married, dunce?
It's cuz you keep calling me a dunce! Take care, sirs.
- You dunce! - Worry about yourself!
Is Mr. Moon's son-in-law a Red Commie?
Then you're a yellow chicken?
- Poking fun at me? - You little...
I'm already over 50.
Happy to be old?
Mr. Moon's new wife's pretty as garlic?
Heard she's from Dae-jeon. City women sure are pretty.
She's probably been divorced.
Who cares if she's a virgin or not. She's pretty.
But his wife died not too long ago. Getting remarried so soon...
You jealous?
No way! Why would I!
Why don't you get remarried?
Crazy? Cut the nonsense and make your move.
- Pea brain. - Troublemaker.
Wretched fool.
- Foul mouth. - What?
- Check. - What?
Gotcha this time.
Shut up!
Take it back.
Just once.
Must be hard by yourself.
I manage.
Did they attack the town, already?
Not yet.
Everyone's running down south. We thought we'd stay up here.
President Lee already escaped to Pusan.
- Really? - Yes.
Then what should we do?
Hope the Commies don't take over the country.
Dear.
They won't come all the way up here.
Isn't that Mr. Min?
Something wrong, again?
- Going somewhere? - No! Nowhere!
Wonder what will happen.
Keep hoeing. Nothing will happen to us.
I heard the North made it down into town.
But the American's are coming up.
And they're much stronger.
They wiped out the Japs in the Pacific War.
Right.
I heard people are swarming into the main road.
They're all going south.
Shouldn't we go, too?
Go where?
We'll go to my mom's. Rest after the baby's born.
It'll all be okay.
There's a war going on! It's not okay.
Stop it.
But I'm right, aren't I?
Stop it, will ya, woman!
We're farmers. They won't hurt us.
We're no enemies to the Commies.
Stop acting like a saint!
What if things go wrong!
Don't worry. No need to rush.
Always so slow. So stubborn!
Let's go home!
- Can we take the train on a trip? - Please!
Silly girls!
- Kooli? - Yes?
I'm counting on you, son.
If anything should happen, you watch the family.
Yes, sir.
Attentions civilians!
This is the American army!
There will be a battle here, soon.
Evacuate the village.
What's going on?
Evacuate the village.
This is the American army!
There will be a battle here, soon.
Evacuate the village.
What's going on?
I'll go check it out.
What's happening?
This is the American army!
There will be a battle here, soon.
Evacuate the village.
Excuse me!
Over here!
Over here, please!
Come here, please!
Who's in charge here?
Is anyone in charge?
Anyone?
Excuse me!
Are you in charge here?
What is it, sir?
Are you the leader of this village?
Yes...
This is the American army!
There'll be a battle here, soon.
Get everyone to evacuate the village.
And go where?
Just leave the village, now!
Today?
- Right now! - Yes, sir.
What is it?
The war's come down this far?
- What's going on? - What is it?
They told us to leave. There'll be a battle here.
We'll be safe cuz Gate Rock will protect us.
- It's just superstition! - What!
- What good is Gate Rock in a war! - What!
They told us to leave the village cuz they're battling here!
Leave? To where?
- The North made it down this far? - Looks like it.
Maybe we really should go!
Go where? There's nowhere to run.
Gate Rock will protect us. Stop worrying.
Where's our army!
Didn't you say things were quiet in town?
- We should still leave. - Of course.
- Where can we go? - South, of course!
How about going up to Gama Hill?
Gama Hill?
Use your head, jack rabbit!
What do ya mean?
How can we live up in the mountains?
Then what?
- Let's go up Gama Hill, first. - Yeah!
But people lived there when the Japs invaded.
So what do we do?
But my mother's very ill.
President Lee already ran to Pusan!
We'd better evacuate.
- Let's go to Gama Hill for now. - Okay.
There's nowhere else to hide.
- Put this in. - Okay.
- Where's Hyun? - On night shift at school.
Night shift at a time like this?
The male teachers all ran away?
I'll go get her now, sir.
- Hurry, then. - Yes, sir.
- Take the bike! - Okay.
Stop it!
Get dressed!
Mom? Are we moving?
Stop running around! There's a war.
- Go on ahead. - Okay.
Why did you wake the baby?
Don't cry, big boy.
Don't take everything.
Don't worry. I'll carry it all!
- Leave it. We'll be back soon. - No.
Let's go, Father.
Leave it, woman!
- Ready to go? - Coming.
Let's go!
There, there. Don't cry, boy.
What brings you here?
Your father wants you to come, now.
Everyone went up to Gama Hill.
Gama Hill?
Yes. There's going to be a battle in our village.
Father went up to Gama Hill, too?
Yes, so let's go.
But I have to stay here.
He wants you to come, now.
The next teacher on duty hasn't come yet.
Where are all the male teachers?
Go on ahead.
- What about food? - I still have some left.
Then I'll be back with some food in the morning.
- It's okay. - I'll be back.
- No need. - Make sure you eat.
Okay. Go on.
Don't cry, son.
- See you later. - Bye.
Where ya goin' Park?
My wife insists on goin' to her mother's.
Really?
- Be careful, then. - You too, sir.
Take care.
Stop playing with that or it won't rain.
Quiet!
What are you doing?
Know why our village is called Gate Rock Place?
Long, long ago...
The Japs attacked and war broke out.
- The Japanese warlord, Watagata... - Watagata?
On his way to Seoul with a million Samurais,
passed by our village and saw red fruit all over.
- What was it? - 'Gam' - Persimmons.
Watagata asked, 'What are they?'
Our villagers said they're 'Gam'.
- 'Gami?' He shouted. 'Cut them down!' - Why?
Cuz 'Gami' means 'god' in Japanese.
Really? 'Gami' means 'god'?
When they charged in to cut down all the trees...
suddenly, crash, boom, bam! A big rock fell from the sky!
It blocked off the entrance into our village.
Watagata cried, 'It's a real god! Run for your lives!'
Then they all ran away.
It's so quiet down there.
Wonder if my house is okay.
Maybe I should go down and see.
- Daddy! We're going to play! - We're going to play!
- Don't go far! - Don't go into the village!
It was this big?
Way bigger!
This big~!
Way bigger!
Bigger than a cow's dick.
Bigger than a horse's dick.
Like you ever saw a horse's dick!
- Like you ever saw a cow's dick! - I have!
Ain't no cows in our village!
How long do we have to say here?
Damned if I know.
Think the Commies will come this far?
If you're curious, go ask 'em.
Ask who?
The Commies.
Damn smart aleck.
Damn wretch.
Sirs! Sirs!
Mr. Moon!
Mr. Kim! Mr. Park!
Gather round! Hurry!
We'd better get down, now!
The Americans said to come down!
This is the guerrilla's den!
The North came down this far?
They already attacked the town!
But where can we go?
They said they'll help us escape on trucks.
Trucks? Really?
The trucks are here?
They're on the way.
Where will they take us?
At least south of Nak-dong River. Let's go, hurry!
Ain't it better just to stay here?
We gotta go, now!
Get to it people! Let's go!
Don't go.
Move in groups during a war and you're sure to get killed.
Let's go, jack rabbit!
Go on, first.
Okay, then. Let's go!
Hurry!
- Wook? - Yes?
- Go get Hyun, now! - Okay.
Let's go.
- Hey, sis! - Miss!
- Let's go! - Now, Miss!
- What's happening? Where's Father? - He's over there.
- Everyone's going south! - What about the school!
Come on! Hurry!
Sir? How far is Nak-dong River from here?
Still a few days walk away.
- Where you coming from? - Pyung-taek.
You came pretty far.
That truck's not for us?
- Get down! - Get down!
Get down!
Sir? What will happen to us?
Don't know.
He doesn't know.
What now, in this damn hot weather?
- Go ask why don't ya. - Ask who?
Then stay still.
The stream's that way.
Darlin'!
Go get some water with her.
- Stay here, Dasik. - Stay with Dad.
You play cards?
Here?
Where are the damn trucks?
The Americans wouldn't lie.
The trucks are coming!
They want us to eat, here?
Eat... my ass.
Send us the trucks, first!
What's that?
The Americans must be counting us.
Think they'll send the trucks, now?
'No refugees to cross the front line. Fire everyone trying to cross lines.'
Communication Log, July 24, 1950, U.S. Army 8th Cavalry.
Declassified Documents, U.S. Dept. Of Defense.
Run, Jjang! Run!
Kooli!
Go under the bridge!
Father!
Dasik! Where is he!
Get down, now!
Where's my son!
Let me go!
Get down! You'll die!
Wook!
Go under the bridge!
Run! Hurry!
Father!
Mommy!
Don't shoot!
Run for your lives!
- We gotta run, Father! - It's the Commies!
Mom! Mom!
Let's go!
Run under the bridge!
Dani?
Kooli!
Please, sir! Don't shoot me! Please!
Who's shooting?
It's the Americans!
Why would they! It's the Commies!
Where's Jjang's uncle! He said they'll give us trucks!
Look! Americans!
They came to help us?
Looks like it!
Can anyone speak English?
If you go out, they'll shoot!
Why would they? They're not the Commies.
Somebody do something!
Young lad. Go ask them for help.
Try speaking in Japanese!
My mommy's hurt!
We're getting out of here.
No!
The Americans saw we're civilians. They won't shoot.
- I'll go with you. - Don't go!
- Let go! - No!
It's okay!
No way!
We'll all die, here!
Let's go! Hurry!
You bastards!
No way! Get away!
Wake up.
Let's go.
Where?
If we stay, we're all dead.
Now's our chance.
If there are only women left, maybe they won't shoot.
So take this heirloom and go!
You should live, at least. Stay here and we're all dead.
Go! Hurry!
Son?
Take Woong and run!
- Go! Hurry! - Yes, go!
Run, fools! Take Woong and go!
Son! Go with them.
You must live.
And carry on the lineage.
Now, go!
Go!
Hurry!
Take Gaby and go!
Hurry! Go with them!
Do as Mom says, Father.
Go!
No! I can't!
Wook...
You're a man, so you have to live!
Dying here or out there's the same thing.
So run!
Go and tell people...
what happened here.
Go.
Hurry.
Take Jjang with you, please?
Please take my son!
Please take, Jjang!
Please take my son!
Please...
Please don't kill us!
Please! Don't kill us! Please!
Make 'em stop crying!
Make 'em stop! They keep shooting cuz of 'em!
Don't shoot!
Please! They're not bad people!
Make him stop crying!
They keep shooting!
Make him stop!
Don't cry, son.
Please don't cry.
Don't cry.
*Spring yellow butterfly
*Flying o'er forsythias
*Snowflake white butterfly
*Flying o'er cabbage flowers
*Why fly away
*Past the vast, dry fields
*Afraid of chilly winds
*Fly o'er the clear skies
*Mottled spotted butterfly
*Flying o'er grape vines
*Dark cloudy ash butterfly
*Flying o'er...
Anyone alive?
Comrades? Comrades? The Yankies are all gone!
That fall.
Father?
Father!
Take care, Father.
- Going? - Yes, sir.
- Don't die or get hurt! - Yes, sir.
- Come back alive! - Yes, sir.
Don't step up front. Take care.
Take care, sir.
Kooli bro!
Kooli bro is back!
They're calling me bro?
Kooli bro is back!
- Come home and eat! - What?
Kooli bro is back!
- Soo! - Mommy!
Kooli! Soo!
I'm hungry, Mom.
Okay. Let's go eat. Let's go home.
Kooli bro is back!
Who?
Kooli?
That a boy!
- Thank heavens! - Can't believe he made it back!
Where were you?
Kooli bro is back!
The war continued on for 3 more years.
From July 26 to 29, 1950, hundreds of civilians running for refuge were shot at random by U.S. Soldiers at Nogunri.
The survivors and families of the tragedy have fought long to make it known. But the Korean and U.S. Governments have denied the Nogunri incident ever took place.
In May, 2005, the Korean government officially recognized the 218 victims and the 2170 surviving family members.
The Korean War lasted from June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953 for 37 months. There were 3.6 million civilians, 1.6 million North and South Korean soldiers, and over 1 million foreign soldier casualties.
Written and Directed by LEE Saang-woo.
In loving memory of actor, PARK Gwang-jung