Doo-su, an orphan and a minion in a smuggling ring, dreams of the high life, but is fated to live the rest of his life in the city alleys. There is no future for him, as he drifts in and out of prison for swindling passersby in the busy streets of Myungdong. Meanwhile, a diplomat’s daughter Joanna, is always dressed to the nines, enjoys skiing, hunting, and horseback riding, listens to Beethoven, reads the Bible, learns French, and frequently travels abroad. The young man and woman can’t be more different. And yet they fall in love. Vivid city life exposed by the location shooting; the daring use of jazz music; bold sexual dialogue; an idealized set that is charming and unwelcoming at the same time; fashion and hairstyles that become a trend of the times; and the birth of the first Korean star icons! The young people’s aspirations and wish to escape reality are projected in this cultural piece that is Kim Kee-duk’s classic, and the prototype of adolescent films. (KANG Sowon)