Coming-of-age films generally pivot on the pain of entering adulthood. Sports films deal with athletes who overcome obstacles to achieve success. This film is a great combination of these two genres. Ashin is forced by his mother to give up gymnastics. He resists to the extent that he refuses to have a meal with her. However, like a hali but out of the aquarium, he needs to pay an entry fee into the sea of society. Ashin gets in a brawl, matters spiral out of control, and eventually ends up in the criminal underworld. Ashin’s teenage angst comes to an end with the death of a friend. The death represents Ashin’s failure to adapt to the criminal world and the end of his wandering. Just like salmon returning to their birthplace, Ashin returns to the gym. The former gymnast running the gym allows Ashin to return to gymnastics under the condition that he wins a gold medal in one year. The film ends in typical sports film style, where the protagonist overcomes all the obstacles and ultimately achieves his goal. (MUN Gwangyu)