The story tells of a North Korean father and husband who decides to illegally cross into China to buy medicine for his pregnant wife who is suffering from tuberculosis. However, once he crosses into China, he realises that it's not as easy as he thought. He finds himself working as an illegal immigrant under the constant threat of being captured by the Chinese authorities and deported back to North Korea. He eventually finds his way to South Korea by entering the German embassy in China. Meanwhile, his wife has already died, leaving their son homeless and wandering around trying to find a way back to his father. Scenes switch between those of the father who is outside North Korea trying to find medicine, and those of the son, who ends up homeless and tries to defect also.