In the midst of the Korean War, two inseparable brothers find their lives uprooted by the tides of conflict. The older brother, Jin-tae, is a shoemaker who dreams of a better life for his younger sibling, Jin-seok, a smart student with a promising future ahead. When South Korea imposes a draft, the peaceful existence of the family is shattered as both brothers are conscripted into the brutal war against the North. To protect Jin-seok and secure his discharge from the military, Jin-tae makes a desperate agreement with his commanding officer: earn a distinguished service medal and his brother can go home.

As the war intensifies, the battlefield becomes a cacophony of horror and violence, wielding its merciless hand over the siblings' fate. The initially timid Jin-seok is thrust into a terrifying world of guns and grenades, while Jin-tae transforms into a fierce warrior, emboldened by the singular goal of ensuring his brother's safety. However, amid the chaos of war's moral ambiguities and the unrelenting clash between North and South, the brothers' bond is tested. Battle-hardened and scarred by the gruesome realities of war, the changing dynamics of their relationship raises the question: at what cost does one preserve family amidst the ravages of war?