Following the death of his parents, Yeong Cheol shines shoes in the streets, struggling to care for his sick younger sister Yeong Hee and make ends meet. Despite the persuasive efforts of low-life criminal boss Wang Cho, pickpocket Jjang Gu, and paid companion Mi Hwa, Yeong Cheol vows to lead an honest life by looking after Yeong Hee with cigarette salesgirl Myeong Sun and helping newly arrived shoeshine boy Dong Seok settle in.However, a tragic accident forces Yeong Cheol to make an important decision that may change his life.
(Source: KMDb)
~~ Sharing the same Korean title with Vittorio De Sica’s classic “Shoeshine” (1946), this film was noted at the time of release for its strong neorealist approach. All of the picture elements have been lost and only 4 original sound negative reels (around 40 minutes) survive today.
