Memories are floating in my mind like islands scattered in the sea.
From now on, my rowing memories will visit the islands one by one.
This film is dedicated to my friends and their family.
Friend
- 1976-
Joon-suk!
Eat your food first.
Joon-suk was the best fighter I ever saw.
He once beat up a guy three years older than us.
Yesterday, my mom brought a TV recorder from Japan.
A TV recorder?
What's that?
It records TV programs like a cassette player.
No way, man!
How's that possible?
I'm telling you the truth!
It's really a TV recorder.
If so, then all the stations will go bankrupt.
Everyone's gonna record everything on TV.
Yeah...!
No, it's true!
You guys wanna bet on it?
Why don't you trust me?
Look!
Sang-taek, your tube's mine now.
I have to see it work to believe it.
Do you know the intellectual word for a woman's thing?
Vulva!
You idiot! There's no such word.
They call it menstruation.
Menstruation? What's that?
I looked at my cousin's magazine, and that's all it talked about.
Then is pussy called menstruation too?
Yeah, grown-ups call a pussy menstruation instead.
You wanna see another one?
Jung-ho's mom visited Japan often for her business.
So a lot of great stuff was at his house.
Jung-ho admired Bruce Lee a lot.
Menstruation picture?
What's that?
Which one do you want?
Pick one.
How about this one?
Wow...!
- How much is it? - It's expensive.
It's the biggest one so it costs two thousand won.
Two thousand won?!
Forget it then.
No, I'll be back with some money.
Hey, come here.
You better keep your mouth shut, okay?
Okay.
Joon-suk.
It's cool, huh?
Give it to me.
Wow... it's cool.
Dong-soo became our friend after he transferred during third grade.
But two years later, we learned that his father was an undertaker.
Then why don't we start a war right now?
Haven't you ever seen the statistics on TV?
We have less weapons, but ours are more sophisticated.
You idiot!
That's what President Park makes us think.
You know how great North Korea's commandos can fight?
And Russia gives them a lot of weapons.
Yeah, but the United States give us a lot of weapons too.
Who told you that?
Joon-suk!
Where you headed?
To the pebble beach.
Do you want a ride?
No, thanks.
Yeah?
I'll see you later then.
Oh yeah, Hyung-doo!
That's the big boss's son Joon-suk.
Joon-suk, what grade are you in?
Sixth grade.
See you later.
Let's go.
Who's that?
Isn't he one of your dad's men?
Cool car...
Gangster.
If he wasn't that fast, how did he win the gold medal?
Cause he competed with other athletes.
And humans swim on top of water.
Then how can people breathe under water?
He'll have to swim on top of water.
That's why he'll lose.
Why? Why would he lose?
Anyway, who's faster isn't important.
Joon-suk!
Who do you think is faster?
What?
If the gold medalist, Cho Oh-ryun, and a sea turtle raced in water.
I don't know.
Then do you wanna bet on it?
You're always waiting to bet on something.
I don't remember why we were so much into that race.
Because you keep persisting on it.
We went to separate middle schools.
But when we started to grow hair on our bodies,
we hung out together again.
- 1981-
Man, I felt like a big idiot.
So I just gave a mean face, and asked them if they want to fight.
They surrendered right away and apologized.
Hey, aren't those the pricks from Chunghak High School?
Look how those losers act.
Should I shut them up?
We welcome you to Namhang High School's 21st anniversary.
Thank you for attending our celebration.
Of course you are!
Now, you're going to see today's highlight event.
I know you'll enjoy this seven-girl band.
I hope you have a good time and...
Let me introduce you to the group... Rainbow!
See that pretty girl on the keyboard?
She's mine.
Sang-taek!
Come and eat!
Mom, did something good happen?
We have our own house now.
We signed a lease today.
Really?
We have to wait a few months until we can move.
- Where is it? - In Bosudong.
Bosudong...
.. but it's far away from my school.
Your brother has to get ready for college soon.
But still...
Okay, from our last lesson...
Can somebody give an example of an infinitive in passive form?
Joo-bun!
Give me an example!
I'm not sure.
You're not sure?
Since you're not sure, then tell me anything you know.
I'm not sure at all.
Are you proud of yourself?
Take off your socks and kneel on your desk!
Next in line!
I have no idea.
You kneel too!
Behind him!
No... no...!
Not right behind him, the one next to him.
The little rat in the far back.
What a hard-working mover.
Take your socks off first!
Are you really a student?
Go back! Next!
What does your father do?
- He works at a company. - A company?
You good-for-nothing!
Your father has to put up with his boss to get you through school,
And you can't even get thirty questions right?
Come here!
Get back here!
Go back!
Next!
What does your father do?
I said what does he do?
He's an undertaker.
An undertaker?
You bastard!
Your father grooms dead bodies to put you through school.
How can you study like this, huh?
Go back!
Come back here.
You little prick...
Next!
What does your father do?
I said what does he do?
He's a gangster.
I don't believe this...
You bastard...
Come here...
Good for you!
Your father's a gangster, huh?
Good for you!
Why don't you tell him...
What's so good about it?
Dong-su! Let's go!
Is his father really a gangster?
Yes, sir.
How about him?
Is he a gangster too?
He's the boss of our school.
Boss?
He's the best fighter.
Then is the other one his assistant?
- No, he's the second boss. - Second boss?
Yes, teacher.
I think you made a mistake.
Anyway, who are you to say I made a mistake?
You low-life prick!
Put your hands down!
You smart mouth...!
What are you looking at?
All right!
What's that?
Put it away.
What you doing on Sunday?
Why?
Wanna go to Joon-suk's house?
Joon-suk talked to Doruko during class last week.
He's Joon-suk's friend, but older than us though.
Anyway, he said that Jin-sook is his cousin.
- Jin-sook? - The singer from Rainbow!
Doruko's bringing all the girls to Joon-suk's house on Sunday.
I'm going.
Let's go.
If things go right, you might get lucky.
- Lucky? - Yeah.
Joon-suk!
How've you been?
I heard you weren't coming.
You don't know each other, right?
That's Doruko.
The knife king.
Nice to meet you.
Oh yeah! You guys came to see the girls, right?
You saw them before, right?
The band Rainbow.
...or the Seven Scary Princesses.
Sit down.
This is Wild Cat.
She's so wild, I'm trying to tame her.
You bad girl.
she needs to get laid to calm down.
Let's get laid.
Have you seen a flying bird's dick?
What are you laughing at?
My friend here is such a good student.
I mean he's different from idiots like us.
He's always at the top of our school.
Look.
He even carries a handkerchief.
Damn it! Why is it so loud?
I thought you were going to come over before.
Not to see the girls but me.
I'm sorry.
Nothing to be sorry about between friends.
I wish we went to the same middle school.
If we hung around, I would've been a good student.
Then why don't you start studying again?
Who do you want?
What?
The girls.
Pick one of the three.
Was the one sitting next to you yours?
Jin-sook?
No.
...three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
Jin-sook!
Come here.
Please sit down.
Do you know how to play it?
A little.
Then play it.
All I can play is...
Why did you do that?
Do what?
Why did you do that for Sang-taek?
He's my friend.
What about me?
I didn't call her for you.
Then what am I?
Am I just your servant?
You wanna die?
You're so innocent.
Actually, I'm older than you.
I was sick in the eight grade, so I had to repeat it.
Really?
Let's be friends.
Today, I'm only going to kiss you.
Where you going?
Jin-sook, it's been a long time.
Go away!
When did you get an attitude, bitch?
Are you fucking crazy?
Get up, asshole.
Hey!
You fucking bastard.
Crazy idiot.
What is this?
Little sissy...
Go ahead.
Fucking bastards.
Give it to me.
Are you okay?
Give it to me, asshole!
What are you carrying this for?
What are you staring at, asshole?
Get up.
Get up, asshole!
Stand up straight, you bastards.
Fucking assholes.
What are you screwing around for?
Count.
I said count, asshole!
One... two... three...
I came like that.
Right then, my aunt burst opened the door.
You know how surprised I was?
My aunt saw my hand, and asked 'What's that?'.
I was so nervous you know what I said?
What did you say?
Oh this?
It's just lotion... milk lotion.
Stop lying.
It's true.
Huh?
Look at those assholes.
What's wrong?
Those pricks over there.
Come here, you assholes!
I said come here!
You girls okay?
Come here, assholes!
Let's go.
Come here, assholes!
Sang-taek.
Yeah?
The next time you have to beat someone, finish the job.
Why? I just...
Otherwise if you don't,
they'll challenge you again.
You should beat him up bad
so he pees in his pants next time he sees you.
Or forgive him and become allies.
Or make him a cripple instead so there's no more trouble later.
Okay.
Next time I'll do as you said.
Now you do me a favor.
I have something to tell you.
What did the teacher say?
Did he make a fit again?
He expelled us already.
Shit...!
It went okay.
We can go to school tomorrow.
You bastard.
- Thanks to you. - What did I do...?
How about going to the movies to celebrate?
Movie?
Yeah.
The tail should buy the tickets.
What tail?
Let's race!
That little...
Damn it...
Here!
- Wanna see it? - With them?
Why not?
Get out of the way!
Dickheads!
Sit your ass down!
What are you staring at?
I'll rip your eyes out.
Wow... it's big as a horse.
Come on...
Let's smoke one and go in.
- Hurry up. - Give me a cigarette.
What's this fucking smell?
The shit stinks.
- Give me a cigarette. - Give me a light.
- I'm not smoking yours. - Shut up you dickhead.
What are you doing?
What?
What's wrong?
I've seen him a lot before.
Is that the prick from the skating ring?
Is he the one?
You fucking asshole!
Kill him!
Joon-suk!
Sang-taek's getting beaten up!
Hurry up!
What's going on?
Let's go.
All this happened because of me.
I made a big decision on my life.
Grab it.
Grab it hard!
Lift it.
The towel.
The towel!
What are you doing?
You brat...
Where you going?
Move! Move! Move!
Who's the crazy idiot?
Don't bump into me on the streets.
What's this?
Let's go to Seoul.
Dong-su got expelled...
...and I heard Joong-ho got transferred.
I'm the only one who got suspended.
Sang-taek.
After you ran away from home and came to me...
"You did the right thing. "
"Let's become gangsters and ruin our lives together!"
- You thought I'd say that? - It's not that...
Do you know when I realized my home was really screwed up?
When I was a kid, it was great having a lot of uncles.
My mom went to the hospital,
and I came back home after running away.
The guys I called my uncles,
not even one of them punished me.
Damn it...
If only one of them beat my to a pulp,
then maybe I could've gotten my life straight then.
From now on, you live how you want,
and I'll live mine.
When I went back home,
my mom quietly opened the door.
- 1984-
Is this Joon-suk's house?
It's been a long time.
My friends! Good to see you!
How've you been?
Long time no see kid!
You look like a gentleman with that suit.
How've you been?
Hey, you didn't have to bring these things.
Oh, it's nothing.
Hey, Jin-sook!
See! Didn't I tell you?
My friends would always come back to see me.
Take this for me.
Oh, that's my wife.
You know her, right?
Since she fucks so well I took her in.
What are you staring at bitch?
- I should rip your pussy apart. - Hey, what's wrong with you?
Oh... I�m sorry.
I'm so happy to see both of you again.
You don't seem so well.
I'm okay...
I just feel cold and dizzy when the drugs wear off.
- What drugs? - Philopon of course.
You're taking philopon?
No... no...
I was just kidding.
Oh yeah, I heard both of you are in college now.
I go to tech school.
Wow that's cool...
Now I have two elite college friends.
Take care of me when I'm disabled later, okay?
Don't talk like that.
Sorry, this is all we can give in return...
That's all right. It's fine.
Hey, bitch!
So your husband's a gangster...
Are you getting wet over my handsome college friends?
You wanna screw all of us, huh?
You fucking whore!
- Joon-suk! - Don't stop me!
She's full of complaints lately!
Son of a bitch...
Look at her!
Get your ass over here!
Damn it! You wanna die today?
Joon-suk!
What happened to him?
I have to go.
Okay.
I didn't know his mother died.
He told me not to call you.
Bastard...
Buy me a drink.
Let's see what a college student is like.
You want to go back in with me?
No...
How was the funeral?
Dong-soo's father did a good job for us.
How's Dong-soo?
He's in jail.
I've already been there.
He needs to experience it to move up in the gang.
Sang-taek.
What?
You're wearing a coat, right?
A coat?
Let's go buy a Christmas card.
I want to send a card to my mom.
I feel so sorry for her.
After she bore me,
and nursed that temperamental old man,
she lived in the hospital for five years and passed away.
My father didn't give me money since he worried I'd buy drugs.
So I had no clothes to wear.
...I froze to death outside.
Sang-taek, promise me one thing.
What?
Since I'm a gangster...
If you ever want to get rid of someone, tell me who it is.
I'll kill him for you.
And when I become too old to make a living as a gangster,
can you buy me a taxi?
- A taxi? - Yeah.
I don't want to depend on you till I die.
By that time, I might have kids.
Stop talking nonsense.
No, you're the only real friend I have.
The only people I know are gangsters.
Promise me.
I don't want to.
Please...
Promise me.