This film is based on an actual event.
On August 15th, 1945, Korea gets liberated.
The South gets under U.S.
And the North under Soviet influences.
June 25th, 1950, the North Korean Peoples Army
makes a surprise attack on the South.
The North occupies Seoul in 3 days
and the rest in 40 days,
except for the area south of Nakdong River.
Far outnumbered, many students joined
the South Korean army as volunteer soldiers.
INTO THE FIRE
Young-deok, August 8th, 1950
Executive Producer JEONG Tae-won
Hey!
You!
Take this to the 3rd platoon!
Sir?
Gae-sung Store rooftop!
- Get me more ammo! - Yes, sir!
Capt. KANG?
Capt. KANG. How's the situation there?
Directed by LEE Jae-han Requesting back up, now!
Fire!
Charge!
This is the 3rd platoon!
- How much left? - That's it, sir.
This is the 3rd platoon!
Captain!
- Where are our backups? - They ordered a retreat.
Retreat, now! That's an order!
If you don't, you'll all die!
Listen to me, KANG!
We can beat them, Commander!
- Lieutenant KIM! - Yes, sir!
- Backup the 3rd platoon. - Yes, sir!
Fight 'em off no matter what!
Yes, sir!
- Let's go! - Yes, sir!
- KIM Jun-seop! - Sir?
Careful out there.
In coming on the left!
Medics! Over here!
Hurry!
OH Jang-beom!
Back to 4th defense line!
More ammo, sir!
Load it up!
Take cover!
The machine guns are down!
Take it. Stay behind me!
Jang-beom! Stay back!
More enemies are coming!
2nd platoon! Sit tight!
Commander! We've lost contact, sir!
- Try it again! - Yes, sir!
Capt. LEE Myung-guk, sir!
Still couldn't break through?
The remnants are starting to run away.
We'll seize the place, soon!
Unit 766 will finish fighting and head to Pohang, now!
Liberate our country!
Unify our country!
Kill every one of 'em!
Charge!
Commander! Send us reinforcements, sir!
We'll get all the damn commies!
Retreat!
Let's go!
Take 'em down, now!
Picture taken, sir.
Yes, sir.
I understand, sir.
Commander?
Our political leader ordered
to go to battle at Nakdong River at once.
Look Commissar LEE An-nam. Why should I go there?
I'm going straight to Pohang.
But it's the party's order!
What do those scribbling at their desks
know about war?
Are you saying you will go against an order?
Comrade. Who is above the party?
Who is at the top of the party?
Our Great Supreme Commander.
On the day I left Pyung-yang...
Our Great Supreme Commander...
Ordered me to seize Busan
before August 15th!
- Lieutenant! - Yes, sir!
Our 766 unit will march straight for Pohang.
Stop hesitating! Blow it up, now!
If we cut off the bridge, the refugees will be stranded!
What will happen to them, sir?
That's an order, KANG Seok-dae!
Here.
We'll take care of you. Don't worry.
- Nurse! - Coming!
Hold on. The medication's coming.
More injured soldiers came! Hurry!
We'll give you morphine.
KIM Jun-seop
Remove the body.
This way, please!
He's dead.
Can you hear me?
Or can't you?
Looks like your eardrums are ruptured.
Does it hurt?
What's your name?
Do you know when you got hurt?
Don't wanna talk to me?
What happened to KIM Jun-seop?
Killed in action, sir.
That fool.
Where are our backup troops?
Why'd you stop our backup fire?
Capt. KANG.
Our 3rd division did nothing but retreat the last 40 days.
We're sick of retreating!
When are the allied forces coming?
Where do we run away to now?
All the way to Busan?
Then what? Jump into the sea?
Enough! KANG!
Stop.
I know.
Watching your men die...
It breaks your heart.
I didn't have any troops to send you.
And the artillery
units had to go and save the 4th division at Wonpori.
Our 3rd division will go to battle at Nakdong River immediately.
The North's 5th, 12th, and 15th
divisions are swarming to Nakdong.
We've been ordered to annihilate them.
Nakdong River will be a pool of blood.
Cuz we have nowhere else to retreat.
It's our last line of defense.
Then which unit will protect Pohang here?
All attention!
All student soldiers in here!
Hurry up, people!
- Get going! - Go!
When KIM Jun-seop died...
Were you the one with him?
Yes, sir.
Hurry up!
What's your name, son?
OH Jang-beom, sir.
Catch!
Good day, sir.
- What is it? - Just wondering.
Them boys over there...
Are bound forjuvenile reformatory on murder charges.
But they want to become student soldiers instead...
And fight against the damn commies.
Will you take fools like them?
I'm sure they'll be good at fighting and stuff.
Especially this one, here.
He looks a little old.
- Sure he's a student? - You're a student, right?
The other students are gathered over there.
Run over!
Don't worry, sir.
Run you fools!
His parents got shot dead by commies.
He's itching to get his hands on the commies.
Sign here, please.
68 new, plus 3 existing
student soldiers all 71 here, sir!
The existing 3 step forward.
Give the new studen soldiers a rifle
And 250 bullets each.
Now, sir?
Come up, one at a time!
Next!
Back to positions after getting your weapons!
Move it!
Whoa!
Awesome!
Men!
You will now be formed into one unit.
You will be divided into two platoons.
Your captain will be...
OH Jang-beom here.
Excuse me, sir?
What is it?
Why's he the captain, sir?
Any objections?
Can't we vote to choose the leader?
Yeah! Let's do it democratically!
How about who eats the most?
I'm pretty good at that, myself!
Quiet! You think this is a picnic!
The captain must have combat experience.
OH Jang-beom's your captain.
From now on, you will defend this place.
Our 3rd division command
will all go to battle at Nakdong River.
You mean...
We have to protect this place?
Just us, sir?
That's right.
Does Pohang need to be protected?
Pohang is a strategic point.
Then why are the soldiers leaving?
Pohang is important...
But if we loose the battlefront at Nakdong...
We're all dead.
Information tells us now...
It's safer here compared to Nakdong River.
How long do we have to stand guard?
The allied forces will arrive in Busan soon.
Just till then.
Don't go, sir.
Can't you stay?
It's an order from above.
A soldier moves according to orders.
Sir?
What if...
The commies attack? What then?
Then we kill 'em all!
Fool. We don't know how to shoot!
Shit. Then we learn.
Can't run away, right? We fight 'em, right?
Student soldiers...
Are you soldiers or not?
This is your country.
I trust you will defend it.
Here.
Remember.
Put it up higher than the arm.
Don't forget.
First you press power then set the frequency.
Then you turn the volume up to hear.
What's this again?
The frequency, sir.
No, it's the power!
We have no time. You bury those killed in action.
Ah, Captain?
What?
You can do it.
If anything happens, call me.
I can't be the captain here.
I was never the leader type.
Lead them with heart.
If your sincerity gets through, they will all follow you.
It'll take our engineer units two days
to come to build a temporary bridge.
Then 18 hours to build it
So three days in total.
We don't have enough rubber boats
to make a pontoon bridge, either.
Going around that mountain
will take a day and a half.
But the enemy could be waiting in ambush.
Commander?
Why don't we go to Nakdong as the party ordered?
This is why theorists like you are no use in the battlefield.
Think about it.
When they're rest assured,
We should strike 'em from behind.
Then any ideas on how to cross the river?
The shock troops will swim across the river minimally armed.
Yes, sir. We'll swim across!
The tank unit goes around the mountain.
Swim across, now!
766 shock troops!
- Swim! - Yes, sir!
Swim across, now!
South Korean comrades.
Can't wait to see your damn mugs.
They're chocolates!
Move!
Get your hands off!
Scram!
Just one chocolate bar? Please?
Now.
Student soldiers! Student soldiers!
You will be divided into 2 platoons
- and work on... - What's he yappin'?
Speak louder. Can't hear ya.
The 1st platoon will bury the dead soldiers.
Did ya eat?
If you didn't, go stuff yourself.
You three weak musketeers.
You boys.
Ever stab someone?
Ever kill a damn commie?
I ain't burying corpses.
Why should we do it?
We came to kill commies not bury corpses!
- Right? - Right!
- Yeah! - Yeah, he's right.
But still, listen to the leader.
They're Capt. KANG's orders.
Orders?
What if we go against them?
You'll get shot dead.
By who?
You?
Shoot me?
What you looking at?
Move.
Take him. Hurry!
One, two, three!
Shoot one bullet...
- Good luck. - Like it's your 100th shot.
I shot eight shots before going to battle,
But you getjust one.
So what do we do?
Shoot one like it's 100.
Again!
Shoot one like it's a 100!
Line up! Firing squad up front!
You son of a bitch!
Watch carefully.
See that?
If you mess up, you'll lose your thumb.
Get down and shoot!
Breechblocks pulled back!
Fire!
Why's he shooting so much?
We're supposed to shoot once.
Whoa! See that?
Hey, Gap-jo?
This won't last two weeks for all the mouths here.
If he doesn't eat, it can last a month.
This stuffs just snack food for me.
Hey, Gap-jo.
What?
Wanna bring out the three weak musketeers
and scare 'em?
Show 'em who we are?
Who are we?
We're orphans! You bastards!
We're gangsters! You bastards!
Gap-jo can't even read! You bastards.
Shut up, bastard.
But that hat looks the best on you, Gap-jo.
Damn right.
Whoa! Cool!
Gap-jo? Is this a grenade?
Give me that.
- A grenade? - That's right, fool.
If this blows,
It can wipe out the black market.
- The whole thing will blow? - Yup.
We can wipe out the damn Lily gang with this.
They'll vanish without a trace.
Stay back!
Hey!
- Stay back! - Stop it!
- Don't move! - Stop it, fool!
Stay back!
Son of a bitch!
What's this?
You stupid!
Lt'll blow, fool!
Throw it, fool!
Throw it!
Jump!
Arms up straight, fool!
What do we do?
There are only three sacs of potatoes
and two sacs of corn left.
Don't worry.
We'll go find the food!
Wang-pyo, get up! Poong-chun, let's go!
Stop right there!
Stay out of it.
Why?
It's an order.
An order?
Enough with the damn orders!
How are we going to fight against the North with them?
But they're trusting us to lead them.
So we gotta keep calm and handle things well.
Mother...
I miss you so much.
The soldiers guarding Pohang...
Left for Nakdong River today.
There are only 71 of us left here.
Mother...
I can hear fellow students laughing in the next room.
I don't remember the last time I heard laughter around here.
I hope their laughter will not vanish away.
Hey!
Can't ya dance better than that?
Poong-chun! Let's show 'em!
Go for it.
In front of damn kiddies...
Charleston swing!
Bastards.
Gap-jo! Hey, Gap-jo!
It's 10 o'clock. Go to bed.
It was just getting fun.
- 1st platoon! Let's go! - This ain't a picnic!
We're at war!
Get up, now!
- See ya. - Sleep tight.
Ain't that heavy?
No, not at all.
But why's it so long?
It's American. They made it for their size.
But it'll shoot really far.
Should I try it?
Go ahead!
Then all the others will come out!
- Hey, bro? - What?
I miss Kimchi soup mama used to make.
Her homemade Kimchi
with anchovy broth. So delicious.
See, I told you not to follow me out here.
Are they our troops or the enemy?
If they're the enemy, nobody shoots till I say so!
We shoot if you shoot?
Yeah, tell everyone that.
Got it.
Hey, bro?
I gotta pee.
Hold it in.
Did you undo the stabilizer?
Get down!
Get down, now!
Nice cool breeze.
Not a damn mouse in sight.
Yeah.
Where are the enemy soldiers?
Damn monsters.
What if we win without even getting to shoot?
Wish I could fire away.
This place reminds me of home.
Cease fire!
Shouldn't we go and check?
Stop trembling, man!
We're supposed to check.
Mama...
Hurry up and kill him!
What? Want me to do it?
Mother, I killed a North Korean soldier today.
I thought the enemy soldiers were monsters with horns.
But they cried out for
Their mothers just like us.
Mother...
Why must we be at war?
I have to get all the mixed emotions
Off my chest, Mother.
Corns? Come quick!
- Give me one. - Eat half a corn.
Scram!
We should go out there. Get ready.
But the commies are lurking out there.
What about the school?
Leave some to guard it.
Captain?
Can we use this?
Not sure.
Let's take it and see.
Look at that damn stomach!
Damn lard!
Hey.
Put that out.
Even my dad can't tell me what to do.
Stop yappin'.
I'm second in command here!
You wanna die?
Why you!
Son of a bitch!
That's American!
In the forest...
Cigarette smell can go as far as 4 km.
What a wimp.
Get down!
Dar-young! Where ya going?
Yong-man!
Get down!
Wang-pyo! Get down!
Wang-pyo!
Damn commies! I'll kill 'em all!
Gap-jo!
Gap-jo! Watch out!
Follow 'em!
Fire!
Get down!
Poong-chon! That way!
Wait here!
Come up! Hurry!
Put the gun down!
Now!
Hell no!
I'm a soldier of North Korea...
Led by General KIM ll-sung!
- Don't shoot! That's an order! - I'll die if I have to!
But will never surrender!
Don't shoot!
To liberate South Korea from under the Americans!
We'll stand victorious!
Don't shoot!
Shoot!
Go ahead, fool!
He's a commie!
He had a gun!
If a damn commie's got a gun, we kill 'em!
Did you see Dar-young?
How many died?
16 dead and 5 injured.
Don't touch it! It hurts!
- Don't touch it. - Hold on tight.
Take in the pain like a man!
Just leave it!
Hold still, kid!
I knew Wang-pyo would get killed.
Always going around getting hurt and stuff.
Damn fool.
Got a smoke?
I snatched it from Wang-pyo this morning.
Wanna have it?
Forget it.
This is Cuckoo! Come in Nest!
Come in!
This is 3758! Come in!
Capt. KANG Seok-dae, please.
We have something to report.
Capt. KANG? Hello, sir.
This is CHOl Jae-sun, sir.
Who?
A lot's happened yesterday and today, sir.
We killed 12 commies and lost 16 to them.
Some got injured, some ran away,
and some didn't make it back!
We fought the commies twice!
What? Put your captain on!
OH Jang-beom, sir.
They're just the scouting soldiers!
No telling when the enemy will attack!
Report to me every 30 minutes!
I'll ask for reinforcements! Don't be scared and wait!
We're only 2 hours away!
Hold out for 2 hours! Just 2 hours!
So? Are they coming?
He'll ask for backup troops,
But there's a big battle there, too.
I could hear bombs every where.
What if we lose the war?
What if we lose our country?
Shut up! Get out!
Fire!
Reload!
Preston, Preston! Braston, Braston! Smith!
Get over here, get over here.
The North's 5th division is charging towards Pohang, sir!
If we don't do something, the student soldiers will die!
Pohang's in danger!
They need backup, sir!
Send what troops?
Can't you see?
Nakdong River is a pool of blood!
Student soldiers are in danger?
Everyone's life is precious!
We have to fight here till the end!
If they break through here, it's all over!
Then everyone will have to jump into the sea like you said!
Is that what you want?
Sacrifice the lesser for the greater cause.
How many military doctors?
I... I...
I only saw nurses, sir.
How many trucks went out two days ago?
F... F... Fifteen, sir.
Bastard! You said twenty before!
But I didn't count, sir.
Continue, comrade.
Are you done?
Soldier.
Yes, sir.
- Get some water. - Yes, sir.
For the student comrade.
Give it to him.
Such fervor in trying to find out enemy secrets.
What a loyal, devoted comrade.
Such passion!
I'm deeply moved.
What do you mean?
Follow me.
Get up.
Comrade LEE An-nam.
Watch and learn.
Gap-jo!
It's a commie!
- Dar-young! - Dar-young!
Who is...
The leader here?
Are you comrade OH Jang-beom?
And who are you?
I am...
Commander PARK Moo-rang
of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Our troops...
Plan on taking over this place 2 hours from now at 12:00p. m.
But!
If you hang a white flag up there and surrender,
I'll let you live.
I'm having mercy on you students...
Because I know you
were sent here as mere human shields.
Also!
Because you comrades...
Will be the pillars
in our unified Korea's future.
At 12:00...
We'll see you here.
Comrade.
Hope nothing unfortunate happens.
- Lieutenant KIM. - Yes, sir?
Any changes in the enemy's 5th division?
They're all coming to Nakdong.
No movement in Pohang, sir.
Hear that KANG?
Still say Pohang's in danger?
But there've been two confrontations, sir.
Just give me 10 men, then.
I'll fight 'em off, sir.
Follow me!
Attention!
Lee, get your ass over here.
Yes, sir.
Ask him if he has any soldiers to spare.
General, do we have any back up we can send, sir?
There is a severe shortage of U. S troops
even at the Nak Dong river front as we speak.
I'm afraid it's not possible
to send any new troops any time soon
The U.S. Doesn't have any troops to spare.
Follow me.
Open them up, now.
This is the new line of Super Bazookas.
It will make it that much easier...
in stopping those North Korean tanks.
He says these new bazookas
will demolish the enemy tanks.
Thank you! Thank you very much!
I'm going!
To the battle at Nakdong!
I'll fight like hell till I die!
Dar-young, this bastard!
He's a coward!
He's a traitor!
A scared chicken!
He sold us all out to spare his life!
This son of a bitch!
Should die!
By our hands!
Am I wrong?
Hell, no! Yeah!
Damn commie informer!
I think I pooped in my pants.
Can't I just die?
Hold on, little bro.
Capt. KANG will come to save us.
You do it, bro.
Hope you get to eat mama's Kimchi soup.
Dar-young!
- Damn traitor! - Stop it!
- That's enough! - Get lost!
- What the! - Stop it!
Wanna fight, huh!
Put the gun down, first!
You can clap and live.
To the North Koreans.
You can go.
And live like a rat!
Son of a bitch!
If you're gonna run, go quietly!
Me? Run away?
- Gap-jo! Gap-jo! - Let go!
Coward! Are you that scared of death!
You die like dogs!
I'll fight like hell till I die!
Let go!
Let's go!
Aren't ya coming?
Do whatever you want, fools!
Fight with your bare hands and die like hell!
Let's go!
- Let's go! - Yes, sir.
Commander!
We got word that the white flag isn't up still.
Comrade.
Why are you hesitating?
Let's attack!
If you went against orders
to attack here, then do it!
What's holding you back!
How can we end the war before August 15th like this?
If they were soldiers, they'd already be dead.
You see them as soldiers?
No matter how young they are...
If they got guns, they're the enemy.
Comrade.
You've become loose and sluggish.
You hear me?
Bears get killed for their gall bladders.
People get killed cuz of their tongues.
What?
Comrade PARK Moo-rang.
Releasing an enemy without the party's command...
Could get you executed!
Yap one more word!
I'll send you back as a corpse!
Mother...
While changing into the long johns you packed for me...
I suddenly thought of the shroud for the dead.
Mother...
I could very well die today.
I don't think the countless enemies
will go and leave us be.
It's filled with useless crap!
Found it!
Set up a line of defense 1 km from the school.
Then wait for my command.
Don't fire.
Let's go.
It's heavy, man. Take it.
LET'S GO
INTO THE FIRE
If we die while fightin',
at least we won't be hungry no more.
Capt. KANG Seok-dae is on his way.
We just have to hold out for an hour.
Let's band together and fight!
- Fight! - Fight!
Capt. KANG asked us before.
Are student soldiers soldiers or not!
Student soldiers.
Are soldiers!
- Student soldiers! - Are soldiers!
Free the nation! Hurray for the North!
- Hurray! - Hurray!
Can we help, sir?
Drive!
Push!
Good job, comrades.
But where are you comrades headed?
It's done, Captain.
Fire.
- What's wrong? - I did it like they said.
Call and ask!
This is Cuckoo! Come in Nest!
Nest! Come in!
We did what you said, but the cannon won't fly out.
Sir?
Chang-woo!
Second chief!
They said, kick it.
Kick it, then!
Hey! Move!
Move!
Stop!
What was that?
Where're you shooting? Trying to kill us?
Do it right!
Don't worry. I'm a math whiz.
- Watch out! - Fire!
Commander!
Medics!
Fire!
They return mercy with bombs!
Damn bastards.
Fire!
Kill every one of 'em!
Rip off every one of their heads!
You said they're just students!
Not soldiers!
Then how can the kids shoot cannons!
Get down!
2nd platoon! Into the classrooms, now!
The proud vanguard of this war!
Yes, sir!
Let's report our victory to General KIM ll-sung!
Attack! Charge!
Fire!
2nd platoon!
Fire!
Won-hyuk!
Cuckoo! Come in! Cuckoo!
Cuckoo!
Come in! Cuckoo!
Cuckoo!
Die ya bastards!
Seung-kyu!
Nam-sik!
Get down! Everyone inside!
Get back!
Go in, now!
Throw it!
Get back, everyone!
OH Jang-beom!
It's not over yet!
You and me gotta finish our fight!
Gap-jo!
Catch!
Take in the weapons!
Follow me!
Hurry up!
The tanks! Hurry!
The tanks are here!
Tanks are here! Hurry!
Get down!
This way!
Go home.
You?
I got no one to go home to. They're all dead.
If I went to school,
Bet I would've done better than you.
You're not a student?
We were so damn spanking poor...
Never got to even go near a school.
But now...
Look at me.
I'm a student soldier.
You look good.
'Course you are a student.
Let's go!
Let's get 'em!
Look out!
Go.
You...
Fight way better than me.
You're brave!
Go! Hurry!
Go!
I put the weapons on the rooftop!
I'll be right up!
See ya there!
Hurry! Up!
Take the petrol bombs!
No!
Jang-beom!
Stop! Stop!
You!
Why ain't ya going home!
What about you!
Not going to school?
Not today!
Don't feel like it!
Comrade PARK Moo-rang!
Look! The enemy's backup troops are here!
You're a traitor!
Everyone retreat!
Hey, comrade!
I told you people get killed cuz of their tongues.
1st platoon!
Set up a line of defense!
Jang-beom! 7 o'clock!
Jang-beom! Load this!
Come, you bastards!
Hey, comrade!
I hoped to avoid
an adversity like this.
But wh at can we do.
You were born in South Korea.
And I was born in the North.
Your sufferings are over comrade OH Jang-beom.
You son a bitch!
I'm so sorry.
First you press power,
then set the frequency.
Then you turn the volume up to hear.
- What's this again? - The frequency.
No, it's the power!
Math whiz!
Come here!
- Thank you, sir. - Sure.
- You're in the way! - Sit down!
Ready?
One!
Two!
Three!
This story was based on
the 71 student soldiers who fought
in the battle at Pohang Girls
Middle School on August 11th, 1950.
The student soldiers
kept the North Koreans back for 11 hours.
They played a key role in the Korean
and allied forces' counterattacks.
They said not to shoot till we were given the orders.
But countless North Korean soldiers...
Charged in like a tidal wave.
Seeing that, we got scared and started shooting!
They seized everywhere up to Pohang Girls' Middle School.
Cannons flew in from behind.
They fired at us with machine guns up front.
They squeezed in on us.
They came up to 30meters.
Firing machine guns.
Throwing grenades.
Explosions went off all around
in a bloody battle.
It hurts more not to be with them.
I come here every year thinking about them.
My friends who went before me.
I wonder if I'll meet them in the afterlife.
I'm here thinking and talking about them.
But it hurts to know they're all gone.