在胡金铨的年表中，《忠烈图》似乎恰成分水岭，此后他对影片中武打场面的经营渐渐递减，开始强调更多形而上的思维。本片描述明朝一群忠义侠士，抵御倭寇入侵的故事，最精彩处在于胡导大量以「棋盘」布阵的创意，藉以比喻敌我双方的对峙。除了徐枫、白鹰等班底，片中还能看到洪金宝、元彪、元华这些后来的武打明星的年轻模样。

生活在贫民窟哈哈区的阿光每日靠打零工赚点小钱养活自己，一天在经过了繁忙而单调的工作后返回家中时，却发现整个哈哈区陷于一片火海中。从哈哈区逃出来的难民一时间居无定所，只得或投奔亲友，或露宿街头。知名富豪刁大绅来到哈哈区向穷人赊粥，一时间成为了各报刊头条新闻。

德国首都柏林，一起失败的军火交易使朝韩各方势力的对抗趋近白热化。朝鲜大使李学秀（李庆荣 饰）及间谍表宗盛（河正宇 饰）发现来自祖国的另一名冷血间谍董明秀（柳承范 饰）现身柏林，政权更迭让多年漂泊海外的他们心中充满不祥预感。在此期间，宗盛不得不遵照党的指示监视妻子——大使贴身翻译莲贞熙（全智贤 饰）的行踪。另一方面，在追查军火交易行动中遭受挫折的韩国情报机构负责人姜部长（韩石圭 饰）不甘失败，持续追查宗盛的踪迹。在大使叛逃计划失败后，宗盛得知董明秀来到柏林的真正目的。为了避免成为权力斗争的牺牲品和肃清对象，他只得带着妻子绝路逃亡……

Nothing really looks what it really is when you look from a distance and so is Jinwoo’s quiet life, far from the hectic, stressful city life, tucked away in the beauty of the Korean countryside, welcomed with open arms by a loving new “family” that has accepted, on their sheep ranch, him and Seol, his wonderful niece who he loves as if she were his own daughter.But when Park Kun-young's careful and precise direction begins to focus on the details of Jinwoo's existence, slowly revealing his restless soul, we gradually discover the complexity of the reasons that led to Jinwoo's extreme choice to retire in the countryside to live like a shepherd.The arrival at the ranch of Jinwoo’s longtime male friend from university, Hyunmin, upsets all balance. Moonkyeong, the ranch owner’s daughter, who has a crush on Jinwoo, accidentally discover the two men in bed and shortly afterwards Jinwoo’s twin sister, and Seol’s birth mother, shows up at the ranch after years of absence and silence and wants to take her daughter back to Seoul.The community of that small country place, which seemed kind and nice, slowly reveals their true colours and deep disapproval of the two men's relationship. The fragile sandcastle of happiness that Jinwoo has struggled to build is crumbling and the cold, harsh winter is upon him.Giovanna Fulvi