A Dirty Carnival

Under pressure to save his family from eviction, Byung-doo secretly subverts his boss and accepts a job from President Hwang to kill Attorney Park. He completes the hit and, beyond the money, gains respect and a seat at Hwang's side.

With the hit done, Byung-doo earns President Hwang's trust and a place close to power. They vow to keep the act secret to protect the organization from exposure.

Byung-doo reconnects with his elementary school friend Min-ho, who is now a filmmaker. Min-ho wants to interview him to inject authenticity into his gangster project, and he also reconnects with Hyun-joo, Byung-doo's former love.

Min-ho's project keeps getting shut down by higher-ups who deem it fake. The interview with Byung-doo becomes a crucial source of realism, while Hyun-joo's reappearance adds fragile tenderness to Byung-doo's life.

The renewed connection with Hyun-joo creates emotional tension as Byung-doo wrestles with his violent life. Min-ho tries to anchor him with friendship and honesty.

Sang-chul senses his grip on power slipping and schemes a counterstrike against Byung-doo. The plan is meant to destabilize him and protect the gang’s hierarchy.

Byung-doo learns of the counterstrike and acts first, stabbing Sang-chul to death. The murder helps safeguard his position and the fragile balance within the organization.

The killings wear on Byung-doo emotionally, and his brutality begins to alienate Hyun-joo. Min-ho's steady friendship tries to offer some anchor amid the violence.

Min-ho becomes a dangerous witness, and Byung-doo confronts the truth of his past. He confesses the Park hit and Sang-chul murder, triggering the mob’s tightening grip as police interest grows.

An attempt to arrest Byung-doo ends in failure, and he resolves that the only escape is to silence Min-ho and flee the country. The director's rising fame makes an exit seem possible.

The plan to kill Min-ho accelerates at the director's after-party. Min-ho narrowly escapes outside, but Byung-doo's underlings trap him; Jong-soo betrays the group, intensifying the ambush.

The action shifts to a tense meeting between President Hwang and Min-ho, where Hwang emphasizes that fiction should remain fiction. Jong-soo joins the gathering, signaling a continuation of the power struggle.

On the film set, Byung-doo offers a final word of guidance to Min-ho, encouraging him to make something with a real gangster spirit. The closing image emphasizes the cycle of loyalty, violence, and ambition that binds these lives.