Introduction (2022) Plot Summary Explained

Youngho visits his father's clinic not for a medical appointment but to make a personal request. The exact nature of this request isn't specified in the summary, but it's implied to be related to his desire to reconcile with his estranged father or ask for something significant.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes establish that Youngho and his father are estranged, making this visit a pivotal attempt at reconnection.

• youngho
• father
• clinic
• reconciliation
• estranged

Ki Joobong, a famous actor and friend of Youngho's mother, drops by the clinic unexpectedly. His presence interrupts Youngho's planned meeting with his father. The actor had a past connection to Youngho's father, and his visit seems to delay or complicate Youngho's attempt to see his father.

Foreshadowing: This encounter plants the seed for Youngho's own interest in acting, as the famous actor's presence briefly intersects with his life.

• ki joobong
• actor
• clinic
• visit
• connection

Youngho hopes to borrow money from his father to study in Germany with his girlfriend Juwon. This represents his aspiration for a new chapter and future together, but his father either refuses or is unable to provide the financial support.

Foreshadowing: Juwon traveling to Berlin to study fashion establishes the shared dream that motivates Youngho's request.

• youngho
• money
• father
• study
• germany
• juwon

Ki Joobong was acquainted with Youngho's estranged doctor father. During the dinner at the seaside restaurant, the actor recalls their past relationship, revealing a hidden history that ties the characters together across different generations.

Foreshadowing: The opening scene at the clinic hinted at this connection when the actor's unexpected visit postponed Youngho's meeting with his father.

• ki joobong
• father
• connection
• actor
• doctor

The dinner conversation escalates into a heated argument when the topic of Youngho's decision to leave acting comes up. Youngho's mother had arranged the meeting with Ki Joobong, and the dispute reveals tensions between family expectations and Youngho's personal choices about his career.

Foreshadowing: The opening scene established that Ki Joobong's presence in Youngho's life seeded his interest in acting, making this dispute a poignant reversal of his earlier aspirations.

• youngho
• acting
• dispute
• family
• career

After the dinner dispute, Youngho experiences an imagined encounter with Juwon on the beach. This moment blurs the line between memory, desire, and fantasy, representing his longing for connection and the path not taken. The scene suggests either a dream, a memory, or a projection of what he wishes had happened.

Foreshadowing: Juwon was in Berlin pursuing her own studies while Youngho remained in Korea, creating physical and emotional distance that fuels this vision.

• youngho
• juwon
• beach
• imagined
• encounter
• dream

After waking from the imagined encounter and returning to the car, Youngho chooses to swim in the sea. This act appears to be a moment of physical and emotional release, allowing him to process his feelings about Juwon, his father, and the choices ahead. The swimming suggests a cleansing or a new direction.

Foreshadowing: The beach scene before this established his emotional state through the imagined encounter with Juwon, making the swim a continuation of that internal processing.

• youngho
• swim
• sea
• beach
• release
• ending

Youngho and Juwon are in a long-distance relationship. Juwon travels to Berlin to study fashion while Youngho remains in Korea. She visits him before leaving, and he dreams of her during the beach scene. The relationship exists as a motivating force for his future plans but remains strained by distance and unresolved family issues.

Foreshadowing: The opening scene shows Youngho seeing off his girlfriend, establishing their relationship dynamic early.

• youngho
• juwon
• relationship
• germany
• long-distance