Miracle in Cell No. 7

During 1997, Yong-gu and Ye-seung glimpse a Sailor Moon backpack through a storefront window. Yong-gu rushes to buy it, but is blocked by the police commissioner and his daughter, a moment charged with confusion and tension. That encounter becomes the seed for a tragedy that reshapes both of their lives.

That same moment spirals into chaos as a bystander’s misinterpretation leads to Yong-gu’s arrest for rape and murder. The girl’s death on an icy market floor is blamed on him, despite his desperate attempts to help. The accusation tears Yong-gu away from Ye-seung and lands him in prison.

Yong-gu is confined in Room 7, sharing a cramped cell with five inmates who doubt him because of the crime and his disability. The initial mistrust gives way to a fragile bond as Yong-gu proves his humanity in small, courageous acts. The cell becomes the unlikely cradle of a possible innocence that Ye-seung clings to.

During his time in Room 7, Yong-gu saves fellow inmate So Yang-ho from a deadly rival attack, earning his trust and respect. Yang-ho promises to repay the favor in any way he can, deepening a bond that will influence Ye-seung’s perspective on her father. The inmate circle begins to see Yong-gu beyond the crime report.

Ye-seung is allowed access to Yong-gu’s world when the inmates host a choir performance. She sees Yong-gu through the warmth of shared songs and stories rather than through the conviction papers. The warden starts to recognize Yong-gu’s innocence as hope grows among them.

The warden’s view of Yong-gu shifts after he saves the warden from an arson attempt, proving his bravery beyond the crime. Inmates and guards begin treating him as someone capable of more than the allegations against him. This act fuels Ye-seung’s belief in her father’s possible innocence.

With the inmates’ support, the warden allows Ye-seung to visit after school on a regular basis, weaving a thread of family longing through Yong-gu’s life. These visits keep hope alive for both the girl and her father. The relationship between Ye-seung and Yong-gu grows beyond the confines of the prison walls.

Before the mock trial, the Room 7 inmates train Yong-gu to answer tough prosecutors’ questions, teaching him how to navigate a courtroom. He becomes increasingly composed, surprising judges and guards with his poise. The training plants the first seeds of the possibility that the truth might prevail.

A violent blow from the police commissioner shatters the sense of safety Yong-gu had earned. To protect Ye-seung, he lies, claiming he killed the commissioner’s daughter, a false confession that leads to a death sentence. The lie sets a countdown toward execution and deepens the tragedy surrounding their lives.

In a bid for freedom, the inmates secretly construct a plan around a hot air balloon during a prison concert. Yong-gu and Ye-seung ride the balloon toward safety while guards are distracted. The escape nearly succeeds, but the rope catches on barbed wire, ending their flight and sealing a painful memory.

On the day Yong-gu’s execution is scheduled, the inmates mark Ye-seung’s birthday with a quiet, bittersweet farewell. The attempt to save him fails in the moment, but the bond between father and daughter remains unwavering in memory. The event casts a long shadow over all involved, even as the fate plays out.

Sixteen years later, a mock trial reopens Yong-gu’s case and a judge overturns the original verdict, granting a posthumous acquittal and ordering the case to be reopened. The decision brings a spark of justice and closure to Ye-seung, the surviving inmates, and the warden. The final memory of the hot air balloon drifting away lingers as a symbol that truth and love can outlive tragedy.