Spirits’ Homecoming

In 1943, Jung-min (14) and Young-hee (16) are forcibly seized by Japanese soldiers from their homes in Korea. They are given minutes to say goodbye before being packed into wagons and shipped to Manchuria to serve as comfort women. The girls are torn from their families and placed into a future of coercive exploitation.

Soldiers move the girls in livestock wagons toward Manchuria, where they will be kept as comfort women for the Imperial Army. The journey is brutal, with cramped spaces, hunger, and fear shaping every mile. They arrive under drab, guarded conditions that erase their identities.

Inside a tiny room of a brothel, the girls are kept under lock and watch. A continuous stream of soldiers visits, each session lasting only about ten minutes. They are forced to stay silent, and any resistance is punished.

One soldier shows Jung-min unexpected kindness and gives her a map. The gesture offers a rare thread of humanity and hints at possible escape routes. The map becomes a fragile symbol of hope amid brutality.

Jung-min, Young-hee, and four others begin planning their escape from the brothel. They study routes, times, and hiding places, hoping to seize their freedom. The plan is risky and born of desperation.

During the escape attempt, one girl disappears into the dark and cannot be found. The remaining escapees are hunted and punished by soldiers who break their spirits. The group faces tragedy and a harsher resolve to survive.

From a hidden vantage point, Jung-min and Young-hee watch the night unfold and decide to return so the others won’t be killed. They risk discovery to guide and protect their companions. Their choice marks a turning point from flight to resolve.

The soldiers torture the women through the night. In the morning, the escapees and several injured women are forced into a truck, promised medical care but killed and burned by the troops. The horrific act confirms the brutality of their captivity.

As China and the Soviet Union mount counterattacks, the Japanese decide to exterminate the remaining comfort women and incinerate the corpses. Jung-min gives Young-hee her talisman and urges caution, but the arrival of Korean guerrillas changes the odds. The guerrillas rescue the girls and lead them to safety.

In the ensuing chaos, a wounded Japanese soldier tries to kill the girls with a sword. The guerrillas shoot the attacker and guide the girls away, but the soldier's final shot mortally wounds Jung-min. Young-hee escapes with the others, haunted by the loss.

Young-hee survives the ordeal and makes it back to Korea, where she eventually leads a long life. The years heal slowly, but memories of what she endured never fully fade. Her resilience shapes the rest of her life.

In present-day, an elderly former comfort woman sews talismans for sale and struggles to forget the past. She begins to consider telling her story publicly, despite fear and stigma. Her resolve marks the start of a broader reckoning.

She befriends a shaman's young disciple, a medium who can channel the spirits of the dead. The disciple asks to call her 'Grandmother' as they travel to her hometown. The journey deepens their bond and connects past and present.

The disciple channels Jung-min’s spirit, letting the living witness the memories of the past. A homecoming ritual honors the spirits of comfort women killed by the Japanese. Jung-min’s spirit returns to her parents’ house and the family shares a simple feast.