The Boys from Fengkuei

Ah-ching grows up in the island fishing village of Fengkuei where his father is disabled. He fools around with his friends Ah-rong, Kuo-zai, and Ah-yu, enjoying a carefree life by the sea. The island life shapes their close bond and appetite for mischief.

The friends cross paths with local gangsters, escalating tensions on the island. In a moment of recklessness, Ah-ching smashes a gangster's head with a brick, drawing police attention. They hide at Kuo-zai's uncle's sea-shore house in Neipo, but are eventually hauled to the police station.

With his brother bailing him out, Ah-ching decides he cannot stay in Fengkuei. He steals some money from home and heads to Kaohsiung with Ah-rong and Kuo-zai in search of work. The move marks a sharp shift from island life to the bustle of the port city.

In Kaohsiung, they rent a room on the island of Cijin with help from Ah-rong's sister. The city is vibrant but full of traps for young dreamers pushing for a better future. The trio tries to settle into an unfamiliar rhythm while they scout for opportunities.

Thanks to Huang Jin-he, who lives across from their room, Ah-ching and Kuo-zai land jobs at an electronics processing factory. The work provides a foothold in the city, but Ah-ching also develops a crush on Jin-he's girlfriend Hsiao-hsing, complicating friendships.

One day, Ah-rong's sister funds a fun outing for the trio, but they are duped into climbing an empty building to watch a porn film. The empty Kaohsiung skyline seen from above stirs Ah-ching to work harder and even start learning Japanese. The moment reframes his ambitions in the city.

Meanwhile, Jin-he is fired when the factory discovers he has been stealing materials. He decides to take a seaman job and go to sea, shifting his path away from Kaohsiung’s factories. The setback pushes the group to consider different futures.

Ah-ching grows worried about Hsiao-hsing’s heartbreak and friction tightens within the group. In a heated moment, Ah-ching pushes Ah-rong into the sea, signaling a deepening rift as city life strains their friendship. The incident foreshadows the fragility of their bonds.

Ah-ching receives news of his father's death and returns to Penghu to attend the funeral. Hsiao-hsing accompanies him to Fengkuei to visit Jin-he’s family, reconnecting with rural roots amid ongoing city pressures. The trip provides a brief emotional pause before the next chapter.

Back in Kaohsiung, Ah-rong sets up a stall in the market to sell pirated compact audio cassettes. The venture highlights the gritty, informal economy of the city and the siblings’ willingness to hustle for a living. It also mirrors the culture they bring with them from Penghu.

Hsiao-hsing receives a letter from Jin-he saying their ship broke down in Japan, and the company is returning seamen first. She decides to go to Taipei to join her sister, telling Ah-ching that she does not want to see Jin-he again. The news accelerates the group’s drift toward separation and new cities.

Depressed by the drift and the looming future, Ah-ching goes back to Ah-rong’s stall as news arrives that Kuo-zai will be drafted. A sale board bears the word 'military service,' and Ah-ching mutters a wry joke, realizing two days remain before Kuo-zai must report to Fengkuei. The moment captures the inevitability of enlistment and the uncertain path ahead.