War of the Arrows
Year: 2011
Runtime: 122 mins
Language: Korean
Director: Kim Han-min
After their father's death, two siblings are brought up by his trusted friend. When the sister is abducted on the eve of her wedding, her brother takes up arms, leading a daring resistance against the invading Manchu forces, marking the birth of a heroic legend.
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War of the Arrows (2011) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained
Read the complete plot breakdown of War of the Arrows (2011), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
Nam-yi Park Hae-il and his sister Ja-in Moon Chae-won grow up on the run after a perilous escape from King Injo’s guards. Their father, Choi Pyeong-ryung, a skilled archer and loyal officer of King Gwanghae, fights to shield them and sends them toward safety with his longtime ally Kim Mu-seon Lee Kyung-young. As they flee, Ja-in begs Nam-yi to turn back, but tragedy strikes when their father is killed right before Nam-yi’s eyes. Nam-yi, though scarred by dog bites, refuses to give up and escapes with Ja-in into the unknown.
Thirteen years pass, and Nam-yi has become a seasoned hunter and archer, leading a small band that includes Gang-du, Gab-yong Lee Han-wi, and Seo-goon Kim Moo-yul. Seo-goon reveals that he and Ja-in intend to marry, with Kim Mu-seon’s blessing. The quiet life is shattered when Manchu forces threaten the wedding, forcing Nam-yi to rush back to the village. There, he discovers that his foster father has been slain and Ja-in has been taken away. Determined to rescue his sister, Nam-yi sets out across dangerous terrain to find the Qing army and reclaim Ja-in, who is believed to have been taken to the camp of Manchu prince Dorgon Park Ki-woong.
The pursuit intensifies as the Qing royal guard, led by Jyu Shin-ta Ryu Seung-ryong, closes in on Nam-yi. Seo-goon and the others are captured and forced to march toward Manchuria, but Seo-goon and Nam-yi manage a defiant stand just long enough for Ja-in to be found alive. In a bold strike, Nam-yi captures the Manchu prince, douses him with alcohol, and uses him as leverage to secure a window for Ja-in and Seo-goon to escape. He then sets the prince’s tent ablaze, throwing the camp into chaos and buying precious time for his companions. Jyu Shin-ta arrives at daybreak to confront the chaos and pursue Nam-yi across rugged terrain.
Two loyal comrades, Gab-yong [Lee Han-wi] and Gang-du, sacrifice themselves to slow the pursuers and give Nam-yi a chance to slip away. At a perilous gorge, Nam-yi makes a daring leap and wards off several attackers, killing a few of them but missing the chance to finish Jyu Shin-ta. The chase continues, with Seo-goon and Ja-in intercepted by a pair of manhunters who are swiftly killed. Wounded in the arm, Nam-yi draws a cunning plan, luring a tiger to strike at his pursuers and buying more time for the escape.
As Nam-yi narrows his lead, he anticipates Jyu Shin-ta’s position and improvises a final ambush. Yet a last-minute act of mercy from one of Jyu Shin-ta’s men saves the warlord, turning the tide and forcing Nam-yi to retreat once more. Believing the danger is past, Nam-yi heads to the rendezvous hut to reunite with Ja-in, only to witness Ja-in’s fear as she spots Jyu Shin-ta aiming at Nam-yi from a cliff. In a desperate gambit, Ja-in shoots the horse to topple Nam-yi, sending him plunging to the ground.
Facing off in a tense stand, Nam-yi’s arrow barely grazes Ja-in’s dress, but Jyu Shin-ta’s shot finds its mark in Nam-yi’s heart. As he lies dying, Nam-yi urges Ja-in to return to their old home in Hanyang. Ja-in wraps him in her arms and places him in a boat, while Seo-goon helps them cross the river back toward their homeland. In the end, the two lovers—bound by duty, sacrifice, and a hard-won love—face a future where memory and homeward longing push them toward a difficult, hopeful reunion.
Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 10:35
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Characters, Settings & Themes in War of the Arrows
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