Based on an enormous amount of materials about Korea’s liberation from Japan, this book shows the violence and the scars of the times when ideologies ruled society.

Jeju Island, captured by the post-emancipation ideologies 

After the colonization of Japan, Jeju islanders are confused by society changing so suddenly. People living in the land call them the Reds. However, it is not the extreme political ideologies, but the disappointing reality after the emancipation that makes rage and skepticism among the islanders. Therefore, young people in Gonji voluntarily participate in the People’s Commissar or Minhaechung(a group of young people under the South Korea Labor Party) and study Korean history, and they teach Korean to children in a hall. 

One of the young people, Kim Heonil lives with his considerate wife Inseon, and Bang Mansik who has been the Seu-tewoori(cowboy) in his house for a long time, and his brother Kim Jongil, who run a business ingratiatory to the police and military. There also stays Hong Seongsu, who went to Jeju for writing after dropping out of the school. Hong Seongsu feels the uncommon atmosphere after the police shot people during the 28th celebration of the Independence Movement Day(March 1st).      

People in the storm of the cruelty  

In the late era of the Japanese Empire, Bang Mansik is drafted on behalf of Kim Heonil, asked by   Kim’s father. At a coal mine, Bang and other workers and spend every day in violence and abuse by the Japanese manager Yoshimura. A month before the emancipation, there occurs an explosion in the mine, and Yoshimura orders Bang Mansik and his coworker Seokho to get in the mine. People who escaped barely from the gas outflow, kill Yoshimura with intolerable rage and run away. The emancipation finally comes, and on the way home at the port of Hakata, Bang Mansik feels excitement hearing the stories of people hoping for a revolution. However, the world that he confronts is quite different from the expectation. Bang Mansik gets tortured by the police without any reason and escaping there with the help of Kim Heonil he seeks for the revolution of Jeju. 

There stand up voices denouncing Kim Jongil who appears in the town with the notorious Northwest Young Men’s Association and executive police from the land. Kim Heonil feels dissatisfied with his brother, but after Han Seokhee who is carrying Kim Jongil’s child comes home, he dreams of a peaceful life with the whole family members.

Feeling threatened by the riots arising everywhere in Jeju, Kim Jongil tries to flee with his wife and child, but he and his brother were hijacked by the strange men with charcoal-painted faces. Beating and taking them away, the men disappear with only Kim Jongil but leave Kim Heonil.

Meanwhile, Hong Seongsu falls in love with Kwon Yusun who lives in Jeju with her parents-in-law waiting for her husband who leaves no news after the draft. Hong Seongsu looks for ways to go to Seoul with her and faces Jeju people who were taken to the police as the rioters.   

The destiny of people pushed by the ruthless history 

There was Bang Mansik among those who hijacked Kim Jonngil. He gets an order from the party to kill Kim Jongil who plays an agent of the Northwest Young Men’s Association. As a neighbor and the brother of his friend, he cannot ignore the past growing with him and finally sends him back. 

The chief secretary of the Northwest Young Men’s Association detains people in town especially the young who joined the People’s Commissar or Minhaechung as an excuse to find Kim Jongil. He suggests Kim Heonil enter the Police School to avenge his brother. These are all for attaining results to show to the power and possessing the property of Kim Jongil. One day, the chief secretary is asked for help from Kim Jongil but makes an order to kill him in secret. 

Hong Seongsu gets a call from his family to come to Seoul worrying about the insecure circumstances in Jeju, but he cannot leave Kwon Yusun alone. He stiffens his resolve to bring her to Seoul after seeing a student get tortured to death or a group of villagers is shot to death.

During the authorities’ operation arresting the minor groups under the South Labor Party, a paper of instruction is found among the goods coming to the hat shops and drugstores. After fleeing from the hijackers Kim Heonil who has stayed in the drugstore preparing for an escape to Japan gets arrested with the owner of the drugstore. He is tortured at the Jeju agricultural school. He knows the chief secretary is assaulting him for the dollars of his brother, but for the safety of his family and himself, he promises to enter the Police School and gets released.  

Red Island of April, lost family, love, and dream  

The U.S. military rule and the government Lee Seungman make operation of purging in the army after the riots of the regiments in Yeosu, Suncheon, and Daegu. They enact the National Security Law and declare martial law on Jeju. A suppression is in full swing and the guards and the combat police surge from the land. They consider all the middle mountainous areas over 5 kilometers away from the coast as a red region and burn, and the villagers are killed or move to coast. The communist organization lose power as the democracy national front and the executive escape to North Korea or get killed.        

Bang Mansik prepares for the military operation with the death squad, armed squad, and rearguard units. Kim Heonil enters in an ambush for subduing the red guerrillas. Grabbing guns to survive, they tragically meet again in the middle of the uncomprehended storm. At a moment when Kim Heonil turns back not to kill Bang Mansik, a gun bangs and Bang kills himself. 

Every house in Gonji is enveloped in flames. Black smoke arises everywhere and women and children lament miserably. The police tie young people including Hong Seongsu and take to the gravel field. Kwon Yusoon is in panic finding Hong Seongsu there but he cannot help but blame the world. The police stand in a row and a blaze of fire comes from their muzzles. Shot on his heart Hong Seongsu dies and the wail of people echoes over the Jeju sea.