A farmer sells his land to go to Seoul and become a rickshaw driver. When his wife is hospitalized, he attempts to steal money to pay for her surgery. He is caught and placed in prison. Upon his release he finds his wife is living with another man. Disgusted with Seoul, he takes his daughter and returns to his hometown. He buys a ferry to shuttle people across the river. However, he eventually loses his job when a bridge is built. He is struck by a train while attempting to destroy the bridge and his daughter dies in a house fire leaving the now unowned boat at the bank of the river