Joo Sang-ho

A barren noblewoman encourages her husband to take a young peasant as a surrogate to secure the male line.

Despite its falling popularity, a father teaches his two children the Korean musical tradition of Pansori (one singer accompanied by one drummer).

In Japanese-occupied South Korea, a young man, newly-released from prison, is accepted into a gang for his fighting skills and quickly rises to the top. Based on the life of South Korean mobster and politician Kim Du-han.

Kang-wook, a law student at Seoul National University, finds himself in a tight spot financially after losing contact with his family in North Korea. He sells his own blood at a hospital to make ends meet, and there he meets and grows close to nurse Jin-young. As Kang-wook faces financial difficulties, Ki-yong, a son of a landlord's agent, appears and tricks Kang-wook into joining left-wing activities. Ki-yong's true identity is revealed by Yoon-ae, a friend from hometown, leading to his arrest. Meanwhile, Kang-wook and Jin-young marry with the blessings of Professor Park and their friends, while Kang-wook's friend Do-hyeon struggles to hide his feelings for Jin-young. Their sweet days together come to an end with the outbreak of the Korean War, separating them. Jin-young, unable to wait for Kang-wook any longer, decides to flee the war with Do-hyeon. Kang-wook, hiding at Yoon-ae's house, is eventually arrested by Ki-yong and the leftists, who had been freed from prison.

Following the final events of General's Son 2, Kim Du-han is forced to go on the lam but eventually returns to Jongro where he attempts to rebuild his gang with the brothers that are still alive and loyal and defeat Hayashi's Yakuzas once and for all.

Ha Dong, Kyung Nam Province in 1890. Choi Chi-Su's family is a grand land lord of the region from generation to generation. His mother Mrs. Yoon gives birth to another son Hwan after she was raped by Kim Gae-Ju when he is 10 years old. Later Hwan becomes a servant of Choi family but he falls in love with Chi-Su's wife and they flee by night. Meanwhile after a reign of 40 years of King Ko Jong, cholera prevails all over the country and years of famine follows it. While people suffer from natural disasters and diseases, one of Chi-Su's maternal relative Cho Jun-Ku and his wife make a plot to take Choi family's enormous wealth and strengthen the foundation for his status. In this chaos some villagers and Seo-Hee, Chi-Su's daughter leave their village for Buk Kan Do.

Upon being released from prison, Kim Du-han begins rebuilding his street gang in the face of Hayashi's Yakuzas and increasing Japanese influence.