A Returned Man

Park Nam-ho works at a Japanese pharmaceutical company and lives happily with his wife, Gyeong-hui, in a house filled with beautiful white roses. Not long after hearing the wonderful news that his wife is pregnant, Park Nam-ho is drafted into the war in the Pacific. Posted in the Gwandong army, he survives the battle, though his face is burned. Back home, Gyeong-hui receives a telegram stating that her husband is dead. When she gives birth to their son, Cheol-soo, she goes to live in Seoul. When Nam-woo comes back to the country, he doesn't go to his wife, but rather goes to live in his hometown. On his way home, he encounters a child whose mother is dead, and takes her in as his own daughter.

Directed by Kim Soo-yong, A Returned Man leans on a strong ensemble — Choi Eun-hee, Kim Jin-kyu, Um Aing-ran — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1960.