In the Shadow of the Spring

After graduating from high school, Cha-Hui fled her hometown of Cheongna, desperate to leave her past behind. Now, circumstances beyond her control force her to return to the very place she tried so hard to escape. Confronted once again by the harsh realities of her family's deep poverty and relentless misfortunes, she finds herself drowning under the weight of a life she thought she had outgrown. The suffocating environment threatens to pull her under just as she is struggling to keep her footing. Complicating her fragile situation is the unexpected reappearance of U-Kyeong, her first love and former boyfriend. Despite being the one who shattered his heart when she left, Cha-Hui discovers that his feelings for her have never faded. He persistently reinserts himself into her daily life, offering relentless flirtation that chips away at her resolve and leaves her emotionally unsteady. Torn between the heavy burden of her reality and the intoxicating warmth of his affection, she is forced to navigate an impossible emotional landscape. Ultimately, this is the poignant story of a heartbreaking first love—a profound connection that Cha-Hui knows she has no choice but to walk away from.