Tree of Wailing

The Wailing Tree is a powerful story set in 1920s Japanese-occupied Korea and China, tracing the trials of a family caught in the tide of history and the fight for independence. Kim Jeong-guk, owner of a rice mill, is betrayed by his corrupt Japanese partner and forced to join the Korean independence movement, leaving his family behind. Six years later, his wife Jeong Sun-rye and their three children track him to a remote inn in Beijing. Yet poverty and hardship soon tear the family apart. Their eldest son, Yeong-il, endures his mother's resentment and relentless abuse from the Japanese, including having the word "thief" cruelly burned onto his forehead. Despite these challenges, Yeong-il struggles to keep his family alive and grows into a strong young man through trials of violence, imprisonment, and revenge. After a tragic reunion with his father, who has suffered unimaginable torture and loss, Yeong-il faces a harsh new reality in liberated Korea, where freedom is shadowed by suspicion, brutality, and betrayal. The Wailing Tree is a poignant tale of sacrifice, resilience, and the unyielding spirit of those who fight for justice in the face of oppression.