Ryoo Seung-wan’s early masterpiece delivers a one-two punch of rage and redemption. Former silver medalist boxer Kang Tae-shik (Oldboy star Choi Min-sik) sells himself as a human punching bag on the streets of Seoul to keep his marriage together and loan sharks at bay. Young ex-con Yoo Sang-hwan wreaks havoc around town until he discovers boxing as the perfect vent for his aggression. The two desperate men's paths cross when an amateur boxing competition offers a large cash prize. Ryoo dealt the boxing genre the ultimate uppercut, pitting underdog against underdog. Everyone’s a loser, because life is the ultimage rigged match.