When she catches a news story on TV, Chitose "Chiko" Kobayashi is reminded of her childhood growing up in Japanese-occupied Korea. Filled with precious memories of her younger sister and her first days of school, as well as bitter memories of World War II and her family's daring escape from Russian-occupied North Korea, her childhood truly encapsulates a changing era. Yet, despite her struggles, as she remembers all of those that touched her life, Chiko realizes that she is lucky in many ways.