In an apartment building by the Han River live high school teacher Kwak Seung-yeop, Ma Geum-ja, who survives through prostitution, and painter Jang Hyun-wook with his wife Han Ok-geum, who runs a toy store. Seung-yeop, Hyun-wook, and Geum-ja are drinking buddies who confide in each other, and Geum-ja is deeply attached to Hyun-wook. Meanwhile, a pigeon belonging to Oh Eun-ju, the mistress of a Japanese man living in the building across the street, flies into Seung-yeop's apartment, bringing the two closer. Due to the schemes of a real estate agent, Geum-ja's rent is raised, and Ok-geum's toy store suffers a major blow from the intrigues of a beauty salon owner. After an argument over Hyun-wook's artistic failure, he and Geum-ja have an affair, and that night, Hyun-wook throws himself into the Han River. When Geum-ja prepares to leave the apartment, Ok-geum liquidates her assets to give to her and then follows her husband in death. Seung-yeop goes to find Eun-ju, but discovers she has become a nun at Song-am Temple, leading him to leave the apartment building as well.