Soon-Hee, a precocious twelve-year-old girl living on the border of North Korea and China, has spent her entire life fantasizing about the city lights across the Yalu river. While she dreams of a brighter future, her father, Chul-Soo, focuses on building their lives at home, understanding the deadly consequences of betraying their nation and will do anything to protect his daughter. When Soon-Hee is presented with a chance to escape the hardships of North Korea, she must confront her loving father whose patriotism is seemingly unshakable.