(Full Synopsis)

Set between 1938 and the early 1940s under Japanese colonial rule, the musical unfolds across Korea and Japan, where poet Yun Dong-ju struggles to preserve his identity, language, and artistic voice in a time of oppression.

In 1938, as Japan enforces total mobilization policies across Korea, Yun Dong-ju arrives in Seoul from Bukgando with his cousin and close friend Song Mong-gyu. At Yonhui College, he studies under linguist Choi Hyeon-bae and forms bonds with fellow students while deepening his understanding of Korean language and culture.

Writing poetry under the moonlight, Yun Dong-ju seeks to establish his own literary voice. However, as the political situation worsens, he gradually loses many aspects of his life—his teachers, friends, native language, name, and even his faith.

Caught between his desire to write and the harsh reality surrounding him, he repeatedly abandons and returns to poetry, struggling with guilt and helplessness. In 1942, driven by a desire to pursue deeper literary study, he travels to Japan with Song Mong-gyu.

The musical follows his emotional and intellectual journey as he confronts the limitations of poetry in the face of violence, ultimately affirming the enduring power of words even in the darkest times.