Toshiyuki Umino and his wife Chiyoko were born and raised in Japanese-occupied Busan. After the war, they endeavor to make mentaiko in their homeland.

The Uminos own a grocery store named Fukunoya in Nakasu. Toshiyuki buys a popsicle machine for business, but abruptly abandons the idea altogether.

Toshiyuki is at a loss after giving up the popsicle idea. He recalls the taste of mentai at the Choryang Market in Busan and tries to recreate it.

The manager of a famous Chinese restaurant wants to make a deal with Fukunoya. Meanwhile, Chiyoko bumps into an old friend from her school days.

Chiyoko’s classmate from her Busan days tries a taste of the mentaiko and spits it out. Toshiyuki starts working even harder to perfect his mentai.

Toshiyuki is just about to give up on making mentai when something reignites his passion again. There is talk of reviving the Yamakasa festival.

Toshiyuki feels dejected when no one buys the homemade mentai he starts to sell. The store sales money vanishes just as finances are running low.

Toshiyuki struggles to produce satisfactory mentai. Meanwhile, a promise is made to treat the local gang leader to some delicious mentai.

Toshiyuki sees the wife of a former soldier. He is moved when she gives him jellied sweets from her husband’s shop, and offers some mentai in return.

Chiyoko starts working with Michie, a woman Toshiyuki brought over from the cabaret. A product very similar to the Fukunoya mentaiko is found.

Toshiyuki catches a man who snuck into his place to copy his mentaiko. Happy to know that he likes his product, Toshiyuki shows him how to make them.

Toshiyuki thinks of a way to make an employee who likes Michie to pose as her fiancé when her stubborn father pushes her to find a marriage partner.

Toshiyuki introduces Michie’s fake fiancé to her father, but her father sternly disapproves without giving him a chance to have any say in the matter.

Toshiyuki’s mentaiko sales are going well. A worker that’s been with Fukunoya from the start wants to gain independence, but Toshiyuki won’t allow it.

Toshiyuki may turn down a huge mentaiko order to avoid compromising its freshness. Chiyoko searches all over town for a refrigerated warehouse.

The Shinkansen connects to Hakata Station in 1975. Fukunoya has grown and is about to move to a new facility. The Uminos get invited to visit Busan.

The Uminos are reminded of the war during their visit to Busan. Something mysterious happens when they visit the Choryang Market where they first met.