This was director Kim Dal-joong's feature film debut; he had previously directed stage musicals.

[1][2][3] Pacemaker received three nominations at the 49th Grand Bell Awards (Best Actor, Best New Director, and Best New Actress).

Joo Man-ho, a boy from an impoverished family, has a talent for long-distance running but always finishes second place in a race — on purpose, in order to win the box of instant noodles given to runners-up.

He grows up to become a national marathoner, but because of an injury, he never becomes a premier athlete and instead hold himself back as he did in his childhood.

He is relegated to the role of "pacemaker" – someone who runs alongside the star athletes for three-quarters of the marathon (30 of 42.195 kilometers), making sure they stay on winning pace, but then letting them finish the race alone.