The final and posthumous work of director Lee Man-hee, it is adapted from an original short story of the same name by Hwang Sok-yong.
With little money left and no work during winter, Roh Young-dal (Baek Il-seob), a young construction worker is at a loss where to go when he meets a middle-aged man named Jeong (Kim Jin-kyu) who is on his way back to his hometown.
After more than ten years' absence, he is homesick and dreams of his hometown, Sampo, where he can fish in the sea and tend his crops.
[1][4] Young-dal and Jeong meet Baek-hwa (Mun Suk), a runaway waitress at a restaurant in town and the three of them begin their journey together.
[5] In 2009, Korea Post issues The Road to Sampo as part of the third series of Korean film stamps, which also includes Yalkae, a Joker in High School, Never Ever Forget Me and Chilsu and Mansu.