Hyeong-jun and Woo-sik, who once traded insults and even fists, sit around a table sharing beef and radish soup with Hwa-jin, who used to scold them for such behavior. Enduring each day by collecting waste paper and selling vegetables in alleyways, they quickly understand each other′s circumstances without needing many words. After discovering warmth amidst financial hardship and loneliness, the three focus on savoring the meat. Their first ‘bad deed,’ committed in a daze, leads to a dine-and-dash adventure across all of Seoul. On the run, they slip away from being chased and regain a thrill reminiscent of lost youth. Within the lively energy of a lighthearted crime comedy, the film contemplates life and death while simultaneously shedding light on the real-world problems of elderly poverty and the blind spots of the social safety net. Above all, People and Meat is a story about friendship. It captures the moments when courage arises simply from not being alone, and portrays the friendship of three companions passing through a second youth at the end of their lives. The uninhibited energy of actors Park Keun-hyong, Jang Yong, and Ye Su-jeong express this ‘zestful’ lease on life in ways that are both cheerful and moving.
