"I always thought I knew what I wanted, but the harder I tried, the greater my misery and suffering."
Act II: Euri (Honor) - Synopsis
Part II opens with the wedding of Ed-K and Minji. Unable to seize the moment, Tae loses her to Ed-K. Ed-K cannot deny his nature of being a man who appreciates the conquest of a beautiful woman. He takes it upon himself the burden of loving all the woman in the world. Tae is also burdened, but one which is of a more serious nature. He is burdened with the responsibilities of being a Hyung and lives by the creed of not ever allowing a woman to come between the brotherhood. For this reason, he reluctantly steps down, wishing a happy life for both Ed-K and Minji. However, Tae is a man who cannot dismiss his love so easily. Understanding that love and trust are things, which must be given, he continues to love her from a distance like the first time he fell in love with her. Later Tae discovers the reason for such a quick marriage. Minji was pregnant with a child, a daughter. She has the baby who very much resembles Minji, her mother. Ed-K was not ready for such responsibilities of being not only a husband, but also a father.
Tae and Ed-K with the help of Young, who has already gained some wealth as an established businessman, start a trucking business, T.E.Y Trucking Company. They work out of San Pedro, trucking containers all over Southern California. They are hard workers and the business grows rapidly. As they become more successful, they pay back to their community by helping some non-profit organizations such as Sarang Jip (Love House), which helps young Korean Americans by offering counseling, housing, and support to those people with problems of drugs abuse, sexual abuse, and other social problems. Tae, Ed-K, and Young become well liked and respected by the community. With the support of the Korea Town business community, their trucking business expands to a national level. Now they are trucking goods all over the United States. This rouses the attention of the Teamsters as T.E.Y hires primarily Koreans. Furthermore, they are cutting into the market, which was primarily controlled by the Mafia and the Japanese Yakuza. They try to get rid of them by ambushing them at the heart of K-Town. A fierce gunfight ensues, but Tae, Ed-K, and Young escape with no harm.
Meanwhile, Ed-K and Minji are having marital problems, which was inevitable. Ed-K senses that Minji has not given all of her heart to him and lets out his frustration by having affairs with other women. During this time, Minji consoles with Tae and they become closer. Minji senses the hidden love they have for each other. It is an intense love, a love of soul mates. Ed-K starts to realize that Minji’s feeling for Tae is growing stronger, no matter how hard he tries to win her over. Ed-K begins to doubt Minji as well as his loyalty to Tae. Ed-K feels more and more like he is in second place, both at home and at work. His resentment for Tae builds and Young seizes the opportunity.
Young approaches Ed-K for a business venture on the side, which deals with insurance fraud. Understated, it is a little shady and something Tae would definitely disapprove. Young convinces Ed-K and they make a deal with the Mafia and the Yakuza. The crippled Yakuza in Part I, Satoji, appears and discovers that his boss is dealing with the guys who crippled him. Later, the Yakuza Boss demands that Ed-K resolve the problem in order for them to continue business. Ed-K is torn, yet his resentment toward Tae is overwhelming and decides to set up Tae to be taken down.
With all this happening behind Tae’s back, Tae has another matter he must face. Tae’s father, the Grandmaster has passed away, but before his death, he visits Tae in his office while Tae is away. The Father places the medallion, which Tae gave up in Part I, on his chair. Much later, Tae returns to discover that his father was there and rushes over to see him. The father has passed away and the students and the mother are in mourning. Tae performs a traditional Korean funeral where the eldest son must clean and robe his father. For the first time, Tae breaks down and sheds tears like a monsoon. After the funeral, Ed-K asks him to come to a meeting for a Japanese company who wants to do business with them. Tae ignores him and conducts his affairs with the attendants of the funeral.
Ed-K returns home one day to find Minji gone with only a note saying that she has left back to Korea, to her hometown. Ed-K is angry, but suppresses his anger and readies for the meeting.
Tae knows what he is getting into, but continues to demonstrate trust to Ed-K, hoping he will do the right thing. The meeting is held at an outdoor restaurant. Ed-K notices the sniper who is on top of the building across the street, but tries to remain calm. Ed-K contemplates his actions and reflects back to all that has happened. Finally, the sniper prepares to fire the fatal shot, which will end Tae’s life. Tae, knowing very well what is happening, does not even attempt to avoid it. Ed-K cannot go through with it and jumps in front of Tae, taking the bullet. Tae escapes with Ed-K in the car, with Young at the wheel. Ed-K dies on the drive to the hospital, but before he does, he asks one dying wish to Tae. Ed-K asks Tae to take care of Minji and his daughter.
Tae prepares to avenge his brother’s death. First, he executes Young and Satoji. Then, he attacks the Yakuza Boss at their office. Tae is relentless and destroys the entire group with guns and his bare hands. He strategically sets up the crime scene as though the Mafia are the ones responsible, just another result of a gang war.