In this work, the smoldering hatred of the Korean War period resurfaces decades later in the form of a ruthless quest for justice. The main character, a successful Seoul businessman, has a secret past: unknown to his wife and son, he once led another life under another name as a ruthless communist partisan. After a lifelong search, the son of one of his wartime victims discovers his true identity, then proceeds calmly and deliberately to exact a terrible revenge.

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Playing with Fire is densely layered with symbolism throughout. Each character's name and each place name reveals a range of possible meanings too complex to summarize here. While this penchant for symbolism might seem an unnecessary affectation at times, particularly when it appears to be obvious, it would be a mistake to leap to conclusions before careful consideration of these gestures from a variety of perspectives.