Set in 1970 South Korea, where 2nd Lt. Thomas Jefferson Hobbes is sent instead of the expected Vietnam, the story shifts from a war zone to its lesser-known face, the destructive interactions between soldiers and camp followers that have been a part of occupation throughout history. Unprepared, he carves his own trail, joined by a beautiful working girl known only as Miss Kim. Despite the predatory subculture, they bond, but at an impossible price.