Set against the backdrop of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, Summertime is far more than a simple romance. It follows Sang-ho, a student activist hiding from the authorities in a small rural town. While living in a cramped attic, he discovers a small hole in the floor that allows him to spy on the couple living below: Hee-ran, a lonely woman, and her abusive husband, Tae-yeol.