In 1952, during the Korean War, many South Korean fighter pilots were killed. Of those that remain is one of the bravest and best, Major Na Gwan-jung. In the air he is cool and level headed, and directly and swiftly dispatches the enemy with a minimum of complication. On the ground he spends his time drinking with his comrades, the vagaries of life and death in wartime has led to the pilots adopting a live for the moment approach to life. Ji-seon is the wife of a fallen pilot, widowed very soon after becoming married, unable to support herself the only option left to her is to become a bargirl. Na Gwan-jung saves her from this fate, helps provide for her, and falls in love with her. However, as she is the widow of a close comrade Gwan-jung cannot bring himself to act on his love; instead he acts as matchmaker introducing her to Bae Dae-bong, a cocky hotshot pilot, newly transferred to his unit. Na Gwan-jung's unit is tasked with the destruction of a vitally strategic bridge, during which Bae Dae-bong's plane is shot down. Not wanting Ji-seon to lose another loved one, Gwan-jung risks all to keep the downed pilot safe until he can be recovered. The South Korean pilots are victorious and complete their mission, however with thoughts other than taking down the enemy fighter pilots spoiling his focus, Na Gwan-jung is unable to fly and fight in his usual cool, detached and dispassionate way and is killed in action. The unit returns to base and Na Gwan-jung's will is read out, and in accordance with it his effects, including the red scarf which all the pilots wear, are divided amongst his comrades. Na Gwan-jung's mother arrives to visit her son with a delivery of beer, only to find that he has died in action. In keeping with her son's character she shares out the beers she brought for him amongst his comrades. Ji-seon soon too arrives and on learning of Gwan-jung's death, clutches his red scarf and cries inconsolably.
The film was made with the full support of the Republic of Korea Air Force and production costs were partly subsidised by the South Korean military government in line with its film policy of supporting anticommunist propaganda films. The Red Scarf of the title is not the red neckerchief associated with the communist pioneer movement, but a scarf introduced as a device to aid visual location of downed South Korean airmen, it has since become and remains one of the symbols of the Republic of Korea Air Force.
Reception
Red Scarf was particularly well received outside of South Korea and was the first South Korean film to receive a nationwide distribution in Japan. In Taiwan it proved popular from the school playground upwards, children played at and wanted to grow up to be aviators, the theme song could be heard in every back alley and the red scarf became a fashion item. The film has been described as a precursor of the Korean Wave in Taiwan. In Taiwan and Chinese speaking areas it was known as 紅巾特攻隊, literally Red Scarf Special Operations Unit.
Remake
In 2011 work began on loose remake of the film as a last project for Korean entertainer Rain prior to the start of his mandatory military service. Red Scarf was used as a working title and in preproduction, the film was released in 2012 as . In the remake the point of view character is the new hotshot pilot transferred to the unit. Like its predecessor Return to Base was made with the full support of the RoKAF, and like its predecessor its final message is that the RoKAF stands vigilant and ready to defend South Korea from the North.
