Tong-hua-chun BarberShop, an old, small-town barbershop, seems to have remained unchanged over thirty years. Other than the shop owner and the inevitable passing of time, everything, including hairdryers, barber chairs, and interior decorations has been left alone, embodying the memories of the town elders……
The name"Tong-hua-chun" includes three characters taken respectively from the names of its original owner, his wife, and their son. However, twenty years ago this home was shattered when the owner left without a sign. That fateful day was Hsiao-hua Chen's birthday, also the last day he ever saw his father.
Ten-year-old Hsiao-hua Chen had a burning question: Why is it that Dad left home without taking anything, but it feels like he took so many things with him? Like a sharp needle poking at his heart, this question plagued him every day. Twenty years later, he was still running the barbershop left behind by his dad, day after day, until this day—
He receives a posthumous letter from his father, in which he learns that he has a sister he has never met, Yu-lan. The two siblings, with completely different fates, come together because of the barbershop. Yu-lan's return does not seem to change much of everyday life besides an extra pair of chopsticks at meals, an extra pair of helping hands in the barbershop, and a new line to the social network in town. However, the siblings, along with their colleague Chi-li Lee, a newly released m
an on parole, start to piece together their memories of the past. Scene by scene, they remember all experiences: beautiful, heartbreaking, warm, and painful. Once they've put together their fragmented memories, they come to realize the story of this small town and how all their fates are tightly tethered. The past cannot be changed, yet forgiveness and understanding may allow them to keep carrying on…
Male, around 38 years old. A dedicated and nostalgic person who is harsh with his words but kind in his heart. He is an extremely skillful barber with a Taiwanese spirit carved deep in his bones, who fiercely protects the barbershop he inherited from his parents. His life is turned upside down after he takes in a former inmate Chi-li Lee, and his half-sister Yulan, who appears out of nowhere.
Female, around 18 years old. She is Hsiao-hua Chen's half-sister. She was raised with much love and care. After her father's sudden death, she has no choice but to turn to her half-brother whom she has never met before and start to face the harsh reality of life. Her willfulness always gets on Hsiao-hua's nerves.
Male, about 30 years old. He is gentle and quiet, and always keeps a low profile. He was sentenced and jailed for involuntary manslaughter, and starts working at Tong-hua-chun BarberShop after he gets out on parole.