The entire narrative of "My Way" is an odyssey of survival that transforms bitter enemies into brothers. After being conscripted into the Japanese army following a riot, Kim Jun-shik finds himself under the command of his marathon rival, Tatsuo Hasegawa, at the Battle of Nomonhan. They are both captured by the Red Army and sent to a brutal Soviet POW camp. There, Jun-shik's refusal to kill a defeated Tatsuo marks the first major turning point in their relationship.
Forced to fight for the Soviets, they are subsequently captured by the Germans. During their escape attempt from the German lines, Tatsuo is wounded, and Jun-shik cares for him, solidifying their bond. They are eventually separated but reunite one last time as soldiers in the German Wehrmacht, tasked with defending Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944. As the Allied invasion begins, they decide to desert and run towards Cherbourg. However, an explosion mortally wounds Jun-shik.
The climax reveals the ultimate meaning of their journey. To save Tatsuo from being executed as a Japanese soldier by the advancing Americans, Jun-shik swaps their identification tags, telling Tatsuo, "he is now Jun-shik." Jun-shik dies in Tatsuo's arms. The film's epilogue takes place at the 1948 London Olympics, where Tatsuo, having survived the war under his friend's name, competes in the marathon as 'Jun-shik Kim'. He recalls their first meeting as children and monologues that he was always happy to have found a true running mate, revealing that their bond transcended the hatred imposed upon them by the war.