Original subtitles

(All people, incidents, and periods in this drama are fictitious.)

You should have had a better idea of the man before appointing him,

instead of blindly choosing someone who is with the Sarim...

just to hold me in check.

This is why I am unable to resign.

It is because you do not trust me.

I have served...

three kings until this day.

Your Majesty's grandfather was a brave general...

and a brilliant ruler.

His sons passed precipitously without achieving anything...

although they were the sons of the King.

You are sitting there...

only because you are of his blood.

Your subjects...

take state exams and go through promotions...

to cultivate their own positions.

There is nothing we earn for free.

However,

you have earned nothing,

and on top of that,

you are under a regency.

So who could fully trust and follow you?

You are saying I have earned this throne for free.

Which means...

you want me to prove that I am worthy of this.

If you do,

I will give you my submission.

Yes.

Nothing you said is wrong.

You are correct.

From now on,

I will become a king who achieves something...

for this land of Joseon and its people.

My biggest achievement shall be...

destroying the powerful Yoo Je Se, who defies the royal authority,

and restoring the power upon the throne.

Will you keep your eyes on me?

Yes.

It would be a great honor...

when everything comes through.

If you could cast me away,

it will become your greatest achievement...

among every achievement you make from this day on.

However, I have bad news.

You will no longer be able to use the sword you sharpened...

to point at me.

My sister and Kang Han Soo are in danger.

Ask Magistrate Yoo for help.

What are you doing here?

His Majesty sent an urgent message.

Grandmother, it is I, Yeon Joo.

What brings you here at this late hour?

My apologies, Grandmother.

It is about Kang Han Soo.

What did you do with him?

That is none of your concern.

If you wish to shut his mouth to keep Uncle's secret,

you will have to keep my mouth shut as well.

So the rumors were true.

What do you mean?

That scandalous rumor of a princess who associates with an attorney.

How have you behaved out there...

to cause a vulgar rumor like this?

How can you taint the honor of the Royal Family?

Grandmother.

It is for your sake,

for the Royal Family's sake,

and for the sake of Joseon!

If you are trying to hurt him because of me,

please reconsider.

I will never meet that man again.

From now on,

I will never be involved with him again.

So please, Grandmother.

What does he mean to you...

for you to take things this far?

I have...

made a promise to keep him safe.

What?

It is a promise I made to myself.

I am...

a princess of this kingdom.

Please let me keep my promise.

I will let him live.

However,

I will not keep him by your side.

Do you understand?

It worked.

Where am I?

Where...

(Attorney for Hire)

Let go!

Wait.

I do not understand.

It cannot be true, So Won.

It is.

What a mess!

How dare you say that?

What? How dare I say what?

How dare I say what?

This means...

Magistrate Yoo, you already knew everything.

Where are you going?

I thought you came to arrest me.

Take me away.

Well, Her Highness is here...

to be your witness in person.

Wait.

You will not arrest me...

just because the Princess has said a few words?

How do you know she is not lying?

She is only human.

Kang Han Soo.

And...

she is the worst liar...

among the people I know.

Have you lost your mind?

Whether you are guilty or not, once you are confined for murder,

you will still be interrogated.

You may be killed before you are exonerated.

Do you think...

that I do not know that as an attorney?

- Then, why? - Because...

I would rather be killed...

before I let the Princess help me.

Now, let us go.

I am going,

so clarify every single detail...

of how this bloodstained dagger ended up on my ship...

when I did not kill anyone!

(Episode 11: Farewell)

(Joseon Attorney: A Morality)

(Ministry of Law Enforcement)

I am glad to see you.

This must be our single log bridge.

I cannot believe that you are already reinstated.

Congratulations, my lord.

Stop with your cunning tongue!

What made you think you could murder Lord Chu?

How dare you?

I did not murder him.

You even give false testimony now?

Are you not afraid of the divine punishment?

- I did not kill him. - Then,

how do you explain...

this bloodstained dagger found at your place?

I do not know.

Is that right?

Keep playing innocent. We will see...

how long you last.

Wait.

I came inside to pack up and found these.

I am sorry I yelled at you.

In hindsight,

it was my fault.

I gave you a dagger for no good reason...

and ended up scaring you.

(These are...)

These are...

my real gifts.

Do not worry.

I will protect you.

(I will protect you.)

You should have handed it to the government office.

Of course, I did!

So Won.

My apologies.

So, you do not know...

who or where Princess Yeon Joo is?

A woman of So Won's social status...

working officially for the magistrate of Hanseongbu?

Once the Royal Court finds out, my lord, you will not suffer...

as you have many connections.

But what about So Won?

No.

I am sure I can help.

That is why I returned to the palace.

I know that,

but not now, and not here.

Attorney Kang is the strongest here.

He will save himself.

You can do what you are capable of, Your Highness.

You must not provide a reason...

for the Royal Court or my father by acting so recklessly.

You are well-aware of what kind of person my father is.

Just a moment.

I want to help you by your side.

Please...

utilize me.

I will let him live. However,

I will not keep him by your side.

You asked me to use you last time.

May I do that?

Where...

There you are! Han Soo!

Dong Chi!

- Did it hurt? - It hurt so much.

Look at you. Your cheeks are sunken in.

You are crazy!

You should eat at a time like this.

Why are you skipping meals?

I cannot trust them.

What? What do you mean?

Oh, goodness.

You should have let the Princess help you.

Why did you have to...

I will kill you when I get out.

So, did you find anything?

I could not help but think that it was Master Cho.

- Hang on. - Master Cho?

- This. - What is that?

This is...

the favorite snack of Cho's Guild.

Gosh.

What?

They were always chewing this,

and they spat it out to anyone and picked a fight.

Did Master Cho get on Minister Yoo's side...

after Lord Chu died?

First, how about I find the guy that put the dagger in our office?

Maybe the nearby merchants saw them.

No.

They framed me intentionally.

They must have moved away from people's eyes.

It will be hard to find the real murderer of Lord Chu.

Try a different approach.

Like how?

Prove that...

I could not have killed Lord Chu...

that day.

My lady, Master Han Soo...

got arrested for murder.

My brother got arrested?

Dong Chi!

What did he say?

Is there a way to get Master Cho's people?

He says the situation is dire.

What? Then...

Then,

is he just going to die like that?

Stop sighing and say something, Dong Chi.

Hold on.

What is that?

To find witnesses or testifiers,

you will need money.

How much is all this?

Dong Chi, look.

- Gosh. - What...

- It is so pretty. - Look at this binyeo.

(Sowongak)

I heard my brother was arrested for murder.

Is this true?

It seems...

the Grand Queen Dowager has made a move.

The Grand Queen Dowager?

The Princess cannot have...

the life of a merchant house broker forever.

She may be dressed in lowly clothes and behave ignorantly,

but she is still a princess.

She even meddles with other people's lawsuits...

in league with a mere attorney.

The Royal Family will not condone it, of course.

You will marry Magistrate Yoo?

I will find a way to confront Executive Minister Yoo...

from his closest side.

And I can better protect Kang Han Soo that way.

Executive Minister Yoo will not agree,

but even if he does...

Your Highness.

Marriage should not be used as a strategy.

What about your life as a woman?

How will you find happiness?

My happiness as a woman...

is with So Won.

That is good enough.

Keeping this up will only do you harm.

It is none of your business.

Well, yes.

What happens to you is none of my business.

We are nothing to each other.

Yes, of course.

You and I would hardly be described as "we."

Still, I came to pay a courtesy visit to you.

Do not be too grateful.

Oh, I will not be.

Although I do not know what you are here to say.

It is to say goodbye, of course.

This might be the last time we meet in this life.

You had all the fun out of fooling me,

so I should now leave this world?

Are you praying for my death or what?

Honestly speaking,

you have been way too lucky.

Lucky? No.

It was thanks to my skills.

And this time again, I will make sure...

to use those skills to leave this place alive.

Is that so?

Then I better invite you to my wedding.

How laid back you are, getting married.

I am going to marry the Princess.

Make sure...

you escape alive and congratulate us.

Maybe you provoked him too much.

That way, he will not give up...

and struggle to survive even more.

Are you worried about him?

I am simply worried...

Her Highness might be concerned because of him.

I believe that two different people coming together...

to work for one common goal is...

as important as a wedding.

My purpose in life.

I will set it to make you live a happy life.

So that you can be happy...

and that your life purpose could be to simply live on,

I will work hard and help.

Whatever it takes,

I will do it.

I am proposing...

to you.

So,

will you wait for me?

Show your respect.

This is Princess Yeon Joo, the former king's daughter.

Have you seen Attorney Kang Han Soo?

No.

He has not seen him?

Hey, Choi.

Have you seen...

any thugs from Cho's guild enter our office...

while we were away?

- No. - No?

Attorney Kang Han Soo.

I am not sure.

I do not know.

Just this once.

Hey. Choi.

Have you ever seen Attorney Kand and So Won...

Take these.

Just this once.

I beg you.

I will ask again.

Why did you kill him?

According to the Book of the Law,

when interrogating...

What?

One must hit the knee with the tip of the club...

but not press the shin.

What are you mumbling?

Fail to exceed 30 clubbings at a time...

You are still out of your mind and spouting nonsense.

What are you waiting for?

I do not think punishing him more is a good idea.

Law, my foot.

Nobody abides by it.

Has he gone mad?

Stop this instant!

My lord!

Please stop the interrogation, my lord.

I have brought the witness who will clear Kang Han Soo...

of his false charge.

"Witness?"

What witness?

Come in!

They are the witnesses...

who will testify he could not have killed Lord Chu.

Try a different approach.

Like how?

Prove that...

I could not have killed Lord Chu...

that day.

My lord. Please listen to our story.

I do not need the money.

It is not like you are asking me to lie.

I do not need a reward for helping Attorney Kang.

Lord Kang Han Soo is not the culprit.

Of course, I will go.

Who will if I do not?

He is not someone who would kill a person.

Excuse me. Is there nothing I can do to help?

- Please consider it. - Please consider it.

Please consider it.

He sure brought a lot of people.

You must get punished for entering the interrogation hall...

without permission first to testify.

Ten clubbings.

Will you still testify?

Yes. I will.

I will testify.

Me too.

No, I will testify.

I will testify as well.

I will testify.

- Please consider it. - Please.

- Do not punish him anymore. - Please consider it.

- I will testify. - I will testify.

- I will testify for Attorney Kang. - I will testify.

- I will testify after. - I will testify.

- It is ten clubbings. - My lord.

- I will testify. - My lord.

- Please do not kill him. - I will testify.

What is it that you want to say?

One of you, speak as the representative.

All right.

At the time of Lord Chu's death, Kang Han Soo...

was not at Mount Choan, where Lord Chu had died,

but at Mapo Riverport.

It is delicious. It truly is delicious.

- Dig in. - That is right.

That day, my family had dinner...

with Attorney Kang Han Soo.

The money is in here, but it is not.

- Come now. - Can he guess it?

That day, Han Soo...

Where is it?

- This is absurd. - Give me a hint.

- Come on. Try it. - I have no money.

He guessed everything right...

that the trickster made a huge loss.

(Tavern)

That night, Attorney Kang and his assistant So Won...

came to my tavern and had plum wine.

Attorney Kang Han Soo did not kill anyone.

Please show him mercy, my lord.

- Please consider it. - Please consider it.

- Please consider it. - Please consider it.

- I will testify. - Attorney Kang is not the man.

I have understood the witnesses' stories.

But I hear that...

you are either friends of Kang Han Soo...

or received help from him.

That...

That may be true, but we did not commit perjury.

Shut it. How dare you interrupt?

- Punish him! - Understood.

You have me.

I am in no way related to Kang Han Soo.

Rather, we are not on good terms because our guild...

got involved in a dispute in the past.

So what?

What is it that you want to say?

I can guarantee all of their testimonies...

are true.

As I have tailed Kang Han Soo all day that day,

I know better than anyone else.

(Tavern)

I followed him to teach him a lesson.

But he had company even at night,

so I had given up.

In other words,

Kang Han Soo did not have the time to kill Lord Chu that day.

If my words prove to be false,

I shall offer my head.

Why is this happening right after my reinstatement?

There should be no reason to make things worse.

- Pardon? - What?

Kang Han Soo.

Release him!

- My lord. - My lord.

- Help me untie him. - My lord, please wake up.

- My lord. - Be gentle.

Father.

I finally...

found the answer.

- Father. - Yes?

Why are we poor?

People told me...

you were the most successful among the middle class.

And at school, I was taught not just anyone could become you.

Everyone admires you.

But even with all the admiration, you cannot become rich?

To become rich, you must be selfish.

You must devote everything you have seen, heard,

and learned to collect wealth.

While turning a blind eye,

you must focus solely on your desires.

But the law is for everyone...

and should be fair to everyone.

So it is impossible for me, who is dealing with law,

to become rich.

Then...

I will quit studying law at once...

and choose not to become a judicial officer.

My goal is to become rich.

I...

achieved my dream.

I became rich.

You were right, Magistrate Yoo.

Yes.

I am greatly relieved.

There is one more thing...

I must take care of.

I will wait.

By any chance, are you the one...

who left money and a note at our office last time?

In that case,

please listen up.

Thank you.

Thanks to the money you left, I got a bundle of tonic...

with expensive ingredients such as deer antlers.

By the time Han Soo finishes this medicine,

he will return to full health.

Please come and see us when you face any kind of trouble.

Han Soo and I will do our best to repay your kindness.

Thank you!

Only we ended up with more work.

The Princess will leave the palace as soon as she is married,

so why did she return?

Court Lady Hong makes such a big deal out of this too.

Why does she want to cook herself?

Tell me about it.

She may leave the palace soon,

but she is still the former king's daughter.

If you dare to speak so rashly again,

you will not survive another day.

- Yes, my lady. - Yes, my lady.

Go get more water.

- Yes. - Yes.

Show your respect.

This is Princess Yeon Joo, the daughter of the former King.

I cannot believe this.

How dare you say that?

What? How dare I say what?

Even I feel this way,

so Her Highness must be distressed.

Even I feel this way.

Han Soo must be distressed.

I brought this case here.

Attorney Kang!

Is it not an attorney's job to help those who are wronged?

You are so adorable.

Look how adorable you are.

We shall win.

Was this nothing...

but a playground for you?

I have something to say to you.

Please do not be polite with me.

I fear someone may be listening.

We are here alone.

Hence,

you wish to toy me around just as you have?

Or...

do you wish to spend...

some intimate time together because we are alone?

Are you seducing me?

How much longer will you be sarcastic?

Did you come to see me without thinking...

you will suffer from such ridicule?

You had fun deceiving me all along,

so you must pay for the consequences.

I did not expect this to happen.

I did not expect to meet you in my life as So Won...

or for us to become closer than we should have.

Then you should have told me before we became closer...

than we should have,

or you should have stayed away from me.

I needed you.

This is what you have been looking for.

(Officer Kang Eon Jik)

The truth behind the incident from seven years ago.

Only the envelope remains.

As soon as Executive Minister Yoo saw this letter, he ran over...

and protested to my father.

And they quarreled for a long time over the matter.

My father could not handle the anger at that time, collapsed,

then passed away soon after.

The tragedy upon your family around that time...

and my father's death were caused by Executive Minister Yoo.

He is a mortal enemy to both of us.

So...

you did everything...

to get your revenge?

You approached me...

and deceived me...

for that reason?

I thought we would be able to help each other,

and I still think so.

If we work together...

No.

Are you sure...

the former king is not responsible in any way...

for my father's death?

What?

His Majesty could have destroyed this.

No.

He could have blamed my father for everything.

No, even if...

Even if I shed a positive light on this matter,

if anything, he could have...

spared my father's life before he passed away.

You said that...

we are not indebted to each other because we were meant to have met.

And I called you a miracle.

But we were both wrong.

You are not my miracle but a curse.

And our fate is ill.

So, we will never do anything together...

for the rest of our lives.

(Sowongak)

At last, my old,

karma-like problem has been solved.

Your Majesty,

these are the agendas from the Minister Committee.

Please have a look.

Your Majesty!

I ask for an audience, Your Majesty!

Your Majesty,

I am here!

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty.

I have brought you a gift.

Who are you?

Who do you think you are to cause a scene here?

Get out of here right this instant!

How on earth did you come this far?

(Pass)

I thought this pass was for such moments.

You will be in huge trouble.

Stop making a scene and leave.

I make a living...

as an attorney on the outskirts of the city.

My name is Kang Han Soo.

I am also...

the friend of the king of this kingdom,

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

I have come to share a good bottle of liquor.

How ludicrous!

How dare you call yourself His Majesty's friend?

It is true.

He is a friend of mine. Return your swords and make way.

Thank you for your boundless generosity.

This is such a superb view.

It is a palace, after all.

Every part of this pavilion is...

large, sturdy, and elegant.

The trees, flowers, and even the rocks...

look as expensive as gold.

And the wind.

Compared to the river breeze at Mapo Riverport,

it even smells different.

It is not even a smell. This is fragrance.

Was it Park that used to sell plum wine?

How is his business going?

Are you...

curious about that after all this time?

You are a bit late...

in caring about your people.

I understand. You must be...

preoccupied with the thought of taking back...

your royal authority from the minister.

After handling Lord Kwon's case so poorly,

how did you have the nerve to come to the palace?

Do you wish to die?

Why would I die?

You will protect me with all your heart.

I will protect you?

Why do you think that?

Has the Princess not told you yet?

About who I am.

I get it.

Do not tell the Princess.

- Yes, my lady. - Tell me what?

Well...

Princess Yeon Joo!

Why did you come to the palace?

So,

my father owed your father,

and you want me to clear off his debts?

Are you here to demand that?

I could charge you thousands of coins...

by including the interest.

Yet, I cannot bring my parents back to life.

I merely wanted to see it for myself.

To see how much you own...

and what you benefit from...

that makes you look down on other people's lives.

Well, it is a fancy place.

So, I have...

one favor to ask you...

as a friend of yours.

Please prove...

that you are capable of protecting...

the people of your kingdom.

Everyone has been asking me to prove myself.

Pardon?

Your Majesty, Magistrate Yoo has arrived.

I am Magistrate Yoo Ji Sun of Hanseongbu.

I officially greet you, Your Majesty.

Welcome, Magistrate Yoo.

What are you doing here?

Are you asking me why I am here, or how I am alive?

Let us make it both.

I have a feeling that you are dissatisfied with both.

I only ask as you seem extremely lucky.

It was not luck. It was competence.

Also, you are quite lucky yourself.

You were practically born in a cradle of gold.

What did you say?

We will say that my grandmother invited Magistrate Yoo,

and I invited you, Attorney Kang.

What is the special occasion?

Today is Princess Yeon Joo's birthday.

So, please celebrate it with us while you are here.

With all due respect, Your Majesty,

I do not think it is my place to join.

Let me be excused.

As if he has ever cared where to join or not.

Birthday?

It is my birthday.

It is the Ghost Festival day.

The birthday of every laborer.

No, really. It is also my birthday.

Here is my birthday gift for you.

What a liar.

Your Highness!

Your Highness!

Your Highness.

Let go.

Are you all right?

What are you waiting for?

These shoes are not what I usually wear.

I threw them out.

What?

Those do not belong to you.

They belong to So Won.

Whatever choice you make,

I will follow.

But I cannot watch you in confusion like this.

Your Highness...

Magistrate Yoo.

Help yourself.

Thank you for your generosity, Your Highness.

Once,

I put shoes on you and wished...

that you would go anywhere you wanted,

go over any kinds of humps,

and go to a better place, a more precious place.

It was...

such a presumptuous wish.

Thus,

I earnestly wish again...

that you do not...

head to where I am.

Happy birthday,

Your Highness.

I got a new assignment.

Are you okay?

I cannot go to your side,

but I will...

find a way for us to fight together.

What, he bought plum wine?

Yes, Park told me so.

Han Soo was off to meet a friend who lives in a huge house.

He could not go empty-handed,

so he bought a bottle of plum wine that has aged the most.

The palace.

Pardon?

This lunatic went to the palace!

He went to meet His Majesty!

No way.

It is not just any place.

To enter a government office,

he had to sacrifice his buttocks.

Now the palace?

To enter the palace, he at least...

Needs to sacrifice his life.

- Exactly. - Exactly.

Wait.

What?

Do you hear this sound?

- Sound? - Yes.

I hear it.

- Han Soo? - My lord!

Hi, there.

Ta-da. Say hi.

He is our new client.

A client?

I am going to make...

this baby the true owner of Joseon.

There, there.

Do not worry, baby client.

(The animal scenes were filmed under protection and safety.)

(Joseon Attorney: A Morality)

A land lawsuit?

Is there anything we can help with?

But please just stick to one from now.

Whether it is hypocrisy...

or breaking our promise.

This lawsuit is not just my fight alone.

Most of all,

Kang Han Soo is defending the other party.

Are you that famous attorney, Kang Han Soo?

Welcome.

(Subtitles are provided by KOCOWA.)