Original subtitles

The Wheels of a Cruel Fate

Oh my God!

No! No!

Nothing to be scared of.

I sent Yunbo off on purpose.

No please!

No... No....

Gilleh!

- Gilleh! - No, no...

- Gilleh! - No, no...

Yunbo, Yunbo....

Honey!

Yunbo...

Executive Producer: Ungki Jung

Director of Photography: Sungchoon Lee

Film Editor: Kyungja Lee Music: Yoonju Jung

Starring: Mikyung Won

Illong Shin

Jungsook Moon Sungkwan Choi

Gilleh!

What's wrong Gilleh?

What is it?

Is this Henam in Honam province?

Yeah, over there's Henam and my friend Mansuk lives there.

Mansuk's a public official so we should be alright.

So are you okay now?

Are we being chased?

Don't worry about it and get some rest.

Temples are for saving people after all.

- Thank you sir. - Blessed Buddha.

Gilleh, I'll take you to a local temple and you can hide out there.

I'll find Mansuk then I'll come back for you.

You sure?

Absolutely.

Blue bird in the East, White bird in the North

Black bird in the West, and Red bird in the South.

New groom with a new bride getting married.

Eat, relieve yourself and go; Hug, carry her and go.

get on the right path.

New groom with a new bride getting married.

Eat, relieve yourself and go; Hug, carry her and go.

get on the right path.

- Hey, darling. - Yes

Now you belong to the Kim clan in life and death.

Don't loosen your manners in the least.

Don't bring shame to the family.

Yes, I understand.

Did you read the chronicle of what a lady's manners are to be?

Yes.

What did that chronicle say?

Men and women are not to sit together.

They are not to hang clothes on the same hook.

They are not to share the same comb.

And what else?

Between brothers and sisters it's okay to have a conversation.

But a girl and her uncle or a boy and his aunt,

should not hold a conversation.

That's right.

Though your husband is dead,

you need to treat your existence like he's alive.

Yes, I understand.

Take a look at this.

It's your dead husband's shoes.

For the next three years leave them on the steps before you go to bed.

And stow these shoes when you wake up.

Yes.

Now go to your room.

Darling!

Yes, mother.

Did you leave a spoon for your husband at the table?

Yes, mother.

Do you have your ceremonial knife?

Yes, mother.

Then go inside and take off your bridal headpiece.

My lady.

Place your knife here before you go to sleep.

My lady. Good night.

Samwol! Where are you? Sleep with me!

Samwol! I'm scared!

Samwol! Where are you?

Sleep with me, please.

Huh?

Samwol! What?

Samwol! My lady, I'm here.

Samwol!

Samwol, I'm so scared. Please sleep with me.

I can't go into that room my lady.

Why not?

My lady, you're no longer a girl.

You can't sleep with me like you used to.

My lady, didn't your mother- in- law tell you

that you can no longer sleep with Samwol

and that you have to sleep with your dead husband?

- Understood? - Okay.

Then go ahead and sleep.

Mom, mom.....

Mom!

You wanted to stay with the in- laws.

And now you're staying with our brother.

Why are you so stupid?

If you want to be an in- law staying at our house,

you need to pass the civil exam.

There's a room for a bachelor so take it.

Okay.

Husband.

Our dead son's become a bachelor ghost.

Is that a relief?

- Husband. - Yes.

What do you think about our daughter- in- law?

Lady with curly hair, showing gums when laugh,

has slanted eyes, or lots of hair around lips

is known to be unfaithful, you know?

Still, after being around her a little,

I'm relieved that she's not that bad.

I agree but we shouldn't let our guard down.

Anyways I've laid down strict rules.

No matter who it is,

she's not to attract undue attention to herself.

Just by laughing she can unbalance the ying and yang

and can get bludgeoned for it!

So I even forbid her from using the weaving spin wheel.

The spin wheel for weaving?

Just leave her to me.

I won't allow her to get the least bit distracted.

Even with her eyes she won't see.

Even with her ears she won't hear.

Even with her mouth I won't allow her to speak.

Then how would she be able to unbalance the yin and yang?

Sister- in- law! Do you have to go to such lengths for chastity?

What are you talking about?

Chastity brings honor to the family.

That's not it.

Whether it's chastity or an order not to attack,

it's an issue of forced labor or conscription.

What??

It's all useless.

For the sake of chastity to bind one's eyes, ears, mouth...

Just like spring follows winter,

nature will follow its course in the end.

Not at all!

It all depends on how you train them initially.

I won't allow her to even look at a bachelor.

My goodness...

Darling!

A girl who's lost her husband,

should wail in sorrow much better than that!

That's not how you mourn!

It shouldn't come from your throat

but from deep inside your stomach.

It needs to be a sorrowful melody

powerful enough to reach

the other side so he can hear.

Do as I say!

Oh my God...

No...

Oh my God...

No!

Oh my God...

No!

Oh my God...

My lady, why don't you get some sleep now?

No! Samwol, if you're tired, sleep.

I'm alright.

Then we work.

Really, this is too much!

Taking care of the tomb and the shrine

as well as the kitchen and night work as well.

You're too frail my lady.

- I'm not sure you can make it. - Hush!

My mom told me when I get married

to not see, to not hear, and to not talk for three years.

Even so, it's only the case

when your husband was alive. I'm sorry my lady.

Yes, when he was alive...

I'm sorry my lady.

It's alright. You're right.

Darling!

Yes, mother.

Did you finish starching the linens?

No.

What? Tomorrow we need to mend those sheets.

I'll get it all done even if it takes all night.

Make sure you do that.

Don't do tomorrow what you can do today.

Yes mother.

Then hurry up and get to work!

Yes mother!

You too!

In Taegu there was a female servant named Jamal

whose master died right before she was to be married.

He got drunk and forced himself onto her.

That one encounter doomed her until she was seventy.

She never got to get married with her bridal knife.

And she had a marvelous bridal knife.

It became famous for its everlasting integrity.

And it kept Jamal chaste her entire life.

In Sachun, Park Sangkyung's concubine, Jeonju Lee

wed at seventeen and was widowed at twenty.

The day her husband died she stopped

eating completely and even in the

coldest winter never lit a fire.

According to the story in about a month

after her husband's death she froze to death.

She was hailed as a heroine by the nation

and her in- laws were given civil service positions.

Girl, what do you think of Lee's death.

It's an admirable death.

Well there was a girl like you.

A nobleman's daughter...

Hey!

Yes!

Oh my goodness! This right here!

Oh my goodness! What's going on here?

Oh my God!

Where did you find it? I hid that.

My goodness....

My lady! You're up already?

Excuse me, my lady.

I see you've already started the fire.

Will somebody get the senior lady?

She's still sleeping off her exhaustion.

Just get the key to the storeroom...

I could get bludgeoned for waking her up.

Bludgeoned?

Brother!

So that was why.

Now I see why it was always no this and no that.

From dusk till dawn,

no quarter was to be given.

To maintain the balance of yin and yang.

However, if there is yin there will always be yang.

My lady, good night. Good night.

Oh my....

Father!

You beast!

Such depravity! Why should you live?

You should be struck down!

I won't do it again!

What are you waiting for?

Get out of here....

What sin are you guilty of?

Go somewhere far away.

At dawn go to the village shrine.

The first man you see will be the one for you.

Father!

Go!

I'll tell the family that you killed yourself.

Father, let me bow.

Yunbo!

Why'd you get so much wood?

Yunbo, you're back already?

Damn, you're really strong.

Never waste a minute.

A boy can easily become old, so do not waste your time.

I thought I just saw a spring flower,

but I can see the fallen leaves already.

but I can see the fallen leaves already.

I thought I just saw a spring flower,

I thought I just saw a spring flower,

but I can see the fallen leaves already.

but I can see the fallen leaves already.

What you're drinking is from people's blood,

and what you're eating is from people's flesh.

and what you're eating is from people's flesh.

What you're drinking is from people's blood,

What you're drinking is from people's blood,

and what you're eating is from people's flesh.

Hey!

Yeah! Yeah!

I'll go!

Go! Go!

No!

Honey!

Honey!

Stop!

Stop it!

For Christ's sake!

Don't come near the master's room.

Yunbo and Bandol are going to go all the way to Haeju?

Yes.

With this frail body? All the way to Haeju?

The master's orders.

When are you going to be back?

I'm not sure.

What?

What do you mean by that?

Can't make any promises?

No, no, maybe fifteen days at the fastest.

Take care of yourself.

Why you taking off your rucksack?

Is this Haeju?

You know it isn't.

I need to kill you. Master Jinsa's orders.

Sorry.

You or me, we're both just slaves.

- Gilleh! Gilleh! - No! No!

- Gilleh! - No!

- Gilleh! - No!

Yunbo!

Honey!

Sweetheart!

Sweetheart, it's me!

I can't believe it, what happened to me?

I just can't believe it.

This can't be a dream.

It's not a dream.

Actually I was plotted against...

a survivor of the Pachon Yun family who were all killed.

It was a royal order!

But now the king has changed

so the world has changed and we can have our honor back.

This killing was exactly ten years ago.

- Honey! - Oh my goodness!

Hey Mandeuk!

This boy here.

Take care of him for the Yun family.

He's our fifth generation you know what I mean.

Yes, yes.

The Yun family's honor depends on his life.

Now go! Get out of here!

Now we have our honor back.

Noble blood and spouses and children.

With achievements and virtue

we will attain even more honor.

Nothing shall dissipate this honor!

- Myungim - Don't do this to me.

What do you mean, you know what this is.

Get it away from me!

You writing something?

Yeah I did. So what?

Hey, even though it's you...

You should know better than that.

- Myungim! - Don't do this.

Anyways, you hear anything from the lady of the house?

When is she going to hook us up with women?

Really!

She has no sense maybe that's why she has no kids.

It's been three years since she moved onto this house.

No sign of a baby so everyone's getting antsy.

What do we care?

Even the lady of the house took five years to bear a son.

So who cares about three years?

Only five sons in five generations though!

You got a point.

If we had wives we'd have sons in two days.

Yeah right....

Stop shooting the breeze!

- Sweep over here. - Yes sir!

Father!

Came to see you as requested.

Any good news yet?

Not quite yet...

This is quite worrying.

We can't wait forever!

I've talked to your mother about getting a concubine.

A concubine?

A poor nobleman's daughter.

A paid a handsome fee for this girl.

Father, it's only been three years...

If you just wait a little longer....

- I'll have a grandchild for you. - How can I believe that?

Father!

It's sad but this is as a last resort.

Think about it.

Of the valid reasons to kick out a daughter- in- law

isn't not producing a son one of them?

Our family waiting for three years

is more than a family with a lot of sons

waiting thirty years!

It's not just your wife that's pitiful.

Think about your parents and your ancestors.

- So, it will be a year... - This is not just for you and me!

Most of all it's for our ancestors!

- Hey, hurry up. - Alright.

Must have been hard working the kiln all day.

Why don't you take a break with the husband?

Sounds good.

Don't offer him too much to drink though.

Have a good honeymoon night.

Okay.

Also there is a request.

Only a robust son will

bring honor into this family.

Alright.

Why are you not coming out?

Have a good night.

How many times did I tell you, not to be jealous.

Sweet dreams.

Why are you so late?

Honey, did you meet with the Kim couple?

- Yeah. - What's up?

Isn't it obvious?

Even with a concubine

there's no news so whose fault is it?

Nothing's certain.

- Did they say that too? - Yes.

The field can be flawless but if the seed's no good

there will never be any plants to grow.

The poor daughter- in- law has been taking all the blame.

Honey, why don't we adopt to keep our family going?

No way.

Do you know what kind of family ours is?

Not a lot of sons but a hell of a lot of honor.

No way, no way!

If my son cannot produce,

I will never rest in peace!

Myungim...

If you hang a tiger's nose for four seasons

and burn it for two days and eat it

you can bear a son. You ever hear this?

- Yeah right. - That's nonsense.

Whatever.

Just feel sorry for that girl....

My lady!

I know you've tried very hard.

You've tried eating sacred pieces of paper

as well as burned pieces of Buddhist statues.

You've tried it all to bear a son.

You've heard something?

No, not really but....

I've heard through the grapevine

that it might not be you

but that it might be your husband's fault.

My lady, my husband was telling me

a doctor was saying your husband is not alright.

That's the truth.

The seed was the problem not the field.

Honey, have you heard of the "Seed Giver"?

"Seed Giver"?

Well, you know of the "Seed Taker"?

Of course. We got a concubine.

Well, when a couple has trouble conceiving

they'll take a concubine in order to have a kid.

The "Seed Giver" is the exact opposite of a "Seed Taker".

Honey, are you ready to take a hard decision?

Only the sky and the earth,

And just me and the parents will know.

It's the only wish I have.

Just one night!

Just one night and the family will live on.

As long as the family lives on all will be well.

Husband, what are you saying?

"Seed Giver"!

Just please have a son.

Honey!

I can't do it!

I'd rather die.

Honey, if you can understand my position....

- Please... - I'd rather die.

Honey, what am I to do then?

If you have a close relative, we can adopt.

That's not possible.

You know more than anyone else what's at stake.

Sorry, but I can't do it.

I know your chastity is more important than anything but...

Mother....

You need to understand something.

When us girls just do as they're told

in the end the girls will be the masters.

That's always been the way for thousands of years.

What is this money?

From now on just do as you're told.

From now on you don't have to deal with the salt anymore.

What?....

Hush!

Darling, I'm going out.

Darling.

It's late, extinguish the candle.

Come on!

Turn off the light!

Girl!

Yes.

Turn your head to the east and lie down.

With your to the east

you will get power from the rising sun.

Also there's something else.

After it's done,

don't ever move your left leg.

Tonight, sleep on your left side only.

Then you can have a son.

Yes, mother.

Get up!

Get up you salt vendor.

Husband! You're coming now?

Hey!

- My lady, what's wrong? - What are you..

- You're vomiting? - Yes, mother.

Oh my goodness!

You're pregnant! You're pregnant!

Maam! My lady finally..

Go! Go!

Hurry up!

Husband!

Husband...

Help...

Help...

Due to pregnancy washing hair is forbidden.

Also do not venture to heights.

Don't lift heavy objects or cross streams.

The pregnant lady is not to talk much, laugh too much,

get startled or frightened.

Always be cautious.

It's okay. Be careful.

It's been eight months and you're just a shell now.

I'm a person and I know how much I suffered for this child.

I read in a book not too long ago.

In the Koryeo dynasty there was a guy like me.

After talking with her husband

she took the seed of a slave and gave birth to a son.

However, the husband got jealous and attacked the slave.

He pierced his nose like a cow

and cut off his penis and made the girl eat it.

It's in the Koryeo dynasty journals.

I think I can understand that husband's jealousy.

I mean, I definitely understand him.

- Myungim! - Yes, maam.

- Take these clothes to the men's side. - Yes, maam.

Oh look at my baby!

My little tiger!

My little treasure! So handsome!

Look at you!

Do you know what day today is?

Today we celebrate the eldest son being born to the eldest son.

Oh my!

I need to go over to the shrine.

You hold and bring him out.

Honey! You did really good!

I'm not just saying that.

You mean the world to me.

I will be your husband again, even I born again.

Absolutely!

You're a treasure to the family, and a lovely daughter- in- law.

I know you've suffered.

Believe me, I know.

Husband!

Husband, offerings are ready to be made!

Accept my gratitude sweetheart.

Father Soji Yun,

Lee, the son was born in

September 2, 1927..

Directed by: Dooyong Lee

Korean Film Archive presents Korean captions and English subtitles are sponsored by Google Translations and subtitles by Free Film Communications