Original subtitles

WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU TANGERINES

Six out of ten boats in Dodong-ri belong to the Bu family.

Eight out of ten people have connections with them.

Who's going to hire Gwan-sik?

That guy is no good,

but his older brother, the chief of the fishing co-op,

is acting up even more.

Island folk don't take kindly to newcomers. He just got unlucky.

What the…

What happened?

They sent you away again?

Bad economy, apparently.

What, so people won't eat fish 'cause the economy is bad?

Go home!

Hey.

I hear they're building a road around Hallasan.

Tell him to find a job there.

Money is money, whether it's from the sea or manual labor.

Freshly picked by haenyeo! Top-quality conch!

The conches are top-quality today. So are the sea squirts.

I hear he's the first to arrive every morning,

lining up early to get work.

Gwan-sik is always the first in line among the workers.

It's so annoying.

Why does he have to be so diligent?

So, how's work for him?

Is he okay with working on land now?

He never says much.

Of course he doesn't like it.

A boatman will always yearn for the sea.

Oh dear.

My goodness. What now?

What's wrong with your arm?

I guess everything takes some skill.

Did they tell you not to come back?

Oh my.

Why did he fix a perfectly good roof?

Just get some rest, please.

He was withering away.

A hard-working cow was withering away because it couldn't work.

Good gracious. He already assembled them all.

I had three days to work on them.

Mom said the leftover cabbages she picked up in the field

looked less withered than the back of Dad's head then.

DODONG-RI VARIETY SHOP

Go back to sleep. I've already started cooking the rice.

You can take it easy. Just take it easy.

Are you a cow?

You've been selling fish since you were nine.

It's okay to take a break.

Just think of it as a school holiday.

I've never taken a break.

It feels strange.

Really strange.

Come on, just enjoy yourself.

You deserve some time off.

If I enjoy myself, how will the four of us get by?

If I work for a day, we'll make it through another day.

But to work a day…

It's just so unfair.

Why worry about starving?

I'll make the money if I need to.

The Literary Girl who couldn't even say, "These cabbages are sweet"?

Standing before the cruel rice jar,

Mom remembered her mother's smiling face.

She remembered how her mother

would put on a smile just to sell another conch.

So I was just wondering…

I mean…

Some rice--

I don't understand what you're saying.

Stop whining.

There are many worse off than you.

The same way I've never forgotten the look on her young face

as she struggled to smile through it.

Your dad gets ripped off wherever he goes.

We saved 1,000 won per box.

I can't believe you asked for a discount. You're such a mom.

Are you happy?

It's funny.

When I was younger, I couldn't even say, "These cabbages are sweet."

You? Seriously?

I was such a shy Literary Girl.

I was so embarrassed to sell cabbages in my school uniform

that I'd bury my face in books like this.

So what happened to you?

Over time, I learned there are worse things that truly hurt your pride,

like living in a one-bedroom house

and having to ignore the sound of your family's stomachs

growling with hunger all night.

That was a true embarrassment.

Back then, everything was new to me.

For some reason, it all felt so humiliating and pathetic.

There were so many times when I felt like I couldn't go on.

Say something, will you?

What good will come of you not speaking up?

Why bring your pride when you're here to borrow money?

If you can't say a word, why did you bother showing up?

What is it?

Is something bothering you?

Ae-sun,

you honor their ancestors now, not ours.

You should ask his family for help.

Why is Yang's wife causing a scene here?

I thought you were resourceful like your mom,

but you're also as bad with words as your dad was.

Is there no other way?

What if there isn't? Is there even any land left to sell?

You must really be desperate to come here, but we're drowning in debt ourselves!

Damn, Ae-sun. Why can't you just be doing well?

Give her that ring if you want.

No rice in the jar to feed your kid, and you can't bring yourself to speak?

You are still such a baby.

Honey.

Yes?

I just want to

grow old fast.

Why?

Just because.

I thought once everyone became adults,

they'd be able to carry hot bowls with their bare hands, just like my mom.

I thought they'd become like Gyeong-ja, who just eats without a worry,

even when creditors invade their home.

I thought that once you grew up…

your hands and heart would naturally become calloused.

But everything's still too hot for me.

I get burned every day,

but it hurts every time.

Am I the only fool in the world?

Is everyone else

adulting just fine?

They all just pretend

to be adults because people tell them they are adults.

I just want to grow old fast.

Maybe it's because

it's my first time being a mom, a wife, and an adult.

I don't know why…

everything is so tough and overwhelming.

Hold me.

Pat my back.

Sleep, sleep, rock to sleep

Sleep, sleep, rock to sleep

My baby sleeps well

Sleep, sleep, rock to sleep

Sleep, sleep…

Sun.

Ae-sun.

Did you lose sleep because you didn't give me the ring?

Don't dig so deeply.

My husband's right there.

Don't even take it out.

I wouldn't be able to sleep if you gave us the money you have stashed away.

- Buy a boat. - Buy what?

Buy a boat, and don't say a word.

If anyone asks, say you won the lottery.

- Did you steal this? - It's my money.

It's the money I made from selling gukbap before the war.

You've been holding onto this the entire time?

Jong-gu is a bottomless pit. He would've gambled it all away.

So you hid it to give it to me?

Your mom threatened me. She said this would make us even.

What?

Please, God, she must live on.

How could you take her away from her kids?

Mother.

Mother.

Could you please come with me?

I'm scared to go on my own.

FOREVER YOUNG STUDIO

Didn't I buy this for you when you got married?

This is my best outfit.

I think it's because we risk our lives at work

that we haenyeo believe in so many superstitions.

They say when we take photos,

they will soon be used for our funerals.

I've had a coffin on my back for my whole life,

but I still fear death,

and that's why I never had my picture taken.

Look at me.

Your children will remember you by this photo.

Pink will look great on you.

Let's take one for your funeral

and one for mine.

You need to live longer.

Join me later.

I've outlived my child

for far too long.

Even after losing my precious child,

my life just went on, still eating three meals a day.

I'll make sure

I find your precious son.

I'll stay by his side in the afterlife

instead of finding a new husband.

If you see Han-gyu before I do…

tell him I'm sorry.

Tell him Mom is sorry.

Please tell him that.

Please…

I'll make sure he gets the message,

so please stay here

and look after Han-gyu's child.

Take care of Ae-sun

as you would've taken care of Han-gyu.

I thought so.

You brought me here to tell me that.

How else would you rest in peace?

She'll be an orphan

at just ten years old.

She just needs one person to rely on.

It's all my misfortune.

It's all my fault.

She's not without shame.

She won't bother you all the time.

If the day comes

when that shy girl comes looking for her grandmother's help…

then her life must be unbearably hard…

so please help her out once.

She can weather even the worst

without saying a word.

But if she ever says…

"Grandma, I'm struggling, and I need help…"

if ever she says that,

please save her like you'd save your own son.

Just once. No more, no less.

Please help her just once.

Then everything will be even.

You'll have nothing to apologize for to Ae-sun's father.

Gwang-rye,

Ae-sun is my grandchild.

Why worry about her when you have a long journey ahead?

I just can't go yet.

I just can't.

Dear.

You can go in peace.

Leave your worries behind.

Here we go.

One, two, three.

Grandma.

Will I miss my mom less when I become a grandmother?

Of course not.

The pain of losing a parent cuts deeper as life goes on,

but the pain of losing a child is etched in the deepest part of your heart.

When a parent dies, you send them to heaven.

But when a child dies,

you keep them alive in here.

You can't let them go, so you keep them alive in here.

So just take it quickly.

Giving it to you is like giving it to my son.

I'll make you proud.

I'll make sure to live a good life.

We'll make you proud.

That's all I want.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S FULL NETS

Our dear Captain Yang.

I hope every day is this good!

Captain Yang. This is great. I'm so happy.

There we are.

What a beautiful day! This is the best day!

Dragon King,

May the ship not follow the fish,

but the fish follow the ship.

May its nets always be full!

May its nets always be full!

Please!

Bless us.

It's a boat as long as it floats.

Have some makgeolli at Captain Yang's!

You sure it will float?

Why is she making such a fuss?

Captain Yang!

Captain Yang!

Captain Yang!

Captain Yang!

The fortune teller said he was born with a bounty of food in each hand.

Now he has set the Yangs' boat afloat in the waters of Jeju!

Captain Yang

Captain Yang!

What are you looking at?

You can't hide the sky with your hand.

You found Jong-gu, right? You're in touch with him?

You think I don't know you?

Go tell him

that I, Kim Chun-ok, will report my own grandson for robbery.

Jong-gu is still the eldest grandson.

He will take care of your ancestral rites and restore our family's fortune.

Ae-sun

is my eldest son's daughter.

Captain Yang

How great! Way to go!

The sole male heir of the family, born to Kwon Gye-ok,

has set the Yangs' boat afloat in the waters of Jeju!

It's actually the Ohs' boat, not the Yangs'.

My grandmother bought me this boat.

I must have been the bounty of food in Gwan-sik's fortune!

All right, you're such a blessing.

The most blessed of all, she is!

What should you do, then?

You should treat her like a crown!

She didn't even bring the silver spoon you love so much,

but now she's given you a boat!

How wonderful!

What a devoted daughter-in-law!

The most devoted of all!

Who bought him a boat? Who?

You love her that much?

Father.

I think

she's the funniest person in the world.

Oh Ae-sun!

There they stood that season, like tall, green trees.

It was the start of a summer that could never be forgotten.

Mom, you're peeing.

Oh no.

- It's too early. - Ae-sun.

Honey!

Honey!

Be careful!

See what happens when you laugh out loud?

This is what you get for cracking up!

What did you do at my age? What was your life like?

I don't know.

I think I was always pregnant.

Gwan-sik made this, didn't he? Wow, he's a master at it.

He's so good at making jeon now.

You like silver spoons.

You must be so happy to have some.

He made all these kinds of jeon for his ancestors.

What a devoted grandson. No one could be more devoted than he is.

Are you really not going to come to the ancestral rites?

- I can't change his mind, can I? - You can't?

I would love to go, but what can I do? I should listen to my husband.

He uses his death stare to warn me not to go anywhere near your house.

Oh, he's so scary.

Your daughter-in-law is a cut above mine.

If I'm the rabbit and you're the snake,

then Ae-sun is a baby tiger.

Come on, stop! I'm telling you. You're not a rabbit either.

Not all born in the Year of the Rabbit are.

Why aren't there years of the raccoon, mole, or boar?

What? List a few more, why don't you?

Dad!

Dear me.

Hey. How was your day?

Give this to Mom.

What? What now?

Is that how you say hello?

Goodness. Why do you even have balls?

They just make sleeping on your belly awkward.

Let's see.

Did you tell Ae-sun…

Did you make Ae-sun uncomfortable again?

What about Gye-ok, then?

Who's going to care if I'm uncomfortable?

Your mom likes me.

I gave birth to a son, made you the captain,

and gave her silver spoons.

I gave her everything she wanted.

She couldn't hate me even if she wanted to.

Wouldn't it be really strange if she hated me?

Your daughter-in-law is indeed a cut above mine.

I guess that means my son is better than yours.

Why would he give them all three of the octopuses?

What about our kids?

Are you going?

Are you going to your house?

Yes, we are going.

- We're moving to our house. - All right.

Go, then.

I just wanted to say--

Go! Go on your way!

I really, really--

Stop talking.

Some things don't need to be said.

Thank you.

Crybaby mom!

Pack your bags!

Thank you for everything, sir.

Go wake your little ones.

We can't eat all of this by ourselves.

We have to cook pork to celebrate.

Why are we packing?

They say hard times never last,

but they lasted long enough for you, living with your in-laws and then here,

didn't they?

Go live in your own house now.

You said you'd been coming here alone since you were six.

You used to come over the hill every chance you got.

Mom!

Mom!

My baby!

- You came over the hill alone again? - Yeah!

Oh my goodness!

Mom!

Oh dear.

- Mom! - Oh my, it's hot!

Goodness, it's hot!

It's so hot!

It's hot!

Mom, I made this. You like it?

It's beautiful!

My goodness, it's hot! Well done!

Well done, my baby.

Mom!

Mom! I got a perfect score!

My baby, it's freezing!

How did you come over the hill in this cold weather?

SPELLING TEST

- A perfect score. - A perfect score.

Well done. I'm so proud, my baby.

You said you loved this house because it was your mom's.

You said you could smell her cooking whenever you were here.

You said your mother kept diving for abalones to buy this house.

We're not renting?

No, I bought it.

The landowner was from Busan, so it was hard for him to manage anyway.

It's not a lease?

It's our home.

It's the first time I've had my own home.

Stupid home.

Even conches and crabs have their own.

But I was always the only one without a home.

My mom's house,

my uncle's house,

my stepdad's house, and the one in Dodong-ri.

None of them were my home.

But this is actually…

It's really…

- Are you happy? - Yes.

I'm happy.

Really.

I'm so happy.

I'll buy us a bigger house next time.

This already feels like a palace.

Now that it's my own,

it feels even more like a palace.

A little higher there.

Summer somehow makes everything grow.

Let me see.

My diligent parents enjoyed expanding our home so much

that they didn't even notice the sweat on their brows.

Oh my!

We should put one there too.

Yes, there. Put another one there.

Those are mother-of-pearls from Tongyeong.

It's brand-new, not secondhand.

It's brand-new, and it's all mine.

It's really mine!

Geum-myeong, do you want me to pass it down to you later?

Do you want it or not? You want it?

Do you?

Should we take a picture?

It's not that big of a deal! Should we?

Look.

Many years later, even after moving to an apartment with a built-in closet,

Mom and Dad couldn't part with the mother-of-pearl wardrobe.

Let's go.

The shiny pearl wardrobe

reminded them of their blazing summer days.

The people who lived here before

didn't take care of the place because it wasn't theirs.

They didn't even bother to clean the hair out of the drain.

Were you that busy?

You never even appeared in my dream.

Did you come because I bought a house?

Because you're happy?

Because you're proud?

The woman next door bought a truck.

What?

Does he think being diligent at night makes him a husband?

You're full-term. Why is he always out on the boat catching squid?

Catching squid is how he bought the house.

He should've bought a car already.

Your neighbor has a driver's license and a truck.

You came here to talk about our neighbor?

Are you jealous of her truck?

It was hard enough to buy a house. Why all the fuss about a car?

If that persimmon tree reached into our neighbor's house,

then that woman…

would eat all our persimmons.

You should make her pay for eating them.

Ae-sun.

That woman has a truck.

She has a truck.

Geum-myeong.

Geum-myeong.

Go see the next-door neighbor now and…

Let's have two kids and raise them well, regardless of gender.

My daughter-in-law only had two children, but yours has won all three medals.

The eldest is the gold medal for being the breadwinner of this house.

And the second and third are both sons.

Your daughter-in-law is indeed a cut above mine.

She's way above! Far above!

Didn't you say there was no son in Ae-sun's fortune?

An ancestor appeared in a dream before his birth,

so he will be a great blessing.

Just wait and see.

Gwan-sik will have full nets every day,

thanks to this boy's maternal grandmother.

You used to say Ae-sun was bound to her mom's spirit.

Now she is an ancestor?

Even with any setbacks,

this little one is destined to thrive in life.

You used to say that Ae-sun's fortune had no blessings.

You're such a…

Such a what? A quack?

I guess you can be spot-on sometimes.

Full nets!

Gwan-sik's boat has full nets again!

Dong-myeong must be a blessing.

Fish flock to the boat whenever it sets sail.

No, Ae-sun is the blessing.

You see, I'm sure to make it to a high position someday.

You're right!

The people's representative, the worker for the people.

Wait, no one was against it.

Then it's basically unanimous.

…for the presidential election.

President Park Chung-hee, the sole candidate,

received 2,577 votes in favor and one spoiled vote

and was reelected as the president.

I recommend Oh Ae-sun for deputy chief.

Agreed!

I second that!

Me too!

Stop it, everybody.

I'm not interested in politics.

Who's Oh Ae-sun?

Gwang-rye's daughter.

If she's Gwang-rye's daughter…

…then let her do it!

She was the class vice president in school as well.

Yes, vice president.

Vetoed. I reject your request.

The president picks his cabinet members.

Why are you deciding who to appoint?

Do you think a lion would share a table with a hyena?

Someone's on a power trip, even though no one else ran.

Even campaigns have minimum requirements for candidacy.

Can a dog and cow run for office? Please just eat one, will you?

But you have so many!

Maybe I should run for chief.

If a dog can run for it, why can't I?

What, you brat?

I'd rather not run for anything

than hold a title with "deputy" in it.

We didn't vote because there was only one candidate,

but if there are more, we should vote!

- Vote! - Vote!

What have I got to lose?

Let's just go head-to-head.

Gwang-rye's daughter

wants to go head-to-head with him!

Goddamn it!

A woman as the chief?

What's wrong? Are you scared?

Goddamn it!

Goddamn it! Seriously?

If you're not, let's vote.

Hey, you little brat.

Goddamn it! Hey!

Huh?

Just let her be the deputy chief.

Don't embarrass yourself by letting her run and win.

I didn't know she was this funny until today.

A SMALL BALL LAUNCHED BY AE-SUN

Ae-sun launched a small ball into the sky,

and Dodong-ri got its first female deputy chief.

Hey, come on.

Stop talking and look ahead.

Look ahead.

DEPUTY CHIEF

Squeeze in, everyone.

Shorter people to the front. Good.

Move to the side. Come on, move along.

One, two.

Say "three" before taking pictures. Has no one ever told you?

All right. Everyone, look here.

One, two, three.

SOCIAL DANCE CLASS

Hurry up! Come out now. Stop resisting. Just come quickly.

Come on! Take pictures!

- What? - Why are you taking pictures?

Bring them all here.

Quick. Come sit down.

Gather them all like a pile of crap! Get him!

Aren't there more of them? Out of my way.

Hey, is someone in there? Move aside.

Why would you go in there, you creep?

Creep?

The ladies' room is my jurisdiction.

Have you got a crush on me? Why do you show up everywhere I go?

Just go elsewhere, okay? Go to a different area.

What is it? You still think about me?

Got any regrets?

Hey, why are you pinching your nose?

Why would you do that while I'm talking?

Ma'am.

It's all over.

You're surrounded.

Is someone in there or not?

Those feet…

The hell with socializing.

When did we need dancing to socialize?

The New Community Movement made people too comfortable.

All they want to do is party.

No one would have done this during the war.

Go-go dancing?

Social dancing?

- We should send them to the 38th parallel. - One, two.

Count to three before you take pictures!

Is this for real?

Seriously!

Why are you here? What do we do now?

What now?

Honestly.

How do I get them out?

Step aside.

Cover your face with your clothes.

You need to cover Hyeon-suk too!

Good idea.

Right? Look at these women.

They eat well and have nothing to do, so they dance around.

I can't believe this.

You have to go through a famine to wake up to reality.

Life must be good, right?

Too good!

Dance is a morally sound sport!

- Hey! - Well done.

Morally sound, my foot!

If that's true, why are you covering your face with your clothes?

Show your face and go to the Olympics.

Win a medal and be a patriot.

- Hyeon-suk, here. - When hell freezes over!

- One, two, three! - You hear me?

- One, two, three. - Dance will never be a sport.

Stop taking pictures!

That woman is even carrying her child.

She must be fleeing from the war.

Take pictures of women like her!

- Go get her. - Get her!

I'll get them!

Stop right there!

Why the hell is she in my face all the time?

She's doing better than you, Chief.

All you know how to do is count to three and take photos.

You'll be on the news for taking your child to the dance hall.

Are you doing this because you're bored?

Have you got too much money to spend?

If I hadn't at least taken up jitterbug, I would've gone mad.

I would've killed myself or someone else.

I feel rage inside when I'm stuck at home,

but when I just hold hands and spin around, it all goes away.

So I can't help but go dancing.

So, even at home, Chief is--

He's still the same Shit-gil.

My nickname at home is "Goddamn it!"

Goddamn it!

He's always saying, "Goddamn it,"

so Hyeon-suk learned to say "Goddamn it" before she could say "Dad."

Mom, you're Cinderella.

You're right.

Cinderella left her shoe behind after dancing and ran away.

So that makes your dad the prince.

These are better.

You should wear something similar to avoid his suspicion.

Who knows?

The prince of Dodong-ri might pick up and bring a glass slipper.

By the way, does your husband really buy your hairpins for you?

That's what everyone says.

They say your husband catches fish just to buy you hairpins.

Seriously,

people in this small town are too interested in others' heads.

Was that hairpin expensive?

Ae-sun,

you look more elegant than before.

Like a noble person.

I guess

people look the way they live.

Goddamn it!

Just leave if you can't handle it.

It's not like he's some great man to look up to.

Why live with your insides boiling?

Is that why you turned him down?

Sorry?

You really don't have any regrets?

Have you got a crush on me? Why do you show up everywhere I go?

Just go elsewhere, okay? Go to a different area.

What is it? You still think about me?

Got any regrets?

- Goodbye. - Thank you.

I have ears too, you know. I know everything.

I found out you and my husband had a history.

Come on, ma'am!

What history?

We just went on a blind date once.

One blind date when I was young.

Why just one date? You should've spent more time with him.

Then you might have ended up in this pile of poop.

Hyeon-suk, never step on a pile of poop.

You have to marry a man like this lady's husband, okay?

Your handwriting is beautiful.

The Literary Girl should do the writing.

You want me on it?

The paint will dry fast.

It's bad luck for women to board the boat.

The Dragon King might overturn it,

and you won't make it back.

- I don't believe in that stuff. - Hey!

Don't say that.

The Dragon King and the gods are all petty and hold grudges.

I don't believe any of that.

You, Geum-myeong, Eun-myeong, and Dong-myeong are my gods.

I'll survive a typhoon thanks to you four.

I won't die no matter what.

I'll always come back to you.

I'll make it home.

I know.

You're our Steelheart.

So get in.

You're my blessing, right?

You need to write it for more fortune to come our way.

Mom said she couldn't bring herself to tell her daughter,

"It's bad luck for you to board the boat."

She didn't want to pass on such a world to her daughter,

so Mom flipped the table first.

I never really believed in the Dragon King anyway.

I believe in myself!

Why is it bad luck for my little girl to board the boat?

Do you even know what's happening out here on land?

You don't even know the New Community Movement, gramps.

Didn't you say the Dragon King and the gods all hold grudges?

Eun-myeong, Dong-myeong. Come here.

I hold grudges too!

Do you even know anything about the Anti-superstition Movement?

These days,

the president is arresting people for shamanistic rituals.

If you get on my bad side,

I won't even offer you a bowl of rice on the ritual day!

Why call me bad luck when you feed off what I provide?

You're such a strange old man!

Spit at him. Spit.

In the summer that somehow makes everything grow,

my young parents grew up too.

GEUMEUNDONG

Now we have a house

and a boat.

This is crazy.

Are you happy?

Yeah.

I am happy.

I'm so happy.

With their lives full of catches,

all they wanted was for their blazing summer sunshine to last.

They had no idea back then

what else the summer could bring.

FULL NETS

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S FULL NETS

"IN THE HOPE THAT OUR ECHOES WILL FLOW AND FLOW UNTIL THEY REACH YOU."

Subtitle translation by: Sung In Jang