Original subtitles

I am coming to you now.

Please come meet me, my dear husband.

My lady!

My lady!

Oh, good heavens.

What are you doing over there?

It's dangerous!

I said it's dangerous!

Madam!

Come here! Quickly!

Eun-sil.

Let's go.

My lady.

No, wait.

Well, I…

"An Hui-yeon."

THE SCANDAL

Because I wish to hold…

a child that bears your likeness in my arms.

Do you still…

hold me in your heart?

Do you?

Is that it?

Madam.

Madam, it is Gye-hwa.

Pardon the intrusion.

Madam.

The Lady of the First Rank has sent more medicinal herbs.

What shall we send in return?

About the Left State Councilor's house.

You know his eldest son suddenly died a few years ago, do you not?

As it happens, I crossed paths

with his young widow on my way to Hanyang.

I saw her only briefly,

yet she had a certain allure that draws a man in.

As though

she were concealing a deep sensuality beneath the surface.

Is that so?

You scoffed at the matter of So-ok,

yet at the mention of a widow, your eyes fairly light up.

It is only natural, is it not?

A woman of fate in full bloom

is far more diverting than some downy little girl.

By your words alone,

one would think you have already held her in your arms.

A widow like her?

I could easily have her

within the month.

She has remained untouched for more than 20 years.

Are you saying you could so easily conquer

a woman so fiercely protective of her chastity?

What is it

you wish to see?

Whatever do you mean?

I merely fear you may bring ruin upon yourself

meddling with such a woman.

She is the Left State Councilor's daughter-in-law, after all.

Let us forget the matter of So-ok,

and you should put aside these idle amusements as well.

Idle amusements?

Could it be that

you are jealous?

I spoke only out of concern,

yet that is how you took it?

Indeed.

I had meant to amuse myself a bit, but you bid me stop.

Now I find myself

all the more intrigued.

Oh, dear.

Are you truly saying

- you would pursue her even at such risk? - Why?

Do you doubt me?

What will you do if I succeed?

I plainly warned you against it,

yet if you insist upon seeing it through…

then I shall reward you.

Whatever you desire.

Whatever

I desire?

The only thing I desire is you.

Surely you know

that I have waited over a decade.

Then can you

write a heartfelt account of the sound of that widow's door opening

after 20 long years?

Can you prove it to me in writing?

Yes.

I could even stand before you

and read it aloud.

And if you fail,

what will you give me?

As you wish,

I shall see that So-ok bears a child.

Then we are agreed?

We are…

agreed.

- We'll finish early, won't we? - Yes, it's almost done.

Oh, I heard you already!

Damn it. She gets boiled meat?

And nothing for the maid who isn't pregnant. How unfair!

- I'm dying for a bite of meat myself. - Eun-sil!

Eun-sil!

We are leaving shortly!

All right, I heard you!

Oh, it's…

It's nice to meet you.

Is your name Eun-sil?

That's a nice name.

And your face is even nicer.

Oh, my.

What you have down there is rather nice too.

Yes, very nice.

Get away from me, you filthy bum!

No, wait…

Wait! Listen.

Are you craving meat?

My lord!

My lord.

It seems she's craving meat. Good grief.

Meat?

Yes.

You don't say.

Meat while in mourning?

I meant, Eun-sil.

The lady's maid.

- "Eun-sil"? - Yes.

- You have learned her name already? - Yes.

Thanks to you, my splendid master,

I have tasted beef, pork, every kind of meat there is.

But other lowborn folk could never even hope to get a bite of meat.

Right?

Find out where that girl Eun-sil has gone.

Yes, sir.

Here.

All right.

"I cannot…

get you out of my mind, my lady."

How's that, Chil-seong?

Good.

No, that won't do.

"I cannot forget the moment

I first

laid eyes upon you."

Isn't that better?

Yes.

All right.

Hey, you fool. Keep still.

Now I have ruined it.

Again.

My lady!

Good heavens, look who it is!

It has been far too long.

Who might you be?

I don't know from which family you come, but I don't believe we have met.

Do you not remember me?

I am brother-in-law to Minister Yoo.

My name is Cho Won.

I thought I had seen you before and wished to pay my respects.

Forgive me if I have made you uncomfortable.

I do live near Minister Yoo's residence,

so perhaps we have seen each other in passing.

Oh, are you his wife's younger brother then?

Her cousin, in fact.

I shall pay you a visit with her soon.

Very well.

My lady.

My lady.

Go.

- Take this. - What is it?

A letter.

- You can read and write too? - Just go.

My lady.

My sincerest condolences.

Thank you.

Oh, yes.

Earlier today, I met the gentleman who is said to be your cousin.

Pardon?

I had long heard much about him, of course.

But even at a glance, his beauty was striking enough

to make it plain he shares your blood.

You flatter us.

Please.

Young Master Geum-ho…

Forgive me. I still call him that out of habit.

This belonged to your late husband.

He often came to read in our study annex while he was alive.

I believe this is a copy he transcribed himself then.

Go on, open it.

You can feel both his bold spirit and steadfast character, can you not?

Would you

please tell me

what sort of man he was?

He was

truly a remarkable young man.

Hardly a day passed without the sound of his reading drifting over the wall,

and the elders of his family placed great hopes upon him.

I heard he was unmatched among countless scholars

even in the initial civil service examination.

But

what I remember most is not any of that.

It is the gentle sight of him

quietly catching a falling flower in his hand

and admiring it.

He studied with eyes full of curiosity,

always gazing warmly upon the world as it bloomed and faded

with each passing season.

That is what I remember.

- Wait. - Let us go. Quickly.

Bun-hui.

- Let us go. - Huh?

Bun-hui.

Bun-hui!

Wait.

Look at you. How long has it been?

Huh?

Why the familiarity?

Come now, I am only glad to see you.

So, have you been well all this while?

Well? Bun-hui.

I have lived

all these years

unable to forget the scent

you once drenched me in.

Step aside.

Come now, Bun-hui.

You are here.

Oh, my lord.

This is the mother of the lady who is to become Lord Yoo's concubine.

"My lord"?

Wait, that means…

My brother-in-law's concubine…

You are her mother?

"Brother-in-law"?

"Brother-in-law," you say?

So then you are So-ok's mother…

"Brother-in-law"?

Wait…

That wretched man.

He's driving me mad.

She is

no ordinary girl, that one.

Chil-seong!

- Chil-seong! - Yes?

Fan it harder!

Oh, yes.

The meat melts in the mouth!

It sure does!

How delicious!

It's delicious!

Just wait.

The girl was mad for meat.

She will come.

Surely she will come before the sun sets.

Could I…

Eun-sil.

Let me.

Give it here. Careful now.

Water.

Wash it down as you eat.

I won't take it from you. I only fear you might choke.

But why are you letting me eat such fine meat?

I may be a lowly servant,

but even I know nothing in this world is free.

Did she read the letter at once?

The letter?

I have it safely right here.

Wait, why would you…

Hey, was it not meant for me?

Oh, dear. The meat is burning.

I… I will go get it.

Such fine meat! Yes.

So,

how much longer until the mourning ends?

About a fortnight.

Once that passes, it will all be over.

My, this looks delicious.

But isn't that a good thing if it ends?

Your lady can't even eat good food during mourning.

Have you never heard of a virtuous woman?

- No. - She ought to follow her husband in death.

You know nothing.

I did not know.

Watch carefully.

I shall teach you each step.

Yes.

Two more baskets are coming, sister.

All right, hurry them over.

Are you occupied?

There is no end to what must be taught

to one joining the household.

Oh, this is the girl who is to be taken in as a concubine.

Her name is So-ok.

Greetings, my lord.

Pleased to meet you.

I hear you paid a visit to that widow.

Did you speak ill of me or something?

In our library, I just happened to find

a notebook once used by her late husband, Young Master Geum-ho.

I went to deliver it

and had a nice little chat with her.

You happened to find

his notebook, did you?

She begged me to tell her all there was to know of her husband.

After I shared what I could remember,

she gazed upon that notebook with such admiration.

I wish

you had been there to see the look in her eyes.

To imagine her

looking upon me with those same eyes, begging for my love…

I dare say my dreams tonight shall be sweet and exciting.

Since you are so full of confidence, I suppose I need not worry.

But first, you will need to thoroughly erase the husband

who still occupies that widow's mind.

It is no matter, for the man is a ghost.

Can such a thing rival a flesh-and-blood man

rooted firmly in this world?

She longs for him only because she never saw him.

Once she faces a real man, she would be quick to fall into his arms.

And you believe

that alone will suddenly give her the courage to withstand

the countless eyes and ears of Bukchon?

When one comes to love with all one's being…

such obstacles become meaningless.

Surely

you know that as well.

I…

can be such a man.

And I shall gladly

be such a man for that lady.

Now,

the ghost's name is

Geum-ho, is it?

Madam.

Visitors have arrived from the Left State Councilor's house.

My lady, do you remember me?

I am In-ho, who went to study among the Confucian scholars of Andong.

Why, can that young boy

truly have grown so much?

Have you been well?

How do you do?

I am the youngest son of the Left State Councilor,

Kwon In-ho.

I am brother-in-law to Minister Yoo,

Cho Won.

Might you be

the Scholar Cho Won, whose essay on the southern sacred herb

at the civil service examination

won such renown back then?

You flatter me with talk of renown.

It was merely good fortune,

thanks to a fine literary friend of mine.

It is an honor to meet you.

Not only I, but even the friends with whom I study,

have long wished to read your writings.

We have a volume of his scholarly writings in the study annex.

Why don't you two scholars

look through it together and have a thoughtful discussion?

Very well.

Come with me, my lady.

Let us women share some trivial secrets in the meantime.

Let me.

Shall we?

My mother-in-law wished to repay you for finding

my husband's belongings.

She had meant to come herself,

but I told her I wished to see you

and asked if I could come in her stead.

I only hope this sudden visit has not been discourteous.

I could only be grateful.

In truth, I have been quite eager to see you myself.

How sweet of you.

It is exactly the same.

Just as I remember it.

Did you visit often?

I used to come here with my elder brother.

They have every book imaginable.

In fact,

it was my brother who first told me of you, sir.

Is that so?

He said, "Within his writings lie not only the truths of learning,

but also the joys and sorrows of life."

Sadly, before I, with my shallow learning,

could fully understand what he meant…

The peonies have bloomed beautifully, have they not?

Yes, indeed. They are quite lovely.

My husband's new concubine

is very much like them.

Look, Mal-ttong! There are flowers here!

Such a lovely girl.

Careful, miss!

Just like a peony,

she carries a rosy smile

and fills every corner of this house with the fragrance of flowers.

What of your younger days?

You too must have been so very beautiful.

I thought having a husband and serving him

would be the joy of the rest of my life.

Once my marriage was arranged,

my heart began to flutter, as if I had finally become a grown woman.

You asked earlier

why I wrote such an answer at the palace examination.

Well,

your brother saw straight through it.

At the time…

I was burdened with more than a man of my age ought to bear.

There was once a man I loved.

But ours was a bond meant to be fulfilled only in death.

Joy, anger, sorrow, delight.

I lived through them all indeed.

And so I poured every feeling life had stirred in me into that essay.

Yet whenever I feel lonely,

I find myself thinking of him.

It feels as though

he might come rushing in and open my door at any moment

if only I said I missed him.

I wish to entrust

this secret of mine to this petal

and offer it to you as a token of friendship.

Should you ever find yourself in need of help, come to me.

And next time,

I hope you will share your own heart with me as well.

You will not find anyone more tight-lipped than me.

The truth is…

Oh, my goodness!

Until now, I thought pheasant was the finest thing there was,

but now my mind has changed completely.

Right? Beef is the best, huh?

Pheasant does not even come close.

I do not know what is written here…

but these letters are truly beautiful.

Especially

this one.

Is it?

I hope it's a son.

Then I shall have him

learn his letters too.

This is called an alarm clock.

My father brought it back from the Great State.

What? Come on, it is not even food.

- What is it for? - You.

I told you to mind your tone with me, did I not?

What is it for, miss?

It tells the time.

These needle-like things

go round and round all day long and show the time.

- What? - It is a rare treasure

you would go your whole lives without ever laying eyes on

if it weren't for me.

Thanks to me, you get to see one.

Nice, is it not?

Hey, where are you going?

I'm not finished…

What are you doing here?

Well, I…

Goodness, this is a most precious treasure.

How could you handle it so carelessly?

Is that an alarm clock?

I've only read of it in books.

This is my first time seeing one.

Truly, there is nothing Lord Yoo's house doesn't possess.

If you

turn it like this…

Hey!

I thought heaven and earth were splitting apart.

How can it make such a noise?

Please come along now.

My apologies.

That way.

I just saw your palanquin leaving.

Who was inside?

Cousin.

That day…

The day you would have

waited endlessly for me at the ferry landing.

I can only imagine how much pain…

you must have been in that day.

And what of you that day?

Hurry and follow the palanquin.

The one inside may prove most beneficial to you.

Do you speak of the widow?

Are you helping me…

out of remorse for the past?

Let us say I simply feel too lonely today.

Now, go.

Before you lose her.

The more I know you…

the more unknowable you seem.

A marriage proposal sent for you.

It is from Yoo Hong-sang, a junior academic official.

Now, this family

would not scold a woman for being bold enough

to read proper script.

They are men with the confidence and generosity

to exchange and recite verses with their wives,

and live out their days

in perfect harmony.

MUN-HEUL

Take it.

What do you mean to do?

- I am leaving tomorrow. - Miss Yun!

That is why you must deliver it.

So we do not pass each other by. Please?

Won,

perhaps I am a woman who longs for love after all.

Even now, as marriage talks pass between families,

my eyes, my hands,

and my heart search only for you.

So I ask this of you.

Where my sorrowful tears have pooled,

I shall ready a lonely boat.

Will you please wait for me there?

I will come to you.

Father.

Oh, Yun.

What brings you out at this hour?

Father, may I ask why you are in tears?

Because it is such a waste.

Had you been born a man, you'd have taken top honors in the civil service exam.

If only you were not a woman…

you would have had many chances to make your name known.

But now that even your marriage has been arranged,

how many more times

shall I see your face before I die?

Let us proceed with the bowing.

The groom shall answer with one bow.

Now, the wedding vows.

My dear Kkot-bun! Come here!

- Come here, you! - Come here.

Over here!

Young master.

Do you remember me?

I did not recognize you.

- Missus! - Your garments are ready, sir.

Missus!

Missus.

Mend my garment for me.

Here.

All right, this arm first.

Oh, dear.

Forgive my carelessness, young master.

I shall alter it to fit you properly.

I must have been mistaken.

No, the fault is not yours.

I simply have grown since then.

Young master.

If I may ask, why were you

standing by the river with such sorrowful eyes?

What makes you say so?

The traces of your tears

were still glistening.

The woman I love

has left me.

Sir.

Tears will not bring her back.

Do you still see

traces of tears upon my face?

Missus!

Missus!

Hand me the mirror.

Is my garment done yet?

Missus, do you have any tobacco left?

How impatient you are!

Cousin.

Would you look at this gentleman?

That tickles!

How…

How are you

so beautiful?

Wait! Wait just a moment!

Why are you in such haste?

Subtitle translation by: Yoonjung Song