Original subtitles

Original Story by JEON Kyeong-lin

KlM, Yun-jin

LEE, Jong-won

GYE, Sung-yong

ARDOR

My name is Lee Mi-heun

I married a senior classmate the year I graduated from college

We had a daughter and spent eight happy years together

I devoted myself to my house and family

My husband loved this about me

This was how we planned to grow old together

Not finished yet?

Let's wrap it up and go to bed

Leaving this unfolded can bring bad luck tomorrow

December 24th, 2000

Even on the night she came over

I believed my life

would always be this peaceful

Hello?

Yes, it is

Yes. Go ahead

I bought some beer. I didn't want to come empty handed

I thought I should see Mr. Kim before I leave

I owe him quite a lot

I wanted to stop by earlier

Anyway, we had a party around here

He's the only one who didn't show

It's not that I had to be there

I'm leaving early tomorrow

Are you going far away?

Incheon

You know what a foster home is?

It's for abandoned children

I'll be living there with them

Sounds like a difficult job

Nice apartment

How big is it?

Oh, there's a flag in the house

My daughter drew it in pre-school

Something is wrong with it

But what?

Isn't it upside down?

Right, it is!

I knew something was wrong with it

How silly! It's drawn upside down

Sweetie

- She doesn't know anything - What the? What are you doing?

Can't you stay with me tonight?

Miss Jung, stop it. Are you drunk?

But I'm really leaving tomorrow!

Aren't you sad at all?

Don't do this, get off me

No, I wanna stay with you

Can I sleep here with you?

Sweetie, huh?

Young-woo

Can I sleep here with you?

I haven't slept in days. Let me stay, sweetie

Don't you miss me, honey? Smell me

I know you love me, huh?

You two, If you need to talk, go outside

No, Mi-heun, that's not it

Let go

- She's just drunk, that's all - Let go

You crazy girl

This house

This house not here! Don't you know that?

Get out! Get out, now!

Sweetie?

How disgusting

Was it fun fooling around?

Mi-heun

Get out It's over now. Stop it

Let go!

What the?

Wanna know what he said to me?

He said I pull him in all the way

He said he'll never forget how

I squeeze him tight inside me

We weren�t just fooling around

I even got pregnant

Last month, I had an abortion, and he

Your husband, I mean

He waited outside the operating room afraid I'd get hurt

He worried I wouldn't wake up and he'd never see me again!

We loved each other like more than you could ever dream of

And you want me to leave?

You gotta be kidding

I've got as much right to be here as you!

You!

I didn't know there was a knife!

- I didn't know, sweetie - Daddy?

Su-jin! Go back to your room

Mi-heun, open your eyes!

What the hell did you hit her with?

Mi-heun! Mi-heun! Open your eyes!

6 months later

She just moved here from Seoul

and doesn't know her way around

- So help her adjust - The countryside's best for kids

We had a bus for them until last year

- But the school funds have depleted - I see

- The head wound is fully healed - There shouldn't be any problems

Nothing will stop your headaches I'll prescribe a tranquilizer

You know what a drug addict is?

Snap out of it, Mi-heun, please?

Ma'am? We're at Butterfly Ville

This is where you get off

- Get on - No, you go first

- Oh! It's you! - Hello

Coming from somewhere?

- You're getting around well - I went to the school

- Taking off - Oh, mister! I'm coming on

Honey? I picked Su-jin up from school

- Daddy, what's this? - Oh, that's a TV

If you press here, we can watch TV Cool, huh?

Mommy, look! Daddy came to school in this!

- You bought a car? - Oh, you're up

Well, you'll need a car too, to get to the hospital

You can use the other car. On weekends, we'll go around in this

- How's that sound, Su-jin? - Great!

Wonderful?

Hello? Yes, professor, this is Hyo-kyung

I'm here for good

I handed over the publishing company to Chang

and took over the bookstore over from Dae

No, nothing like that

Well, with my wife's health

No, it's nothing serious

She just needs clean air and rest

Yes, I think so

I'll come by sometime

Take care, professor. Bye, sir

Hi, Mommy!

I couldn't quit, no matter what Even after getting lung cancer

Rest stop

A bottle of water, please

- Hey! - Yeah?

You put a novel under Reference!

Ah-huh

Don't sit around doing nothing Go clean the windows

Fuck the nice weather today

Hello?

Are you the owner of this car?

There's something wrong with it

What's the problem?

I'm not sure, it just stopped

When's the last time you put gas in the car?

Pardon?

Didn't even know that it's out of gas

15,000 won, please

- What about the gas can? - Excuse me?

You have to return it, but

You're not from around here, huh?

- Just visiting? - No, I live here

- 3000 won more for the can - What?

You know doc, but I don't know you

I ain't never seen you 3,000 won!

How's country life so far?

You moved into the house downhill?

Didn't change your car plates yet?

I didn't know you lived uphill

I was surprised to see you come out of that house

It's famous around here. Did you know when you went in?

That does it

Seems like your thoughts are always somewhere else

Are you okay?

Live here for a month, you'll see. It'll bore you to death

No mall, no theatres

It's an hour from the city

If you sit around doing nothing, you'll just go crazy

Doesn't the Mrs have a job?

You must have made a lot of money

You should come out more

People are saying you're sick

since you don't come out Rumours!

Oh, I didn't know that

Don't be offended

It's different from Seoul around here

Anyway, did you meet him? Up the hill?

When they moved in, it was worse than here

Wondering why a young, handsome doctor

would think of coming here

Do you know the bamboo house? On the way to So-Jung li?

What about it?

I heard something happened there

The village was turned upside down last year

A stabbing!

A woman killed her father-in-law in broad daylight

The son was such a nice man

I'm telling you. The wife ruined him completely

She had some nerve

being butt naked with her lover in broad daylight!

When the old man caught them

she grabbed the sickle from him

and Gives me chills

just thinking about it

Mommy!

- Wasn't it fun today? - Yeah, science class was best

Mommy! This is Oh Mi-sook. She sits left, right, up from me

She takes the bus a long way

Can we give her a ride?

Where do you live?

Seven stops on bus #2 My house is right there

- Bye - See ya

- Take care, Mi-sook - Bye

You!

I told you

never to get in a stranger's car!

You brat! Go inside, now!

Wow! She's scary

No, she's not

Greet her politely next time

Okay

Can I play at Dong-wook's house?

Okay, but be back before dinner

Yes

- Did you have fun at his house? - Uh-huh

What are you doing? Let's eat

Daddy, I already ate

Did you eat, Hon?

Mommy's sick again

- You said you ate, right? - Ah-huh

- Let's get ready for school tomorrow - Okay

Honey?

Why are you crying?

What's the matter now?

These people can die doing that. Why would they do it?

- It's so stupid - What?

Maybe you should've died

before she came over

Then I might've died along with you

No, it would've been better if I died first

Then I wouldn't have found out. That would've been nice

I can't do it

I can't go back to the way we were

But why am I here, in this house, still sleeping next to you?

Life, It feels so empty

so boring that I'll go crazy

Nothing's worth living for

everything's a waste

Just stop it!

How many times do I have to tell you?

It was just an accident

I apologized over and over!

I gave up everything

to be stuck here running a tiny bookstore!

For what? I dedicated my life to you and Su-jin!

Frankly speaking

you always lay around like a corpse

but did I ever complain about you?

You're really something, Mi-heun! Really something

You're not going to sit here wasting away your life, are you?

The weather's too nice for that

Would you like some coffee?

Su-jin, turn down the volume! Mommy's head hurts

Yes, Mommy

Su-jin, let's go

Kim Su-Jin, quickly

- Where are we going? - Mommy has to go into town

Quick, go to Dong-wook's place

Okay

Let's go

What's the problem?

My head

it hurts so much I can't do anything

Let me take a look

Breathe

All right

That's fine

- Does it hurt like this often? - Yes

Since when?

Since last December 24th

Were you hurt?

Did a specialist look at it?

Yes It's nothing serious

- But your head still hurts? - Yes

Let's check your blood pressure

I was treated by a neuro-psychiatrist. They're vascular headaches

Please just write the prescription. It's Xanax and Diazepam

Write it, please

All right

Let me just see your health insurance card

Lee Mi-heun?

I'm Choi ln-kyu

What do you do most of the time?

Sleeping?

Your head hurts because you stay in sleeping

I really have to get going

Uh, yes, that's right

You shouldn't take too much Diazepam or Barium

Thank you

Ah, Mi-heun?

Want to play a little game with me?

Having fun is the best medicine for headaches

For four months, until summer's end

let's pretend we're lovers

We'll have fun together and have sex

Sound intriguing?

But there's one rule

lf one of us tells the other ''I love you'', then it's over

We can never meet again

So I'm not proposing a relationship, just a game

Why would anyone play such a game?

Life's full of changes

I don't like being tied down

Or, maybe it's because I know I'll never lose

And mostly, because I find you attractive

Do you play this game often?

Not often, but once in awhile

Why can't there be love?

Confessions of love, marriage

Typical steps before sex

I hate it, it's like insurance

I'm not a person who can fall in love

So how about it?

You look bored, too

I know you'll play it. You have nothing else to do

They have the best mushrooms here. Let's get some

Mushrooms, please

Your mom's not out waiting today

Bye

- See you tomorrow, Mi-sook - Bye

Mommy!

Mommy!

- Mommy! - You bitch! Come here!

- Mi-sook! - Mommy!

Come here, quickly

Hold on

You bitch! Come here! You fucking bitch!

Hey, get over here!

Get back here!

Shocked?

He's my husband

I met him working at a bar

the first customer I slept with

He'd drink and then beat me

Went in and out of jail

No matter how far

I try to run

he somehow ends up finding me

Crazy, ain't it?

Looks like it will rain

It's the typhoon coming

there's always one around now

Mi-heun?

Hi, Mom

I called because of the typhoon

Is your place okay?

It's okay

If you're fine, then bye for now

- Wait, Mom? - What?

- How's Dad? - The same as always

- I see - Then, I'll see you soon. Bye

Each time you played, have you always won?

There's no winner in this game

just a loser

Have you ever lost?

Only once

to the woman who first proposed it to me

What happened then?

I asked her to live with me and to get a divorce

Threats, stalking

I turned worse than scum

Who would play such a game?

Bored women?

Ruined women?

There are women who want to be ruined

Like you

Open your eyes

Don't look at it

No, yours is so beautiful

What do we say now?

Anything

Anything you want

How many kids do you have?

Nothing like that

Was I any good?

You don't know how seductive you really are

So you looks so normal

You're really fantastic

I thought my whole body would be sucked into you

Does your wife know about your lifestyle?

As long as she doesn't see it, she's okay with it

She knew about this before we married

I've always been like this

Even before I ran away from Seoul

Why did you leave Seoul?

Why'd you spend 2 weeks in the hospital for a head wound?

That's not fair

One advantage of living up the hill

- Tricky, aren't I? - As much as me?

You got me there

Su-jin

this is an internet joke, what's soccer players' favourite drink?

Penal-tea!

What happened to my hair?

No, it's pretty

I'll brush it when we get home. Don't worry

it looks good

- Hey, Doctor Choi - Oh, hello

- We should go fishing sometime, huh? - Yes, I'll look at my schedule

Bye

Hello?

Hello?

- Who was that? - No one, maybe they'll call again

It's nice out, wanna go for a hike?

Why don't you go with Su-jin? I don't like hiking

I wanted to go as a family

We've never gone out since moving

It's too late to hike

It'll be lunchtime soon

How about hot springs, then?

I'm a bit stiff these days

We can have sushi on the way back. How about it?

Mommy, hurry up

Daddy!

- The hot spa was good, huh? - Yeah

- Do you have some lotion on you? - You didn't put any on?

I didn't like the one they had

Did you put some on Su-jin?

By the way

- Hon? - Hmm?

You know Prof Hwang?

He asked me to try writing again

He thinks I have a lot of time in a place like this

I guess everyone's out on Sunday

Stop by the store, let's get some drinks

Honk! Honk! Big car coming. Move away, please

Mommy, let's get some ice cream

- Do you want something? - Anything's fine

I'll wait here

Is something wrong?

Do you know how I got out?

Over the window!

Look at my feet!

Is someone here?

I don't like such dangerous acts

- I couldn't keep our appointment - That's no problem

You came to say that, this late?

The light was on

I'm leaving

No one saw me

Mi-heun, wait

Our promises are

like sea buoys

They don't really mark anything

Stop there or just float past them

It doesn't make a difference

Mi-heun

Hey, Mi-heun

Where'd you go?

I was worried about you

I went for a walk

At this hour? In your pyjamas?

Who cares? No one's around to see me

But when did you leave?

When you went to the bathroom

Are you crazy? Weren't you scared?

No I went to the lake

What's wrong with you?

You make me crazy

Can we do it?

Mi-heun?

It's okay, isn't it?

Here they go again

What?

The wife! She does this every year

She invites some outsiders

has an outdoor party

and keeps the village up all night

They say she runs a restaurant in the city

Probably just a pub

Is there anyplace cool around? It's so boring here

- Shall we go to the beach? - The beach?

- Is it nearby? - Of course, it's not far

Wow, you came pretty far

I love you

Does this mean I lost?

- The game's over? - You mean it?

Can't I?

No. It's not that you can't

I just said it

for practice

to remind myself of the rule

If you only knew

You don't know how hard I'm trying not to lose this game

Oh, it feels so good

Darling?

Wait, wait

Darling?

In-kyu

Darling?

They're looking for you

In-kyu! In-kyu!

Want to put in a pond

and raise goldfish? Su-jin will like it

There's a place by my shop

They'll give us a good deal

Let's do it later

No, it's best to do it now

I've one more thing to say

I want to write a novel again

Hello?

Yes, yes okay

- Who was it? - Wait

What? Where are you going?

Um Mi-sook's mom is sick

- Who? - You know, at the rest stop

So why do you have to go?

I'm the only one she knows

- But this late at night? - I'll call when I get there, okay?

I parked at the post office

Is something up?

Not that I know of

It's just, different

Isn't it fun and thrilling?

What'd you say to him?

Why?

Relax

On my way home, I realized I really needed you

I didn't come to joke

You've got to relax

and take us less seriously

Come here

Where were you this afternoon?

This place was closed early

I just went for a long drive

Honking loudly and speeding, I bet

I'm going to my mom's next week

Can I try it?

Want to meet me there?

Can you meet me if I go?

It's my sister's memorial day

Let's meet at night

The garlic is great there

I don't make it often

Take some home for your family

Why didn't you bring Su-jin?

I'm only here for the day

Besides, she's busy these days playing with friends

Where's the brother In law?

He has a new wife, don't bother

Hae-jin should get close to her, too

She's never seen your sister

Shouldn't we go to the temple?

The monks will pray for her

And don't bother coming next year

We've left this to the monks. No need for us to fuss anymore

You want to go for a walk?

Do we have to? It's like downtown Seoul here

Look, just go back

Why'd you come?

If you hadn't, I wouldn't have waited

Don't get angry

Look at me

I hate the way I am

This is just crazy

No need to drag this on. Let's end it

I'm not angry with you. Stop it

If you're tired of us, just say it

There isn't any commitment here

It's not that I don't want it. It's the complete opposite

You don't really understand me

We came way too far

While coming here, you know what I realized?

What's that?

I'm disgusted with how I am

how I live, how others live

I even thought of going back

But after 4 hours

I couldn't

It'd be crazy for me to go back, and there's nowhere I want to be

It's the story of my life

I'm not angry with you

I know I'm bad

I've never kept a promise in my life

When I get older, I'll be just like my dad

I ran away from the one I

confessed love to go, just like him

I cut my hand so I'd remember not to love again

But here you are

My nurse said rumours about

us are all over the village

Someone in the next town even asked

how the doc and his lover were doing

Let's spend the night together anyway

It'll be our first full night together

You could call it our first night

You men like first too much

What if today wasn't the first

but the last, how would you spend it?

Do the laundry

Clean the fridge

Go to the hairdresser's and say

"Do whatever you want with it" for the first time,

put Su-jin's things in a box

and write 2014, so she can find it as an adult

Go to Jinju to eat pizza Write a letter to a friend

Look at all my old report cards and pictures

Oh, and change my underwear

And me?

When will you meet me on the last day?

When will you meet me on that day?

From morning till night, all day

All day Beginning to end

I wouldn't let you go for a moment

Let's go

You're right. We came much too far

The game's over

Let's not meet any more

Say that you love me

I don't want to play games anymore

- Mommy - Huh?

I'm hot. Can I get out?

What's all this?

I put the store up for sale

I'm running off to hide again

So he can't find me

Is something wrong?

Why?

You seem different

Huh?

I've heard about it

They all know except my husband

When are you leaving?

The next owner will be here soon

Keep in touch. I'll write

My name's Eun-Yeon

Na Eun-Yeon

Don't say it

No one's called me that since I left home at 15

I just wanted you to know my name

Hello?

It's me. Where are the stop smoking tapes that were in the car?

I threw them out

But they weren't yours!

You knew I was trying to quit smoking!

You should've at least asked!

- Wait! Someone's at the door - Shit!

- I'll call you back - Hey! Mi-heun!

- Who is it? - Here to construct the pond

- Pardon? - Pond construction, ma'am

Hey, mister! Sir?

Hey, stop for a sec

I'll take the kid out for a while

- Okay, but be back before lunch - I will. Thank you

No problem! Go on

Bye, sweetie

You bastard!

Get on

People are looking. Get in now

I have to go pick up Su-jin

You go first and wait for me

One big change in life is more than enough for me

If you and

I live together

we'll just end up repeating the same mistakes

Just like with your husband

you'll end up lying to me

And I'll meet another woman

and be forced to lie to you

That's absurd

What do you know about me and my husband?

What's the big change?

I can just eat you up right now

Like a man-eater

I need you

Don't go seeing anyone else yet

A woman who makes me

warm soup every morning

And has my baby through her body

Coming home at night

and falling asleep in her arms

It's no longer possible

We both tried it before

We both failed at that sort of life

What were you doing there?

I'm talking to you!

I went to the spa

When did you arrive?

An hour ago

I was here for three hours!

I went home early but no one was home!

The workers were mad about missing lunch!

I looked for you and Su-jin everywhere!

I found your car here, so I waited

I asked if anyone saw you or Su-jin inside the spa

They said no!!

I waited since then. It's six now!

Where's Su-jin?

You know there's nothing but a motel through there!

Where is she?

Playing at a friend's house

Explain yourself

Is it true what everyone says?

Let go

Get off, now!

Get out!

Now, explain! I'm listening!

You think I'm sacrificing my life to live in this hell-hole

so that you can fuck some doctor?

I have nothing to say

- Let's end it - What?

I want a divorce

You think I'm crazy enough to give you what you want?

God forbid!

I'm gonna make sure you pay for this!

- When did it start? - As soon as we moved here

Where do you think you're going?

Stop right there! You can't go! Fuck!

Hey, miss, is something wrong?

Are you okay?

Are you sure?

How'd this happen?

You're unreal

A jerk who seduces crazy women in the country with bad games

Let's go to the hospital

I can't go into town

Let's just stay here, together

People believe that only the good

can fall in love forever

But the people who love

intensely are the bad ones

Immoral, weak,

selfish people

the poor, dark souls

I don't have a picture

No picture of Su-jin!

What am I going to do?

It's at the house

What if I forget her face?

What am I going to do?

What am I going to do?

What if I forget her face?

What are we going to do?

I love you

What shitty luck

Let it go

Right, it's nothing

Where are we going?

I'm scared of your driving

You and I have no place to go and no place to stay

Let's just go anywhere

But you know, we won't work

Are you okay?

Here

Yes, I'm fine

Deserted by family and friends, I walked out of the hospital alone

And someone was kind enough to tell me of his death

I left home

And a year has gone by

When the sun rose, I got up to work on a day to day job

When I got hungry, I filled up on cheap food

At night I returned to my one room home and fell asleep, alone

Sometimes, memories would crowd in and stab my heart

Often times I'd wake up at night and cry like a mad woman

But I believe

I'm more alive now than I ever was in the past

It's like I'm walking toward a world tossed by wind

Vitality starts with misery

My sadness reminds me that I'm alive

That one dazzling moment in my life

The all too short summer, that year

I didn't have the chance to say I loved him

Even now, I remember I can hear his final laugh

Are you ready?

Ah yes

Okay, let's take your picture now

Tilt your head a little to the right, and turn

That's great

Can you put the bag down from the chair?

Great

Is today a special occasion? Taking a photo by yourself

No, I just have no picture

Director BYUN Young-joo