Original subtitles

What radiant sun! How bright it is...

Go after them! Do not let the enemy retreat alive!

Yi Soon-shin has committed crime of impiety against his King!

A great villain...

Your Majesty, did you say that you would spare me from death?

Open your eyes!

Open your eyes, Soon-shin!

Soon-shin, wake up?

How could you hit him on the head like that?

Aren't you going to do anything?

He's not going to fool me this time.

Breathe, Soon-shin! Breathe!

I won't fall for this!

Soon-shin! Soon-shin!

He's dead over a measly melon...!

Soon-shin!

Oh no!

Mister!

Cap'n, let's run!

Yeah, or all of us will end up like Soon-shin!

Cap'n!

Kyun?

Hey!

What happened? Are you okay?

It hurts a little, but we're not in trouble, are we?

We thought you were really dead!

Look!

Run!

Stop! Stop right there, you rascals!

Are you a snail? Why are you so slow?

It was a bad idea to take him in the first place!

Cap'n, let's divide our loot.

- Why are you letting him have that? - He didn't do anything.

I don't need any...

Take it. Regardless of what happened, you went with us.

Cap'n!

We worked together, so we should share our profit equally.

But you did place your friends in danger, so I'm only giving you one melon.

Is that fair?

Let's go!

YEAR 1555 GUNCHUN-DONG, HANYANG

MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING FACILITY

That's the move! That's my forte!

Yeah, it's just like the way you do it!

Kyun... Cap'n Kyun...!

What?

When do I get to see?

Let me watch a bit longer.

I think I'm going to fall.

Hang in there. They're just starting.

You're so impatient. You have a long way to go, kid.

What are you boys doings?

Sung-ryong!

Cap'n!

I'm sorry, Kyun. Are you okay?

What's going on here?

What are you doing here, bookworm?

Do you really want to stand on little kids half your size?

Then you can bend over instead.

How did you coax him this time?

No, Sung-ryong. I volunteered. It's my turn now Right, Kyun?

You don't have to defend him.

Let's go. Master should be back soon.

Yu Sung-ryong that bookwork is such a party-pooper.

Isn't he?

What do you think you're doing? Stop this right now!

Are you playing the junior schoolmaster again?

I guess the master didn't make it today.

If you know that, go to your seats! All of you!

Bull's eye!

Listen up!

We are in shortage of soldiers!

In order to fight the army of 30.000 in the neighboring village,

we have decided to recruit more brave young soldiers!

More fighting? Forget it!

If we lose his battle, we will lose the training facility.

I trust that many of you will enlist.

They are just little kids!

You're the only little kid here.

What?!

Are you going to be men, or are going to lead a sheltered

life as prudish scholars? The choice is yours.

You pass! Enlistment approved!

What are you waiting for, Yi Soon-shin?

I don't think I can do it.

Just push him in, Cap'n!

Push him! Push him!

Kyun...!

No, I can't do it! I can't!

Yes, you can. No, you must!

Stop!

Stay out of it!

What's the big deal about jumping off this little cliff.

But he shouldn't have to if he doesn't want to.

Yeah, you're right. But there's a difference between not doing it

and not being able to do it. Right, Yi Soon-shin?

Let him go.

Go. No one's stopping you.

Yeah, go! We don't need a coward like you anyway!

Go drink your mother's milk!

Coward! Baby! Run back to your mama!

Soon-shin! Soon-shin, wait up!

This is why I kept telling you not to play with those guys.

Don't let it get to you. Just ignore them.

Don't let it get to you. Just ignore them.

No, Kyun is right.

There is a difference between not doing it and not being able to do it.

Soon-shin...

So I am a coward.

How does it look?

It's a wonderful color on you!

Yes, it's beautiful!

I know that you're good, but this is rare silk from Ming.

Don't worry. I'll do a good job.

I was thinking about trying a different seamstress.

I have to complaints about the work, but you're not very quick.

Besides, I feel guilty employing a lady of nobility like a servant.

How did you know?

You don't become a head geisha for nothing.

I can see a hundred miles from where I am sitting.

I shall go. Find another seamstress.

Wait a minute. I was just joking.

How could I trust this rare silk to anyone else?

After all, you are the best in the entire city.

You're not putting the sticks in the right position!

You talk too much and you don't even have a bet!

Listen to me. Put your sticks together, and blow him away in one shot.

Are you going to take all day?

You stink of alcohol!

If you want to tell me what to do, place a bet!

Or go away and mingle with your own kind!

I'm just trying to help!

I don't need your help!

What are you waiting for?

Now that you've had a few drinks, let's do some writing.

I should have a proper dowry list if I'm going to marry

my daughter to a son of a high official.

So you want me to write your daughter's dowry list?

I heard that you can write.

Thanks for the drinks, but you are mistaken.

I don't know how to write.

I may wear a hat and robe of a nobleman, but I am illiterate!

Come on. I know you can write.

I don't. And even if I did, I wouldn't write anything for

a thief who's buying a son-in-law of peerage with money!

What? Thief? How dare you!

Thanks for the drinks anyway!

What are you waiting for? Teach that man a lesson!

Help me! Someone help me!

Husband...

Those young fellows have no muscle.

Did you go somewhere today?

You're home.

What happened to your face?

Hush!

Hush, I said!

What did I tell you about our clan?

We are the Yis of Duk-su that produced high ministers

generation after generation.

What is your name?

Soon-shin: "Soon" as in Emperor Shun and Shin as in a subject.

Why did your father name you Soon-shin?

So I'd become a good subject who serves a benevolent ruler

like Emperor Shun.

Then why are you so weak?

You've memorized your name, but your heart does not know it!

Mother...

A man is not a man without courage and spirit.

How could I call you a boy when you are crying all the time?

How will you grow up to be a worthy man?

When did you come outside?

It's chilly out here. I feel like that whipping was meant for me.

Go inside. I will fix your dinner.

Would you stop hounding the kid with that silly name?

Do you now why I gave him that name?

To mock this world.

Husband...

The King is wrapped around the Queen Dowager's skirt, and

the royal court is warming with guileful profiteers!

How could anyone be a subject of a benevolent ruler when

there is o benevolent ruler to serve?

I gave him that name to mock this hopeless world.

Husband, why do you torture yourself like this?

Don't. The world will change someday.

No, it's a delusion. It's an impossible dream.

Don't scold him. Don't try to raise him to be strong.

Instead, teach him to laugh even when he falls down or fails.

Then he'll live in a peaceful life.

Don't play around!

Take one step forward.

Listen up!

The most important element in a battle is courage.

It's confidence and valor. We the Gunchun-dong brigade

is the most courageous of all! Is that understood?

Yes, sir!

The sword.

Don't blink! Watch the sword to the end, I said!

Cap'n!

The spear is done!

It's longer than the lower village captain's spear.

This is no spear; it's a cane!

Look, there's Soon-shin!

What are you doing here, coward?

Are you a spy from the lower village?

Ignore him. Continue with your raining!

Why? It's fun!

It's enough that we didn't include him in our brigade.

If you taut him, it's unsportsmanlike.

Do you really want to be in our brigade?

If that's the case, I could probably think of a way.

Not all of us jumped off that cliff.

If you prove to us that you are not a coward, we might accept you.

Fellows, look!

Here.

What is this?

Where did you get this?

It's perfect for you, Cap'n.

You, rascal!

What are you doing?!

How dare you steal a government property!

You are dead meat!

Let go! I didn't steal it! I didn't!

Don't lie to us! You're coming with us!

I�ve seen you lurking around the training facility!

No! I didn't do anything!

Hush!

Do you kids want to go to jail too?

Jail?

Yes, and they'll beat you until you're almost dead!

Come! All of you!

Let's go!

Hey! You guys! Let go of me!

What? Is this true?

Yeah, they took them to jail!

This kid is out of control!

Straighten up!

Don't hurt him! He didn't do anything wrong!

I stole the spear! Me!

Hush!

Are you staring at me?

Did you tell him not to talk?

I wouldn't be surprised if you betray the country someday!

No, I tell you! I took the spear to give it to the captain!

It's the god's honest truth!

The captain? Who? This kid?

Yes...

Who said I was your captain?

I don't have a subordinate like you!

Cap'n...

Now you are selling off your subordinates? This kid is evil!

This is a place of strict military discipline!

It's not a place for child like you to come and go as you please!

If it is indeed a place of strict military discipline, my friends

should not have been able to come in to begin with.

What?

Your men allowed a child to steal heir weapon. And if that weren't

enough they are trying to cover up their negligence by punishing the child.

This is cleary misconduct on the part of your men.

In fact, we should bet thankful that the weapon was stolen by

those kids and not by a real thief or the Japanese.

And since this incident has awakened your men,

I think my friends deserve an award.

Are you all right?

Hey bookworm, who asked you to come to my rescue?

How can you talk after making a little kid steal for you?

No, Sung-ryon Kyun didn't make me do anything. I did it alone.

You're ruining this kid!

I'm just getting started.

What?

I'm going to make him steal a gun next time!

Kyun!

So keep him out of my sight from now on.

Wrap him up in a blanket and keep him at home!

What?

Hey, be gentle!

I'm done.

You have some nerve coming here after what you did to the captain!

Here, it's for you.

Mugworts help heal the wound.

Take it back and get out of here!

I'm sorry, Kyun. I like you, and I want to be brave like you.

That's why I hung around you. I never meant to hurt you.

I'll stay away. I won't hang around you anymore. I won't...

Hey!

Do you really want to be one of us?

What are you saying, Cap'n? The kid is not ready!

He'll have to prove himself first.

Are you really going to do it?

Yeah.

Do you know how far up the General's Rock is?

All I have to do is to follow them.

What's wrong with you?

Why do you want to hang out with Won Kyun so much?

I want to become fearless.

My brothers Hee-shin and Yo-shin said before they left to Ah-san

that I have to be brave since my father is hardly at home

and my mother is a woman.

I have to protect my mother and protect our house.

Soon-shin...

Cowards can't do that. Cowards can't protect anything.

That's why I want to become fearless.

Wait...

Take it with you. I heard that part of the mountain is very steep.

Keeping up with your studies is just as important as becoming brave.

Okay! I'll study hard when I get back.

Oh, my feet!

My legs are killing me!

That's it: I'm done.

What are you going to do?

I can't move! I can't take another step!

I can't either! My legs are killing me!

Get up! We still have a long way to go!

Get up, I said!

Go talk to him!

Cap'n!

Let's go back down.

Everybody is too tired to go on.

We're not even half way there and you want to quit?

Do whatever you want, but deal is a deal.

Then we are going back down.

Let's go, guys.

You can turn around too if you want. I won't stop you.

Go back down if you're too tired.

But you said I have to make it to the top to be a part of the group.

I'm not going to quit.

Are you sure you can do it?

Okay, let's go!

Kyun!

Kyun!

Kyun!

Soon-shin!

Yi Soon-shin!

Soon-shin! Soon-shin!

Soon-shin!

Kyun...!

Won Kyun!

Kyun! Kyun!

Soon-shin! Yi Soon-shin!

Soon-shin!

Yi Soon-shin!

Yi Soon-shin!

Kyun...!

Are you okay? Are you hurt?

No, I'm okay.

Soon-shin!

Won Kyun!

Soon-shin!

Soon-shin! Won Kyun!

Young master, over there!

Soon-shin!

Sung-ryong!

Thank god you're safe!

What are you doing here, bookworm?

Won Kyun...

I don't want to hear it.

Get off!

You're so heavy!

Hold still. You're bleeding.

How is your head? Can you go home alone?

This is nothing. Bye.

Yi Soon-shin, you're the first one to make it that far with me.

So you're not a coward anymore.

Kyun...!

Bye. Don't be late to training tomorrow.

You know, maybe...

maybe you're a decent leader after all.

What did you say, bookworm? Don't try to flatter me.

There are still those who worship the traitor Cho Kwang-jo!

They must be punished!

They are Cho Kwang-jo's followers. Arrest them!

Yes, sir!

There he is! Go after him!

Father!

I'll take that.

Turn it over, boy!

No, you can't take that!

- Father! - Husband!

Father!

What is the meaning of this?

You know your crime!

What crime! How dare you do this to an innocent man!

Silence!

You performed rituals worshipping Cho Kwang-jo and plotted treason!