Original subtitles

Third place: Kang Do-hyung, Min Hyung-suk, Han Joon-pil!

Second place: Yi Suk-woo, Shin Jin-hwa!

First place:

A scholar of Ahsan Song Byung-tek!

Make way!

Make way for the first place winner!

Make way! Make way for the first place winner!

Huh?! What's he doing on that horse?

Soon-shin! Soon-shin!

Soon-shin, what happened? How did this happen?

Why him?

How did that no-good bastard take first place?

Soon-shin, talk to me!

What went wrong?

Why, sir?

I must know why you made such an unfair decision?

Are you really oblivious as to why you failed?

Ask your father.

How dare you even think to apply for the exam!

There is no place for descendents of traitors in the royal court?

Good hunting today. Here, it's your share.

I was the lead today, isn't that right?

Then my share is larger than that.

Why are you sitting out here, wife?

Oh, you're back.

It's been months since the exam, and Shoo-shin is yet to find peace.

I'm concerned. Will he ever be all right?

One must hit the bottom to bounce back.

He must undergo what he must. Let's just watch him.

I shouldn't have encouraged him.

I had resented you.

A part of me was angry with you for not allowing the boys

to pursue their studies.

And I had hopes.

I believed that someone in this world would give my boy a chance...

that their spirit and talent would be recognized...

Innkeeper! Innkeeper!

Bring me more wine! More wine!

I'm coming!

Stop this now. Stop! I can only take so much of this!

Are you going to drink your life away?

Go home if you're not going to drink with me.

Don't you think you're overdoing it?

I know you're hurt, but this is too much.

It's just a darn exam. You never wore a scholar's robe before anyway.

Stay out of my life.

How could I?

Who are you to tell how to live my life?

Who am I? How could you say such a heartless thing?

I'm your friend salt merchant Yim Chun-su.

A friend, yes, we're friends...

Come to think of it. We make a fine pair.

You're a peasant's son and I am a traitors son.

We make a fine pair.

Are you done?

Is that why you're my friend? Because you're poor and your

grandfather was a traitor? Are you saying you wouldn't

have been my friend if you came from a rich and powerful clan?

Fine then. Do what you want.

You can drink yourself to death for all I care!

Would you pour me a glass of that?

Is it hard to bear?

I'm glad.

I'm glad this happened to me and not to Yo-shin.

Ten years...

For ten years this river has been the source of comfort.

And in that time I had put it all behind.

Time tames the strongest grief.

My father's bitter grief, rage against the world that crushed me.

I put it all behind me and forgot about them.

And I had hoped that world would forget as well.

But the world was not so kind.

The same shackles that tied me down have now tied you down,

and I am powerless to free you from it.

Father...

That jerk. I'm the fool for having thought of him as a friend!

What are you mumbling about?

What are you doing here, Father?

Didn't I tell you to stay home and rest?

I can rest when I'm dead.

I should work as much as I can when I can.

If you keep that up, you will be dead!

Don't worry. It's sick men like me that live to be seventy!

I won't die until you're married-no. I mean until

your children are married!

What?! The people are refusing to pay their taxes?

Sir, there are riotous protests.

Imposing another tax so soon after the last collection is...

Then are you going to pay for them?

They protest bee use they don't realize the severity

of their crime. Isn't that so?

Yes, sir.

Then what should we do?

Pardon?

You're so dense! Think!

We need to show them an example.

An example?

Yes, and we don't need many. One should be enough.

Do you understand what I am talking about?

Sir, you have to leave us with something to live on before you collect the tax.

Please don't be so cruel.

Boy, there's not getting through to you! So what are you saying?

Are you not going to pay your taxes?

We would if we could, but we can't afford to.

Don't you realize tax evasion is a serious crime?

Don't waste my time!

Please!

What are you waiting for? Take the salt and load it up!

No! You might as well be telling us to die!

Step aside?

No, you'll have to kill me first?

How are you interfere with government business!

What are you waiting for? Arrest him!

No, Father? Or they'll take you to.

Father! Father!

Father!

Chun-su's, Father? What do you mean, Mother?

I don't know why, but I'm told they were arrested and badly

punished by the officials.

It looked like he was unconscious when I saw him.

Father, please wake up!

Father! Father!

Chun-su...

Are you all right?

You should've just let them take the dam salt! Why did you fight?

That's salt is our livelihood, and I won't be robbed of it.

I have to get you married off, and...

What's more important than your life?

I'm sorry... I'm your father, and I have nothing but poverty

and hardship to leave behind...

Stop that, Father.

Chun-su, look under the ashes in the furnace.

The Furnace...

Father!

Chun-su... My dear boy Chun-su...

Father...!

Father...!

Why didn't just give it to them? Why didn't he?

That old fool! What's more important than his life?

Why didn't he get treatment when he had all this?

That fool! That idiot! That old fool!

I won't let them get away with this!

Father...! Father...!

My poor Father...!

Chun-su!

Chun-su, are you home?

What's your business?

I didn't expect you here. Where is Chus-su?

What do you want with a man in mourning?

Mourning?

Oh... His old man was weak with asthma for a long time.

Well, would you give him a message?

He must pay his taxes without more ado.

Taxes? Did you say taxes?

You took a man and beat him to death, and you want to collect taxes?

Are you accusing me of murder?

The whole village knows that he was dying of asthma!

What? He died of asthma?!

Say that again. Say that again, you bastard!

I'll kill you! I'll kill all of you and kill myself!

Chun-su!

Get out of there! Don't aggravate a man in mourning!

Very well. I'll go. But he still has to pay his taxes.

If it is not receive within five days...

Get out of here this instant!

Men, let's go.

Father...!

Yi Soon-shin that boy interfered with the tax collection?

How dare he!

That kid knows no bounds!

I will not let him get way with this!

You mean you're going to challenge the magistrate?

Yes, and I must know how much you paid in taxes in

order to make a case. So if you could think back...

Don't waste your time.

But you've seen what happened to Chun-su's father.

If we tolerate this injustice they will continue to...

Don't you have anything better to do?

Magistrate Song won't even flinch.

If he won't hear me out, I will take it to the provincial court.

I guess you don't know how it is for lowly peasants like us

since you're a nobleman.

- Son. - Let me talk, Father.

Okay.

Do you think that the peasants would still be living like this

if we could change anything by going to the courts?

It's useless?

Please, Madam...

Sir, would you mind telling me how much you've paid in

taxes this year?

Father, don't buy into what that man is doing.

But if he can do what he says he can, wouldn't that be good for us?

If you play with fire you get burned.

Sometimes it's best to lie down. Okay, Father?

Chun-su, are you home?

Wake up! Your friend is stirring up trouble!

Whatever.

Are you going to let him kill us all?

I don't care!

Fine! Do whatever you want!

Why did you come back? Leave me alone!

Chun-su.

What do you want?

I looked into the tax collection in the village.

In all, we've paid over 70% of our harvest in taxes.

I bet there is not another saltern city in the country

that paid so much! I'm going to...

Give it up!

Chun-su...

What's this going to change? Will it bring my father back?

Don't make me in a difficult spot and give it a rest.

Chun-su...

I don't want anything to do with this, so give it up.

Soon-shin.

Mother...

Where are you going so early?

What are you up to? And what's that written in that book?

Mother...

A friend's father is dead.

And if I don't do something, my friend may not be safe either.

But this isn't something you can resolve.

I know. I know what's scaring you, Mother.

But I have to do this.

If I don't, I'll never forgive myself.

Soon-shin!

Let him go.

Husband...!

Who are you and what do you want?

I'm a local salt cooker named Pan-dong, sir.

And?

I came to give you an important information.

Could I possibly get my tax reduced in return?

What? Is this a joke?!

No, no! You'll have a big problem in your hands

unless something is done!

A big problem?

Sir, are you all right?

Thanks.

Be careful.

Arrest this man!

What is the meaning of this! Let go!

We know what you've been going around doing.

I have done nothing wrong!

We'll find out once we get to the government canter.

Take him away!

Let go! Let go of me!

Chun-su! Something terrible has happened!

They arrested Soon-shin!

Pardon?

They might hurt him if we don't do something!

It's all right. He's a noble. He doesn't have to pay taxes.

They won't hurt him.

I think this is the reason why they took him,

but we're stumped since none of us can read. Here.

Did you think you could get away with interfering with

government business?

Government business?

Tax is imposed by the law! Collection is mandatory and just!

Do you contend that it is just to extract the blood and sweat

of the people under all kinds outlandish pretexts?

What kind of law levies over 70% of the people's earnings?

How dare you!

It is said fair taxation is the essence of peaceful rule.

I demand that you stop this misrule and return the

wrongfully collected funds to the people!

Give what belongs to the King to the people?

Now you malign His Majesty the King!

It must be in your blood to defy the government.

Very well. I shall send you to Royal Justice Agency where you

will be punished for breaking the law and maligning the King!

What are you going to do?

I must find out what happened.

I'm glad we caught you.

What brings you?

There's something I'd like to show you.

What does it say?

Tell us. What does it say?

I have a friend. He dries salt for a living.

He is a man of gentle soul who works hard and feels content

with his life. But he recently lost his father in an incident

of brutality while protesting excessive levy imposed by the

county magistrate.

He and his father's only crime is being poor and speaking up

against injustice.

It is said that a governor is the father of the people.

I humbly ask you to tend to your children with love.

Deign to see the pain and suffering of my friend and

those like him.

Chun-su, what are you doing?!

They'll take everything away anyway. I'd rather bum it myself.

I'm going to destroy everything and follow my friend.

Chun-su!

Please tend to my father's grave.

He's burned everything!

Who's next?

First old man Yim then his son Chun-su: who's next?

Say something! Are you mute?

Don't get involved, Father.

Hush up, boy?

Old man Yim was like family to us.

But we just let them take him.

Heck, we didn't even go to his funeral because we were afraid!

What do we have except our friends?

If we lowly peasants don't stick together, who are we

to trust and depend on?

Who goes there!

Soon-shin, I'm here for you! It's me. Yim Chun-su!

Soon-shin! Soon-shin!

It's me, Yim Chun-su!

Soon-shin! Soon-shin!

What are you waiting for? Stop this man!

Go ahead! Go ahead and kill me!

Release my friend and kill me instead!

Stop!

Magistrate!

Magistrate!

What's this commotion?

There's trouble!

What's going on?

Release the innocent man! Release Yi Soon-shin!

Release him! Release the innocent man!

Release Yi Soon-shin and take me instead, you evil bastards!

Sir, I have a bad feeling about this.

They might break the gates down and storm inside!

What? Break down the gates of the government center?

I would advise you to release the prisoner for now.

What? You want me to give in to those lowly peasants?

Sir, are you aware about the civil unrest of Pyung-tek two years ago?

Civil unrest?

The government agency was looted and several officials

were stoned to death!

Release Yi Soon-shin! Release the innocent man!

Soon-shin!

Soon-shin, are you all right? Did they hurt you?

I'm sorry...

I'm your friend and I let them do this on account of me...

Father...!

What you did was righteous, but the magistrate will disagree.

Stay away from Ahsan for a while.

But...

Wherever you go, whatever you do, don't lose the spirit and courage

you showed today.

And someday, you will restore your grandfather's good name

and revive this clan.

You will be able to change the world as you so desire.

Father...!

Are we doing the right thing?

Let him go.

Heaven has made him with a purpose I'm sure...

Forgive me, sir...

Yi Soon-shin?

That bastard is out to destroy me!

Yi Soon-shin, that bastard!

Soon-shin!

Chun-su!

Where are you going alone?

You're not running away without me, are you?

Chun-su...

I'm coming with you. I'm sick of this place.

What am I going to do here in Ahsan without you and without my father?

Soon-shin! Soon-shin!

Let's stop and rest for a while?

No, we have to be out of Chun-an before dawn.

But I can't take another step!

We have to go.

I can't! Let me get a drink of water at least.

Chun-su, let's get going!

Hold your horses? I have to finish up!

Who are you?!

An angel of death here to send you to hell!