Original subtitles

I want you to tell me.

What should be your punishment for stealing weapons and selling them

to the enemy?

I will punish you by death!

Captain!

No, Captain? Don't! This has to be a mistake.

You know this man! He would never do this!

Step aside!

Say something! Tell him this is a mistake!

No, he's right. I sold the weapons for money.

Who is your contact?

Who is your contact I asked!

It's the innkeeper Yim Chun-su.

I deserve nothing but death, Captain.

Shut up!

There has to be an explanation, sir. Please hear him out.

He would never do this without a good reason.

Give him mercy just this once.

He's an indispensable man in our garrison!

We're short of troops as it is. We can't afford to lose him!

Delivering weapons to the enemy tantamount delivering the heads of

his men and his peers.

I have no choice but to punish him by death!

Captain!

- Captain! - Stop!

Stop it! I'll kill you first if you don't stop.

All of my life I've been treated like an animal.

But I came here and got to be a military instructor

and I even got to commend my own men.

The captain gave me a chance to be somebody.

But I betrayed him.

So don't argue with him!

I did a terrible thing. Don't make the mistake I made.

I'm ready, Captain. Punish me, Captain!

I will regret this forever.

But I have no choice.

I know, Captain.

I know this more difficult for you than it is for me.

But let me die by your hands, so that no one else will make

the mistake I made.

Hang his head at the gate and arrest his conspirators immediately!

Search every inch of the place!

Aye!

They're gone! We must've just missed them.

What? You failed?

It seems information leaked out.

You?

Do you suspect us?

That's absurd! It's not us! We didn't say anything!

You betrayed your own country. Who is to say you would not betray us?

You are not thinking.

If we betrayed you and made a deal with them, why would we come here?

We would've turned your men in and stayed under their protection.

Captain, I am Chang Bek-su's wife.

Thanks to your kind help I am eating well for the first time

and nursing our newborn. Beksu can't say enough about you.

My children and I are well now, and we eagerly wait for Beksu's safe return home.

Captain, please watch over my Beksu.

I struck not you, but myself tonight...

I struck myself for my failure to distinguish between a friend and a foe.

I struck myself for failing to see that poverty was your greatest enemy.

To fight, to fight and win,

I had no choice but to strike you and strike myself.

He was so happy when he got this bow...

He said he was going to hand it down to his son.

Shut up! Stop weeping like a baby!

Ilsu...

He doesn't deserve our tears! He sold our weapons to the enemy.

He deserved to die!

But there must be a reason why he had to do what he did.

That's right.

He would never have done what he did unless he was forced to.

Shut up! Who among us doesn't have a story to tell?

There is no excuse for selling weapons to the enemy that's meant to kill his

own men!

That's evil! And I refuse to give him my sympathy!

Shut up if you don't know the whole story. Or I'll shut you up myself!

Do you know why Beksu was crying over that letter from his wife?

She wrote him saying that she had no food and no way to nurse her newborn.

She wanted him to come home before she dies and leaves her little girls

to bury her.

And like a fool I told that wench Hong about him, Commander.

I was blinded by lust and I just flipped.

Had I known how wicked she was I would've never told her about him...

Jinbok...

Kill me. Kill me too! I can't go on living with this guilt!

None of this would've happened if it weren't for me.

Beksu left this behind.

The men said it belonged to you.

Send it to Chang Bek-su's home.

Deliver the arrow to his son.

Let him know that his father died in battle fighting against the enemy

and that he was a brave soldier.

I thought you said he got what he deserved. What are you doing here?

His crime is another matter. Look at him shivering in the cold.

I should at least give him a drink for the road.

Good bye, Beksu.

I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... It's all my fault...

We'll get your revenge.

We'll destroy them all and bury them under your feet!

Don't worry about your young ones. They have us.

Rest in peace, sir...

We won't let them get away with what they did.

Atten-hut!

Salute!

Jurchen forces are consolidating their tribes and arming themselves with bows

and arrows. The situation is getting worse for us...

Perhaps we should contact the North Base headquarters again and request

aid one more time.

It's no use unless we take it to the royal court.

The entire region is inadequately guarded. You know that.

We have to find another way.

Nok-dune Island, Ham-kyung Province

You want us to get military training?

No! We're breaking our backs farming for you. Isn't that enough?

If this island is attacked, we can't guarantee your safety either.

We don't need you to guarantee our safety! Just leave us alone!

How dare you raise your voice! You are before the captain!

- Commander Yim. - Sir...

Forgive us, but this is not our fault.

You're the one who brought us here and made absurd demands!

Young-bo!

We're asking you to prepare yourselves for your own safety.

Do you think the barbarians will stop at killing the soldiers if they attack?

All of you will get hurt as well!

You're not worried about us!

You're worried about the grains that we are farming!

Besides, we don't care if they kill us.

Do you think we like this life?

The only reason why we are alive is because we're not dead!

Let the truth be told, you've taken everything from us and left us with

just enough to sustain our lives!

We'd rather be dead than to be treated like this!

I understand.

It seems we made an unreasonable demand without first considering your situation.

I apologize.

You may go.

Chosan Fort, Ham-kyung Province (A naval base under Kyung-heung jurisdiction)

Make yourself comfortable.

Thank you. I'm fine.

Have some tea.

That's all right. I couldn't...

Go ahead. It'll warm you up.

So what brings you here?

Those men this afternoon, they're not bad men. Forgive them.

No, I am the one who must seek forgiveness.

I've been caught up with issues large and small from the day I got here

and I have failed to pay attention to the serfs. I'm very sorry.

No, no.

I'm reminded of my younger days when I look at those men and I feel for them.

I've been everywhere and tried everything trying to make something

of myself.

And so have those men.

Each of them has his own story to tell. Some were brought here after committing

a crime, and some came here on their own after losing everything they had.

Their hearts are hardened with bitterness and grief.

Being powerless serfs, they have attachment to nothing.

If they had a smallest hope to hold on to, they wouldn't live their lives

so recklessly...

A small hope to hold on to...

Did you say is a hopeless world?

What an absurd statement!

This country belongs to your party, the Easterners, right now.

I never thought you of all people would talk about factions.

It's a meaningless remark.

What do I know? I'm just a man who sells his words to pay for his wine.

I didn't think it was terribly bad when seniors and juniors became divided and

became Easterners and Westerners.

It was necessary for us to unite in order to remove in-law politics

from the royal court.

In the beginning of His Majesty's reign, neither His Majesty nor we

had much power.

But somewhere along the way, factional strife became all about promoting their own.

His Majesty has lost his original spirit and will pay no

attention to state affairs. Where could I find any hope?

What's wrong with you today? I've never seen you so despondent.

This isn't like you.

What am I like?

Let us get off of this difficult subject and drink.

Time is a frightful beast.

It swallows up a man's will effortlessly.

Your will or His Majesty's will?

Perhaps both. After all, I'm just a man too.

It seems His Majesty is not the only man who has lost his original spirit.

No hope and no spirit...

Is that why you are refusing to return to the royal court against

His Majesty's repeated requests?

Then what is your plan now?

Perhaps I will return to my country home and become a village schoolmaster.

Perhaps I should've done that long ago.

It is Chung-hyang, my lord. May I come in?

Of course! Come in and join us!

My name is Chung-yang.

She is the most gifted poet geisha in the city.

She was taught by the famous Myung-wol.

How about it, Chung-hyang? Why don't you recite a poem for us?

The most gifted poet? Nonsense. I wrote a few folk songs. That is all.

I couldn't possibly recite them before the high lord.

If you're not going to amuse us, why did you come in?

I overheard your interesting conversation and I had to come in.

My lord, did you say you are going to be a schoolmaster?

Then what will your students learn from you?

How to cast away hope?

If so, you need not bother.

The world will teach them that lesson soon enough.

My goodness, such brazen tongue!

May I help you, madam?

I've come to see Lord Yu. Is he in?

What brings you here?

I've come to recite you a poem. Some wine would make it even better.

You are quite a famous woman. They say you do not join your

clients unless you are paid a hefty sum.

It is true. And I hope to be paid a generous sum from you, my lord.

I'm sorry. As you can see I am not a rich man who can afford your company.

What I hope to get from you is more valuable than money, but it is in

your possession to give away if you so choose.

More valuable than money but mine to give as I choose?

What would that be?

Half a day today of your time, my lord.

This is...

These are men who gave up their hopes before you did.

So they are your teachers in a way.

Perhaps it might be a wonderful learning experience to share a

drink with them and let them teach you what they have learned.

Why? Why are you trying to patronize me this way?

Patronize you? How could I possibly patronize you, my lord?

Good-day.

Fellows, Chung-hyang is here!

Let us play while we are young, for we can't play when we are old.

Ahara deung-deung here we go!

Next year the country will be at war.

Let us feast now while we can, for what happens if we don't eat?

Ahara deung-deung here we go!

My lord.

What are you doing out here?

I knew that you'd pay me a visit tonight.

Did you call those paupers at Supyo Bridge my teachers?

How is that so?

Because they are the ones who can teach you hope.

Teach me hope?

There is no tomorrow for those men. They only live for today.

Their joy and sorrow depends on a drink of wine.

But were they born without hope?

Supyo Bridge is the blind alley where the neglected and abused gather.

You can be the one to give them back their tomorrow.

Master Suk-bong is a man I respect and admire. He told me that you, my lord,

risked your life numerous times to give sincere counsel to His Majesty.

Who was that for? Wasn't it for those unfortunate people?

Why are you stopping now?

Who will give them back their tomorrow if you stop now?

My lord?

Hope... Hope...

Pardon me?! Did you say emancipation?!

Can you give us your word?

It's already been discussed with the Chief Commander. Every man who fights

for his country and renders commendable service deserves a reward.

I will also see to it that from now on you get the remaining harvest after

military supply is satisfied. And if you should decide to stay here after

you are released from serfdom, I will do my best to make sure ownership of

the newly cultivated land goes to you.

Really?

This is only possible if we successfully defend this island.

He request emancipation of the serfs of military farms in Nok-dune Island?

I granted the request.

Captain Yi has been pestering me for more troops to defend the island.

He'll leave me alone now that I granted him this request.

You don't know how relieved I am.

I just don't understand. I've served in his post in Chosan Fort as well.

Barbarians raid the villages and steal from the farmers all the time,

but they do not pose a great threat. He overestimates the enemy.

He probably wants redemption.

Captain Yi has discharges and demotions on his record as you know.

He wants to restore his reputation. The bigger he makes the enemy out to be,

the greater hero he will be against them.

You know these men as serfs that farm the military land in Nok-dune.

But from this point forward, they are soldiers who will protect the

island with us!

Huh? What does he mean?

Gaps and differences may exist, but anyone who emphasizes on those

difference will be punished.

Remember. Whether you are a farmer or a soldier, our goal is one...

to protect Nok-dune Island from the barbarians and to go further and

protect the country!

Selected soldiers will be transferred to Nok-dune island to train the new

recruits. Each of you will be assigned a group of men to prepare for combat.

And you will be held responsible should their skills fall short of expectations.

Commander Oh yung, Chung Ilsu, Yi Jinbook,

Yi Dupal, Chun Getdong, Ma dolsue...

Can't you yell any louder? Louder!

Shoulders down! Balance?

Break it up! Break it up!

What's going on? Those little bastards!

All the way like this.

Like this?

Aim,

fire!

Darn! Why can't I hit the mark?

Getting tired? Let's hurry!

Eat up, everyone!

Fill yourselves up, fellows!

Do you have any more pickled radishes?

Here, have a drink.

Never mind.

Come on, be a man. Have a drink!

Yeah, drink it!

Yeah, just drink it!

Let's forgive and forget.

This reminds me of home. Rice balls and wine.

This is good!

Aim,

fire!

Not bad.

Get back to work!

I'll get that.

Thank you.

I am told that all of you are studying very hard,

so I've called you to give you a reward.

I do not know what you need, so I have prepared several things.

I am overwhelmed by your infinite grace, Father.

They are yours. Come up and take whatever you'd like.

Go on. Take them.

Yimhae, you are the eldest, so you may choose first.

Yes, Father.

Kwang-hae, it's your turn. Come forward and choose what pleases you.

No, Mother. I will let my younger brothers choose first.

That's very noble and kind.

I'm surprised. Why did you choose the brush and the inkstone?

They are a scholar's best friend.

I will treasure them and think of your teachings each time I use them.

Is that so?

My Queen, Prince Kwang-hae is truly an extraordinary child.

Yes, I am reminded of the young Majesty that I met when I first

came to the palace.

Osaka, 1587

Your Eminence...

Why are you here alone at this late hour of the night?

This place is constantly changing...

At times it looks large and at times so small...

Are we done once we suppress Kyushu?

Does that accomplish our earnest desire of unifying Japan?

Yes, Your Eminence.

I think we need to make this room bigger.

It's too small for all of my subordinates to gather.

Before I began my conquest, before the unification,

Japan looked so large to me like this empty room.

But now it feels too small.

Your Eminence...

Should I extend this room first or conquer the world first?

Go to Chosun, Wakizaka.

Chosun is on the path to Ming.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to check out the enemy if I'm going to put

all of them under my feet.

Yes, sir!

It's the enemy!