Original subtitles

We're at the last phase of the construction.

Wow, it looks even more impressive than the model!

Yes, look at those menacing eyes!

They look like they can pierce right through you!

I'm getting chills down my spine.

Good work, Lt. Na. I know how hard you have been working.

Thank you, sir.

I'm just trying to do my job.

It looks quite different from the model, especially the neck area.

Yes. I've discussed that issue with the High Commander many times.

The dragon head is looking up on the model, which makes it look more intimidating.

But given that the Turtle Ship is an assault vessel,

we decided that function is more important than the form.

Important?!

We are going to install a cannon on the head.

Yes! That will make it a real assault vessel!

We need to fire upon them straight from the front as we advance toward

the enemy to really overawe them.

That's right, sir.

When will it be ready? Why is it taking so long?

We must quickly install the guns and start the field training.

Don't worry, sir. The iron plates are being forged at the foundry right now.

It will be ready in no time.

Would you like to take a look inside?

The Turtle Ship is a covered galley so it has three decks.

Like the galleys, the lowest deck is for ammunition and supplies,

the middle deck is for oarsmen, and the upper deck is for sailors and cannons.

Are you certain that there won't be a problem with the balance?

The top will become heavy once the iron plates are in place.

If we keep the height identical to the galleys, it won't be very stable.

How about getting rid of the upper deck?

That would increase the stability tremendously.

It's worth a consideration.

If the ship is unstable, chances are it will not perform to its potential.

It's not too late to modify the ship.

But that means the oarsmen and the gunners would be on the same deck.

I'm sure you know how much space oarsmen require.

Oarsmen would have to rest when the cannons are being fired.

Yes, sir. But we could lose the entire ship if the force of

restoration is lost.

This is a bigger problem, sir.

The cannons that are being mounted at the front can be utilized while the

ship is advancing, and the rest of the gunners can take position once

the ship is stopped and battle begins.

Your point is valid, but placing both the gunners and the oarsmen

in the same space, will undermine their effectiveness considerably.

Yes, but...

I'd really like to keep the gunners and oarsmen separated.

Yes. I agree with the high commander.

But since it is none other than the shipyard director's suggestion,

take a closer look one last time before you start joining the iron

plates and get back to me.

Yes, sir.

Wow! I can hardly recognize you, Father!

You look like a new groom in that uniform!

Watch what you say to an old man, now.

Are you happy?

I've never seen you look so nervous and excited.

Magistrate, advance to the Left Cholla Naval Station?

Push! Pull! Push! Pull!

Halt! Stop the ship?

Turn the ship around.

Yes, sir!

Raise the black flag! Turn the ship around!

Right oars forward! Left oars backward!

Use battle formations on sea battles, sir?

Navigation and maneuvering training is making good process.

It is not impossible.

Constable Kwon, using formations is difficult enough on land.

Yes, but it must be done. The enemy cannot be defeated with a scattered

fleet that cannot be controlled.

The art of war dictates that formation must be maintained in

the most perilous of situations and there must be order even in retreat.

I agree. We must engage in formations to maximize our resources.

Artillery attacks are more effective in formations as well.

Isn't that correct, Captain Chung?

You have a point, but...

It won't be easy, but I think that's the way to go.

How can we send signals to each ships if we are scattered all over the vast sea?

It'll be impossible to communicate.

High Commander, he is here.

Welcome.

High Commander...

These are the warriors you will be working with.

I am the newly appointed Magistrate of Kwang-yang Uh Young-dam.

Alias "Living Map of the Ocean."!

We were just discussing battle formations.

We will start our training in an inland sea first, but eventually

we need to find suitable location for combat and conduct simulation drills.

Would you share your knowledge with us?

I will do everything I can, sir.

Speed and mobility is the key in land battles!

Move in quickly and use your bow and arrows to crush the enemy's spirit.

What's this? What do they think this is?

Bring that fool to me at once!

Welcome?

You haven't changed a bit!

Your men are in for some tough time with a stem commander like you.

General...

It's been a while, High Commander Won

Have you fared well?

I heard that you've become special military inspectors.

His Majesty expects a lot from you.

Yes. That is why I'm working hard day and night to build a strong cavalry.

Yes, a cavalry...

The legend of 1583 will be repeated here in Kyung-sang once more!

A strong cavalry will prove to be the best weapon against the Japanese.

The Japanese are small framed and their horses are inferior,

so a strong cavalry will be most effective against them.

Right Kyung-sang Navy, the advance guards of the Japan Conquest!

You have a lot on your shoulders.

I believe High Commander Won is the best of the best warriors in Chosun!

And I don't doubt for a moment that his navy will become the strongest

military force in all of Chosun.

Do your very best.

With all of you at the lead, the entire military force of Chosun

Including General Yi and myself, will back you up.

Yes, sir!

By the way, Commander Won.

Yes.

I understand former garrison captain of Chosan Fort Yi Soon-shin has

become the High Commander of Left Cholla Naval Station!

Yes, he has.

How is he? Is he cooperating with you and preparing for the conquest?

Go into formations!

Go into formations!

A fleet to fleet artillery battle?

Stop the enemy at sea if they attack?

He is only interested in defense because he is afraid of the enemy.

We can't initiate aggression and defeat them, he says.

That pathetic coward!

How can we conquer the Japanese with such feeble attitude?

Conquer Japan? Yi Soon-shin wouldn't even dream of it.

He calls it a reckless idea and refuses to obey it even if it is

the King's command.

A reckless idea? Refuses to obey the King's command?

How dare he! He dare refuses the King's command?

I will not tolerate his appalling arrogance!

I trust that you checked out the battleships?

Did you witness any of them training at sea with cannons?

Military training was indeed in progress, but none were at sea.

Did you check all 8 garrisons and 16 ports of the Right Kyung-sang Navy?

Of course.

Now we will wait for the report from Left Kyung-sang Navy.

I submit to you the results of our investigation, Your Eminence.

Left Kyung-sang Navy Commander is a man named Park Hong.

Every time he was assigned to the front, he declined citing physical

malady as the reason?

Is this true?

Yes, Master.

They assigned a man who lacks the most basic traits of a warrior

to command the most important naval station in the southern coast?

That's correct.

General Konishi, I am told that Won Kyun of Right Kyung-sang Navy is a

true warrior.

Tell us about him.

He is an illustrious warrior who had unleashed his fury on the northern front.

Along with Shin Lip and Yi Il he is skilled only in land battles.

One is not even fit to be called a warrior and the other is at the

wrong place of duty?

Exactly.

Then I suppose it is safe to assume that they are not operating a fleet

or conducting artillery training at sea.

Am I correct, Lord So?

Yes, General Wakizaka.

They maintain structure of a navy, but they are a disorderly mob...

Dodo.

Yes, Your Eminence!

I think your fears were unfounded.

Chosun Navy is not to be feared.

Hurry up and eat your lunch. And we'll reconvene at the docks.

We need to complete another reverse turn practice today.

But we've been out since before dawn! Do we have to do this again?

Yes. By 13:00 hours, I want you back by 13:00 hours!

This is too much! I'm exhausted!

Young-gap, it's 13:00 hours. Get your men ready by 13:00 hours!

Yes, sir...

We're back, sir.

Good work.

That's half an hour faster than yesterday.

They're improving daily, sir

We owe this to you, Magistrate Uh.

Don't mention it, sir.

All I did was to calculate the best hour to launch based on the

ebb and flow.

If you're traveling southwest, it's best to launch before the

first crow at this time of the month.

I guess our problem will begin once we are at battle location.

Skill and strength of our oarsmen will decide how quickly we can

spread out and get into battle formations.

What? You refuse to work as oarsmen? Is that what you said?

Sir...

Do you think this is a game? Oarsmen, archers, gunners,

we are all placed in different divisions for a reason.

You don't get to pick and choose where you want to be.

Look at my hands! I can't do it anymore even if I wanted to!

I can't hold oars with these hands!

Me too! My hands are torn and tattered like old rags!

Let me see those hands.

What are you doing grabbing a man's hands?

This looks pretty serious. Without treatment, you might lose your hands.

What?

Hands?

Look at that. Look how gently she is holding his hands.

She's gentling rubbing them too!

I can't watch this any longer!

You're done.

What are you staring at? You're done!

It's my turn! My hands are blistered and bloody too!

Get in line! Get in line, I said!

Isn't that your daughter, Magistrate Uh?

Yes.

Jin, what have you started this time?

It appears your daughter has practiced the art of healing.

My father often worked as a guide for physicians seeking rare medicinal herbs.

Among them was a very famous physician who stayed with us for five years.

He took me in as his disciple and taught him about the art of healing.

Would you allow me to servers a military physician on this base?

A military physician?

I don't think there is a trained physician here, and it would like

to help.

Yes! Yes! She gets my vote!

Are you certain? It will be hard work.

Don't worry. I'm very strong and healthy.

Very well, then. Welcome aboard.

Out of all the recruits on this base, the oarsmen are doing the

most arduous work lately.

They are pushed very hard because what they do is extremely important.

Please take good care of them so that their wounds don't get

infected and cause permanent injury.

Sir...

It's a message from the Right Kyung-sang Naval Base.

Special military inspectors Shin Lip and Yi Il have called a general

meeting of the high commanders in Cholla and Kyung-sang.

Cholla and Kyung-sang high commanders meeting...

This is your chance, sir.

Your chance to assert the importance of forming a fleet

and establishing a strong alliance between the naval forces of three

lower provinces.

That's the only way we can protect the seas of Chosun from the Japanese.

Bring our forces together and fight on the ocean?

Yes. Each naval station currently has its battleships spread out in groups

of two or three along the coast by substations.

If the enemy should attack all at once, we cannot effectively repel them.

And we need to establish a system in which the four naval

stations of Cholla and Kyung-sang can form a fleet alliance.

Wow, a fleet alliance even!

And who will command this fleet alliance?

You're not thinking of yourself, are you?

High Commander Yi, your proposal is completely unrealistic!

In fact, it's outrageous!

General...

Japan is an island. That means they grew up on water.

They are better at sea battles than they are at land battles.

That's all the more reason why we have to fight together.

The Japanese warriors are...

Are you going to start that close-combat nonsense again?

How good could they possibly be with their swords when they are

so short and small?

What His Majesty wants is to conquer Japan.

We will need to engage the enemy directly with shock weapons to

seize and conquer, and that is land battle.

General...

Even if they attack us before we attack them, they will not be

bringing horses on their ships across the ocean.

That means they will be infantrymen.

I don't have to tell you how infantry stacks up to cavalry.

What the Chosun military needs is a strong cavalry and powerful

arrows that can pierce through an armor.

The enemy will easily be defeated by a cavalry raid after luring them inland.

Don't you agree?

Of course.

I agree.

You're absolutely right, General Shin.

But the armed forces of Chosun are divided into an army and a navy.

Perhaps this was done because each had a different role to play.

We should consider High Commander Yi's proposal carefully and...

There is no valid need to separate the army and the navy of Chosun.

The only real difference is whether it is located near the coast or inland.

What do you think?

It looks like everyone else agrees with me.

We will not discuss wild ideas about feet alliance and sea battles again.

Is that understood?

Sir.

I guess it didn't go too well.

Let us go inside.

Then there is only one other way.

Inform the royal court about the existence of the Turtle Ship.

Make them see how powerful this navy can be if use our galleys

to move into formations and use our Turtle Ship as an assault craft.

Then the royal court will intercede and issue a new command to the navy.

Do you think we can convince them?

Guys!

Working hard?

Yes, did everything go well on your drills?

Yes, sir.

Look at those menacing teeth! It's awesome?

Hey, rookies, Keum and Gapsang, take a closer look.

Isn't it magnificent?

Even a great ship like this one is useless without us oarsmen.

So take pride in what you do. Don't let these archers make you feel inferior.

That was a very inspiring speech.

But who says you're going to be rowing this ship?

That's just it. It's all been arranged.

We're going to pick the strongest and the best oarsmen from the

headquarters and row this beauty.

I wonder which lucky recruits are going to be gunners on this ship.

The Japanese won't dare come close to it with all those spikes sticking

out of the top.

Yeah, you don't ever have to worry about getting killed!

Are you just going to stand around down there?

Can't you see how hard we are working?

It's not going to kill you to help out a little.

Sure, sure! What would you like us to do?

Fetch the est of the iron plates for us from the foundry.

We're too tired. My arms feel like they're going to fall off.

Right guys?

Yeah, we're exhausted!

You got it! We archers will fetch them right now!

And we oarsmen will get it up there for you!

Thanks, fellows!

I'm sure you're tired as well from training all day.

Still working at this hour, gentlemen?

Yes, the Turtle Ship construction nearing its completion, so...

The only remaining budget concern is the mast now.

Commander Yi and I were trying to figure out a way to minimize the cost.

Commander Kim proposed using smaller cannons on the Turtle Ship since the

weight of the iron shell is still a concern.

That's a good suggestion.

So Captain Chung and I were discussing the adequacy if the firepower.

I appreciate everyone's hard work.

I'm dying for a glass of rice wine but we all have to do what we can.

We're building the first and only assault vessel after all.

You boys must be hungry working so late!

Come down now and have some snack!

Mama!

It's food!

Yes, I was getting hungry.

I took the liberty of drafting a memo for the royal court.

Sir, think back to how you began.

When you first took office, no one bought your idea of fighting at sea.

How about when you pushed the soldiers to compulsory labor

for the Turtle Ship?

There was fierce resistance.

But look at them now. They are eagerly helping each other and

working together as one to make this happen.

Constable Kwon...

Persuade the military leaders and the royal court.

Gear up for another fight, High Commander.

I guess the mast is the only thing you have to build now.

Director...

Did it upset you when I pointed out my concerns about the Turtle Ship?

No, sir. Of course not. You were just concerned.

The Turtle Ship may have been built on a galley, but it has never been tested before.

And the truth is I am still concerned about its stability.

But... but I hope I'm wrong and you are right, for the sake of the high

commander and for the sake of the Left Cholla Navy.

Director...!

I beg to inform you that a ship has been built...

Turtle Ship...!

He has built a ship that looks like this?

An assault vessel fitted with cannons!

A new battleship of Chosun! Amazing! I am very proud!

What do you think about this?

All is Your Majesty's great fortune.

High Commander Yi Soon-shin and his men must be applauded for developing

and constructing this ingenious battleship.

Yes, of course. If this ship indeed possesses the power that they claim,

it will be the country's most valuable treasure!

Yes, Your Majesty!

Completion of the Turtle Ship will greatly increase the capacity of our navy.

And if the Japanese should attack, they will quickly be routed.

Of course.

Conquering Japan, as ordered by Ming, won't be a difficult task either.

How I wish I could see it!

Sink the enemy ship on its track with a blast of a cannon?

What I would do to witness its power with my own eyes!

I will bestow the hemp cloth to raise the mast on this ship!

Your grace is immeasurable.

And send a missive to special military investigators Shin Lip

and Yi Il to attend the launching ceremony.

They are to commend Yi Soon-shin and his men as generously as I would

and to return to the capital to report the force of the Turtle Ship in explicit detail.

Your grace is immeasurable!

You said the will of Heavens is with Yu Sung-ryong,

and I guess you were right, Brother!

Just when you think he is done for, something comes long throws him a rope!

High Commander Yi Soon-shin is Yu Sung-ryong's man, isn't he?

Who knows how long His Majesty's favors will stay with him this time

once this impressive battleship is completed and delivered!

You have to be quick when you're trying to hunt a tiger, but I

didn't act quick enough... I should have known that Yi Soon-shin is the

tiger, but I underestimated him. We wouldn't have this problem now

if I had brought him down in his beginning...

What?!

A launching ceremony of the Turtle Ship at the Left Cholla Naval Station?

What kind of ship is this to have gained so much

of His Majesty's interest?

What are our instructions?

We are to attend the launching ceremony and report the ship's

excellence in explicit detail! For crying out loud!

If this is His Majesty's command we must go.

General Yi! What if this gives Yi Soon-shin even more royal favors?

What if His Majesty buys his blather about unity and fleet alliance

nonsense and puts him in command of the entire navy?

He could become our superior officer overnight!

High Commander Yi, what brings you so early in the morning?

High Commander Yi, what brings you so early in the morning?

I heard you built a new battleship.

I couldn't wait to see it.

Thank you for taking such interest.

I plan to bring the battleships in my substations together and form a fleet

in our station as well. I will be visiting often from now on seeking

your advice, and I ask you kindly for your guidance.

Guidance? No. We will help each other.

It's been a long time.

I don't know whether to address you as Constable Hwang or Cousin-in-law.

We are in uniforms. Please call me by my title, sir.

The launching ceremony will begin in a little while. Let us go together.

No, please don't mind us. I'm sure you have a lot to do before the ceremony.

We came early to get a tour of the base.

High Commander of Left Cholla Naval Station Yi Soon-shin...

You must know him well since he is an in-law of yours.

What kind of man is he?

He's an awful man.

He put my cousin through a lot of pain and frustration with his

zealous devotion to the country.

Goodness!

Atten-hut!

One, two! One, two!

No!