Original subtitles

(This is based on the Tale of On Dal in Chronicles of the Three States.)

(Characters, incidents, and dates do not match historical facts.)

Give me your blessing to stop taking away lives.

I want you to kill...

the enemy of Cheonjubang, the King of Goguryeo.

Are you really going to attack during the ceremony?

A shaman tried to kill the King, then got away.

Hold on tight!

If she got hurt,

you should have taken her to the village, not bring her here.

That is my name. On Dal.

What?

He told you to find your real parents first.

You are saying...

I am an orphan, right?

Hey!

You have not killed him?

You told me to seduce him instead.

You? As if.

(Episode 3)

Hi.

Your friend came to pick you up?

- Yes, she is my childhood... - We met each other in the palace.

She is my hometown friend.

And we worked at the palace together.

I see.

How did you come all the way here?

I followed the footsteps.

What is with you? Why are you interrogating us?

I am just checking if it is okay...

to just send you away like this...

and if the place you are going to is safe.

Oh, I do not have any money to give you, but take this.

I carved it myself.

The Sunno Tribe... I mean...

Anyway, this means that we are on the same side.

- Same side? - Yes, we are on the same side.

But I have nothing to give you.

Gosh.

Yes, you do.

Darn you!

Does it hurt here?

You are okay, right?

- See you. - Yeom Ga Jin.

Do not get hurt. Your life is precious.

"Your life is precious"?

"The same side"?

- Shoot. - What was that?

You should not push people!

That was rude.

Why am I like this?

So I came this way.

This is just great.

You come later.

We will be suspected if we return together.

It is dangerous alone.

We have no time to argue.

Be careful.

Did she leave?

Yes.

It is true.

I sent her off with a stern warning.

Do not resent me.

Every life is unfortunate if you look closely enough.

What do you mean?

A young woman wielding a sword and shedding blood.

Her life must have been rough.

What kind of revenge is she after that...

she became an assassin?

I did not ask.

You did not ask her?

I pretended not to notice she was an assassin.

Well, she has gone now.

Do not get involved in other people's business.

We just breathe and get by.

That is how we live.

I know that. I just felt sorry for her.

The moon is so...

Is it bright?

Yes.

As if it cares not for how I feel.

I knew you would sneak back like a stray cat.

- Where is my father? - See the chief first.

Yeom Deuk is not here now anyway.

- What? - You returned. He will be let go.

My goodness. Oh, why are you doing this?

Oh, dear...

Please, guards.

Oh, dear...

I will accept the punishment for failing.

Please release my father.

Holding family responsible for a killer's mistake...

is not our rule.

You disappeared without notice.

How will you defend that crime?

I will willingly accept any punishment.

If you will please release my father first...

- Tae Mo. - Yes, chief.

Release Yeom Deuk.

Should I just let him go?

They strengthened the defense of Pyeongyang Castle.

If you go back, are you sure you can succeed?

Before that, there is something I must know.

Who on earth am I?

I need to know who I am.

Chief.

You know, do you not?

It means nothing.

You are Cheonjubang's best killer Yeom Ga Jin,

and my most favored blade.

Even if you recover your memory, nothing will change.

That decision...

is for me to make once I know who I am.

If you will not tell me,

I must find out for myself.

Is that...

truly what you want?

Yes.

You foolish thing.

Why is a butterfly called a butterfly?

I feel so strange.

What did you climb up there for?

Weol. Did something happen to Dal?

I think he has lost his mind.

Stop speaking nonsense...

and come down and go to work.

Take this.

Do not eat it in one go. Eat when it is time.

Dal, get down here now!

Why do you keep coming up here when there is nothing to pick?

What about Ghost Valley?

That foxy girl...

has truly messed with your mind.

How dare you? You are wrong.

My gosh.

You stuck flowers in your hair and grin to no end.

Am I wrong?

Weol. Is this not truly beautiful?

If you wish to befriend nature,

you must learn to appreciate it.

What is so special about mountains and streams we see every day?

You might end up wanting to save that girl's father.

What about her father?

You have not heard?

Heard about what?

Ga Jin. Do not get worked up.

You cannot fight the chief.

If anyone messes with my father, I will make them pay.

I heard something about Cheonjubang...

and that something bad happened to her father.

Why are you telling me that now?

Dal! What about the balls of rice?

Dal.

- Cheonjubang? - Yes.

Rumors say they are a group of assassins.

I hear they are a group that has a grudge against Goguryeo.

The chief manages a group of killers.

They are served by migrants who have a point system.

Where is this chief?

Why do you wish to know?

Well... I have a reason to.

I heard he moves around each season with no set residence.

Even the killers communicate with a secret method.

Now, he might be on Mount Janggok or Mount Bongchu.

So he is on one of those two mountains?

Dal!

What are you doing?

What is up with you?

I must save someone.

Where is Ga Jin?

She got back safely, so do not worry.

She is not safe.

Why not? Where is she now?

This is urgent.

I must see you leave.

Ga Jin wore the exact same clothes.

The jade necklace. You must find that.

Jade!

Hey.

It is you. Ga Jin's friend.

How did you find this place?

How is Ga Jin? I heard her father is in danger.

Be quiet.

Your assassin friends are everywhere.

- Mister, I am back. - Yes, good.

You are the country bumpkin Ga Jin was with.

Who is a country bumpkin?

You went to get a necklace and came back with him?

It so happened.

You can relax.

He helped Ga Jin when she was hurt.

- Oh. - And take this.

- Are you Ga Jin's father? - Oh, my goodness.

It is done. All is well.

Now we just need to get Ga Jin.

The thing is, I checked and...

Woong Tae and Sam Bok are on guard.

If they identify us during the fight...

Hey. We must lure them.

Lure them?

Did you just see a green snake?

Who are you?

A green snake just came in here.

Mister.

Ga Jin.

She inhaled a powder that put her to sleep.

A sleeping powder?

Wake up, will you?

- Father. - Yes, it is me.

You?

Yes, it is me. The deer.

Go Won Pyo wants Ga Jin's head.

Do it, chief.

If she quits killing, Ga Jin is of no use to us.

You do not know her true value.

Her value?

Ga Jin must kill King Pyeongwon herself.

If she does that, Goguryeo...

will turn upside-down.

But Ga Jin said she wishes to quit.

We must hold a rite to clear the muddied soul.

Just how we did a long time ago.

Your soul will be cleansed with the energy of Cheonjubang.

This drug will erase your whole past.

The chief brought you here, Ga Jin.

He said you would have no memory when you wake...

and told me to raise you as my own.

I had lost my family,

and the chief took me in when I had nowhere to go.

How would I dare disobey his command?

Since that day,

you became my daughter.

Are you really...

not my birth father?

I should have told you before.

Then you would not have become a killer,

and you would have found your parents.

It is my fault. It is all on me.

Do not cry, Father.

You had this necklace at the time.

Take a look.

Do you remember anything?

I think I saw it in a dream.

I am not sure.

- They are here. - What?

You must get out of here.

Find your real parents and live happily.

Where can I go when you are here, Father?

I am not your father.

Mister, you must get home before they find out. Hurry.

Father.

Will you get me killed too?

We must each fend for our own selves now.

Ga Jin, do not worry. We will look after your dad.

Get out of here for now, okay?

Come along.

Father.

Find Ga Jin!

Darn it.

Your friend says this tunnel leads outside.

Follow me.

Are you okay? Can you manage?

When did you realize?

That I am a Cheonjubang assassin.

From the start.

Why did you pretend not to know?

Is that important right now?

If I had shown I knew, you would have had to kill me.

I did not want to make you take a life.

If we fight here, someone will get hurt.

I do not want that, so we must hurry.

Come on.

Follow me.

If it is too much, get some rest.

No. It is just the effect of the powder.

There is an excuse for everything.

Do not worry about your father.

He seems stronger than he looks.

Your friends are not bad either.

I must go to Pyeongyang Castle.

Yeom Ga Jin.

Oh, my goodness. Ga Jin...

She left the rest of us to save her own skin.

This is why they say one should not take in another human being.

- She is truly evil! - Stop.

My goodness...

Tae Mo, what are you doing?

My goodness...

My goodness...

You got out of Cheonjubang...

and decided to quit killing.

You should live quietly in the wilderness.

What kind of wilderness? Your home?

Do not even dream of that.

Who said we would take you in?

Think again about going to Pyeongyang.

Many people deliberately bury their past.

There is no guarantee that...

recovering your past will make you happy.

I fear of falling asleep.

Each time I have a nightmare,

I wonder if it is a dream or a memory I have lost.

It hurts so much I cannot even scream.

I am alive, but I feel as if I am dying.

Do you know how that feels?

However scary it may be, if I do not find out who I am...

and why I am in such turmoil,

I cannot do anything.

Why not?

You may not remember yesterday,

but there is today, tomorrow, and the day after that.

Just think of the days that will come.

Your parents and hometown?

Even without that,

human beings get by somehow.

About you.

Did something happen before you went into hiding?

Fearing the world is just an excuse.

Did you commit a terrible crime?

Oh, come on.

I saved your life and you repay me with an insult?

Whatever it is, that is your issue.

I will go to the Capital.

My gosh.

How do you think you will get in?

Since what you did last time,

they will not even let a mouse in now.

Then you go home. Your mother is all alone.

We are as good as dead because of you.

Exactly. Do not follow me around and be a nuisance.

When was I ever...

Hey. Ouch, that is hot. Shoot.

Yeom Ga Jin! Wait up!

Yeom Deuk, San, and Jin say they did not go to the cave.

They are lying, so a beating...

Do not be foolish.

You must find Ga Jin first.

- I will find her. - You cannot kill her.

She still is of some use to Cheonjubang.

Will you look at that?

- What... - "What did I say?"

Do not dare say that.

You cannot get into the palace.

What will you do now?

The court lady in Magnolia Hall seemed to recognize me.

I wanted to ask her.

You should have said so sooner. Follow me.

Hey.

Salute!

Hey. Why are you still there? Come along.

I have the drawing you asked for.

Her hair is thicker than this.

And it is softer.

She does not just have a killer spirit.

She was also haughty and elegant.

Her lips should be plumper...

and have a sheen.

I will commission another drawing.

No. Leave this with me.

They will soon send the head of the assassin.

That is good news.

This Cheonjubang chief.

He is not entirely trustworthy.

Then what?

Will word get out that we hired him?

What matters now is the King's health.

(Go Won Pyo, Gyeru Tribe's Gochuga)

His sickened soul took him to death's door.

He will need even stronger medicine.

I had the Head Eunuch bring something to him.

He will forget his earthly worries...

and fall into a trance.

My goodness. Who are you?

Who are you?

That herb is still young.

Do not touch it.

If you had hurt my hand,

you could not have made up for it even if you sold this store.

What a pity.

If I had hurt your hand,

I could show you myself just how effective that herb is.

And before that,

you would have lost your head.

Are you saying your hand is worth my life?

Not at all.

It would be worth...

at least 10 of you.

Do Gyeru Tribe royals have gold on their hands?

Do you know me?

You used to enjoy drinks and women more than most jobless men,

but these days your life is boring because you are after an assassin.

Now I get who you are.

I had heard that Hae Ji Weol has a clever adopted daughter.

I am Hae Mo Yong.

Like you said, I ended up here doing something boring.

Did a suspicious man sneak in here?

I did not see anyone.

Did you not?

Then I wasted my time.

We got to meet, so for me, it was a gain.

We need to find the owner of the herb store in Mount Jangbaek.

- An herb store? - Yes.

That person knows everything that happens...

in and outside of Pyeongyang Castle.

And that owner pretty much has connections to everyone.

You might even get to meet the court lady you are looking for.

But why are we at the mountain?

Do you think it will be easy to meet someone like that?

We should at least bring that person some wild ginseng.

Wild ginseng?

But how? That stuff is really rare to find.

I found it!

Why are the leaves so...

It is a bellflower root.

But I am sure I saw five leaves.

It even tastes like a bellflower root. Try it.

What?

Ga Jin, let us just pick all the herbs in this mountain.

Bellflowers, dong quai roots, and Siberian chrysanthemum.

Let us just pick everything.

Let us go.

He is unbelievable.

(King Pyeongwon, 25th King of Goguryeo)

Your Majesty.

She is not an assassin. She is a ghost.

A ghost is here to get me.

- She is a ghost. - Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

- Please stop, Your Majesty. - Get lost.

Get lost!

Your Majesty!

Please calm down.

Are you going to wait all night?

You should go now.

I should say hello.

(Crown Prince Won, Future King Yeongyang)

The king and crown prince will not last very long.

He will try his best to maintain his power...

until the crown prince grows older.

But in his state, he will only last another year or two.

Then...

He will either collapsed due to an overdose of drugs...

or willingly give up the throne.

(An act of abdicating the throne)

There will come a day when we will need a regent.

(A person who governs the country on behalf of the king)

The day you become a regent,

Geon will become the crown prince.

Then he will succeed the throne in the future.

I want you to burn everything right now!

Yes... Your Majesty.

What is going on?

He asked them to burn everything that belonged to the princess.

Why all of sudden?

I do not know.

Everyone must be seeing her ghost.

What do you mean?

The thing is, a few days ago...

Princess.

She said "Princess"?

Strange, right?

Lady Gongson raised the princess ever since she was a baby.

She would never mistake her for another court maid.

I am worried this might all be for nothing.

It might be better not to remember anything.

I would do anything...

to forget what I have been through.

Goodness, you did not have to bring me this at this late hour.

I know you are worried about Dal,

but we were worried about you.

Eat up so you can stay healthy.

That way, you will have the energy to beat Dal once he comes back.

Why are you telling her to beat Dal? He did nothing wrong.

Wol, do you know something?

My goodness, of course not. I do not know anything.

Do not worry too much.

You know Dal would not get himself in trouble.

My goodness, he should know better.

What is the matter?

Forget it.

I have too much on my mind. You should go.

Come on. Let us go.

That darn punk.

Thank you.

What is that?

You are awake.

It is nothing.

It is a drawing of the assassin.

Then it is something.

Did you also see the assassin that day?

No, I did not.

My lord, a letter just came from the palace.

I will leave you to it.

Lady Gongson went after the maid, but she disappeared.

Who do you think that maid was?

Is anyone there?

I separately packed the medicinal herbs for His Majesty.

No one should find out which medicinal herbs were used.

Of course.

Did I keep you waiting for too long?

I had to deliver some medicinal herbs to the palace.

If you wish to find a woman, you should go to a courtesan house.

She is the assassin who tried to kill the king.

Have you ever seen that letter?

"A shaman..."

"will attack the king."

That letter was secretly given to me on the day of the ceremony.

Do you think...

I was the one who sent it?

This place...

not only sells medicinal herbs.

I heard you also sell people and information.

I want you to find the assassin.

And bring her to me first.

Then what will I get in return?

"In return"?

You will not have to worry about...

my soldiers destroying your herb store.

The court musician who disappeared...

used to work for you.

You keep asking me things I do not know of.

Then...

I would also like to ask you for something.

I want to know why Gochuga...

suddenly took...

Lady Gongson.

What?

- My lady. - Come back later.

A couple of herb collectors are selling their stuff outside.

Are your eyes dim, and do your hands and feet feel numb?

And do you have a sore throat and knees?

Do you have no appetite?

And does alcohol not taste good?

That is all because you lack energy.

Take a look at her!

Ever since she was a kid,

she was always sick and weak.

So I checked her condition and figured...

that 20 of these pills will do the magic.

She gained so much energy after she ate this.

Whoever marries her...

should be ready to exhaust himself to death.

My goodness.

It must work wonders.

What are you doing?

I would not have gathered you if I only had pills.

Mount Yongchu, Mount Gonam, and Mount Baekryong.

I went to all the great mountains...

to gather all these precious herbs.

After she ate these herbs,

she even picked up the energy to learn martial arts!

Is that true?

You will believe me once you see it for yourself.

What are you doing?

Come on.

Do you have a death wish?

I am doing this to live.

I am not going to play along with this.

Do you not want to meet the owner of the Jangbaek herb store?

Come on. People are waiting.

I will seriously hurt you.

Did you see that?

Did you see her flying around?

That is all thanks to the herbal pills she took.

Let me have some of that.

- My goodness, stop pushing. - Move.

Everyone, line up!

What are they doing?

Stay still.

How dare you cause a scene?

Who do you think you are?

- My goodness. - Oh, dear.

Take it easy, will you?

How dare you create a scene?

I wanted to meet you and ask you something.

She is the assassin who tried to kill the king.

I am here to find someone.

She can come in, but not him.

Who are you looking for?

She is someone who worked at Magnolia Hall.

She is a middle-aged lady.

Lady Gongson.

"Gongson"?

You are very lucky.

I just heard something about her.

What can I do to meet her?

Why are you looking for her?

I cannot tell you.

Then what is your name?

You do not need to know that either.

I have my reasons, so please help me.

- I will pay you... - You already helped me make money.

I was offered five chunks of silver to find you.

That means...

you will not be able to walk out of here alive.

The moment something happens to me,

your friend will get beheaded.

Let us start over.

What is your name?

I do not know.

I am trying to meet with her, so I can find that out.

You are telling me that you do not know who you are.

If you let me talk to her,

I will gladly let you tie me up.

Then, you can hand me over to the soldiers and take the reward.

Forgive me for not treating you better,

but wait here quietly.

What?

Who are you?

By any chance,

do you know who I am?

I vaguely remember a lullaby.

I remember going to Magnolia Hall.

Was I a maid at the palace?

Goodness.

Praise the divine forces.

Lady.

You cannot be here.

You must run away at once!

If they find out you are alive,

they will try to kill you, My Princess.

"Princess"?

What are you talking about?

- I am not... - How could you say that?

You are the daughter of the King.

You are Princess Pyeonggang.

Who are you?

Princess!

Other soldiers will be here.

You must run away now. Hurry!

This stays between you and me.

- You two, clean up the warehouse. - Yes, my lord.

The four of you will chase after the woman that just left.

You are never to kill her.

- Yes, my lord. - Yes, my lord.

You are the daughter of the King.

You are Princess Pyeonggang.

What is going on?

Where did the guards all go?

Open it.

Did you go to Magnolia Hall the day before the ceremony?

Yes.

I go there once every 10 days...

and clean the hall.

And you saw a maid you have not seen before there.

No, I did not.

There is a witness.

How dare you lie to him?

Well,

around the death anniversary of the princess,

I tend to get confused.

So I must have hallucinated...

and misspoken.

If what you are telling me is true,

your time at the palace must be nearing its end.

The prince has not recovered fully.

I must look after him.

We cannot sacrifice the prince...

for the sake of the late princess.

Choose.

You can leave the palace now.

Or you can look after the prince and be my eyes and ears.

Allow me...

to look after the prince.

I am not trying to run away.

The blood is all going to my head. I wanted to be more comfortable.

Tell me everything you know about your friend.

I do not know much. I only met her recently.

But you risked your life for someone you barely knew?

Who says I am going to die?

I will not die in a shed like this.

I am trying to help you.

It is hard to believe that when you stick a dagger at my throat.

Where is my friend now?

She needed to meet someone.

So I told her how she could do that.

You are just as I heard. You do know everything.

Thank you. I will pay for your help.

She will repay me.

I just secured collateral for her promise.

Collateral?

You.

Well, this position is quite uncomfortable.

But it is doable.

"Doable".

For every two hours, you will bleed half a hop.

You must pray that she comes back...

before you bleed out.

Hey.

You should pray too.

If anything happens to my friend,

I am going to destroy this place.

Sure. Let us pray together.

Princess!

My goodness. Where are you going?

Father!

My Princess. I did not hear you come in. How did you get here?

It is a secret. No one knows it, but me.

You will keep that a secret?

I have a present. Please close your eyes.

Sure.

You can open them now.

Yes. This flower resembles...

the lady of Magnolia Hall.

I do not need any of you!

You are foolish and vulgar!

Who is there?

Do not hide there like a rat.

Show yourself.

Do you...

recognize me?

You are...

Yes. I am Pyeonggang.

Why did you do it?

Why did you abandon me?

Father.

(Based on "Princess Pyeonggang" by Choi Sa Kyu)