Original subtitles

Attack! Destroy the enemy!

June 29, 1419, 1st year of Sejong's reign...

A Joseonese regiment led by Left Army Commander Park Sil was on the verge

of total destruction after a forceful attack of Japanese pirates.

They had to have heard the explosions.

We must retreat!

Retreat! Retreat!

Attack!

The enemy was quickly suppressed owing to Right Army Commander

Yi Sunmong's quick response,

but it was a tragic incident that left over 180 Joseonese soldiers dead.

Atten-hut!

Bow!

June 30, 1419 So Sadamori's camp, Kaneta

Munetoshi and Kurmju have been taken prisoner?

We must attack the enemy camp at once!

We must take So Sadamori's head and wipe out the Japanese pirates!

Calm down!

Calm down?

We lost almost 200 men!

We have more than the enemy to blame for that.

What are you trying to say? Are you blaming me for losing my men?

I'll kill you first!

I'm saying we should not act on emotional impulse.

Silence!

Do you call avenging your men's death emotional impulse?

If a revenge battle could bring our men back, I would go out there right now.

- But... - It won't bring them back.

I cannot allow you to carry on an emotional revenge battle, General.

Secretary Yun, what brings you here?

His Majesty sent me.

You sent an emissary to Tsushima?

Yes.

Why?

A negotiation?

With Lord of Tsushima So Sadamori?

That's right, General.

What for when this war is as good as won?

All that's left to do here is to wipe out the Japanese and put up our flag.

His Majesty has a different idea.

Withdraw?

If Tsushima has been conquered, you must assume authority of the territory.

Order must be established to rule its people.

It is the lord of Tsushima's job to rule Tsushima.

What... are you saying?

Joseon will not take possession of Tsushima Island.

You will discard the fruit of this military campaign?

The objective of this campaign was in stopping their aggression,

not in subjugation or occupation.

The best way to stop their aggression is by subjugation and occupation.

I want to find a third solution that is neither subjugation nor occupation.

It's been a while.

This is not how I expected us to meet again.

Don't mock me. Just kill me.

Didn't I tell you once before? The King of Joseon is a merciful man.

I'm going to let you live.

What is your motive?

This is a letter personally written by the King.

Take it to your master So Sadamori.

This is your last chance to save Tsushima, so you must obey.

It's a letter from the Joseon King, my lord.

An order to surrender, no doubt.

He is indeed advising us to surrender.

Don't play word games with me, Munetoshi.

A surrender is a surrender whether it is an advice or an order.

My lord...

There will be no surrender.

We will not live under their rule as their slaves.

The King of Joseon does not wish to rule Tsushima.

What he wants is amity, my lord.

Amity?

You wish to make peace with the Japanese pirates?

I do not see them as crude pirates.

I intend to acknowledge their right to political autonomy.

That's why they went as far as to involve mainland Japan to fight us.

The Royal court has deployed over 20.000 troops to Tsushima for this conquest.

If the come back empty-handed. they would have achieved nothing.

All policies require tangible achievement, my King.

Who and what would this tangible achievement be for?

Secretary Yi.

What is all this?

Real facts and data that compels me to give up this annexation, Father.

We cannot give up annexation.

If we can't annex an island half the size of Jaejudo with 20.000 soldiers,

there will be a downpour of public disapproval.

It won't last more than a month.

But if our troops have to be stationed in Tsushima for a extended period of

time for this annexation, we might have to deal with a civil insurrection.

A civil insurrection?

Let's begin.

Our biggest problem is lack of manpower.

It's been a full year since the troops were levied for this campaign.

Asan, Yongwang, Haenam...

Our major salt fields are already seeing visible reduction in production.

The same is true of agriculture.

Not only have 1/3 of our public farmlands been left unattended,

but the fall harvest will be affected if the troops do not return soon.

which will lead to shortage in tax revenue.

But we need to increase our tax revenue.

20.000 soldiers consume 500 sacks of rice in a single month and 6.ooo sacks in a year.

That means a considerable amount of

our tax revenue will have be spent just to keep the occupation troops alive.

What's more, July and August is typhoon season on the southern coast.

If we can't launch the supply ship during that time,

the occupation force could be forced to go without food for up to a month,

which will create another chorus of disapproval.

The burden on the people is too heavy to trade with the tangible achievement.

Most importantly, if we have the means

to put Tsushima under our influence through diplomacy,

isn't it our moral obligation as a stronger nation to choose that route?

Father, you must pull out the troops.

You're good, Minister Park.

Who knew you'd be so quick in turning

the Hall of Worthies into advance guards that will threaten the former King?

I won't waste my time talking to you about the greater purpose.

You' re a born fighter.

Now that even senior statesmen are on the young King's side,

the former King has a tough battle ahead.

You're not a bad fighter yourself, so I'm sure

I won't have to worry about the former King.

He has to be made the winner here at least on the surface.

He is the one that started this conquest, so victory must be his.

To prevent any further friction between the two Kings, that is.

Is that the new King's wish?

I'll let you answer that question yourself.

I appreciate your invaluable advice.

You must have known.

I don't understand...

You must have known that the Hall of Worthies and Park Eun were

gathering information to stop the annexation.

Did you not?

Yes, I knew, Your Eminence.

Why didn't you tell me?

Must I report non-military matters to you as well?

Diplomatic relations and public welfare is the new King's responsibility.

You called it military affairs

when I summoned the Tsushima emissary and declared war.

And now you call

sending our envoy and acquiring their surrender diplomatic relations?

How convenient.

Do you still wish annexation?

Call the troops back, Your Eminence.

You must call them back now to take credit for both military and diplomatic success.

What if I insist on annexation and refuse to call the troops back?

You will face fierce opposition from the retainers as well as the public.

I beg you to spare me the pain of committing such disobedience.

I'm lucky to have a man like you beside me.

Indeed you are a faithful servant.

Do you think they would've done this to me if I were the King?

Your Eminence...

If I had told them that I really wanted Tsushima,

that I wanted to expand my territory if only by a yard while I am on the throne,

do you think they would have stood up to me like they are now

arguing about reality and public burden?

Your Eminence...

Jo Malseng, that bastard...

That was not a recommendation; that was an order.

Even he has turned against me to be the new King's faithful dog.

I am certain he did not mean it in such a way.

How I miss my father, the departed Taejo tonight...

I'm told the former King is issuing an order to bring the troops home.

I guess this round goes to the new King!

It's going to be an exciting match to watch.

Right, Minister Meng?

What's so exciting?

You think it's fun to watch a son knocking his father around?

Sir...

I underestimated the young King.

It seems like just days ago he was sitting around at the Hall of Worthies

muttering pure, idealistic jargon, but in less than a year he has

learned to suppress his political rival without lifting a finger.

Politics... It's an ugly animal...

Everyone says this is your victory, Your Majesty.

Aren't you happy?

My father once told me that kings have to give up their decency

the moment they rise to the throne.

I didn't know until today that included having to fight your own father

for political supremacy.

No, I am not happy about beating my father.

But I am not unhappy about protecting the people and protecting my political stance.

Now we wait for the enemy to accept my proposal.

Lord of Tsushima So Sadamori,

we rule different lands but I trust our desire to protect our people is a like.

Amity is the only way to protect the people, so do not reject my offer.

Do you think Lord So will surrender?

How am I supposed to know?

Keep your hands moving.

Let's see...

You'll need lots of wax paper to keep the moisture out of the gunpowder.

Moisture, sir?

The rainy season is half month sooner here than it is in Ming.

Be prepared for it.

May I ask what that is, sir? A new prognostication method?

They're Arabic numerals.

I find it easier to calculate using them.

Wow, I'm amazed!

Not only do you know

Joseonese language but Arabic numerals as well!

It's because I'm a wacko.

Huh?

Wac... Oh, that day, I...

I was going to apologize t you about that.

I guess my curiosity is good for something.

If I hadn't learned Joseonese when I did, I would have had to thank the man who

saved my life in a language he doesn't understand.

Thank you for saving my life and for showing me new technology.

Did you wish to see me?

Will these men continue

to respect me as the lord of Tsushima...

follow my leadership?

My lord!

I, Lord So Sadamori of Tsushima...

... surrender to Joseon.

We salute your decision.

Joseon and Tsushima are now brothers!

Expedition to Tsushima Island that began on the 20th day of June, 1419

ended with So Sadamori's surrender on the 3rd day of July of the same year.

The biggest significance of this expedition is evidenced in Sejong's

subsequent actions where the conquest army did not become occupation forces,

and Tsushima did not become Joseon's colony.

He raised Tsushima's diplomatic prestige by making it

a portal for all Japanese wishing to enter the Royal court of Joseon

and offered ongoing economic support by opening the three ports of Busanpo,

Yeompo and Jaepo in 1426 and granting trading privileges.

The fact that Tsushima was kept under Joseon's influence with diplomacy alone

is no doubt the biggest significance in this piece of history.

What is that thing?

They call it a waterwheel.

I've never seen anything like it!

We won't have to worry about water anymore.

We can water the crops in dry season!

Summer, 1420, 2nd year of Sejong's reign

Hall of Worthies

Do you think this is your living room?

And look at your disheveled uniform!

No one can be perfect all the time.

Oh dear, I'm going to have to punish all of you.

How many times must I tell you not to get up to greet me when you're

focused on your work?

We can't do that, Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

Proper manners and tidy appearance is essential for scholars.

You're teaching your pupils well, Minister Park.

They're becoming nitpickers just like you.

In Scholar Choi's case the pupil exceeds his master.

Have we heard back from the Bureau of Astronomy?

What is the weather going to be like this year?

The observer is in the clay room deciphering the stars,

so we will know soon.

Clay Room, Bureau of Astronomy

What is the result?

How does it look this year?

Another dry year?

Yes, Your Majesty.

This means we have to devote more effort to water conservation.

We have Gim Jongsuh assessing

the reservoirs across the country, so let us wait for the result.

Hasn't he returned yet?

Being the meticulous man that he is, I wouldn't expect him back so soon.

Your job is to maintain the reservoir!

I will tighten these men up.

Perhaps you should rest your wary legs from the long trip.

Do you wish to lose your job?

I will take care of my wary legs, so shape up your men and get

the reservoir back in order.

You could've been easier on them.

This was actually the best maintained reservoirs we've seen.

I was unsympatethic with the best,

so the rest will do what they have to do if they want to live.

You're a shrewd man, Inspector Gim.

I have no choice with the limited resources we have to work with.

You could've been softer still.

Royal Assessors loss of public favor could bring harm to the King.

If water conservation works fail and crops fail,

greater harm would be brought to the King.

Assessors have been dispatched,

but they are simply assessing the current situation.

More aggressive measures are necessary.

By aggressive measures you mean...

Mass production and distribution of the waterwheels.

That would require a huge budget.

If we were to send only one waterwheel per prefecture, that's 39 for Choonchung,

34 for Gyeongsang and 39 for Jeolla,

so we would need to produce over one hundred units.

There's the labor issue as well.

The time for the dry season, we would need to start production immediately.

How about conscription?

Unlike reservoir construction, this is highly technical work.

We would need skilled labor.

If labor is the problem, we might be able to find a solution.

Right, Secretary Yun?

Type Casting Foundry

Good grief!

How many books do you think we can print with this junk?

Wax doesn't hold the types in place very well.

What do you think you're getting paid to do here?

You're getting paid to solve these problems!

I'm stuck here doing this kind of work because of incompetent men like you!

Was that meant for me to hear?

It is true that I'm not right for this job, Your Majesty.

I think no one is better for this job.

You can tell the weight of arrow points just by holding them in your hand.

It's that meticulousness you have that I held in high regard,

and type making requires that precision and meticulousness.

But Your Majesty...

If this work is getting boring for you,

how would you like to try something else for a while?

Something... else?

It's been redesigned to draw up more water.

What do you think? Does this work agree with you?

It's... a little better.

Well then, I'll leave you to it.

Are you blind?

What do you use your eyes for?

This space is uneven!

Give me that.

Boy, it's going to be pretty noisy here for a while.

You're the busiest man in the Conference Hall these days.

The Hall of Worthies is running the state, so we have nothing to do.

We are only reviewing realistic solutions to overcome the drought.

His Majesty is focused only on water conservation neglecting

other important matters of the state.

Imbalance is not a good thing, Left Minister.

But it's better than allowing the Royal house

to be inundated by public grief because we failed to conquer the drought.

We do all the work and someone else gets all the reward...

We are the ones that risked our lives at war and defeated the Japanese.

But instead of putting us to valuable service,

he is running the state with young scholars who sat around the palace pushing pencils.

Once we get through this drought, it will really be a matter of time

before the former King becomes a paper tiger, Minister Jo.

You must not push yourself, Your Eminence.

- If you're not careful... - I heard you.

I heard you. You may leave.

Please do not ignore my request this time, Your Eminence.

You must leave state affairs behind and rest.

How long do I have left?

This stays between you and me.

You haven't been going around blathering, have you?

Of course not.

We got some ice from the ice storehouse, so I had them prepare some cold tea.

Escort Han.

Yes, Your Grace.

Are you taking care of the Queen?

Why does she look so unwell?

Mother...

I am just fine, so please...

I'm not concerned about your physical health.

Pay special attention so she can learn to keep a smile on her face at all times.

She must always look poised confident even when she is in excruciating pain

inside so that the others will learn to fear her.

Is His Eminence inside?

I saw the physician.

Eminence, what does the physician say?

Are you afraid I'm going to die?

Your Eminence.

Don't worry. It was just a routine examination.

Is that the truth?

I will outlive you, my dear.

I will die only after I've laid you to rest, so don't worry.

Oh, Your Eminence...

Wow! What's this?

They are from the Queen.

She sent them to encourage the scholars who are working hard day and night.

These are the Queen's words?

Yes, Your Majesty.

Are you angry because this an unscheduled visit?

You must consider the Royall consort who is waiting to serve you tonight.

I wanted to thank you.

Thank you for caring about the scholars of Hall of Worthies, my Queen.

Hall of Worthies? What do you mean?

You must be behind this!

Madam...

Why?

Why would you aggravate the Royal couple's relationship

by telling a lie that would be exposed right away?

I thought this might bring the two of them closer together...

Do not meddle in superiors' personal affairs again!

Your Majesty! Your Majesty!

What is it?

The flash flood is consuming our farms and fields!

Your Majesty! Your Majesty!

The rivers are overflowing and villages under water,

and embankments are collapsing taking human lives.

What are we to do?