Original subtitles

Father!

Chundoong that bastard!

Haven't you found him?

It's murder!

My young master has killed my master!

Son has killed his father!

What happened?

An unpardonable atrocity!

Tell him to leave!

But...

How dare a servant accuse his own master of a crime?

It's against the law.

Goodness gracious!

I'm telling you. My young master killed his own father!

Get out of here!

But he's trying to kill me, too, because I saw him.

How dare you!

First you kill your master then accuse someone else of the crime?

Kill my master? Me?

I have proof that you're the murderer. Don't try to deny it.

What is that?

You put your handprint right here and you don't know what this is?

What are you waiting for? Arrest this man!

- Stop right there! - Get him!

What happened to you, fellow?

Can you read?

Aren't you hurt?

You're wearing that robe, so you must know how to read.

Yes, I do.

Then you're going to have to help me.

If you refuse, I'll kill you!

You bastard!

Don't come any closer!

He'll be in greater danger if you provoke the man.

But...

I can't help you.

You want to die?

Have you ever killed a man?

You don't think I can?

Then do it.

What?

Kill me!

Father!

What are you doing, fellow? Sleeping?

Get a proper weapon next time if you want to threaten a man's life.

Now let's hear your story.

You said you needed help from someone who can read.

They're saying I killed a man.

Killed a man?

I'm not the one but they're saying that I am.

There he is! Get him!

You miserable bastard! You're under arrest!

What did this man do?

He killed his own master in cold blood.

He told me a different story.

No! This is wrong! I didn't kill anyone!

I'm not the murderer. My young master is!

You little...

Stay out of this!

This man is claming he's innocent.

He butchered his own master to shreds.

We have a witness and clear evidence! Take him away!

I didn't do it! I swear! Help me! Please help me!

We should get back to the palace.

No, I'm going to the local agency.

Director Yun, there's someone else want you to do.

The scene of the crime?

Magistrate! Magistrate!

Why are you harassing us?

This is called an appeal, not harassment.

Magistrate!

What's wrong with you? Are you related to that slave or something?

All people of this land Joseon are my...

"This land Joseon"?

That's a pretty fancy talk.

So what about this land Joseon?

I'm just saying that we're all Joseonese, so we're all brothers.

That's all.

So you're going to swear brotherhood with that servant boy or something?

I have nothing to say to you, so just call the magistrate for me.

Magistrate! Magistrate!

Who is this man anyway?

He does appear to be a nobleman, so I can't easily deal with him.

One little slave boy is turning this agency upside down!

Are you sure it isn't you?

I told you to wait outside!

I think you're the one who is disturbing public order,

not that slave boy named Chundoong.

Who the heck are you?

On what authority are you meddling in government business?

I'm...

What's your occupation?

I'm a holder of the Classics Licentiate Degree Yi Doe.

A Classics Licentiate?

You look about my age and you still haven't passed the Grand Exam?

If you want to meddle in government business, go back and hit the books.

Slave Chundoong came to you and reported a murder.

But you ignored it.

I guess you don't know the law well enough,

but slaves are not allowed to make accusations against their masters!

The law I know makes exceptions for murder and high treason.

Am I wrong?

You think you know more than I do?

Please confirm the law.

If I'm right, I don't think your punishment will be light for ignoring a crime report

since you've neglected your duty as a local magistrate.

No, master!

This is a mistake!

There is no mistake!

Who is that woman?

It's Chundoong's wife, of course.

The slave that killed his master?

I thought Chundoong couldn't hurt a fly. Who knew he'd be capable of this?

Stay away from my property!

My lord!

He's rather vivacious for a man who just lost his father.

Do you think he did it?

Slave Chundoong didn't look like the kind of man who is capable of murder.

But a son killing his own father?

It's unfathomable.

The problem is the evidence.

Take a good look. This is irrefutable proof.

"... One-hundred yangs for Lord Park's life..."

Chundoong committed a contract killing.

This handprint, are you sure this is his?

Bring him!

I'm letting you confirm this because I'm such a generous shepherd of my people.

No, I didn't do it!

Then explain this handprint!

Young master came to me a few days ago and told me to stamp it, so I did.

How can you put your handprint on something

without checking to see what it is?

Check it?

How can I when I can't read?

There's a witness, too, so stop denying!

There he is.

I'm the witness.

I saw him killing my father with my own two eyes.

And this is what he did to my arm when he saw me.

You're a monster!

There is your evidence and your witness. Do you have more to say?

You should go.

What are you saying?

You don't need to trouble yourself for me anymore.

Are you acknowledging your guilt?

They got you with evidence and witness so now you're admitting it?

What's the use of fighting when I can't win?

I'm a powerless slave.

There's no way I can clear myself when it's a nobleman's word against mine.

I'll see what I can do.

It's too late for me.

But if you could, would you look in on my pregnant wife for me?

I was going to try to be a proud father.

It's bad enough being born a slave,

but now my child will have to go through life as a murder's child.

Oh, my poor child...

Slave Chundoong doesn't appear to be capable of murder.

I find Park Gyeum very suspicious.

Above all, Chundoong is contending that Park is the murderer.

Then you should reveal your identity and

order an arrest and interrogation of Park Gyeum.

I can't to that.

Father.

The King is not to command the people directly in person.

Proper thing to do is to have his men relay the command.

But this magistrate doesn't even know the law correctly.

Even if he does reveal his identity, he cannot order Park Gyeum's arrest.

Why not?

Because he can't violate his own law.

The Arrest Clause.

"No one shall be arrested or interrogated without tangible evidence of guilt,

and conviction shall not be rendered on confession alone."

His Majesty is the one who instituted this law.

Is that more important than an innocent man's life?

King who violates his own law does not deserve to be King.

I will find a better way.

Your Highness... Your Highness!

Your Highness!

Your Highness! Your Highness!

Leave me alone!

Have you been drinking?

Yes.

Why?

There're too many reasons.

Hyang...

How was your outing?

You're drunk. Go back to the East Palace.

Wouldn't you like a drink?

You don't look too happy either, Father.

What happened?

It's... nothing, Your Majesty.

You should be more watchful of your behavior.

If yu must drink, drink at the East Palace.

And do not drink in access.

A lesbian lover?

That's absurd!

Perhaps we should tell the King.

Are you out of your mind?

Do you want to get the Crown Prince deposed?

Deposed?

Things aren't so good between His Majesty and the Crown Prince as it is right now.

What do you think will happen if he finds out about the Crown Princess?

Your Highness!

Is what I just heard true?

I thought you had left.

I came back to discuss about something with you.

Oh?

Your Majesty, may I come in?

Enter.

It's from the Queen.

What did you want to talk about?

"Commentary of Forensic Medicine"?

Why don't we perform an autopsy on the victim?

An autopsy?

Yes.

If we can't decide who the real culprit is between Chundoong

and Park Gyeum, perhaps we can let the dead man tell us.

Let the dead man tell us? It's not a bad idea.

Your Majesty, perhaps we have the case transferred to the Capital

Magistracy and order an autopsy.

No, I'm going to have the local agency see this case through.

They might refuse to perform the autopsy on the grounds that their case is solid.

I'll have to find a way to make them perform the autopsy.

Will you be taking another trip into the city?

I want to give Gyoha Magistrate a chance to become a compassionate civil leader

who pays as much heed to an appeal of a common citizen as an order of the King.

Are you going back to your villa?

I'm going to the Hall of Worthies.

I'd like to do some more reading.

Are you interested in attending the autopsy yourself?

I found out the capital police is the only agency that has a pathologist.

On the local level, autopsy is performed by a credible physician.

I figure I can be a useful observer if I have some knowledge about pathology.

His Majesty wants to trust the magistrate, but I guess I'm not as trusting as he is.

Are you still drinking?

Sit down and join me.

What is this about the Crown Princess?

How did you find out?

I guess that's the nature of the palace.

Rumors will spread like cotton soaks up water.

That's the palace...

Get out.

Your Grace, please calm down.

I said get out!

Your Grace, what has happened?

How dare you barge in here unannounced!

This is unbecoming of the future Queen.

Future Queen?

How is the Crown Princess doing?

Forgive me, but she may not have what it takes to be the mother of the state.

Drastic measures may be necessary, Your Highness.

We cannot depose another Crown Princess.

I know.

And I'm sure that is why the Crown Prince chose to cover this up.

But the rumors are spreading.

Even Prince Jinyang has found out about it.

Then...

Sosang and Danji, the two girls must be removed from the palace.

But if this is done hastily, situation will get even worse.

What are you trying to say?

We must find a way to shut them up permanently.

Shut us up?

What if they kill us?

No way!

We have the Crown Princess in our hands.

What do you mean by that?

It means I'm not going to let them have their way with us!

I'm not worthy, am I?

I can't even control my own wife,

but I pounded on the Petitioner's Drum and criticized the King.

I probably look like a crazy lunatic. Don't I?

Your Highness...

Do you want this robe?

Should I take it off and give it to you?

Father will be going out of the palace again tomorrow.

Take care of this before he gets back. And don't blame yourself.

Don't think that you're responsible for everything.

Some things are beyond our control.

Yu...

Is there anything else I can do to help?

Brothers confide in each other in times of need, Your Highness.

Is his Majesty inside?

He didn't come to the Hall of Worthies today.

We have an urgent report from Ming.

Where could he be?

I'm requesting an autopsy, sir.

I don't think so.

I've already closed the case and reported it to the central.

I've gathered the leaders because an urgent report has arrived from Ming.

AD 1435, Forbidden City, Beijing

A new Emperor has risen to the throne of Ming?

Your Majesty, your time has come!

Long live the Emperor!

The Emperor is only nine years old.

For the next few years, Ming is almost certain to become a

political battleground over control and favor of the child Emperor.

Then this will be the perfect time for Joseon to aggressively proceed with

Four Counties and Six Forts project without much interference from Ming.

By the way, where is His Majesty at an important time like this?

Why don't you take this up with the King if you can?

What are you trying to say?

That an order from the top is more important to you

than a citizen's appeal or welfare?

Cocky bastard!

Do I look like chopped liver to you?

I may not look it, but I'm a busy man.

I have 21 petitions and 17 litigations to resolve just for today

and 50 different bills to vote on by tomorrow!

I don't have enough time in a day to keep up with our nosy King who has made

a career out of creating more work!

People not numbers!

21 petitions you have to handle today are not simply numbers but

problems that involve someone's future.

There will be no autopsy! We have evidence and a witness!

I will not indulge a slave's lie!

Are you sure you won't regret this?

Stay away from here if you don't want to have anything to regret.

If I see as much as your shadow in this agency again, I'll have you arrested

for interference with a government official in execution of his duties!

It is the order of the King to transfer your deceased father's body to the

capital police agency and perform an autopsy.

You didn't have to rush here so quickly.

I believe it is a Royal subject's duty to answer the King's call immediately.

If only you were as committed to the public

you'd be able to see names and faces in the 21 cases on your desk today.

21 cases?

Do you recognize me?

I'm sure we've met because

I have never appointed a local magistrate without a personal interview.

If I had known in advance... Why, in plain clothes...?

A scholar in plan clothes or even a slave, if they live in your district,

should be just as important to you as the King.

I made a mistake deserving of death, Your Majesty!

Yes, you have.

If an autopsy reveals that the slave is innocent,

I believe you should be punished before the true perpetrator.

Let us begin.

The blade marks do not suggest it is a professional job.

Ruler.

21/2 inch.

3 inch.

31/2 inch.

1 inch.

This one pierced straight through the heart.

Judging from the angle of the penetration, the perpetrator is left-handed.

Left-handed...

This is survivor's authorization for the autopsy. I need your signature.

He's right-handed...

Slave Chundoong is the perpetrator?

It's clearly not a professional job and Chundoong is left-handed.

You mean he deceived me with that innocent face?

You see? Even the autopsy says he's the culprit!

So what?

So why am I getting dismissed from office?

Shut up and listen carefully!

I'm so embarrassed and ashamed to have appointed a man like you

to a magistrate position that I want to quit this job myself.

You're out regardless of the outcome of this case.

Why?

Because you don't deserve to be an official of the government.

Sir...

When you make a report to the Royal Court, especially when it's a murder

case like this, you do it only after you have conducted a through investigation.

You're not a government official if you don't care about the people

at least as much as you care about yourself!

We have to redo the autopsy.

What do you mean?

We may only have heard half of what the dead man has to say.

Now would you tell us what the dead man didn't tell us last time?

We had rushed to conclusion based on his external injuries and ignored

the decisive evidence, Your Majesty.

The decisive evidence?

The cause of this man's death is poisoning, not stab wounds.

Poisoning?

These stab wounds were made postmortem.

If these lacerations were made when he was alive,

acid, reaction will reveal bloodstains.

You mean he was stabbed to frame the murder on someone else?

By someone who is meticulous enough to calculate the fact that the man he's

setting up is left-handed.

Who could that be?

Park Gyeum, of course.

He acquired large amount of herbal poison from this man not long ago.

Why did he kill his father?

He confessed that he committed the crime to pay off his gambling debt.

A world where a son kills his father for money...

Oh, she's so adorable!

You did it, honey. You id it.

Only because I have you.

Hang on. I'll bring you some seaweed soup in a jiffy.

My lord, you're here.

Is it a boy or a girl?

It's a girl.

You look happy.

Yes, but I don't know if I should be.

I got lucky because you were there at the right time, but bringing a new

life to this cold, hard world... I don't know if it's such a good thing.

She's a lowborn like me with no hopes of having anything or learning anything,

so I worry for her future.

I just happened to be there.

The King just happened to be there at that moment.

So a precious life of a man was saved.

Your Majesty...

But if I had not been there,

if I'm not there when my people are suffering for the reasons they

are lowborn, poor or uneducated, what is to happen to them then?

How when we don't know how to write?

Because we had no time for storybooks or even to learn to read.

We got up at dawn and worked until dusk,

but we couldn't even pay the taxes let alone have enough to eat.

Young master came to me a few days ago and told me to stamp it, so I did.

How can you put your handprint on

something without checking to see what it is?

Check it?

How can I when I can't read?

That's a letter "Gu", I tell you.

It means they're going to give us 500 yangs.

Darn, talk about bad luck...

I was hoping to be able to write a decent letter in my lifetime...

My people are mute although they can speak.

And I have ears but I cannot hear them.

It is the King and his men that govern the people,

but it is the people with ability to preserve

their own rights that guide and teach the King and his men.

I will give voice to my people.

What Joseon needs now is a system of writing that embodies our sounds.

In 1432, Sejong published "Illustrated Conduct of the Three Relationships"

to enlighten the public.

In 1440, Sejong compiled "New Commentary on Forsenic Medicine" and established

a systematic autopsy procedure with an objective of preventing wrongful deaths.

Most of all, Sejong wanted the people to preserve their own rights by having and

understanding these information.

That was the inspiration for creating a new system of writing.

Ninth of October, Hangeul Proclamation Day, celebrates the publication of Hunmin Jeongeum (The Proper Sounds for the Education of the People).

On October 9, 2008, Hangeul (Korean Alphabet) becomes 562 years old.