Original subtitles

BLOODY HEART

THE PEOPLE, GROUPS, PLACES, AND INCIDENTS IN THIS DRAMA ARE PURELY FICTIONAL

Are you saying…

you would rather be my enemy?

When you of all people

are aware of how my life has been?

When I am finally close to strengthening

the royal authority--

There will be no end to it.

That is why I chose this path.

No.

No, you are to stop.

You must stop.

If you choose to stand against me,

I will…

have to eliminate you.

I wanted power desperately

only to protect you.

I did not want to lose my wife in vain just as my late father did.

I shall

continue on my path. It is the only way to protect you.

Please do so, Your Majesty.

Go down your own path.

However,

take that journey for yourself, and not for my sake.

I will

protect myself.

I will protect myself…

with everything I have.

BLOODY HEART FINAL EPISODE

What do you mean?

The consort is Yoo Haksoo's daughter, the deposed crown princess?

That is correct.

What will happen to Councilor Park

if that is true?

His crime is too dire.

Why did you make such a foolish choice?

If I didn't shake around His Majesty's design,

all members of Sarim and the Royal Court

would have been pushed around by him.

I do not know what your deal with the consort was,

but you'll regret this.

I think through every choice I make so that I do not regret anything.

Respectfully escort him to the State Tribunal.

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

What did I want to do with power?

Nothing.

I only hoped to protect.

The one thing that made the ones I missed return and visit

was power.

Let us go.

Your Highness. And also Mother.

How could you do something this serious?

I have no excuses.

You shouldn't dare to rebuke the consort.

This is something your father and I did.

Mother.

My lord has kept his promise.

It's now your turn.

You must keep your promise to keep our family

and Councilor Park safe.

I shall do that.

I will trust your words.

The consort was the former crown princess?

What does that mean?

You must calm down, Lady Cho.

She had committed such a grave crime.

Why won't you discuss her punishment?

Didn't I tell you?

Even His Majesty turned a blind eye to it.

Father.

We cannot bring down the consort.

But Councilor Park is over.

Stay low.

You are to be the queen, but you have not been installed yet.

And His Majesty is

capable of deposing you even after you become one.

Aren't you happy?

I'm scared.

Father and Brother. Do you wish for me to become queen?

You can only survive in the palace

only if you have His Majesty's favor or power.

What I'm the most afraid of is that you might end up

growing old all alone.

The consort is afraid I'll take the path of the deposed king

and his queen.

Do you

also believe I'll walk down that path?

No matter which path you take,

the path you choose is the right one.

You are

always stronger than me.

I am nothing but a lowly man.

This lowly servant was taken in and taught to be useful,

then I was freed from my servanthood and acknowledged

only by the late King.

And the late King said

I was the only one he could trust.

He asked me to look after you.

I have seen the humiliation of the late King,

and I saw the devastating death of his queen.

I cannot let you go in misery too.

Please do not waver.

Call in the Three Offices.

The least I can do… is warn her.

My father is Scholar Yoo Haksoo,

and I am his daughter.

My father and I have our foundation in the Sarim.

I am one with all of you.

Therefore, please join me.

We shall do that.

We were unfairly framed and banished to the wild,

unable to even breathe at ease as criminals.

Yes, you were chased down as a traitor,

then you came to this place all alone.

We will do everything in our power

to make you the queen and your son, the prince.

Thank you.

-Thank you for your grace. -Thank you for your grace.

-Consort Yoo. -Consort Yoo.

For this issue, please join forces with the meritorious subjects.

I promised Councilor Park that I will reduce his sentence

in return for taking my true identity back.

Your Majesty.

The consort's social status shakes the foundation of this nation.

We cannot condone this.

Councilor Park confessed everything as his fault.

Why do you blame the consort?

So should we not hold her responsible for deceiving her superiors?

His Majesty condoned this and took a part in this.

If you wish to hold her responsible, hold His Majesty responsible first.

Then first, we must hold the late King responsible

for letting the consort live.

And punishing the late King?

That is unprecedented!

What should I do?

Should I punish myself?

Or should I punish the former King, my father?

Your Majesty, please do not say that.

We cannot discuss this issue anymore.

But how astounding is this?

The subjects and the Sarim are enemies, yet you two stand together.

Councilor Park Gyewon is the one who caused everything.

He'll be held responsible.

Father. It is I, your son.

Come in.

Your Highness!

Please spare my life, Your Highness.

-No! -Your Highness.

I received His Majesty's order to take Han and have her interrogated.

Take her away.

Your Highness.

Your Highness.

The King must be trying to annihilate everyone who's on my side.

Your Highness!

I will meet the King myself

and speak with him in person.

THE KING'S QUARTERS

I beg you, Your Majesty.

Please forgive your mother's sins.

Mother.

Why are you doing this?

If I dishonored you in any way, please just lash me!

I heard the royal office

has been chaotic every single day because of me.

I wish to grovel and plead for your mercy.

Your Majesty, you must abandon me

and show your majesty.

That's enough.

You are most unsightly.

Will your subjects kill me

to save themselves?

Or…

will they begin a coup

and dethrone an undutiful son like you?

No matter which side it is,

there won't be any justification.

But if I hurt myself,

their rebellion will be more justified.

What must I do to apologize

for my disobedience?

Send me to the palace in Onyang along with my court ladies.

I no longer have any strength to hold out in the palace.

I will allow it,

Mother.

The palace is filled with people who'll stab your back

once you show them mercy.

That is why I need someone who will absolutely take my side.

If they weren't with me,

they were always against me.

I will…

take your side and live with you

until the end of my life.

Then why are you doing this?

Because I do not wish to lose you.

I am not your enemy, Your Majesty.

I wish to be a subject who gives you candid advice.

Please accept me.

You must accept me.

The Queen Dowager is leaving today.

Your Majesty.

I never expected the Sarim to collude

with the Royal Court.

If two enemies can work together,

your subjects may work with the Queen Dowager again.

I know that.

The Queen Dowager will be attacked by muggers

on her way down to Onyang.

These are the same men who broke into the palace.

When they weren't paid for their service, they decided to attack her out of grudge.

I will make them confess that they killed the Queen Dowager.

-Kyun. -This is the easiest way.

You must take this path.

Your Majesty.

You must take the right path.

I await your order.

Your Highness.

We are ready to leave.

We should go.

All right.

You have

all done well.

You may leave.

You need to stop.

I must contemplate deeply on what I'll do with the Queen Dowager.

They'll arrive at the palace in Jinwi around tomorrow.

This is the Queen Dowager.

You must let her pass without pain.

The Queen Dowager has left for the palace in Onyang?

Yes, she put everything together quickly, so it wasn't even properly done.

When did she leave?

About two days ago.

She'll probably stay at the palace in Jinwi today.

She set her dwelling on fire to avoid getting pushed out.

On top of that, she knows she's a target of assassination.

Yet she left the palace, the safest place for her?

I must leave immediately.

No, my lord.

The only way is to break out of jail.

Let me leave immediately!

Your Majesty, there is an urgent message.

Come in.

YOUR MAJESTY

What is this?

The Queen Dowager left this letter for you.

When did she leave this?

She has left two days ago.

She told her adjunct overseer to give it to you after two days.

Eunuch Jung has not come in

since the day after the Queen Dowager has left.

YOUR MAJESTY

Didn't I tell you, Your Majesty?

If I shed a drop of blood from my neck,

did you think you were safe on your throne?

Once I die, there will be signs in my handwriting

put up all over the country that says I was killed by you.

"The King…

has killed his mother."

Your Majesty, I'm sure

you will now want to save me from death.

There is no stronger justification for the royal family to rebel against you.

You'll become a child who killed his own mother.

I hope

you live in the pain I leave behind,

caught up in bloody rebellion and purge.

Send the cavalry guard to Jinwi Palace now.

-Yes, Your Majesty. -Where's Eunuch Jung?

Tell him to go to Jinwi Palace now,

that this is urgent!

Eunuch Jung has not come in since yesterday.

Then where is he?

Did the King

send you here?

Did you

come to kill me?

Shall I die for you?

Once I die, you'll all live in pain.

So I can gladly die for all of you.

Your Highness.

I am the reason…

for all of your sins.

So please,

you must live.

Did the King tell you to make sure I live?

Your Joseon will stay as a whole only if I live,

so you finally want to save me now.

Were you so troubled?

Is that why

you want to lay down everything?

You said you wanted to live as a housewife

who cooks dinner for her husband and wait for him to come home.

I forgot that

you were someone who could be happy

with the small things in life.

I should have let you live that life.

I regretted

and regretted again.

Your Highness.

Your Highness.

Please live.

Though life may be…

more humiliating and harsher…

than death.

When flowers bloom,

you can look at those flowers

and live a day…

When it snows in the middle of winter,

you can look at the snow

and live yet another day.

When you live like that,

one day,

you will find yourself smiling once again.

Let me…

Let me rest for a short while.

He died?

Just like that?

Your Majesty.

I must

leave the palace for a while.

What do you mean?

The Central Army saw me.

They will testify that

I killed Councilor Park

and tried to kill the Queen Dowager.

In the meantime,

it will be difficult for me to serve you.

It won't just be for a while.

I will be within the city limits.

I will hide nearby

so that I can run to you whenever you need me.

If you leave,

who am I supposed to trust?

I asked the consort to look after you.

Just as the late King asked me to look after you,

the only one I trust in this world

is the consort.

Have you ever considered that your decisions were not right?

Do you have any intention

of asking for forgiveness

from the ones you killed, from my father?

That will not

happen.

My enemy, the daughter of a rebel was queen.

And the daughter of my political enemy, the Sarim,

became the crown princess.

If I did not eliminate them first,

my people and my comrades

would have died.

That is

politics.

I have come to visit.

I will show you

that my politics, my reign

will take a different path than yours.

IN MOURNING

You should not get up so soon.

You lost consciousness for two days.

Who served our guests in that while?

Aunt stepped up.

She's not well-trained in etiquette.

We must have served our guests poorly as your father had passed.

Mother, you don't have to strain yourself.

I must do this.

I am the lady of this house,

who lived half of my life as the wife of the councilor.

Even though your father has passed,

that fact does not change.

I have much to look after,

our family and the mouths to feed.

And you.

So I must remain strong.

I have won.

Your death

is humble indeed.

All deaths

are humble.

Your era has ended.

This is now my era.

Do you believe your talent was overlooked

because of your subjects?

Do you not know that your subjects

also help you cover up your faults?

I never asked you

to cover up my faults.

From now on, your reign…

is completely your responsibility.

Do you believe…

I will manage well?

I do not know.

That is why

I could not trust you.

However, your subjects are only here to give you advice.

All decisions are made

by the sovereign ruler over our people,

according to your will, Your Majesty.

Why do you cry?

Now,

the one I must resent…

is gone.

I will depose you.

It will become a long and tedious fight.

The people will be split for their own reasons.

It'll take years to convince the officials

and my people.

Even after that, I will be criticized

for dishonoring my parent until the end of my reign.

However,

it will be much better than seeing flyers around the country

about how a son has killed his mother.

So please come with me,

back to the tormenting life

which you created.

Just…

kill me.

Your Majesty.

Please.

Even if you hang yourself

or drink poison, I will save you.

I must show that the King is fulfilling his duty as a son.

So please continue to live

all alone in this palace

and enjoy

a long life.

Live a long life

all alone?

What is this?

Isn't this a letter from Lady Jeong?

Isn't it?

What's with all the fuss?

-Take a look. -Okay, I'll look.

I'll look.

Are you teasing me?

You know I can't read.

What did she say?

Is she well?

Is her mother-in-law nice to her?

She's well.

-She asks if we're all well. -Goodness.

She thinks of all of you a lot.

I hear there's an uproar in Hanyang.

Please don't go out and get in trouble.

Make sure you stay home.

Okay?

Okay… Okay?

Can you write that for me?

I hear the Queen Dowager is becoming something or whatever.

And that crown princess suddenly died, then came back alive.

And who was it? That consort or something…

Anyway, I can't believe there is so much trouble.

Everyone is talking about it.

There's no use in giving advice here.

She'll manage.

Lord Lim, you're really cold-hearted.

Goodness.

Hey.

You need me around here, don't you?

What do you mean? You don't do anything around here.

I take care of the tributary payment and the things with the local government.

That's not a big deal.

If you aren't around, we'll still manage.

We can go on even without Lady Jeong.

Why?

Did the men up high in Hanyang ask you to come?

Will you go?

What will I do there anyway?

I'll end up seeing bureaucrats bickering one another,

instead of hearing our people.

The noblemen who can listen to what we have to say

keep avoiding such places out of disgust.

That's why only those who won't listen to us remain there.

So?

Are you telling me to go?

Me?

Why do you do this to me?

How are you, master?

Is everyone well?

I see Bamboo Grove Village once in a while in my dreams.

The village holds dearly in my heart.

Look at this.

Although there are many, none are too wise.

So it is always a challenge.

Please, be by my side in the palace.

Consort Yoo.

Fifth Left Officer of the Ministry of Taxation is here.

Fifth Left Officer Lim is here to report to Consort Yoo.

I hear the Ministry of Taxation is busy,

and it must be true.

You came to the palace a while ago,

but only come see me now.

I obtained my office thanks to the Left Minister,

so I focused on staying low

and doing my job the best I can.

I'm glad you're here.

I heard you wanted to take the exam

instead of accepting the recommendation.

Many members of the Sarim have become officials,

which makes them other meritorious subjects,

and the harm they do is also quite troubling.

Is there a reason why you changed your mind?

I began to feel the urgency.

The crops continue to be bad. If we do not reduce labor and offerings,

come next year, we will see even people in the city starving to death.

That is why

I needed you, Master Lim.

Consort Yoo has…

Bring the royal physician at once!

Your Majesty, Consort Yoo gave birth to a child.

How is she?

Is she all right?

Yes, Your Majesty. She is healthy.

Your Majesty, congratulations.

-Congratulations. -Congratulations.

Are you all right?

Yes.

He's a boy.

He looks…

really ugly.

He looks exactly like you.

Do I look like this?

Everyone complimented him and said he is a handsome boy.

Do you not think so?

I do.

Would you like to hold him?

I am your father.

You've done well.

You fool.

After creating a world where everything runs by your command,

what will you do?

Are you confident that you will be different from a tyrant?

Are the people by your side in this new world

genuinely loyal subjects…

or are they treacherous?

Minister Cho.

Yes?

I need you to go into exile for a while.

The Minister of War became too big

after our reorganization.

The Three Offices and the Sarim scholars petition every single day.

What can I do?

Someone will have to be responsible.

Was this

the end of my worth from the start?

What are the guards doing?

Why is the commandant standing still?

How could I ever forget

that you were also a meritorious subject?

I'll consider your contributions

and won't punish you any further.

What about Lady Cho?

She's a royal concubine I adore.

She will be…

cared for.

I am grateful…

for your mercy.

Didn't you want a subject that is absolutely loyal?

Instead of those who use all kinds of justifications to stop you,

I can be more loyal to you.

So…

why do you abandon me?

Father.

What are you stitching?

It's a present for my sister-in-law once the baby is born.

Why do you look after her?

My silly brother is unsightly,

but what can I do? The baby will still be my nephew.

Lady Cho.

I must…

travel far for a while.

Where are you going?

Lady Cho!

I will make my case with His Majesty!

He cannot do this. He cannot do this to you!

This is a process we must go through.

Why should you get exiled?

Consort Yoo committed a crime,

yet she continues to dwell here under the Sarim's protection.

Why should you go?

Is it because…

I did not gain his favor?

No.

I forgot for a moment

that His Majesty will not condone the domination of his wife's family.

Father…

The Sarim won't hold power forever.

Hold out until their power dwindles.

His Majesty dismissed Minister Cho from his office

and sent him on an exile.

His Majesty drove out

someone who could have taken his side.

Did you find out the sentiment of the Sarim in Yeongnam?

Do you really plan on using them?

Left Minister will protest violently.

I'll also need those in power who will hold my people in check.

Why did you come out this far?

You will fall into trouble if Consort Yoo finds out.

His Majesty gave me his permission.

You must stay strong and hold out.

I will protect our family and our name.

I brought you up like this to let you live a comfortable life.

Do not do anything until the day I return.

No.

Even if I must beg His Majesty, I will lie with him.

I will bear him a son.

I will humor the consort if I must

and relieve you from your exile.

I will build up enough strength so that no one dare

to hurt you or my brother.

I will protect you now,

Father.

I may not be the queen,

but I shall become

the Queen Dowager.

I'd like to make Lady Cho a Noble Lady of rank junior one.

I see.

I shall adore Lady Cho and look after her.

Before I do that,

I'd like to hold your installation

as the queen.

Your Majesty.

From the moment I first met you,

I knew you were worthy of being the mother and a loyal subject of this nation.

That you're a woman who sees and knows

the things I overlook.

"She'll prove to be useful, so I shall take her in."

That's what I thought.

If I had known you were such a frightening and mean subject…

If you did, you wouldn't have had me in the selection.

Even if I knew,

I would have done the same.

It's a tough journey to stay together,

but it's still easier than losing you and the Prince.

Congratulations,

Your Highness.

Escorting you to the ceremony is my job as a royal concubine.

I'd like to escort you to the ceremony.

Please allow me to do so.

Thank you for your help.

It's an honor.

Do you regret it?

I already do.

You are a shimmering blade

hanging above my head.

They say there must be a sword hanging above

in order to feel the gravity of the throne.

You are my one and only sanctuary.

I shall eternally be your sanctuary.

So I shall walk with you.

For you are the sword above my head

and my sanctuary.

You are my lover,

my Queen,

and…

my political rival.

BLOODY HEART

ON THE FIFTEENTH SOMEDAY

Why do you stare so?

To have a good long look at you.

It'll be another fifteen days till I can see you again.

Translated by Eun-sook Yoon

Ripped and synced by TTEOKKBOKKIsubs