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The Great Merchant

Yi Mi Yeon

Han Jae Seok

Park Sol Mi

Ha Seok Jin

Go Du Shim

[Man Deok crossed the cloud-covered]

[ocean on a ship...]

[And entered Seoul in the fall of 1796.]

[A few days later, she appointed female]

[physician of the Palace Dispensary,]

[And stayed in the palace as leader]

[of all female physicians.]

[Man Deok entered the palace and]

[ formally presented herself to the King.]

[Year 1795, 19th year of Jeongjo's reign]

[A severe famine had struck Jeju]

[taking many lives.]

[Thereupon, Man Deok had taken 1,000 pieces]

[of her gold acquiring rice from mainland...]

[And people praised her for her generous heart.]

[From Life of Man Deok by Che Je Gong]

[ Beonam Collection of Works, Vol. 55]

Just trust me on this.

This is my rice I stashed away one fistful

at a time every time it was my turn to cook.

This is what you have to do

if you want to make money!

I'm already in trouble because

I didn't make the straw shoes.

Okay, but if we get caught, you carry the can.

Chicken.

You know what to do, right?

Won't you buy some rice from us?

Think of them as your own
children going hungry. Please...

Thank you.

Sis!

How does red bean porridge sound?

It's on me. Let's go!

Hurray!

Kids...

Run!

Stop right there!

Stop!

Stop those rascals!

Stop them!

Stop!

Stop, you little runt!
When I get my hands on you...!

I said stop!

Stop!

Sorry!

Stop!

Master!

What was that about?

I don't know.

Fellows, what is the meaning of this?

Good afternoon, madam.

Have my children done
something wrong?

Go on. If they've done something
wrong, it's my responsibility.

Granted they're just children, it's against

the law to do business without a permit.

If you don't control your children,

we're going to have a problem.

Aren't you that girl from
the training center?

Pleas, sir, let me stay here for one minute.

Do you think this is the playground?

My apologies. I've told them repeatedly
about the sternness of the law.

I will tell them once more and prevent
this from happening again.

Return to your shops.

How about my money?

Aren't you going to compensate us
for our loss of time and business?

Come on, buddy.
Don't be so ungrateful.

Yes. Why, she's the reason we're
in business in the first place.

I will pay for whatever
damages my children have caused.

Thank you.

But sir!

Get out of here!

Oh, madam.

It's not my business that you take these
derelicts and feed them, clothes them, and

teach them how to be a merchant, but they
shouldn't go around disrupting businesses.

Please restrain them.

I apologize.

But your boss Kang Kye Man was also

one of those derelicts I had under my wing.

Who knows?

The girl you just tossed out might someday
become a big merchant like Kang Kye Man.

No one knows what the future holds.

Give Kang Kye Man my regards.

Granny is the best!

Come out of there.

We're all dead.

No, not over something like this.

Selling rice is much more
profitable than selling straw shoes.

Granny will change her mind,
too, once she sees this.

Stand up straight!

What will it take for you to learn
your lesson?

You engaged in sales for the purpose of

eating better food and wearing
better clothes?

What did I tell you?
Business is sincerity.

How many times must I tell you?

Whose idea was this?

Do I have to whip all of you
again to get an answer?

No, it was my idea.

Please forgive her now.
I'm sure Hong is feeling remorseful.

You will not be forgiven if you ever
sell anything at the marketplace again.

Look. Selling rice is much
better than selling straw shoes.

Does money mean that much to you?

If you love money that much,
put it in your mouth and taste it.

If you like the filthy taste, eat it.

It's bitter because you acquired it by
playing on sympathy using young children.

You can spit it out now.

No, it tastes great!

Then keep it in your mouth until you're
ready to admit what you did is wrong.

What are you standing around for?
Go finish your daily duties!

You are not here to learn to be
a merchant.

Only when you've learned to work
and learned the value of labor,

will you be awaken to ethics as it
should be practiced by merchants.

And a merchant without ethics
is no better than a thief.

Why do you keep doing things that
you know will get you punished?

Because I feel like I have to do something
but I'm always told I can't do anything.

Take that coin out of your mouth now.

I get it.

You're angry with the fact that
you'll end up

a seamstress or a weaver just
because you're a

girl when even the most inferior boys

get the chance to work at the marketplace.

Did you swallow it?

I have to go to the outhouse.

I made 20 pairs of straw shoes today,
and now I can't bend my fingers.

Move over so I can lie down.

Hong, look what happened to
my pretty legs because of you.

Pretty? Pretty chunky, you mean.

Do you enjoy deceiving Granny and
selling things without permission?

If I'm going to become a big time
merchant, I have to start early.

First I'm going to make lots of
money and buy a ship.

And we'll go all over the
world trading, all of us.

Dong Ah, Seung Chil, Gi Tae,
Mok Bo, Kot Nim...

All of us will get on a huge ship
and sail off to a faraway land.

There's not a place in the world
that our ship can't take us.

Japan, China, Vietnam, and beyond the desert
and the sea all the way to the end of Asia...

We will ride camels, see tigers...

How about dragons?

Yes, we'll see dragons, too.

And eat lots of good food?

Of course.

We'll make enough money by trading to
eat anything we want.

Ah!

Oh, my stomach is rumbling.

Move. I have to go.

Many merchants seek our silk in Joseon.

But I, Kang Kye Man, am the only one that
can acquire a thousand bolts at a time.

I heard that a bolt of Josephine
silk is traded for a sack of rice.

Qing silk cost five times as much.

How can you sell 1,000 bolts of silk monthly
for three years in a tiny country like Joseon?

Joseon may be a small country, but the
vanity of the dignitaries that I deal with

is larger than the continent.

And in modern Joseon,

a lord is not treated as such without a
robe of Qing silk over his shoulders.

So you need not be concerned about sales.

Is that so?
Well then, we shall seal the deal.

This way.

What?

Kang Kye Man has signed a contract to
buy 1,000 bolts of Qing silk every month.

The marketplace is overflowing
with silk right now.

The Royal court will not stand by and watch.
Some kind of measure will be taken.

Kang Kye Man is blind to this
because all he can see is money.

Is there anything else I can do?

Just be careful. They'll hurt you if they
find out you're giving me information.

Don't worry, ma'am.

Why isn't it coming out?

That bell... I'm going to go destroy it.

But we worked all night.
Maybe Granny will let us sleep in.

Dream on.

Hey, I think I'm going to die.

Sell off the rice I have saved
and give me a decent funeral.

And money...

...tasted awful.

Take my advice. Don't eat it.

Hurry. Granny is up.

Dong Ah, kids,
it finally came out.

Overcome the temptation
to sleep through dawn.

Only those who leave the first footsteps
on the marketplace at daybreak

while the others are sleeping are
qualified to be a good merchant.

What new products have come in today,
how much they are selling for,

who is buying and who is selling...

Information is useful only
if you get them early.

That's why we come up here every
morning and survey the marketplace.

- Do you understand?
- Yes!

Dae Gu, Myeong Hee,

you will find out what the market
price is for salt and hemp today.

Yes, ma'am!

How about me?

Mok Bo, you and the boys will make your
rounds to the shoe shops and get their order.

Yes, ma'am!

Granny, how about me?

Twenty pairs is your minimum.

Give us a break, Granny.

Who would order so many when no
one wears straw shoes in the winter?

Proceeds for anything above
that is yours to keep,

but if you don't reach your
minimum, there's no dinner tonight.

No dinner? No, I'll die if I don't eat.

Kot Nim, go to Vice Minister Kim's house.

They'll give you clothes that need
sewing to bring back.

And Dong Ah,

I want you to stay home starting tomorrow
morning and focus on your studies.

Your interpreter's exam is only five days away.

Yes, ma'am.

What about me?

I've already asked twice.

Let's go.

Wait, Gra...

What am I supposed to do?

No! Why are you doing this?

Stop this violence at once!

Good morning, madam.

You must be out showing the
children the merchant ships.

Have you become hooligans?
What is the meaning of this?

Vending without a license
is against the law, madam.

So it looks like Kang Kye Man is
bent on

having you beat the venders out of
business.

Madam, please do not interfere.

You might hurt your decades-long
relationship with Kang Kye Man.

Kang Kye Man will turn
everyone against him first.

What are you waiting for?
Clean them up!

Yes, sir!

Go tell Kang Kye Man!
I will be paying him a visit today.

What does that old woman want with me?

I think it's more about the
silk deal than anything else, sir.

She's nothing but
a glorified orphan keeper.

How did she find out about
my deal with Qing China?

She has connections everywhere from
the marketplace to the Royal Palace.

Her connections in the
palace are as old as she is.

All she's got going now are the training
center kids scattered about the marketplace.

And if it weren't for your contributions, that
training center would've shut down by now.

Sir, she may have made an initial

investment on this silk store,

but you've injected many times

the amount over the years.

If you stop your contributions, the
training center will have to be shut down.

Won't that eventually drive the querulous
old woman out of the picture?

Why are you following me?

I want to see Mak Soon, too.

Granny, send me out like
Gi Tae and Seung Chil. Please?

You know I'm savvy and quick on my feet.

I'm going crazy staying

at home all day weaving!

I want to make money, find my family,

and have a big business someday.

Do you want to leave?

Yes.

But you don't have a home to go
back to like the other children.

Of course I do.
My father is out there somewhere.

Before my mother died...

Where did it go?

Granny, my flute is gone.

Stupid! Of all things to lose...

What brings you, madam?

Do you have to ask?

If this is about illegal vendors,
you've wasted your time.

It's my job as the Daebang of
the marketplace

to stop them from disturbing order.

Since when did you become
Daebang of the marketplace?

Have you forgotten why I gave you,
a penniless peddler from Jeju,

all kind of information from the palace,
money to start a business,

and knowledge to run it?

"Evils of monopoly can be
prevented by fair competition."

Your words of passion had moved a woman
who had just left her life in the Royal palace.

But now I hear you're running around
stuffing the pockets of the wrong people.

Have you been avoiding me lately because
I've always opposed importing silk from Qing?

Pay close attention. There is a surplus in
the supply of silk in the present market.

The Royal court does not look favorably
upon those who go around donning Qing silk.

Restrictive measures will
be taken very shortly.

I appreciate your concern, but...

I do have some influence over the decisions
of the Royal court now, so don't interfere.

I've been wrong about you.

What happened to your noble resolve?

Resolve is only a resolve no matter how
noble it is. Power comes from elsewhere.

A humble merchant
cannot change the world.

All I can do is run a good business.

The sweet taste of money does not last.

Madam, you're not a young woman
anymore.

Allow me to return your investment so
you can spend the rest of your life in the

peaceful tranquility of the countryside.

You can keep the money.
Why be so generous to me? Right?

Get rid of her? I don't understand.

She should know that she'll
break if she doesn't bend.

There's not a man in this town who hasn't
heard that I made my fortune riding on

that old hag's coattails.
I'm sick of it!

Above all, she'll eventually get in
my way of running this business.

Take care of this problem
for me once and for all.

I will see what I can do, sir.

When does the Minister of Justice's
son take his first civil service exam?

Tomorrow, sir.

Have a hundred rolls of silk ready to present
as congratulatory gift if he passes the exam.

You look so much like your father
at young age dressed up like this.

When did you make this, Mother?

While you were confined to your
room studying for your exam,

I sewed it stitch by stitch
with all of my heart.

You've worked very hard, my son.

I will do my very best, Mother.

Try not to get too nervous,
and there will be good results.

Trust yourself and do your best.

Yes, Mother.

What's that?

Nothing important.

Hey, what do you want?

If it's not by the soup house,
it has to be here somewhere...

Ma'am, have you seen a
little flute here somewhere?

No.

What are you looking for?

Mak Soon!

Did you lose something?

The little flute my mother left me.

Go ahead. I won't be long.

You need to be back before
we return from the delivery.

Okay.

I'll help you find it. Didn't you say it's
the only thing you have of your mother's?

She said my father would know who
I am by that flute when he finds me.

Oh, are they hiring any more
helpers at the silk shop?

Get Granny's permission first if
you want to work at the silk shop.

I can't. She says it'll ruin me if I learned
about business at a big place like that.

And you still want to work there?

Yeah.

I think it's amazing how you can take one
color silk and mix it with another to create

something that feels so different,

I love persuading people to buy things,

and I get jealous when
I see you handling silk

because your hands remind me
of delicate fluttering flower fan.

Flower fan? I have all these
cuts from handing silk all day.

Where? They look soft to me.

Granny!

How are you? I'm sorry I
haven't been by to see you.

Oh, I made a pair of ear muffs for you.
Wait here. I'll go get them.

Never mind.

But I made them from my heart, though...

Are you genuinely happy to see me?
Or are you just looking for my approval?

Get the ear muffs. I'll give them to her.

Never mind.

Are you still bitter with me because
I went to work for Kang Kye Man

when you told me to stay and
study longer at the training center?

I'm learning a lot more
than I would under you,

so I have no regrets.
In fact, I'm glad I left.

You know how liberating it is?

Hong, aren't you coming?

Got that?

My flute is still missing...
Mak Soon is angry...

What are you mumbling about?

How could you be so mean?
Mak Soon was just happy to see you.

I should've packed my
things and went with her

when she left to go work at the silk shop...

Do you really think what
Mak Soon is doing is business?

She's selling silk when she
doesn't even know what silk is.

There's merchandize
and she's selling them.

If that's not business, what is?

Do you really want to be a merchant?

Do you want it that badly?

Huh?

Yes.

Even if you have to risk everything?

I'll do anything. Just give me a chance.

Fine. To be a merchant,
you need a foundation.

A foundation?

Think hard about what you have.

To be a merchant, you need a foundation.

What do you have?

My silver tongue?

My quick feet.

Money?

These guys?

What is the foundation
that Granny is talking about?

The merchants of the marketplace?

Yes.

They're talking as if they're ready to
shut down the training center tomorrow.

There're even talks about rejecting the
children from the training center altogether.

Can you find people who might
want to take the bigger children?

They don't have to be merchants.

You're not thinking about shutting
it down the center, are you?

This is just a beginning.

If Steward Oh is stirring up
the merchants against me,

it means Kang Kye Man is trying
to drive me out of the marketplace.

What are you going to do?

Kang Kye Man isn't the only one
who has influence in this market.

Will you go up against Kang Kye Man?

I can't let my children be
kicked out into the streets.

If he wants to bring me down,
I will not take it lying down.

Shut down the center?

No, I won't be separated from my friends.

What do I do?

Yes...

I got it.

My foundation is my desire to
stay together with my friends.

Then what do I have to do?
What...

Passed! Yes!

Young Master? Yes! My young master
passed the exam with flying colors!

Stop making a fuss.

Chil Bok.

Why are you calling me
in that gentle tone, sir?

Huh?
Young Master, you'll get me killed.

I've done nothing but study
for the exam for a whole year.

Now I want to learn about the world.

Come on, Chil Bok.

Did you find out?

It's Qing silk, sir.
In massive quantity.

How much?

At least a hundred bolts, sir.

One hundred bolts of Qing silk as a gift?

You can't call that a gift.

Investigate why Kang Kye Man
is greasing his palm,

and if there's anyone else
Kang has been giving bribes to.

Yes, sir.

I can't wait to see Minister of Justice's
face when I show up and crash his party.

I brought a little gift to congratulate your

son's success in his first civil service exam.

It's the best quality silk from Qing.

You're such a smart man.

My lord, Captain Kim Eung Ryeol of the Bureau

of Commerce Control is here to see you.

An uninvited guest has come to join us.

Don't mind him and enjoy yourself.

See him in.

Captain Kim, I wasn't expecting you.

I stopped by to offer my congratulations
on your son's success in the state exam, sir.

Oh, I hope I'm not
spoiling the festive mood.

No, no, I'm glad you're here.

There's someone I've been
meaning to introduce you to.

Have a seat.

Captain Kim, this is Daebang
Kang of the Six Licensed Stores.

And this is the newly appointed captain
of the Bureau of Commerce Control.

Make yourselves acquainted.

My lord, illegal vending has become
rampant in the marketplace recently.

I fear the Bureau of Commerce Control
is not doing enough to control them.

I did receive a report that unlicensed vending
has dramatically increased since you

became the Daebang of
the Six Licensed Stores.

Some say that life has become easy for illegal
vendors since you took office, Captain Kim.

Is that why you decided to punish
them yourself by beating them up?

As the Daebang of the marketplace, it is
my duty to protect the licensed merchants.

All matters regarding unlicensed
vending will be dealt with by the Bureau.

I will not stand by

and allow the licensed merchants to
take the law into their own hands.

I know the law better than you do,

so I suggest you observe the laws
that only concern you, Daebang.

Let us consider ourselves
acquainted now, Captain.

By the way, my lord,
where is the hero of the day?

Mister!

Aren't you that kid from the other day?

Have you been well?

What have you got there?

I need some capital. I was wondering
if you'd be interested in buying it.

Try somewhere else. I'll pass.

Mister, please. Everyone
else turned me down, too.

Please. Just this once...

I said no!

What is this despicable behavior to
a child!

What did you punk just say?

Apologize to the girl at once.

Unbelievable. This is just not my day.

Get out of here or else!

How dare you!

Stop. That's enough.

I'm sorry, sir.

Are you all right?

Mind your own business!

I was just trying to help you...

You didn't help me.
You just got in my way.

He might have bought it out
of sympathy if I had been hurt...

Oh. I'm sorry.
Then is there something I can do?

What are you going to
do with that rice?

I don't have any choice.
I'll have to sell it on the street.

But that's illegal.

If you got caught by authorities...

I know. I've heard it a thousand times,
so you don't have to remind me.

Well, good.

But I don't have a choice.

Don't worry about it and go.

But...

I can't just leave when
I've done you harm.

So are you going to help me sell this then?

Can you yell?

Huh?

Step right up and get your rice here, folks!

It's a perfect blend of sweet rice and

white rice that cooks up fluffy and chewy!

One nyang for one bowl!

Two nyangs for three bowls!

Get more and save more!

Step right up, folks!

Get your delicious rice!

Didn't you say you were going to help?

Rice... Buy rice.

You won't even attract
an ant with that voice.

Sweet rice and white rice!

By the way, what's sweet rice?

Unbelievable... Unbelievable!

Come get your rice, folks!

Arrest the unlicensed vendors!

Run!

Run! If we get caught, it's over!

Get them! Get them!

Deliver them to Minister of Justice's estate.
Make sure they arrive in perfect condition.

Don't worry, sir.
I've done this many times.

Let's go.

Hong?

Look, here!

I don't care what you do to me,
but you cannot imprison a young girl!

Your name?

My name is Jung Hong Soo.

Your father's name?

The Minister of Justice is my father.

Shut up, punk!

You're nothing but a street peddler!

What's all this fuss about?

Hong, is that you?

Sir!

Isn't this great? Dong Ah is now
an official government interpreter!

Congratulations!

I'm not an interpreter yet.
I still have the second exam to take.

Where's Hong?

That's strange. I'm sure she's more anxious

than anyone to know the results of your test.

Yeah.

Madam!
Madam!

Hong was arrested?

Yes, you need to do something quickly.

If she's violated the law, she's
got to face the consequences.

You don't understand, madam!

The Captain Kim Eung Ryeol of the Bureau
of Commerce Control is a merciless man!

Of all days to get caught...

Did you just say Kim Eung Ryeol?

Kim Eung Ryeol...

I'm sure the offenders have
learned their lesson now, sir.

Lead the way to the holding cell.

Pardon?

I will interrogate the rest
of the offenders as well.

We have to hurry, madam!

The children will be called out

for interrogation any minute now.

The children?

Minister of Justice's young son

was arrested along with Hong.

Granny!

Dong Ah, go to the Minister of Justice's
estate and tell them their son was arrested.

- Now!
- Yes, ma'am.

Are these the offenders that
were peddling without a license?

Yes, sir.

Heaven is so cruel...

I must stop this. I cannot allow
Hong and Kim Eung Ryeol to meet!

Didn't you know that you were
violating a national law?

I tried to sell the rice to a licensed
merchant, but they all refused.

So...

So you knew you were violating
the law, but you did it anyway?

Sir,
a law has indeed been broken,

but there has to be a good reason if a young
child was forced to sell rice on the street.

I beg you for lenience.

The national law applies
equally to everyone.

Who would obey the law if offenders
are pardoned because they're young?

Then perhaps there is
something wrong with that law.

What?

No one can buy or sell anything
anywhere except from licensed shops.

But if the licensed shops
refuse to do business with you,

you have no choice but
to become lawbreakers.

And if a law is making us lawbreakers,
isn't there something wrong with that law?

You're a cheeky little girl.

Instead of showing remorse for your
crime, you're busy making excuses.

I will show you the
sternness of the law today.

Conducting business without a license thereby
evading taxation is tantamount to thievery!

I will accept my punishment.

But I beg you first to
listen to this girl's story.

If a child is forced to come out into the
street and sell the food she has to eat,

there's got to be a reason
that's worth a consideration.

Why were you out selling rice?

Who put you up to it?

No one, sir.

I just didn't want to be
parted from my family...

So I tried to sell the rice I had been putting

away a handful at a time every time
I cooked.

What were you saving this rice for?

There's no specific reason.
I just wanted to be prepared.

Prepared?

Saving a handful of rice at cooking time is
a housekeeping trick practiced by women

of Jeju Island.

Is your mother from Jeju Island?

Pardon?

Subtitled by
KBS America

I was just selling my rice that I
had been saving a handful at a time.

It's my rice I put away a handful
at a time every time I cooked.

I thought you were just thoughtful
but I guess you're mature, too.

Where have I seen her? Where?

It's Palace Matron Kim that you had
ousted from the palace 13 years ago.

I need to get rid of her quietly.

It's trouble, sir!

Hereafter, gold and silver brocade silk
of Qing China will be restricted to use

by the Royal house.

You've been robbed of your silk, sir.

Weed the old woman out, too.

You can work at the silk
store if this works out.

Okay!

Silence everyone that knows about this.

You wench! Did your granny

tell you to steal our silk?

Granny knows nothing about this!

I'll prove that she had nothing to do with this.

Isn't that enough?