Original subtitles

(in Japanese) It's the wheel of history.

That endless churn of cause and effect.

And really, it's exhausting.

Which is how Tolstoy saw it as well.

He understood that this wheel is made possible

by the labors of the common man.

That's what makes this novel so revelatory.

He speaks truth.

Bando-kun, how do you see this?

Do you agree?

I agree that Tolstoy's intent was to try to portray this theme.

However, his execution fell short.

Nakazono-san fails to see this.

In the novel,

the characters are aristocrats or have close ties to that world.

What's missing is the kaleidoscope

of the real human experience.

One that doesn't take its view from that of the privileged class

as so many in this room,

but instead depicts a world

where the people struggle to endure.

Sure, a good theme,

but the execution is unfortunate.

In my eyes,

this book is a failure.

Well said, Bando-kun.

You've once again pierced the veneer of the text.

The rest of you would do well to follow suit.

Now, let us all turn to Book Nine.

We can't do this here.

Someone will see.

I don't care. Let them see.

But I do need to get to class.

Hurry, Mozasu.

Watch this.

Look, it's working! You did it!

- Nothing to it. - So simple.

Just some more. Keep going.

That one.

Did you really expect to get away with it?

Goto-san...

I didn't expect you to be here.

- I thought Thursdays are your-- - Be quiet!

Listen carefully.

Because I like your mother's noodles so much,

I'm going to show you some mercy.

Come with me.

(in Korean) Did you really do this?

Look at me.

I'm sorry.

He'll be punished.

I give you my word.

We'll pay for your losses.

Punishing him...

What comes from it?

Then what?

We'll be more vigilant,

make sure he tends to school--

Those schoolbooks are not for him.

But he needs to go to school.

What else can he do?

Let him work for me.

At the parlor.

It's honest work.

And he'll come to no trouble there.

I'll see to that.

He's too young.

You are not hearing me, Bando-san.

He is not his brother.

NOTICE OF LOAN PAY-OFF

I have a letter here which states that my loan has been paid off.

This must be a mistake.

I see here that a payment has been made.

By wire transfer, three days ago for the entire sum.

But--

Are you able to see who made the payment?

It looks like the wire originated from Tokyo.

Solomon Baek. He's the account holder.

Are you sure?

I am certain.

I see.

Thank you.

Have a good day.

Who knows what kind of things go on in a pachinko parlor?

I'm just as worried as you are.

But Goto-san gave me his word.

He's not family.

He won't look after Mozasu as his own.

What are we to do then?

Keep fooling ourselves into believing he'll follow Noa's path?

It was different during the war years.

We had to do whatever we could to survive.

Everyone did.

But that is over now.

You actually believe we are out of the woods?

But why does it have to be pachinko?

Surely there are more respectable ways to go.

I expected this kind of talk from my brother-in-law.

Not from you.

TO MR. YOSEB BANDO OSAKA, JAPAN

FROM MR. CHANGHO KIM PYONGYANG, KOREA

Do you not like the book?

I love it. It's not that.

What is it then?

To read of all this suffering

and all these desperate people...

It makes me hungry.

It's strange, I know.

Where does this come from? This ravenous hunger.

What do you make of it?

The characters in this book, they're not you.

You never have to worry about going hungry

or living in those squalid conditions.

And yet you want to fill your belly

just to prove to yourself you will never be the one to go without.

But even with all that, with your stomach full and bursting,

you find yourself realizing you actually tasted none of it.

All that food, it tasted like paper.

Take me to your room.

I want you.

I'm sorry.

I have my weekly dinner appointment.

Ah, your mysterious benefactor.

Don't call him that.

But it's true, isn't it?

He pays for your boarding room--

I do that for us.

And I want to meet him.

I told you, that will never happen.

But what's wrong with him?

Is he some kind of monster?

These past few months we have been together,

have I ever denied you anything?

- No, but-- - Then allow me this one thing.

It's the only thing I'll ever ask of you.

You can never meet him. Do you understand?

Promise me one thing then.

Tonight, when you are with this mystery person of yours

and you are eating that very expensive dinner,

you will savor every extraordinary bite

until you are about to burst.

Noa,

you and I, let's have it all.

Indeed, we are building a dream.

But we're turning this dream into reality.

Membership will be capped at 500,

and as of 20 minutes ago,

only 47 spots remain.

We expect to break ground in 90 days.

And by next summer, we plan to open the golf course.

Excuse me. How will you deal with the recent labor shortages?

With so much construction in the city,

I hear it is becoming a challenge to find the human resources.

I assure you

our partners have the situation under control.

We won't have any labor shortages.

Please, go ahead.

There are rumors of a possible real estate crash.

Do you have a view on this?

My view?

I think it is an amusing rumor.

Because history tells us that since the end of World War II,

land prices have never fallen in this country.

Here in Tokyo, real estate is king.

And in the very near future,

Japan will overtake the United States of America

to become the largest economy in the world.

Think about that.

America as number two.

So, really, what do we have to worry about?

Now, who wants to hear about the spa?

It will be cast in the finest Italian marble...

So, I can expect no further issues?

Thanks to your generous support,

the remaining members of the Diet have come around.

There will be no more obstacles.

Very good.

And the price?

Forty million yen.

I know this is not what you hoped for,

but it's still a good bargain--

Thirty million yen.

No more.

But, Koh-san...

Just because you say so,

it's not that easy to convince the other Diet members.

Are you expecting someone?

Yes. A very important guest.

I didn't mean to interrupt.

I can wait downstairs in the lobby.

Not at all.

I wanted the two of you to meet.

Join us.

This is Kurogane-san.

I know who you are. I see you often in the papers.

Depending on the paper,

I am either the future of this great nation

or the scourge.

It's all very favorable, I assure you.

And who is this young gentleman?

He is one of the greatest minds of the next generation.

But unfortunately, too modest.

We'll drill that out of him yet.

And what do you do?

I'm a second-year student.

At Waseda.

- What are your plans for study? - Politics.

That is a wonderful choice.

If you are as promising as Koh-san says,

it shouldn't be too long before I see your name in the papers as well.

So, what is your name?

Baek.

Noa Baek.

No doubt we'll be meeting again.

I must be going.

Before you go.

The next time we meet, I expect the number to be 30.

You'll find a little more than usual today.

I hear you got married and have a new home.

Consider it my congratulations.

Are you going out again?

I thought it would be good to get some air.

Is there anything else?

What are these?

They are from him.

I'm sorry.

I hid them from you.

Today, we are trying the strawberry.

It is good to try new things.

Did something happen?

My son...

He suspected you of getting close to me

to take our money.

So he hired an investigator to look into you.

He did what?

He shouldn't have done what he did,

but his motives were good.

He was worried about me.

And so, he found something.

The war.

That was a long time ago.

You were young, and yet--

I...

I am a murderer.

What are you doing here?

Still here, I see.

Still cleaning up his mess.

Yoshii-san asked you a question.

Give us a moment.

Do not worry, Sugihara.

I've dealt with him before, haven't I?

I've come to make myself clear.

Stay away from my son. Cut ties with him.

That's impossible.

Your son is going to make me a lot of money.

Haven't you already taken enough from me?

Is that how you see it?

That's interesting.

I never wanted your grandfather's love.

I never asked for it.

That was his choice--

You came to speak about Solomon.

And I'm telling you

he made his choice.

As you did all those years ago.

If you have a problem with that, talk to him.

Because whatever this crack is between the two of you,

it's not on me.

We both know

I could've destroyed you back then.

Instead, I showed you mercy.

So hear me now.

If you bring any harm to my son, there will be no more mercy from me.

You know what I am capable of.

Understood?

Hey!

Bring me two boxes.

And cigarettes.

Keep the change.

He wants two boxes.

Hey.

I'll take care of this.

Get back to your cleaning.

Yoshii-san, welcome.

And with Mamoru today...

Do you really work here?

But how old are you?

Fifteen.

You?

Seven.

Is that your grandfather?

Don't you know who he is?

No, I don't.

Mamoru.

Have you finished The Brothers Karamazov?

Of course.

What did you think of it?

Did you read it?

I read everything you read, Noa.

Whatever your classes require.

Why? You are a busy man, Koh-san.

Because I never had the chance to.

Noa, I was motivated by your love of books.

But those books are not your future.

I'm not going into politics.

I want to be a teacher.

You came all the way to Waseda to become a teacher?

That's ridiculous.

So many doors are opening for you here.

You just don't realize it.

I do,

but I've determined my path.

Who are you?

I'm sorry to interrupt, but I'm here to meet my friend.

What are you doing here?

Who is this?

I am Akiko Nakazono.

A good friend of Noa's.

He invited me.

I wasn't expecting guests, but please, there's more than enough.

Nakazono...

Would your father be Nakazono Hitoshi?

The Foreign Undersecretary?

Yes, that is my father.

Noa, sit.

Do you know who I am?

Certainly. Noa has spoken so highly of you.

We were just talking about his future.

His future?

What a serious conversation.

I believe there is a splendid future waiting for him.

I sensed it the first time I met him.

But first, he must want it.

Perhaps you can help him with that.

To the future.

Sayo-fucking-nara, Shiffley's.

Hey, man.

When do you fly home?

I'm not going back to the States.

Macau.

- Yoshii-san offered me a job. - Doing what?

Running his new gaming venture. Whole thing.

But what about your kids?

Who am I fooling, man?

They made it this far without me, and they have survived.

Sure, maybe at first.

But are you really serious?

Yeah.

But Macau?

Why not?

I made it through Tokyo. It's just another stop on the road.

Besides, you and I know the market's gonna bust here. You should think about it.

I still remember the first lie you told me.

What was that?

"I'm not here to stay."

You know you're really in trouble

when you start believing your own lies, by the way.

Thank you.

Another for him.

It wasn't supposed to be a lie.

But thanks to Abe, here I am.

That guy must be losing his shit right now.

Fine with me.

As long as he's cursing my name.

You don't feel the slightest tremble of pity for the guy?

Not one bit. Can't afford to.

Thank you.

Fuck it all.

He's nothing like the monster you made him out to be.

It's not about that.

Then was it me?

Were you worried that I would embarrass you somehow?

I asked you to stay away from this!

I want to be part of it.

And I refuse to apologize.

Do you think I'm someone you can just trifle with?

Some toy to amuse you

because you're a naive, rich girl--

How dare you talk to me this way?

You don't think I see it?

How much you enjoy stirring up people's reactions.

You and the Korean lover.

What a great scandal.

You're so desperate for attention,

you're pathetic.

I don't care how people see me.

That's the difference between us.

You let others define you.

Think about it.

- Who's really the pathetic one here? - Leave.

I refuse.

I won't let you go.

I don't want you anymore.

Because I know the truth?

Is that why?

What do you think you know?

You know nothing.

Oh, but you do know, don't you?

That man is your father.

- Koh Hansu is-- - I told you to shut up!

I must speak to Koh Hansu at once.

- It is late-- - Let him in.

I'll call for you if I need you.

Let's sit down.

You were never meant to meet her.

Akiko. She broke her promise to me.

So when I tried to end things,

she said the most ridiculous thing to me.

It's completely...

It makes no sense.

But as foolish as it is to put merit into her words...

I need to hear it from you.

What did she say to you?

She said...

you are...

my father.

Tell me it's not true!

It's true.

I was a fish broker then.

I traveled between Osaka and Busan.

I hadn't stepped foot on my homeland in nearly 16 years.

I didn't think it would affect me, but it did.

Did you force yourself on her?

Of course not.

But you took advantage of her.

You must have!

Is that what you want to believe?

That I played my wiles upon a poor country girl?

Instead of accepting that she loved me--

That's not possible.

You are a foul man.

Venal!

And selfish.

Then, what about you?

Because the blood that courses through me...

runs in you as well.

Not the blood of that nitwit you called a father all these years.

Who are you to call me foul?

I saw you.

At the farm that night!

What of it?

What did I tell you?

Look forward.

Noa,

always look forward.

That day...

I know you heard my words.

You didn't look back.

You are mine.

Noa...

we can finally put an end to this charade.

Go home and sleep.

When you wake in the morning, you will see.

Everything will be different.

They will grovel.

I will make it so.

They were the enemy.

That's what we were told.

They were going to come and rape our women, destroy our homes.

I believed them.

I thought of my wife,

the children we were yet to have,

and my parents.

They were both still alive then.

We were all so exhausted.

And starving.

And the heat was merciless.

The bugs, they feasted on us.

For all those months, we were barely alive.

Under those conditions, we were barely human.

So I thought, "We're going to just die like this."

That's what I thought.

And...

when the orders came...

my soul slipped out of my body...

and I did as I was told.

But that wasn't the final order.

There was one more.

"Forget everything."

That's what they told us.

I followed that order.

We were all fools

to think the past could be forgotten.

What are we supposed to do then?

Spend the rest of our lives chained to it?

I wish you well.

And so it is

There is no doubt

But why all this fuss For merely asking

To stay together for 500 years?

Is this

A trick of fate?

That my future

Now seems dark

And so it is There is no doubt

Noa.

Why are you here?

Mother.

What? What's the matter?

Just...

I wanted to see your face.

Has something happened at school?

Is it too hard?

No.

I love it there.

For the first time,

I feel like I can do anything.

Then why...

Tell me.

Why have you come?

I told you.

I wanted to see you.

I'll head back now.

Already?

You just got here.

Stay the night.

You can leave in the morning.

I can't.

I must go.

I made plans with a friend.

Then I'll walk you to the train.

It's okay.

I know how long the day has been for you.

I want you to rest, Mother.

Take good care of yourself.

Noa...

Mother, all is well.

Noa.

Noa.

Have you seen my son?

Noa! Noa!

Breaking news report.

The shocking news of the suicide of Wae Enterprise CEO, Masaru Abe,

is rippling through elite financial circles.

Mr. Abe was a prominent figure

until recent controversies shadowed his latest development project.

His body was discovered early this morning in Chubu Sangaku National Park.

Witnesses at the trail

described a man's body falling from the summit of a cliff.

When authorities searched the area,

they found Mr. Abe's shoes but no suicide note.

The investigation is ongoing.

Now for the next news...

Where could he be with no money and no one to rely on?

My men are still looking for him,

scouring the entire country.

It's been weeks!

We've been looking everywhere.

There are no signs of him.

I'll find him no matter what.

I won't give up.

Look at us.

It's our fault.

It was always going to come to this.

Stop speaking nonsense.

It's true!

We ruined him.

No.

Sunja, all of your sacrifices,

all of my sins,

we did it for him.

He said he didn't want it.

And I should've known better.

That night...

he came to say farewell.

To tell me not to worry, he needed to say that.

It was his mercy.

He's gone.

There are no signs of him.

Sunja.

Koh-san!

Why didn't you tell me you were back in Osaka?

Cheers!

Oh, no!

I'm drunk.

Koh-san, do you want to play?

Koh-san?

Get lost!

Get on with it!

When I was little,

my father told me about the horses that used to run wild in Yeongdo.

Chollimas.

Night and day, they would run.

So fast their shadows couldn't keep up,

and their bodies had to split from their shadows.

Mozasu,

I...

I wonder sometimes...

Why do some people in this world manage to survive

while others do not?

Is it those who find their shadows,

and those who don't?

Because a body

cannot live without its shadow.

Those shadows tell us

where we are.

Whatever it is,

you and I are here.

Though so many of those we have loved are gone,

we are here

sitting at this table.

And Solomon is here as well.

Excuse me.

Do you need a worker?

I am looking for a job.

You're not one of those Koreans, are you?

No.

Not me.

I'm a hard worker.

I promise.

Well then,

let's see how you do.

I forgot to ask your name.

It's Ogawa.

Ogawa Minato.

PACHINKO