Original subtitles

Dad.

Dad? Dad!

Dad? Dad!

Now,

it is time for you to die.

Hey. Are you sure...

we will be safe after killing him?

When your mother fell ill and became useless,

he threw her out onto the streets before she even passed away.

Did you forget already?

This is your last chance.

This opportunity will not come twice.

Okay. I understand.

- Do not worry. - Wait.

With one blow. Hit me hard, okay?

Go on.

Man Seok.

Man Seok!

Man Seok.

Thief!

We have been robbed!

(Hong)

(The rebel)

Did a thief break in again?

There are thieves everywhere lately.

The thieves emptied the shed...

and killed Master Jo!

Jo Sang Moon...

- is dead? - Are you sure they were thieves?

Did anyone see them?

Yes. Yes, I did.

I saw them with my own eyes.

They wore black masks...

and carried a red rope.

- It was them. - Who?

There was a thief in Soodong-ri three days ago as well.

They said they also wore black masks...

and carried a red rope.

Yes, yes.

Ah Mo Gae, that lunatic. He wanted to get his possessions back.

Goodness.

So...

I have obtained a physician and porter to bring the body over...

for the inspection.

I have never once...

handled a murder investigation.

Me neither.

But you must investigate and submit a report.

Given the circumstances,

you should go to Master Jo's house yourself.

I am sure of it.

Those thieves that have been robbing people lately have a common method.

A quick one comes in first and knocks out the servant on guard,

ties him up,

and steals the key to the shed.

So they are robbed while they are asleep...

without ever seeing a thing.

I heard they always leave a bloody sword at the scene.

I am sure it is here somewhere. We should look for it.

Thieves...

They were not thieves.

They were not!

Master Jo...

scolded one of our servants harshly.

That man may have wanted revenge.

No! I am sure of it!

A servant?

I mean Ah Mo Gae! Ah Mo Gae!

My lady. Please think it through...

before you speak.

If he did it, it would be a moral crime comparable to treason.

It is a serious crime that can destroy the entire town.

Master!

Master! Please bring Ah Mo Gae!

If you tear his flesh and break his bones,

he will confess.

Master!

Please bring him here!

Where is your father?

He is not here. See for yourself.

His shoes are not here.

Was that not your father?

What is all the noise?

What brings you here?

Where are my shoes?

Once you kill Master Jo, we should take the items...

and leave this place.

No.

If you stay here,

you will be accused right away.

If I run away, I will be chased all my life...

and my children's lives will be over.

Then what?

Then what? Will you sit here...

and die?

You said you wanted to get back your possessions that Jo Sang Moon stole.

That is why I agreed to make it look like the thieves stole from him.

How dare you kill your master?

Did you think you would survive?

Yes. I should die.

I will die. However,

I must uncover the wrongs that I had been done.

I am sure you heard.

So? Do you think you are the only one in Joseon...

who was wronged?

My Geum Ok!

You must not know,

but in Joseon, if a servant reports his master,

regardless of the reason,

he will be executed.

How will you uncover the wrongs you have suffered?

If I give my life, can I uncover the wrongs?

Go on.

Ah Mo Gae definitely killed Master Jo.

When he was scolded harshly for hurting Master Jo,

he could not control his rage and committed this crime.

Look here, Man Seok.

Did you see me get scolded by Master Jo?

Now, look.

How much did he beat him?

Take a look.

Are there any new wounds on my body?

These are all scars from the past.

This was from when I was seven and called Master Jo by his name.

I was smacked across the face and fell onto a rock.

This was from when I was 10.

I was stabbed by a hoe for coming to the field late to farm.

And the scars on my back...

were from being whipped for placing his utensils incorrectly.

What are you talking about?

I endured these beatings.

I even have children now.

Why would I kill my master just to feed my rage?

That is strange.

He said he would punish Ah Mo Gae that day and dragged him inside.

Why did he not punish him?

That was...

Master Jo...

took mercy on Ah Mo Gae because he served us for decades.

So he scolded him with words only.

That is what I mean.

Why would I kill Master Jo when he did not strike me once?

I agree. There is insufficient evidence...

that Ah Mo Gae killed Master Jo.

That is more like it.

How could there be a moral criminal in my town?

No, Master! It was Ah Mo Gae!

It was you!

I know!

My lady, why are you doing this to me?

Master! There is another reason why he was enraged.

Why you!

You were angry because you thought Geum Ok died because of him!

My lady.

Then...

are you saying Master Jo is the reason...

Geum Ok died?

She tried to improve her life...

and tried to seduce him. She died after he insulted her.

You narrow-minded fool...

must have resented Master Jo for it!

Master! Look at him laugh!

My lady.

Geum Ok never seduced Master Jo.

- My good people. - Why...

You know Geum Ok well, do you not?

Geum Ok and I lived in this town...

for over 40 years.

She has never once deceived me!

She has never tried to seduce Master Jo!

My good people!

My good people!

There is nothing to think about.

We can execute Ah Mo Gae and make him confess of his crime.

But it is not that simple.

If it is true that he killed Master Jo,

he would be a moral criminal.

You know that if we have a moral criminal here,

the town will be destroyed and you will be fired, do you not?

What? Fired?

Then what must I do?

Are you saying I should fake it and say that he did not...

kill Master Jo?

You cannot lie or you will be punished even more harshly.

The head investigator will review...

the reports of this case because it is such a serious crime.

What if they uncover that something was falsified later on?

Thus,

you should uncover the truth, the entire truth, of what happened...

and submit a thorough report to the head investigator.

Only that...

is your only way to survive.

- Then... - Yes.

You must uncover the entire truth...

behind what happened between Geum Ok and Master Jo.

Anyone who witnessed what happened between Geum Ok and Master Jo...

shall come forth and testify.

This is the district magistrate's orders.

If you do not come forth,

you shall be harshly punished!

The district magistrate is so naive.

Who would take a servant's side and testify for him?

I went to watch earlier and Ah Mo Gae was crying,

asking people to tell the truth about what happened to Geum Ok.

Goodness. That poor thing.

Actually, Geum Ok came by that day.

I saw her and Master Jo that day.

Do not say a word.

You do not want to buy Master Jo's family's hatred while living here.

I will not say a peep.

Do not come back again.

But we need to bring you food.

Bring the rest of the cotton to Bong Duk's rice cake place...

and stop coming.

Still, Father...

Watch what you say, all of you.

If anything that happened in here gets out,

we will assume it was you. Do you understand?

- Yes, Master. - Yes, Master.

Eob Seon.

This is the district magistrate's orders.

From this moment forth,

anyone may speak freely about anything they know...

about the circumstances surrounding this incident.

Further, given the gravity of the case,

if anyone punishes anyone who testifies for this case,

that person shall be severely punished.

I have a statement to make.

My brother-in-law told me...

that Geum Ok walked before him and acted in a filthy manner.

So he gently scolded her and freed himself from her.

However, Geum Ok was angry...

and lied to her husband...

that he tried to attack her.

Thus, the ill-tempered Ah Mo Gae...

lost his senses and harmed his master.

Geum Ok...

went into labor early after being frivolous with her body.

Is there anyone...

who witnessed what happened between Geum Ok and Master Jo?

Not yet.

Are you saying there is nobody?

I saw them.

- What are you talking about? - What did you say?

I really saw them.

Eob Seon.

- Eob Seon, do not speak. - Eob Seon!

What is he doing?

He will only get into trouble.

Speak.

We were out looking for stones to throw...

during the games in the village festival.

The stones we were looking for...

are this big and must be very hard.

I had collected about a dozen.

Gil Hyeon had 3 or 4.

Gil Dong had...

Gil Dong, did you have three stones?

Come on now.

Did you see Lord Jo's uncle with Geum Ok?

Pardon?

Yes, I did.

Gil Dong's mother...

was with Lord Jo's uncle.

Lord Jo's uncle...

suddenly reached out and grabbed...

Gil Dong's mother's breasts.

She was surprised and pushed him away.

Lord Jo's uncle slapped her...

hard on the face.

He had...

- Mother! - Slapped her so hard...

Gil Dong's mother almost flew as she fell.

As she fell,

her stomach hit a boulder on the ground.

- Oh dear. - That is so terrible.

My goodness.

Master.

Do you believe a servant boy?

Do you believe the words of a 10-year-old boy?

That is true.

(Under 10, over 80)

The words of a child under 10 are not accepted...

as a testimony.

I am 11 years old.

I may seem young but I am older than Gil Dong.

He just never treats me with the respect I deserve.

Hush.

A servant should not testify...

against his master or a child...

against a parent.

I cannot accept your testimony as part of the investigation.

(These testimonies are exempt.)

Is there no one else who will testify?

This is not fair!

My mother did not deserve this!

Oh no.

- Leave him. - Leave the child alone!

I will! I will speak!

I saw Geum Ok that day!

A few days ago,

Geum Ok came to my store to buy fur.

Lord Jo's uncle said...

The world has turned upside-down.

A servant wants to buy rabbit fur?

Is there a problem, Master?

He complained that a servant wanted to buy fur...

and scolded Geum Ok.

I also saw her!

Another witness?

Geum Ok stopped by my store as well.

She wished to make a purchase...

and Lord Jo's uncle took it from her.

He spat...

directly on her face!

You have no idea what a devoted wife and mother she was.

You say she flirted...

with a rich man to make a better life for herself.

- That is impossible! - Master.

Do you believe the words of mere merchants?

You have a point. A noble's word...

cannot carry less weight than that of...

a servant or a peasant. Then...

Summon Lord Jo's uncle.

We can take his word as truth.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

- Thank you. - Do not thank me.

Even though...

we spoke up before the magistrate,

your father is a dead man.

Do you not see what he is doing?

Do not tell them such things.

Gil Hyeon, have some food.

Gil Hyeon, will our father die?

No, right? He will not, right?

Eob Seon.

- Mother. - You fool!

I should have you...

My lady!

The magistrate will be furious if he finds out.

Do not touch them until it is over.

Darling. Darling.

Get up.

I am sorry.

I am truly sorry.

The magistrate will do the rounds soon.

Speak quickly and quietly.

Only you can help me now.

If you help me this time,

I promise to repay...

I do not require a payment.

I will help for free.

I have never met a man willing to die for...

his dead wife's honor.

Neo-Confucianism is the basis of Joseon...

and the Code of Morals is the basis of Neo-Confucianism.

Master.

Take His Majesty the King for example.

He sent the Queen away for being a jealous wife...

and thus upheld the Code of Morals.

As his subjects,

we must follow in his lead and honor his grace.

Even now,

women feel no guilt about flirting with...

a man in public.

Servants talk back and argue with their masters.

Children run away from home to escape punishments.

No one values or upholds the Code of Morals.

Yes, on that day,

I did scold Geum Ok severely.

I only did so...

to teach a woman how to act...

when walking ahead of a man.

I wished to teach a servant...

how to observe the Code of Morals.

Is that a crime?

Master.

In the district you are in charge of,

is it a crime to observe and teach others of...

the Code of Morals?

Ah Mo Gae.

Instead of correcting your corrupt wife,

you defend her?

Is that what you think a man must do?

Kisaeng Jeok Seon Ha, enter.

Master, Jeok Seon Ha at your service.

(A formal greeting)

Tell me what you heard Lord Jo's uncle say.

Do not leave anything out.

Master, why...

Lord Jo's uncle was originally a poor noble.

He greatly relied on his nephew.

He flirted with me starting a good few years ago.

A while ago,

he urged me to become his concubine.

I asked him...

how he could afford to buy me out of servitude.

This was his answer.

"Ah Mo Gae's riches will soon become Lord Jo's riches."

He also said that his nephew had promised a large sum of money.

What are you talking about?

Once Lord Jo had collected Ah Mo Gae's riches,

he was going to sell the children to a distant county...

and had promised to give that money to his uncle.

Master, do not believe a word she said.

Master, I have...

the love letters that Lord Jo's uncle...

wrote to Jeok Seon Ha.

How heartbreaking.

Jo Sang Moon.

You scolded me for not knowing morals...

and yet you visited a kisaeng while mourning your nephew?

Master...

Listen carefully!

Geum Ok may have been a servant...

but molesting and causing her bodily harm is no small crime.

I sentence him to 30 lashings.

This is great.

His nephew should also be charged for planning this...

to take his servant's money...

but he is already deceased.

Have his widow pay 50 rolls of cotton cloth.

- Master! - It is all a lie, Master!

Master! Do not believe what they said!

The kisaeng lied.

You are the true liar.

Ah Mo Gae did not harm me. It was his son.

His son is incredibly strong.

A stone he threw lodged in a tree...

and another cracked open a boulder!

Ah Mo Gae did not harm me. It was his son.

His son is incredibly strong.

A stone he threw lodged in a tree...

and another cracked open a boulder!

Is that you, So Bu Ri?

Why do you keep asking for him?

I should have known from the start.

You have lost your mind.

Now, Geum Ok's name has been cleared.

Do you feel better now?

What good will that do?

Lord Jo's uncle paid a servant to replace him...

and walked out a free man.

I am sure he did.

Did you risk your own life just to lock him up...

for half a day?

Your death will only cause me trouble.

You smile? Are you pleased to die?

Do you really believe...

I risked my life to lock up Lord Jo's uncle for half a day?

What about my children?

That is not revenge.

That is not what Geum Ok would have wanted.

What?

They killed my Geum Ok and go about...

acting like nothing happened.

I must live as well.

- That is only fair. - What?

Have you planned a way to get out alive?

You have, have you not?

What is your plan?

What?

My life is in the hands of the deities.

If they rescue me soon, I shall live.

If they are late, I shall die.

What? You fool.

Let us both die.

Are you trying to take me down with you?

Yes.

The deities will decide what will happen to me.

My fate is in the hands of...

the King everyone thinks so highly of.

Should I join her as well?

She has the Crown Prince.

Do not even think of that.

Do you still not know what our King is like?

Do you think he will take back a jealous queen?

Wait and see.

Very soon,

those who sided with the dethroned queen will all be arrested.

Have you heard rumors of the dethroned queen?

Yes, I have.

She used to be Queen,

but now she fears she might have no food.

Servants who voiced their pity for her...

earned the King's wrath.

I also heard the dethroned queen cursed the King out of fury.

The whole nation is talking about such things.

Why are you mentioning her?

I have bet my life on that.

I feel sorry for the dethroned queen,

but if she lives, I die.

If she dies, I live.

Oh my... Oh my...

I knew one day that Jeok Seon Ha...

would cause us trouble.

Also, why did you say such things?

A seven-year-old...

lodging stones in tree trunks and boulders?

- Who would believe that? - It is true.

It is Ah Mo Gae I want.

Saying Ah Mo Gae is innocent will do us no good.

You are right but...

Do you not think...

Ah Mo Gae is acting strangely?

He is revealing his own motivation for murder.

I received my punishment...

but that only helped reveal his motivation for murder.

Next, he will be tortured and made...

to confess his crimes.

Murderers must endure the worst kind of torture.

What is strange about that?

Lowly servants never think ahead.

They let their emotions take charge and act rashly,

disregarding what will happen next.

They are uncivilized.

Oh my.

Oh my.

- Oh my. - Do not worry.

Your father is gone,

but I swear...

I will make you a government official.

My father's uncle is not wrong.

About what?

About Gil Dong.

He is incredibly strong.

I saw it...

with my own eyes.

He is a beast, Mother.

Is it...

I wondered why you acted strangely and it makes sense now.

You wanted to clear your wife's name.

Do you think you did that?

Do you think you won?

No.

You lost.

What do you think would upset Geum Ok the most?

It would be for you to die ahead of your children.

That is why...

I shall kill you.

I will not die.

Wait and see.

Whether I live or die,

whether I get to live or not after killing my own master.

Your second son...

is very strong.

He reminds me of...

an incredulous story I heard many years ago.

About a Mighty Child that had wings in his armpits.

I'm sure there is no such thing as a Mighty Child.

But I'm sure foolish people will be deceived.

When there is a bad harvest and a plague around,

they will all consider it as Mighty Child's fault.

Should I tell people...

that your son is...

a Mighty Child?

No one will believe such a lie.

I will check...

Gil Dong's power with my own two eyes.

If I hit, break, and rip your son,

he will use his power.

You are...

still my servant.

Gil Dong! Gil Dong!

You have to run an errand.

Give this to Master Park...

who lives over the hill.

Then you can break a branch...

off of the apricot tree which sits in his front yard.

My lady, many people have died...

crossing over that hill.

Even adults go in groups of 5 or 6 in broad daylight.

How can Gil Dong go by himself?

I will do this as soon as the dawn breaks.

No. Right now.

Gil Dong, you will go.

Gil Dong.

If you fail to run this errand,

I will send your brother instead.

My lady!

Gil Dong will die if he walks over the hill right now.

- Gil Hyeon! - My lady!

My lady!

Gil Dong!

I will check Gil Dong's power with my own two eyes.

If I hit, break, and rip your son,

he will use his power.

My lady.

You.

My lady. I am back.

But...

there was no one at Master Park's house.

So I just left it there...

and brought this branch back.

- You look... - Oh, this.

It is nothing.

A Mighty Child cannot hold back.

That is why he is dangerous.

What happens if he cannot hold back?

Everyone dies.

The Mighty Child dies.

His father, mother, and brothers...

will all die with him.

Gil Dong!

Gil Dong!

Gil Dong.

What happened in the mountain?

What happened?

Gil Dong.

Gil Dong.

Gil Dong!

Gil Dong!

- Gil Hyeon. - Gil Dong.

Where is Mother?

This is weird.

She said she would make some scorched rice soup.

Gil Dong.

Gil Dong. Gil Dong!

This is the word for Ah Mo Gae.

Now that we are sure...

that you held a grudge against Lord Jo,

you must tell us exactly what happened...

on the day Lord Jo passed away.

(THE SUSPECT'S CONFESSION IS A MUST TO PUNISH A SERIOUS CRIME.)

Speak.

Start his beating.

People who befriended the dethroned queen...

dared to fawn over the prince...

for their future plans.

Therefore, arrest her three closest neighbors, and interrogate...

those who have befriended and shared their intentions with her...

until they tell everything.

- No, we didn't. - Come with us!

You are still alive.

Darn it, it is so cold.

It is so freezing.

What happened?

I said, what happened?

I guess Lady Luck is on your side.

Hanyang is in an uproar right now.

They are taking in everyone...

who have befriended the disposed queen.

Did Gil Dong really walk over the hill at night?

- Yes. - That is impossible.

No, Master Park's apricot tree is the only tree that has...

those white dots.

I do not know what happened, though.

Gil Dong has been talking gibberish since he got back.

He does not even remember his mother's death...

or that his father is in prison.

Does he not remember?

Maybe he met a tiger.

- What? - People say if you meet a tiger,

you will lose your sanity and fade away to death.

Gil Dong.

- My goodness, Gil Dong. - Oh no, Gil Dong.

- Gil Dong. - Gil Dong. Gil Dong.

Hello, you two are here.

Oh my.

Gil Dong.

Do you know who I am?

Gil Dong is okay now. He remembers everything.

What?

Your son is a very weird boy.

I will kill you now.

But I am afraid that your son will get his revenge on me.

Hence,

I have decided to kill all of your children with you.

You can suffer a long and painful death.

I understood that you would be sad about losing your husband overnight.

That is why I took the beating.

However,

once is enough.

What?

If you live your whole life as someone's servant,

you know how they are feeling just by the sound of their footsteps.

That is not all.

I know what his favorite food is,

who his secret love affair is,

and where he stores his precious items.

That is why you must never corner a servant...

no matter how lowly he may be.

Have you not heard the news?

The dethroned queen has been given poison as a death penalty.

What did you do with the letter you received from her?

How did you know that?

I told you.

I know everything there is to know about Lord Jo.

I have been serving him for 40 years.

Anyway, I have seen an odd letter...

in his pillowcase.

I saw that he paid 200 yang...

to receive that letter from the dethroned queen.

I cannot read.

So I asked Gil Hyeon about the letter.

This is what he said.

"We will cut out His Majesty's footsteps in the future."

That is what this says.

"We will cut out His Majesty's footsteps in the future."

Master.

What happens if you make...

- an ill comment about His Majesty? - An ill comment?

- Like what? - For example,

"We will cut out His Majesty's footsteps in the future."

What are you talking about?

That breaks the Code of Morals.

If you ever break the Code of Morals against His Majesty...

I heard if you break the Code of Morals against His Majesty,

you will be quartered, your children will be enslaved,

and your house will be destroyed.

I thought the Code of Morals only applied to servants like us.

But they are actually very strict against masters like you, too.

My lady.

What should I do?

I will die because I broke the Code of Morals.

Would you like to be imprisoned for the same reason, too?

How dare you, Ah Mo Gae?

I will rip you apart to death.

Ah Mo Gae, I will...

I will rip you to shreds!

My lady, please do not do this here.

I will rip him apart to death.

I will shred him into pieces!

What do you mean you found...

an evidence?

I found this...

inside his cupboard.

Master, I told you.

The thieves from the next town have left their knife like this.

I knew it. How can there be anyone...

who breaks the Code of Morals in your town?

Yes. Yes, of course.

How could you be so rash?

I am...

very sorry.

I have...

misunderstood Ah Mo Gae.

Ah Mo Gae, I owe you...

an apology, too.

My lady.

Father.

You did not have to come.

(THE REBEL)

- They are from Ikhwa-ri. - I thought Ikhwa-ri is a place...

for the runaways and ex-convicts.

He is in a street gang.

Please do not hang out with my father anymore.

- What? - Do not come to our home, either.

Please keep your ears opened to these voices.

We all depend on you, Master.

It is the pirate wanted by His Majesty!

Is not that he?

- What is his name? - It is Gil Dong.

His name is Gil Dong.