Original subtitles

WHEN THE STARS GOSSIP

FLAVORS OF THE MOUNTAIN, SEA, AND SKY

-Cheers. -Cheers.

Drink up. It's on me today.

Jingle bells, jingle bells

TAXI

HWAYANG HAIR SALON

Good evening.

Hard to catch a cab on Christmas Eve, isn't it?

Please head toward Chuncheon Station and stop the cab when it hits 2,000 won.

Two thousand won?

Yes.

Sure.

DRAFT PHYSICAL EXAMINATION IN EFFECT, 1988

-Thank you. -Of course, thank you.

-Goodbye. -Thank you.

It may not be a snowy Christmas Eve,

but the sky is filled with shining stars.

When you gaze up at the stars, thoughts of the things you long for arise.

In the end, this longing brings us back to the things we cherish most.

Tonight, "A Night of Counting the Stars" by the poet, Yun Dong-ju, comes to mind.

A star for memories

A star for love

A star for loneliness

What the… What is this baby doing here?

A star for yearning

A star for poetry

And a star for Mother

Mother

Mother

I am trying to call out A beautiful word for each star

JUSTICE, POLICE

She left the baby in the back of your cab?

Yes.

Do you recall anything specific about the passenger?

Let me think…

She smelled like perm solution, the kind women use.

That's right. I picked her up in front of a hair salon.

My goodness. She abandoned her baby on Christmas Eve

without even putting socks on it.

Oh, dear.

The baby is sleeping.

It's sleeping.

Hush now, go to sleep.

Look, the baby is sleeping.

You two are in cahoots, aren't you?

Besides the seven morulas we found, there were more fertilized eggs, right?

That's why Dr. Kang went to the observation module

even though there was debris flying everywhere.

As for you, the camera was an excuse.

You were guarding the incubator while waiting for Dr. Kang.

I'd never team up with this jerk.

We're not in cahoots. We're enemies.

What are you guys doing here at this hour?

How many eggs did you take up there?

Ten?

Twenty?

Look at the CCTV footage.

You were going back and forth to collect the remaining fertilized eggs.

You took whatever was in the incubator in the observation module

and got on the escape ship, right?

When nobody knew where the tourist was,

you were the only one who said he was in the observation module.

You two met in there, right?

The story about unplugging the camera cable was a cover.

When Dr. Kang took the eggs out of the incubator,

why didn't you say anything?

That's because you two are working together.

That's why you kept your mouths shut.

So there was another incubator in the observation module.

It was on for 40 hours, but we had no clue.

If you take fertilized eggs out of the incubator,

they die.

If it was turned on for 40 hours as per the records,

then they weren't morulas yet,

which means they were fertilized eggs.

So he would've had to bring back the whole incubator.

You'd have to bring it to the escape ship and secretly hook it up.

But look.

Take a look!

When I came back to the main module, I was empty-handed.

That's right. Your suspicion is wrong.

Dr. Kang simply came to take me to the escape ship.

Let me tell you as an ob-gyn.

If it was on for 40 hours, it would be pointless even if they were brought back.

Shut your mouth.

I can't believe a word you say anymore.

Now I have to go back and review the report you wrote.

Chief, Gong Ryong is right.

If the remaining fertilized eggs were in that incubator,

someone determined to bring them down

wouldn't have acted like Dr. Kang on the CCTV.

He would have moved the entire incubator to the Scorpion

to keep it plugged in.

If he had just taken them out and put them in his pocket,

it wouldn't have taken long for them to die.

What they're saying is right.

He didn't have the incubator strapped on,

and he was moving effortlessly.

He didn't bring back anything.

If there were fertilized eggs in there,

he would've had to bring the entire incubator with him.

Thanks, Kang.

We're on the same team now.

I wasn't helping you.

We're on the same side now.

It wasn't for you.

There's no turning back now.

I said it wasn't for you.

See you!

Check to see

if either Kang-su or the tourist declared anything odd before they went up.

Yes, Chief.

GONG RYONG

Thank you.

Is it serious?

How serious are you about it?

-What do you mean? -Your feelings for Eve.

CALLS, GONG RYONG

Don't let Eve struggle through the storm you created.

I hope you don't think an umbrella will protect her from it.

It was tough for her to grow up in an American family and become a commander.

She had to wait a long time for her shot.

I don't find you trustworthy at all.

Please, I'm asking you not to make things confusing for Eve.

I admit

that I'm not a very trustworthy guy.

I agree.

And I don't have much except for this umbrella.

She's going up in a few days,

and I won't be able to see her for a year, or maybe longer.

She doesn't have any family…

so wouldn't it be nice if she had…

at least one person back here on Earth who had her back?

Won't you give me a chance?

CALLS, GONG RYONG

KOREA SPACE AGENCY

All right, Number 3.

And…

What are you doing?

EVE KIM

EVE KIM

This is driving me crazy. Why isn't anyone answering?

It's okay. Let me take a look.

Hi, Eve.

I think she's pregnant.

Really?

Where are you?

Are you in the lab?

What about the ultrasound? Did you do an ultrasound?

No, not yet. I'm going to do it now.

Okay. First, take a deep breath.

Is it okay if I go there? I'll head over there right now.

Then can you drop by my place and grab some hair removal cream?

Bring it just in case.

I'll get the anesthesia and ultrasound ready.

Okay, got it.

Where is it?

NATIONAL CENTER FOR THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

If any space debris comes at us,

we load the mice onto the cargo ship following the one-mouse-per-cage rule.

From the moment we arrived in Florida until the other day when we got to Seoul,

it was one mouse per cage.

In Seoul, she's had zero contact with a male mouse.

They were only together at the station.

No, we can do a DNA test here.

In three hours, we'll know who the father is.

But I'm absolutely sure.

When we cut the power to move them and the camera was off,

in that short window while we were prepping the cages,

that's when they did it.

Well, you know how mice are more sensitive than humans in a crisis or disaster.

They must have felt threatened because of the space debris,

which turbocharged their reproductive instinct.

But we still don't know for sure, not yet.

She built a nest to prepare to give birth,

and her stomach is protruding, but…

I mean, how awesome would it be if she was pregnant? Please.

-Eve. -Did you find it?

Okay, that's it.

A round belly and a nest must mean she's pregnant, no?

There…

Sometimes mice build nests just to have a place to live.

Okay, let's have a look.

It's quadruplets.

A mammal has gotten pregnant in space.

I guess we weren't the only sneaky ones doing it in secret.

Do you see that?

I'll need to do a detailed examination, but they're developing just like on Earth.

They're only a centimeter, but everything is all there.

Let's check if their hearts are normal.

-Okay. -Check the blood flow rate.

Switching to doppler.

Congratulations, Eve.

Congratulations, Female Mouse 3. You're a mom now.

That's right.

Us too?

No.

I had a checkup with Dr. Jeon.

Over 90% of the time, mice become pregnant after mating.

They're super fertile.

They can have ten pups at once.

Four is the minimum, actually.

What's wrong?

It's just…

Now you're going to have a family.

And so will I.

Now, we're going to make it possible for humans to have sex,

get pregnant, have babies, and raise them

in space.

This is just the beginning.

Definitely.

Okay.

Congratulations.

I still can't believe it.

KOREA SPACE AGENCY

Congrats, Eve!

Your wish has finally come true! It's happening.

Yeah.

Let's give them nicknames.

Yes, so they'll be healthy.

What should we call them, Eve?

How about we name them after planets?

Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn. Let's choose grand names!

How about Big, Strong, Tough, and Lucky?

To live a long life, don't they use rough names like

Dog Poop, Cow Poop, Horse Poop, or Mouse Poop?

What are you guys doing? What's going on?

She's pregnant.

Eve did it.

-What? -Eve's pregnant?

No, the mouse is pregnant. It's been 13 and a half days.

No, not "Ma Eun-su," the mouse.

-Oh right, the mouse. -I see.

She's the first mammal to have sex and get pregnant in space, Chief!

With four pups! And without genetic defects.

She's pregnant with four pups! Can you believe it?

My goodness!

Is it true, Eve?

This is totally unexpected. Congratulations, Eve.

You're sure she got pregnant at the station, in zero gravity, right?

Yes.

Who should I be reporting this to?

Where should I brag about this?

That 2-million-won mouse is now worth 20 billion won!

But how come you're just finding out about it now?

If you don't check the mouse within 24 hours of mating,

the copulatory plug disappears.

And even on days 13 and 14,

it's hard to tell just by touching her belly.

They're only one centimeter, but they'll keep thriving from now on.

One centimeter?

When is the due date?

It's around 21 days.

Will they be born here?

No way. They should be born at the station.

Is that possible?

They could die.

They were created in space, so we should run the tests there.

Why would we do it here?

When leaving Earth, it's 4G inside the spacecraft.

Can they survive it?

There has been a case of a pregnant mouse going up to space.

That's different. It got pregnant on Earth.

This is the first time it's happened in space.

The starting point is different.

But the pregnant mouse came back safely, didn't it?

Listen, you idiot. Are you really a mouse expert?

That was during the early stages.

Now, the babies are fully developed.

Even if they are in the mother's womb, while passing through Earth's atmosphere,

with extreme 4G pressure,

the mother's blood pressure will change rapidly,

and the babies might not receive oxygen for a while.

They might make it if it's 4G.

-Right, Eve? -Eve?

Is that right, Eve?

If the oxygen supply to the blood is cut off under 4G of pressure,

whether they will survive or die

is honestly yet to be known because this is a first.

That's right.

It's the first time. We should try it!

Let's not take them. It's too dangerous.

Exactly! It's dangerous.

Eve, this isn't the time to be sentimental.

We're scientists, remember?

Calm down.

So now that we know it's possible to successfully mate and get pregnant,

let's just observe her here until she gives birth.

I think we need to research and compare the changes that occur

when a mammal becomes pregnant in zero gravity versus in gravity.

It would be best to attempt giving birth in space at a later time.

If she successfully gives birth,

that mouse's value will become two trillion won.

It could unlock new possibilities and hope for human survival beyond Earth.

We have to go all-in. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Go all-in?

What if they die on the way up?

It doesn't matter if they die?

Nobody here wants them to die.

They survived 4G on the way down.

Hey, nobody wants to see them survive more than I do.

She's a week away from giving birth.

She'll be at full term when she goes up to space with me.

In human terms,

it's like putting a woman who's nine months into a spacecraft.

Yet you want to bet on this situation?

Does it surprise you that I'm mad?

Come on. We don't know anything about it yet.

-Just send it up, regardless! -How could you say "regardless"?

You know what?

Today, can't we just be happy and celebrate instead of arguing?

How could you say that as a scientist? Do you have any idea…

Time for champagne.

Yeah! Champagne!

We stayed up all night…

I've already told you.

It survived on the way down because it was still in the early stages.

It landed on her.

You guys are thrilled that I'm getting fired, aren't you?

The disciplinary hearing will start soon. Let's get ready.

Everybody topped up?

-Yes. -Yes.

Here's to a safe delivery!

-Cheers! -Cheers!

A toast to Eve, for successfully getting the mouse pregnant.

-To Eve! -To Eve!

For something different today, I'd like two iced Americanos, please.

Sure.

There's no information available on your biological parents.

1988, Christmas Eve.

You were found in a taxi near Chuncheon Station.

The police couldn't identify your parents when you were brought in.

Even after, there is no record of your biological parents

trying to find you.

What is that?

Which one's mine?

They're the same.

But…

Just drink it.

How can you be so clueless?

Oh man, the delivery room was bursting at the seams.

Well, I guess it's a good thing because we have serious population issues.

Hey.

What?

How do you register a marriage?

You must've done it before.

Look at you. Are you getting married?

Let's go. You need an MRI.

Your brain isn't functioning properly right now.

Do I have to get the papers from the district office or something?

Are you insane?

With who?

Did your commander say she'd marry you?

Isn't she going back up to space in a few days?

She'll be gone for a year and you want…

All you did was study back in school and now you decide to be Mr. Drama?

This is too much drama.

Why are you in such a rush?

Look,

you need two witnesses, and the process is…

It's about becoming a family, dude.

Think carefully.

It's not the same as dating, man.

So, you'll be one witness and…

Me and?

I'm all you've got, right? Your moms would be totally against it.

And you know what?

I won't sign as a witness either.

At least not right now.

This is the reality of this thing you guys call love.

No witnesses to support you.

Do I have to have witnesses?

Take it up with the district office.

What would a witness know anyway?

You're acting strange.

First off, it's weird to ask me, given I'm divorced.

Hey, witness.

I haven't even had a sip.

Could I get this to go, please?

Sure.

Seriously, congratulations!

I can't believe she managed to…

Name, Kang Kang-su.

Under the International Institute of Space United,

due to violations of the experimental ethics regulations of the KSA,

your status as an astronaut has been permanently revoked.

You can no longer apply to be an astronaut,

and you are prohibited from visiting the space station even as a civilian.

You are also permanently excluded from the space fruit fly project.

Do you have any objections?

No objections?

I have a lot of objections.

Kang Kang-su.

Are you trying to make trouble for everyone as you leave?

Do you think they're enjoying watching you get punished?

Thanks to Eve's swift disposal of your contraband

and your colleagues' active cooperation

in handling the situation with professionalism,

we've managed to keep this from escalating, understand?

If you had brought that down to Earth, you wouldn't be sitting there right now.

You'd be sitting in jail.

Because of you, the KSA almost became a global embarrassment.

Are you resentful or what?

You should be thankful to your colleagues for preventing that.

Sure.

Dr. Kang Kang-su,

surrender all your astronaut credentials and lab access cards.

This is everything.

Hand in that suit too.

Has any other astronaut given as much to fruit fly research as me?

It seems you're all celebrating a mouse getting pregnant in zero gravity.

When mouse research in space

was just starting in the '70s, the fruit flies

had already been getting pregnant

and producing offspring for multiple generations.

Fruit flies beat you by 50 years, and yet this is a cause for celebration?

Being an astronaut ruined my relationship…

and I lost my child too, but I remained dedicated to fruit fly research.

So, I'm going to take this suit with me.

Chief.

I like this suit. It was custom-made to fit me perfectly.

It's not like anyone else can wear it.

You're here to return that suit.

I'll buy it. How much do you want for it?

Are you kidding me? Do you know where you are?

Take it off.

Traitors.

I don't need this damn suit!

You know,

I was going to quit this stupid astronaut job before I got fired anyway.

Face reality, guys.

Being an astronaut

isn't all it's cracked up to be.

No need to be nervous.

Don't worry, if you get fired, my dad will hire you.

Hi.

Hey, so I was wondering…

What happened to that new life?

What?

Did it get back safely?

No.

Is it alive?

You don't need to know.

Is it dead?

It's best if you don't know.

Knowing might put you in danger. You could get hurt.

Just forget about it. It's all in the past.

So it's dead.

How are our fruit flies?

Well, Indecency is dead.

What?

What happened?

Old age.

Right.

It lived for 50 days, so it lived a long life.

As for Public and Star,

they've been stuck to a banana stem all day and won't let go.

You've already given it a name? Is it male?

-Yes. -You named him without running it by me?

He's "Star" because he wasn't born on Earth.

I see.

How are the mice?

I'm going to eat, sleep, and stay with them until they're born.

It's all so new, I feel like I'm treading on eggshells.

This reminds me of the first baby I brought into this world.

We also brought Star into the world together.

Don't hesitate to call if you need me again.

Okay.

So it did come down.

It's alive.

We're both going to make it happen.

Relax.

You're all done.

Everything looks good with the uterine lining.

We can do the implantation in secret

after the clinic closes and everyone's gone.

Do you think I can handle it?

Better than anyone else I know.

Your uterus hasn't had any problems to date.

Just think happy thoughts.

Thank you, Dr. Gong.

You won't need anesthesia.

It'll only take five minutes. Quick, right?

After the procedure, you should lie down and rest for two hours.

Then, you'll be discharged.

It will be at 8 p.m.,

the day after tomorrow.

It's set for the day after tomorrow, in the evening.

Make sure security is tight.

Yes, sir.

I'll put the legal team on standby.

Dad.

What is it?

After Ryong finishes the IVF,

Min-jeong and I are going to leave.

We'll return when the baby is born.

Yes, that's a good idea.

Enjoy your honeymoon for a year.

I'll feel better knowing that Ryong is by Min-jeong's side.

Ryong needs to continue his work here.

What about Ryong's life?

What do you mean?

Many patients should have

the opportunity to be treated by a doctor like Ryong.

Plus, if he's always by Min-jeong's side, people will think something's up.

It'll be a headache if people get suspicious.

You think so?

Once the embryo is implanted,

we don't necessarily need Ryong.

We'll come back when the child is older, and I can get married then.

But you were so eager to get married.

Now that Ryong has come back

after successfully completing the IVF,

I'm starting to get bored of him.

Are you serious?

Of course, I'm bored. What does he have going for him?

Even still, isn't that a bit much?

Where's your loyalty?

You may be my daughter, but you're acting like a brat.

Come on,

he risked his life and went all the way to space for you.

Exactly.

That's a lot to deal with,

and I don't like how he's so dependent on me.

It sucks, actually.

The reports you submitted with the tourist were delivered.

Once they arrive,

they'll use them to examine the module in detail.

I'd like you to be ready to lend a hand when they call.

Okay.

Ignition.

Launch command for ignition.

First stage.

The station looks like it's in bad shape.

I know.

They're bringing back detailed footage of the parts that need repair,

so your team should be fully prepared to go up and restore it.

Yes.

Liftoff!

Liftoff.

Man, how could they possibly want to go up there already?

When will they be back?

The day after tomorrow.

What?

You're a go for the mission.

Don't make things weird up there.

Your job is to bring the ILS back to life.

Eve is the commander, and you're just in charge of repairs.

This is what you applied for, understand?

Eve is your commanding officer.

Aye, aye, Captain.

The truth is,

I came here to create embryos using the MZ Group heir's sperm

and his wife's eggs.

I hid the eggs in the ice cream cup.

I fertilized them behind your back,

and the embryo is now in the incubator.

Please don't let it die.

There was a disciplinary hearing,

and since Kang Kang-su didn't say anything about the morula,

he was the only one to lose his astronaut qualifications and be fired.

How would you feel about thanking him for that?

Just leave it alone.

Have you forgotten that he's rude and a backstabber?

The doors are closing.

This isn't your house.

What time is it now?

Right, it's nighttime.

It's night, indeed.

It's nighttime again.

I came to see you at night, Go-eun.

I'm sorry. I'll come during the day.

I'm not

a guy who only comes to see you at night.

I'll come back during the day.

Bye.

Unbelievable.

Why can't you find your key card?

What's this?

What's this doing in here?

Why is this in your wallet?

We are over.

I have to pee.

I'm going to pee my pants.

I have to pee.

I think I'm going to pee my pants. I have to pee.

I heard you got fired today.

Serves you right.

We lost our baby…

but I really wanted to save the morula.

Even though it was a morula that Gong Ryong created…

I wanted to protect it.

NUMBER 3

KOREA SPACE AGENCY

What brings you all the way out here?

I wasn't able to go home last night, so I'm a bit of a mess.

-No, no. -I'm sorry.

Have you had breakfast?

Not yet, I've been too busy to eat.

I thought you might like a home-cooked meal.

Eat it while it's hot.

Wow,

this already smells amazing.

May I open it?

Yes, of course.

It's so warm.

I've never had a meal like this cooked for me before.

It looks delicious.

Thank you. It looks great.

Wow, it looks delicious.

May I ask you something?

By all means.

You said you were abandoned on Christmas Eve.

That's right.

You weren't abandoned at Chuncheon Station, were you?

It wasn't in a taxi, was it?

It wasn't in a taxi heading to Chuncheon Station

on Christmas Eve the year the Olympics were held, was it?

No, it wasn't.

Right, of course not.

I'm sorry.

I too abandoned my child

on Christmas Eve.

I didn't want to have the baby.

Even though he died young,

I can't forgive that bastard.

Having that child ruined my life.

It ruined my life as a woman.

I had to work in a bar to make money…

but my breasts leaked

because they were full of milk.

It made me want to die.

I wanted to live, actually.

But until Ryong came into my life,

all I could think about every single day was how I wanted to die.

Even though I wanted to do whatever I could to survive.

Not once have I thought of myself as that child's mother.

Not once have I looked for it. I've never wanted to.

That's because…

when I think about that child, my sins feel a million times worse.

Even though I'm the victim here.

Your mother…

I'm sure someone like me can't even compare to your mother.

She's probably very educated,

beautiful,

and a truly amazing person.

She must have had no choice.

It must have been a circumstance that was beyond her control,

which is why she did what she did.

Right.

To me, Ryong is the only child I have.

He knows nothing about this.

I would like to keep it that way.

Yes, ma'am.

KSA GENETIC TESTING REPORT

THE PROBABILITY OF MATERNITY: 99.999%

Eve!

-Female Mouse 3 is bleeding. -What?

There was blood there before…

Hurry! Hurry up! Take a look at the ultrasound!

I'm told Female Mouse 3 isn't moving.

What about the babies?

Their umbilical veins have narrowed.

It's hypoxia.

The narrowing of the umbilical veins is restricting blood flow.

The mother's decreased respiratory rate is depriving the babies of oxygen.

Have you checked the diameter of her uterine artery?

-Eve. -One of their hearts has stopped beating.

-No! -What?

Will they all die if one of them dies?

Eve…

All of their hearts have stopped beating.

And the mother?

-What about the mother? -Pardon?

Oh, right.

The mother is also going to die soon.

Get out of the way.

I'll do it.

What can you do? Move.

I have to euthanize her.

It's my job.

We're not euthanizing her!

I'm going to save her. I can do it.

Eve, let's go.

So you save her, then you take her home?

Please, let me do the surgery.

I'm going to open her up.

I'm going to save at least one of them.

I won't let them all die!

Maybe the mother wants to live.

I wanted to live, actually.

Okay, we won't euthanize her. Come on, let's go.

Please, just let me do the surgery.

Get ready!

Even though I wanted to do whatever I could to survive.

Damn it.

What is it?

I feel like I got a load off my chest,

but I'm starting to think I may have been overly focused on myself.

Maybe you should go see your captain.

Come on, why did you go there?

I just wanted to take her some breakfast.

You did? What's the occasion?

Whatever, hurry up and go see her.

Fine.

He must really like her.

What's wrong? Why do you look so tired?

Were you up all night?

No, that's not it.

Take a look at this.

What is it?

Look.

MARRIAGE REGISTRATION FORM

Yi-man didn't want to be a witness, but I forced him.

Oh, but Dr. Na was more than happy to.

You and I are the same.

Since I'm registered under my late mom,

mine is also blank.

But I'm forever grateful to the three moms who raised me.

What's wrong? Is it too much for you?

-Well… -This isn't a proposal.

I'm not suggesting we rush into marriage.

Just hang on to it, and look at it when you feel sad

about the fact that you don't have a family.

And I would like it even better

if you mailed it to Seongdeungpo-gu Office, 361-1,

Danghwa-dong 6-ga, Seongdeungpo-gu, Seoul

from space.

Unbelievable.

Feel free to throw it away.

What makes family so special anyway?

If you love each other, that's family.

Don't cry alone anymore.

Okay.

WHEN THE STARS GOSSIP

I just want to know

why she abandoned me.

You think you can wear me down with this

and make me share the lottery winnings with you?

Tonight.

As the commander, I'm not sure if I should let this happen.

What if she saw this note?

What if she chose not to report this to me or the IOU?

She's an accomplice.

You've never even seen it.

Those are the facts.

We need to seize it and punish him before that happens.

Your colleagues, your beloved tourist…

He'll end up in prison!

Subtitle translation by: Erica Lee