It was the day the young mistress and the young master held a ritual
in honor of the memory of the late Lady Ha.
-[young Jae-yi gasps] -You dare make my son bow on the floor?!
-[children whimper] -Allow him to bow to this lowly spirit?
-Huh?! -Mother! [cries]
[somber music plays]
[indistinct chanting]
[music stops]
[chanting continues]
[gasps]
SIM JAE-YI
-[gasps] -[Gwigokja] Ha!
[ominous music plays]
[young Hongrang strains]
[strains]
[young Hongrang shrieks]
[somber music plays]
[gasps] Young master! Oh! [gasps]
[gasps] Can you hear me?
[Yeon-ui] Madame Gwigokja, please follow me.
[gasps] Young master, we can't let them see. Come with me.
[young Hongrang groans softly]
[Eul-bun's mother] I was so afraid that I would be blamed
that I did not know what to do.
I was surely not in my right mind when I moved the young master out of sight.
When I was able to pull myself together again,
I left to get the others to come and help me. [cries]
Only when I came back with the other servants,
there was no trace of the young master.
He was not where I had left him.
As if he had simply disappeared or been snatched away.
[music fades]
[Gwigokja] Dispose of him.
[somber music resumes]
He is not dead.
Those are not my son's remains.
Even for you,
this trick is truly pathetic.
Did you really believe
that you could push the true heir out with this nonsense?
Did you truly believe
that a measly skeleton
is enough to ensure that everything becomes yours?
I ask you to hold a funeral in his honor.
-[scoffs] -[music fades]
He has left us.
Your son is gone.
I want to send my little brother off in peace.
Imagine how scary and lonely it was for Hongrang.
How awful it must have been for him to be down there all alone,
buried in the mud.
You want me to have a funeral for my son?
Ridiculous!
You can throw those old bones away.
I'll die before I grant your request, for that is not my son.
Then end your life.
[melancholic music plays]
Die soon. You know death is what you deserve.
[Yeon-ui] Where is my son?
My real son that you were supposed to bring back to me!
What have you done with my son?!
Your son is on the table!
Hongrang is dead, and it was your doing!
Do you deny it?
That you are responsible for his disappearance?
That he is gone because of you?
It was the talisman to ensure my death that was the cause of this.
Your obsession with being rid of me is what led you to kill your own son.
You are the one
who ended Hongrang's life.
You did this.
[exhales softly]
[music fades]
-[Yeon-ui] I did not! -[gasping]
[Yeon-ui] This is not my son.
It is not.
It is not!
He is not gone!
He is not my son!
[Yeon-ui screams]
-No! -[cries]
[Yeon-ui] No! This is not my son!
HONGRANG'S GRAVE
[melancholic music plays]
[Hongrang sighs]
My apologies
for taking the liberty of using your name.
In return…
I will devote my life to protecting your dear sister
for all of my days.
I give you my word on this.
Now that I have found him,
my heart will not let me say the words to…
to let him go.
To send him on his way.
"Farewell"
should suffice.
A farewell is a wish for safe travels.
When it is a longer journey, it is also a fond goodbye
until we can reunite once more.
A way to say that we have made good memories
and wish to relive them soon.
I think that
"farewell" is a way of sending loved ones on their journey
until they can be together again.
[melancholic music continues]
Farewell…
my dear Hongrang.
[Jae-yi cries]
[exhales deeply]
[Jae-yi cries]
DEAR HONGRANG
[child cries]
I must recreate my living canvas talismans,
even if it means my body will not withstand the task.
However,
for Hongrang…
annihilate the black-clad swordsmen who ruined my ritual
and return that ungrateful wretch to me.
Highness, my only wish is to serve you.
[man groaning]
[water splashes]
-[sizzling] -[In-hoe groans]
[In-hoe groans]
The imposter's faithful servant will say nothing.
Find out where the assassins are headquartered.
Understood.
While we destroy the swordsmen, I shall get rid of the Soul Reaper.
The prince ordered that we bring him back alive.
Yes, my lord.
[foreboding music plays]
[coughs]
[coughing and groaning]
[foreboding music builds]
[music fades]
[gentle music plays]
I can imagine how scary it was.
And painful.
[Hongrang] I hated it.
It made me ashamed.
The shame is not yours.
All those who abused you,
the shame is entirely theirs.
Your words are a soothing balm.
But I still bear the scars.
Just as how your hurt
shows here…
and here.
I hope the future
allows us both…
to erase our scars and forget our pain.
It does not have to be forgotten
or erased.
I think it remains a part of us to be honored,
to be respected, if you are willing.
I am willing.
[gentle music continues]
[Hongrang exhales]
[music fades]
[foreboding music plays]
[music fades]
I am convinced that the grand prince will in all likelihood
try to blame his wrongdoing on me.
If we are to have any chance of thwarting His Highness,
we have no choice but to recapture the imposter before he does.
Yes, my lord.
[high-pitched ringing tone]
[groans]
[eerie whooshing]
[breathes shakily]
[Jae-yi] What are you doing?
[ominous music plays]
You forgot this inside.
[Hongrang] Right.
[Hongrang breathes deeply]
[eerie rattling]
[foreboding music continues]
-I want to go get some supplies in town. -We could use some.
-I will go gather more firewood. -Hm.
[grunting]
[metal scrapes]
[ominous music plays]
[Yeol-guk] Tell me where your headquarters are.
Give me what I am looking for and I will let you leave here with your life.
Or refuse to answer the question
and you die here on my floor.
[music fades]
I will not try to force you to return.
I am simply here to tell you why you should come back to me.
You are being absurd.
The one you are with
is not going to be here much longer.
He will leave you alone without his protection.
He would never do that.
Yes, he will.
Your lover is dying.
[somber music plays]
I must assume you have seen the rashes on his skin.
The others used as artwork have died,
or are about to, which is your father's doing.
For years, he aided the prince in torturing children,
using toxic materials on their skin for human canvases.
They bathed them in alum and arsenic, which are harsh and caustic.
The rash is one of the milder symptoms.
You must have also noticed shortness of breath due to damage to the lungs,
stiffness or seizures, and even loss of vision.
You know this yourself. He was exposed for many years.
Even so, he is strong.
The deterioration has already started. He is going to die.
Please do not say any more.
He had to know what the future was holding,
which means his keeping you close was nothing more than cowardly selfishness.
-Quiet! -Is the truth too much to bear?
It is the truth you would hope for.
Only I no longer believe a word you say.
I only wanted to give you some time to make the right decision.
Turn away from him before it is too late.
Even if this is the truth, your hopes of regaining me in your life are futile.
I belong at his side and nowhere else.
As you wish.
If that is the strength of your bond,
I shall sever it for good.
[somber music continues]
[breathes shakily]
I have done what you suggest. I went to physicians and other herbalists as well.
There must be something you can do. Is there some medicine you have not tried?
[sighs]
[man] If the patient suffers skin rashes and loss of vision,
it is a sign the disease is most advanced.
There is little to be done but wait to see if the body can heal itself,
or if it will succumb.
[somber music continues]
[Hongrang breathes heavily]
[groans]
[foreboding music plays]
[gasps]
Jae-yi?
[music stops]
[somber music plays]
[stifled sobbing]
[music fades]
Why have we not heard from Hongrang, sister?
Because I told him to leave when he delivered the partition deed.
-What? -[Kkot-nim] He did his part.
Hongrang's mission is accomplished, is it not?
[groans]
-Kkot-nim! Shield us! -[groans]
[tense music plays]
-[Kkot-nim groans] -[Gyu-ha] Kkot-nim!
-[Kkot-nim groans] -Sim Yeol-guk!
You bastard!
-[sword slices] -[groans]
[tense music continues]
[whimpers]
So it was you.
How are you still alive?
[breathes shakily] The child I was carrying
took all the impact of the sword…
you sent the assassin to wield against us.
[tense music builds]
Where has he gone?
Where is the imposter hiding?
Leave her!
-[sword slices] -[groans]
[Kkot-nim] Brother… brother! [sobs]
-Brother… -[man] My lady!
[Kkot-nim cries]
[assassins yell]
[Kkot-nim] Brother… [cries]
[swords clash]
[man] We must go!
[Kkot-nim] I cannot leave him. [cries]
-Brother, no… -My lady, I must keep you safe.
[Kkot-nim whimpers]
[assassins grunt]
[music fades]
What are you doing in the assassins' stronghold, Father?
Ha.
The Soul Reaper.
You wish to get to him first
in order to protect yourself against His Royal Highness.
How did you know
that this was the assassins' headquarters?
[suspenseful music plays]
Ah.
I suppose the question answers itself.
[Ji-ryeon gasps]
I have been harboring a traitorous thief all these years.
Or you must have secured the information for an offer of riches.
[man] He is not here, my lord.
[music fades]
[Hongrang breathes heavily]
[gentle music plays]
Your brothers have been attacked, and In-hoe is being held captive?
[sighs]
I must go to him.
[sighs]
Are you well enough to attempt to rescue him?
Your body is getting… worse.
You were aware?
Why did you not say so?
I wanted to tell you,
but I thought it would worsen the pain and guilt you feel.
This is why I must go now.
Before my condition worsens and my skills are no longer useful.
If I fail to destroy the prince's forces,
you will have to watch over your shoulder your entire life as I have.
I cannot protect you if he lives.
Please understand I must do this.
It is the only way we can survive.
I promise I will return to you.
[Jae-yi sighs]
To your side.
[Jae-yi breathes shakily]
[gentle music continues]
Go, then.
You must do this.
But remember that once you return,
it will be us.
Only the two of us, far from those walls.
I wish we could have fallen in love sooner, Jae-yi.
[chuckles]
As do I.
Then all those first days of meaningless frustration
would count as our cherished memories now.
Once you come home,
you stay by my side
where you belong
for all eternity.
Hm.
However I can…
I will always be there for you.
For all eternity.
For as long as there are stars.
Eternally.
[gentle music continues]
[music fades]
[Jae-yi] And Mother told me to tell you this,
which should lead you right to the deed.
Stroke the shoulders
of Mong-jun.
As for this man, do you perhaps recognize him?
[tense music plays]
Mong-jun was the childhood name of the previous chief merchant,
who was not only my father, but also your grandfather.
Hongrang has managed to secure the deed.
My son has guaranteed our reign.
We must only await his return and all will resume its rightful order.
Let us go. I want everything ready to greet my son.
[tense music continues]
[gasps] My sweet son!
[music fades]
I am not your sweet son.
[Yeon-ui chuckles]
-Of course you are. -I am not your son.
-You are not my mother. -What are you saying?
Who else would be?
The woman you and the chief merchant tried to destroy.
Kkot-nim, who you left for dead.
She is my mother.
[gasps]
[breathes shakily]
[exhales sharply]
[haunting music plays]
Who would protect her if you died?
Protect her well.
I hope you live on, my lady.
For many years.
To experience what it is like
to be forsaken and pitiful and know the ache of true loss.
[gasps]
[exhales]
[Yeon-ui cries]
[Yeon-ui sobs]
-[music fades] -Did I hear you correctly?
Yes, I want to report Chief Merchant Sim for wrongdoing and unlawful acts.
This report details his longstanding deceit
and criminal offenses over the years.
As evidence, I have brought ledgers belonging to the guild
as record of his corrupt practices.
[stirring music plays]
[music fades]
[ominous music plays]
Sim Jae-yi…
Ungrateful demon.
You dare to report me?
-[man 1 strains] -Move along!
-[man 1] Let go! [strains] -[man 2] Let me go!
[man 2] My lord!
My lord, why are you taking our friends?
Relay this message.
If you wish to have them back,
the Soul Reaper is to return to His Highness.
-[man 1] Why are you doing this? -[man 2] Let me go!
-[man 1] My lord! -[exhales]
[man 2] My lord!
[woman breathes shakily]
[ominous music continues]
[man 2] Let me go!
-[man1] Let me go! -[man 2] I said let go!
[man 1] Let me go, I said! We've done nothing!
[man 3] Let me go!
[grunting]
[man 2] Let go!
-[man 4] Here. -[man 5] Wait here.
[ominous music continues]
Highness, your command is executed.
I have brought those who will lure your precious painting back to you.
Is that so?
Should I take that as a sign of shallowness
or proof of your idiocy?
My belief was that you were an excellent judge of value,
knowing what things are worth.
Yet you insult me by offering such worthless merchandise
when something of ultimate value has fallen conveniently into our hands.
[ominous music continues]
[Jae-yi breathes shakily]
[panicked breathing]
Highness!
You are aware that woman is merely a demon in disguise?
It is she who caused my most cherished painting
to forget its purpose and spiral into chaos.
Therefore, we must end the spell
and all thoughts or reasons to revolt against us.
You are to stab this vile creature through the head and heart.
Be done with this evil.
[Jae-yi shrieks]
-Jae-yi! -[men grunt]
-[man 3] Jae-yi! -[man 1] Jae-yi!
Let me go! [grunts]
[man 2] Let me go!
-[man 3] Don't do this. She's not a demon! -[man 1] Jae-yi! No! [grunts]
[panting] Young mistress Jae-yi is in danger.
[door opens]
[ominous music continues]
Will this never be done?
[music fades]
[tense music plays]
[Yeol-guk groans]
[groans]
Kkot-nim,
it was only after I was told that you were gone
that I realized it was all Min Yeon-ui scheming against us.
Kkot-nim, protecting you was my greatest mission.
I was driven to undertake mad actions
in the attempt to pay for how I wronged you all those years ago.
It was my curse.
And why I failed to recognize you before.
You have my life in your hands.
It is your privilege to end it if you so desire.
But will you allow me my vengeance first?
You know that I have only ever loved one woman,
and that my heart belongs to you.
[groans]
[Yeol-guk gasps]
[somber music plays]
[panicked breathing]
Commence the process.
[Jae-yi breathes shakily]
[somber music continues]
[stirring music plays]
[Mu-jin grunts]
Did you really think I would do this?
Did you truly believe
that I would kill
my one and only reason for living?
[soldier 1 yells]
[yells]
[men whimper]
[bodies thud]
[soldier 2 groans]
[soldier 3 yells]
[soldier 3 groans]
[Mu-jin groans]
No! Mu-jin!
[soldiers yell]
[Mu-jin yells]
[gasps]
-[Jae-yi] Brother! -[yells]
Jae-yi!
-[Mu-jin yells] -[soldier 4 groans]
-[Mu-jin grunts] -[gasps]
[stirring music continues]
[groans]
[Jae-yi] No! You cannot!
[swords clashing]
It… it is a relief.
Now, at last,
my heart is free.
I may go
without the fear
that you would never forgive me for what I have done.
You cannot die, brother.
With that word,
I can be at peace once again.
When you call me that,
I feel such joy.
I've craved nothing more.
I am sorry for wanting and dreaming
beyond that.
[whimpers] I cannot let you die.
[whimpers]
The master will survive this. The Soul Reaper is here.
I hope you will escape safely.
[Jae-yi] Brother.
-Always. -Let me help you. [breathes shakily]
[man 1] Come with us. You must leave now.
[stirring music continues]
[door opens]
[men gasp]
Go! Hurry! This way.
Come.
-[man 2] What is it? -[man 3] There are children in here.
[men grunt]
[man 3] One, two, three, pull!
[children whimper]
-Come with us! -Come now!
[stirring music continues]
[breathes weakly]
In-hoe.
I came too late.
I am sorry, my friend.
[music fades]
[gentle ballad plays]
[Hongrang breathes shakily]
-[Mu-jin groans] -[man] Master!
I shall carry you.
Bu-yeong.
Yes?
Let us rest a while.
Of course.
My sister
was worried, was she not?
I told her you would survive your injury and that she need not worry.
You did well.
As always.
Your presence
has always been loyal and true.
Could you serve her
as you have served me all these years?
I would be honored, my lord.
Then my heart is glad.
Thank you.
I will leave you now.
[Bu-yeong] Where will you be going?
[Mu-jin] Some place far away.
Back to
more glorious days.
That is where
I shall remain
for all eternity.
[gentle ballad continues]
[Bu-yeong] Young master! Do you hear me?
Mu-jin? [cries]
[music fades]
[breathes heavily]
[Hongrang gasps]
[breathes shakily] Jae-yi!
-[tense music plays] -[soldier 1 groans]
-[Hongrang grunts] -[soldier 2 groans]
Jae-yi!
[dramatic music plays]
Take the children to safety.
I will follow you very soon.
Go.
[eerie high-pitched ringing]
[man 1] Hurry, children! We're almost there.
[man 2] Stay together and follow us, quickly!
[eerie high-pitched tone]
[breathes shakily]
Not yet. Not yet.
[panting]
[man 1] Come, come, come.
This way.
[dramatic music continues]
[music fades]
[breathing heavily]
I have longed for your return.
But, child,
why so much anger in your creator's presence?
Why this persistent hatred in your eyes?
You are no doubt acting with a blinding ignorance
and willful misunderstanding.
[haunting music plays]
[Hongrang] Why did you do
such heinous things
to me and all the others?
My intention to attain
a higher existence is not driven by selfish aspirations or cruel ambition.
My birthright, my destiny,
is to be the people's vessel.
Only when I have transformed to a true god
will the world rise to its purest ideal of existence.
[foreboding music plays]
You are a royal fool,
imbued with his own distorted madness.
A spoiled good-for-nothing
who invented a twisted delusion to erase his worthlessness.
You tortured innocent children because of your own sense of inferiority--
How dare you loose your tongue?!
-How dare you pretend you are a god?! -[gasps]
How could you be so foolish?
How could you be so arrogant?
You were but useless scrap before being put into my hands.
I was the one who saved you from the filth into which you were born.
You were nothing more than vermin,
destined to rot like foul-smelling trash, a lowly rat!
I repurposed you into a glorious being.
Do you not see the honor of being chosen?
[Hongrang] Not once
was I ever able to breathe without feeling pain
or fall asleep without constant fear.
And not once did I truly laugh or cry to my heart's content.
I often wished to die and end the suffering.
With the others.
You took our souls while we lived.
[breathes shakily]
I took it all.
I own every one of you.
How could I not capture your spirit?
You will be released soon.
Once I have finished recreating my paintings.
[sword slices]
[blood squelches]
Try to paint now.
[music fades]
[Hongrang grunts]
[dramatic music plays]
Oh… no!
[grand prince wails]
No! My hands!
[Hongrang grunts]
[grand prince wails]
[soldier groans]
[strains]
[dramatic music continues]
[grand prince breathes shakily]
Even if I were to leave this world…
do you think this would end?
I have etched my royal spirit onto the canvas that covers you.
The essence of your creator
will live on as you will.
What is more,
as long as my masterpieces representing virtue and infinitude remain alive,
a god destined to inherit the great cause will one day reappear.
I will never cease to be a ruler in this universe!
My legacy will carry on wherever you are!
-[roars] -[groans]
[music stops]
[groans softly]
[somber music plays]
[grand prince groans] No. I… will not… allow it…
[grand prince groans]
[music fades]
[exhales]
[gentle music plays]
[breathes shakily]
[sighs]
[chuckles softly]
[chuckles]
[gentle music continues]
[coughs]
[breathes shakily]
[music fades]
[breathes deeply]
[gentle music resumes]
[breathes deeply]
[gasps]
[breathes shakily]
[Hongrang panting]
[gentle music swells]
[breathes shakily]
[Jae-yi exhales]
Loving you changed my life.
After I had completed my mission, I had planned to end my own life as well.
I thought that this filth must be torn off or burned away.
I believed I was condemned by the shame of it.
That I had to die
in the hopes of feeling human again.
[Jae-yi breathes shakily]
[music fades]
[gentle music plays]
Your love changed all of that.
I know I can live with these scars.
Your love made me human.
And has let me become a man.
[gentle music continues]
This night seems much longer than usual.
[Hongrang exhales]
I wonder when morning will come again.
[cries]
The sunrise will find us.
You might want to rest.
You must be tired, my love.
What if my eyes do not want to open?
I would not want to sleep too long and keep you waiting.
Do not worry.
You may take a stroll into your dreams,
but if I feel that you have wandered too far,
I will call you…
and you will return to my side.
Jae-yi…
I can no longer see you.
Know that I am with you,
holding you.
The black of night has closed in.
You are all that exists in the world.
Only
your presence feels stronger now.
When something is hidden from us,
it is not necessarily gone.
It is just like how you cannot make out the stars on rainy nights.
We know they are there looking down on us, as always.
When I miss the stars,
I will tell myself that I am simply weathering a long rainy season.
All I will ask of you
is please come back to me.
Be guided back to my side by them
on a clear, lovely night.
[wheezes]
I will.
Where?
Where should I go now?
Where your heart calls you.
As I will do also.
Where is that?
Right here at your side.
Here, where you are with me.
Just the two of us.
I am glad.
We are both where we are supposed to be.
[music fades]
We just need to…
be at peace like this.
[emotional ballad plays]
[Hongrang] Like this?
What should we do one day?
There are so many new things that we have not had time to discover yet.
What should we do first? Perhaps a boat ride?
Because the weather is beautiful.
Maybe go for a night stroll
on a long stone-walled path and wish upon the moonrise.
Hm?
And I want to swing.
So push me as high as you possibly can.
And…
[emotional ballad continues]
[cries]
We will make aster leaf rice together. The leaves are in season.
We will find a place to eat in the forest.
In the evening, we can lie down on the wooden porch
and talk about everything.
Then…
[emotional ballad continues]
[sobs]
[sobbing continues]
2 YEARS LATER, SPRING
[music fades]
[tranquil music plays]
[Yeon-ui] Where is Hongrang?
I want to see my son.
Why is he taking so long to return?
Where has he gone off to again?
He will come to you soon.
Your son is on his way home.
Where is Hongrang?
I wonder
when is that boy going to return?
Soon.
Your son will be coming back to you soon.
[Yeon-ui chuckles]
You want to try to hold it closer.
Don't squeeze too hard. Look.
[child 1] Try to catch me!
[tranquil music continues]
[child 2 giggles]
[child 3] It's my turn to count!
[child 4] You have to count to at least ten this time.
[child 3] I'm counting now!
One, two, three, four…
Hello, little one.
[child 5] Cheater!
[laughter]
[tranquil music continues]
[Hongrang] I am right on your sleeve now.
Look at this.
Look at this flower and remember
that I am by your side.
[music fades]
[footsteps approach]
[Hongrang] Jae-yi.
There you are.
[emotional ballad plays]
IN MEMORY OF PARK ZI-A
[gentle ballad plays]
[music fades]