Original subtitles

Let go! Let go of me!

Father!

Let go!

What's the meaning of this?

You know your own crime!

Crime? Why are you trying to arrest an innocent man?

Silence!

You performed rituals worshipping Cho Kwang-jo and plotted treason!

You got the wrong man!

Who does this plaque belong to?

You should keep your ID plaque in a safer place.

- Take him away! - Yes, sir!

Father! No!

Where are you taking my father? No! Father! Father!

Go back inside. Go to your mother!

Father...!

Let's go!

Yes, sir!

Wait!

Why did you congregate at traitor Cho Kwang-jo's abandoned home?

We were only trying to comfort the soul of the deceased.

Is that a crime?

He is a criminal of high treason who violated the laws and coveted

the King's throne!

Master Cho Kwang-jo was a greatest teacher of tell ages.

The whole world knows that!

Silence! Your father Yi Bek-rok died uttering such blasphemy,

and now you tread his footsteps!

Do not utter my father's name in vain!

His name is not to be debased by men like you!

What?! Haven't you learned your lesson?

What are you waiting for? Shut him up!

- Continue the torture! - Yes, sir.

It's my fault. If I hadn't picked up that plaque...

No, it's not your fault.

Why did they take Father away?

Is he a bad guy? Is that why they took him?

Of course not. You know your father better than that.

Then why did they arrest him? Why?

Mother!

I told you, no!

But the must be starving in here.

I'll just drop this off and come right out.

He is not to be fed a drop of water!

And you want to deliver food? Ge out of there!

Then let us just get a glimpse of him. Let us see if he is okay.

I'd advise against it.

What do you mean? Did they hurt him?

Please let us see him. We must see him!

Please, sir!

- Go back home! - Please!

Let go of my arm!

Mother! Mother!

Oh no! Your father's breakfast is ruined...!

You must go to the schoolhouse now.

But how could I when Father is...

No, you must go. Your father wouldn't want you to miss school.

Hustle! Walk straight!

Let's go! Let's go! Hustle!

But that's...!

Is there someone you know among them?

It's Soon-shin's father.

Father! Father!

Get up and walk! You haven't had enough beating!

Don't hit him! Don't hit my father!

Step aside, boy! Get out of there!

Ge up and walk!

What are you trying to do?

Mother...

Don't get involved.

But my friend is in trouble.

What do you want?

Why are you hitting a child? He didn't do anything wrong!

Look at this audacious kid! Get out of here!

If you take another step, you won't go home in one piece either!

Let's go!

Is Kyun back yet?

No, Madam.

This is disturbing. He can't control his anger.

How could he intervene in such a dangerous situation?

If you admire a treasonist, you are treasonist as well.

Only fools would do this in this time and age.

In any case, we can't let our children study with a son of a traitor.

Don't you agree?

Why are you following me? I always go to the schoolhouse alone.

I have a letter from the Madam to deliver to the schoolmaster.

A letter?

Yes, young master.

This is for you, sir.

Okay.

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

We can't sit next to Soon-shin.

But he's one of us now.

My mother said I had to stay away from him.

His father is a traitor, so I can't be close o him.

He's a criminal who has been in jail.

What?! Did you just call my father a criminal?

My father is not a criminal!

You know he is, you son of a traitor!

Your father is a filthy traitor!

Stop this! Stop this now!

My father is not a traitor! My father is not a criminal!

You wish! Your father is a filthy traitor no matter what you say!

And you are a son of a traitor!

What is the meaning of this!

This is a schoolhouse! How dare you swing your fists at each other!

Soon-shin, how could you do this?

He called my father a traitor.

Are you trying to make excuses?

Master?

If you are not going to admit your wrongdoing, leave his

schoolhouse at once!

Master!

I will not teach a violent child like you! Go home!

Master...

Master, this was not a big fight. Soon-shin was...

Stay out of it!

What are you waiting for? Leave at once!

Where do you think you're going?

Take your seats and get ready for your lesson!

Open your books!

Why is he a traitor?

Soon-shin...

What is a traitor anyway? What is it?

You said Father was not a bad man!

Then why are they calling me a son of a traitor?

Don't do this in front of your father!

Why did you become a traitor, Father?

Why are you putting me through this? Why?

What's it going to be, Cap'n?

It's Soon-shin or me. Make your choice.

If you choose Soon-shin, you'll lose all of us.

We will never play with Soon-shin again.

What will it be? Make our choice!

Well, I guess you don't have to choose right this minute.

Let's go.

Mother!

Why are you so rough with the door?

What was in that letter to the schoolmaster?

You don't need to know.

Why were the mothers of my friends here the other day?

It doesn't concern you.

Soon-shin's father is a traitor, so we can't study with Soon-shin.

Is that what the mothers decided? Is that what was in that letter?

I want you to stay away from that boy as well.

Mother!

Slightest involvement with a traitor can get you in

great trouble these days. If you are seen with that

boy in a wrong way, you could get your father who holds

government office in trouble.

Mother!

What would happen to his clan if something should happen to your father?

Do you want that boy to destroy our family?

Didn't hurt? I'm sorry...

I was happy in a way.

It broke my heart to see your father being taken away, but

a part of me was relieved.

I though that your father had given up.

I feared he might live rest of his life meaninglessly as a highborn loafer.

Though right now he may roam the streets seemingly without purpose,

his spirit is still alive like a razor-sharp blade.

He is a man of all men who will not compromise his principles.

And when I realized that, I was proud and happy.

So don't be ashamed of your father.

Is this going to be too difficult for you?

If you don't feel up to it, I won't force you to go back

to the schoolhouse today.

No, Mother. I'm going to try.

Yes, that's my boy. Be strong!

Be proud and confident no matter what anyone says.

That's a real man.

Sung-ryong...

Let's go in. It's okay.

Soon-shin!

Are you worried about him?

What are you doing here?

Don't concern yourself.

What do you mean?

It's Soon-shin's life. There's nothing we can do.

Hey. Bookworm?

This "captain" stuff is all just fun and games anyway.

No one expects you to come to Soo-shin's rescue.

Get to the point. What are you telling me to do?

I'm sure the others kids are more important to you than Soon-shin.

But I am little disappointed.

I'm just a bookworm, but you are a captain.

How can you flip like that overnight?

Reading an excerpt from the teachings of Confucius.

Can you decipher that verse?

The Master said, "Admirable indeed was the virtue of Hui!

With a single bowl of rice, a single cup of water, and living

in on a neglected alley, while others could not have endured

the distress, he did not allow his joy to be affected by it.

Admirable indeed was the virtue of Hui!"

Open your books.

Master, why won't you ask?

Why Soon-shin is not coming to study, why he had to fight.

Shouldn't you be asking why?

Open your book, I said.

Your student is in trouble. Shouldn't you say something?

Keep your mind on your studies and open your book.

Are you going to reject Soon-shin?

Is it fair to punish a son for his father's wrongdoing?

Sung-ryong!

Then I will not attend this schoolhouse either.

What?!

You were the one who said books do not discriminate.

Were those just empty words?

How dare you try to lecture me!

I refuse to learn.

If memorizing empty words is all there is to learning,

if education does not allow me to help a friend in need, I quit!

Sung-ryong!

How dare he!

What are you doing?

Isn't it obvious? I'm leaving too.

And the reason is... what Sung-ryong said.

Hey, I thought you were just a bookworm, but I'm impressed!

Let's go! Soon-shin is probably dying to see us!

Hey!

You rascals, come back here!

Jung, a real man will die for his cause.

And that requires courage.

YI BEK-ROK Yi Soon-shin's grandfather

Keep your eyes tidy.

Straighten up our shoulders and be proud.

Your father is not a criminal.

They are killing off those who truly worry about the land

and allowing dogs to control the court...

They will surely scuffle in chaos and eventually bite the master.

The future is truly grim...

Obey the royal command!

Father...

What have you gained, Father?

What have you and Master Cho gained?

Nothing's changed, and I see no hope...

You were wrong, Father. You were wrong...

This world will not change.

You can't change this world with courage and will alone...

My husband was doing the proper thing as a scholar.

That depends on your perspective.

I do sympathize with your situation, but the world can be unkind.

Even if my husband was wrong to do what he did, why should that

affect his son?

It is your duty as his teacher to appease the situation.

Don't you agree?

I'm not in a very comfortable position either.

The other mothers are so adamant. Please understand.

Kyun and Sung-ryon have been truant for several day as well.

Just once, please?

No, I said!

It won't take very long.

I don't care! We have to study twice as much in times like this.

We will study hard when we come back!

I bet you'd like it if you come with us just once.

Where do you want to go so badly?

Eat.

Eat up.

Look at yourselves.

Each of you are holding your own bowl and eating your own meal.

You are responsible for your own future.

It is foolish to drown just because a friend is drowning.

That is neither loyalty nor courage.

Why are you so foolish, Kyun and Sung-ryong?

I'm sorry...

Would you like a glass?

May I?

Is there something you'd like to talk about?

I married you at the age of sixteen and lived in this

house all of these years.

My love and care went into every corner of this house.

You lived here your whole life, so I'm sure this house is even

more special to you.

Wife...

I'd like to leave the city.

I'd like to move to Ahsan.

We can't leave Hui-shin and Yo-shin by themselves forever,

and more importantly, I'm afraid Soon-shin will find

out about everything.

I'm afraid he will learn despair before he starts his life.

Soon-shin must be suffering because of me...

I do not mind. Do what you think is best.

It's tomorrow...

I'm going to miss you both...

You both sound like girls.

"I'm going to miss you both."

It's kind of muggy today. Why don't we go take a swim?

Good idea!

Lift up our head. Look at the sky.

Don't look down. Look p.

If you're scared, don't. It's dangerous.

He can do it.

Soon-shin, you can do it.

I know you can.

Kyun, what happened?!

He dove into the water.

You know what I mean! He's not coming back out!

He don't swim well either!

He'll come out when he runs out of breath.

Shouldn't we get him out?

Stop making a fuss. Be patient.

There he is!

What did I tell you? I knew he could do it!

Kyun! Sung-ryong!

Soon-shin, can you hear me?

You are not a coward!

You're a brave member of the Gunchun-dong Brigade!

You know that, don't you?

Thank you, my friends... Thank you both...

The kid is crying like a girl.

What?

Hey, there's something I've been wanting to find out.

What?

What are you doing?

Are you not doing it or are you not able to do it?

Do what?

This!

Soon-shin, you can't neglect your studies when you go to Ahsan.

Or we'll never be together again. Okay?

Okay. I'll study hard and pass the civil service examination.

Let's all take the civil service examination and meet

again at Sung-kyun Academy. Can you do it?

How far is Ahsan from here? If anyone tries to mess with

you come right over. I'll knock him out in one punch!

Okay.

Don't ever lose. Soon-shin and don't be afraid. Okay?

Always think that I am right behind you.

Then you won't be afraid of anyone.

Okay. I will I won't be afraid, Kyun.

Look!

Father, when are we coming back?

We may never come back.

An entire new world will be waiting for you in Ashan.

Erase this town from your memory.

It's for the best...

Soon-shin! Soon-shin!

Kyun! Sung-ryong!

This might be the last time. I may never come back.

Father told me to erase this place from my memory.

No, that won't happen. You will be back.

I promise you, we will meet again.

Of course! We can always go there to see you.

And you can come back alone when you are grown.

I'll write.

You will?

Of course. I promise.

Okay. I will be back. I really will.

I'll be back someday! Don't forget me!