Original subtitles

[This is a work of fiction. Characters, incidents, settings, titles, and content have no relevance to real life.]

I deeply apologize to inform you...

But there is something you must know, Your Highness.

Subtitles by the Anti-marriage Ban Minions @ Viki

King! W-W-Where is that girl right now?

Grandmother.

That girl called So Rang!

How could such a swindler like her enter this place with her evil intention?

What do you mean, swindler?

That cannot be true.

Up until now, that bitch has been completely fooling you, my King.

Due to the upcoming Queen Selection process,

I know that you hold many concerns regarding her since she is close to me.

And what if this Grandmother is not wrong?

Will you get rid of her, then?

Make your choice, King.

If she is to never return to the palace,

I will overlook her crime of deceiving the King.

However, if she dares crawl back into the palace,

I will be sure to behead her.

I heard about everything.

That you don't have any spiritual power.

Was that all a lie, too?

That you could channel the spirit of the Crown Princess who passed?

What did you...

just say?

All of that...

was a lie?

Since when and up to what point did you lie, exactly?

Your Majesty...

So Rang,

you cannot return to the palace anymore.

There is nothing else for you to report.

One thing, though.

Escort So Rang like a shadow so she may not be hurt

and continue to protect her.

Yes, Your Majesty.

♫ On this night, where even the moon is asleep ♫

♫ Where are you headed in such a rush? ♫

♫ A night where you're headed on a long journey without even a word ♫

♫ Where are you going in such a rush? ♫

♫ Like a fool, I am still unable to let go of you ♫

Just where did everything go wrong?

In the very beginning...

when I met His Majesty?

When I lied to His Majesty about channeling spirits?

You do have a spirit on you.

Perhaps seeing His Majesty in such a state, and when I wanted to

alleviate things just a bit?

If not... was it when I started swindling to make a living?

Just where did everything go wrong?

In the very beginning... when we captured So Rang?

When I brought So Rang... to His Majesty's presence?

Or perhaps when I started becoming curious...

about who So Rang is?

If not... was it when I went to get a glimpse of my bride?

You should get going, too.

I will continue to nurse the Old Man.

But things are hard for you, too.

You haven't even eaten.

I'm very sorry... to you as well.

[Born Sul Ro Romance]

Deok Hoon, do you smell something burning?

The burning of a masterpiece*! (Sounds like wood for burning in Korean)

This is daebak, I say!

Finally, the time has come to fulfill our purpose.

But if we say it's Painter Jung's new work,

everyone will expect to see lots of skin.

Yet everyone in here is clean and fully clothed.

It is a masterpiece encompassing the deeply rooted grudges and sorrows

of the Born Sul Ro living within the Forbidden Marriage era.

This time around, let us go with its literary quality.

Literary quality. Very well.

Regardless, this is daebak!

Daebak, indeed.

Painter Jung, this is daebak!

Aigoo, aigoo. Oh, my.

Have you heard?

If you bite down on a kitchen knife in the lavatory at midnight and stare at your face through the mirror,

you can see the face of your future wife.

So I tried it last night...

And? Did you see something?

Just a moth...

A moth wife is not so bad.

At least, it will come running to me should I turn on the lights.

If you visit the Shaman house in the upper village, they say they will hold a wedding for souls.

- Should we try that? - A ghost bride is not that bad, either.

You cannot see her, but she exists.

Aigoo. I wonder if my wife is even born.

- Frustrating. So frustrating. - Frustrating, yes.

Moth wife? Ghost wife?

What's with him?

Would you still be frustrated even after seeing this?

Aigoo, I am busy! So busy!

Just what is this?

What is this?

Let's see...

What the...

[Popularity Ranking]

[Born Sul Ro Romance]

[Born Sul Ro Romance]

[Born Sul Ro Romance]

Of course, Painter Jung's new work must definitely be placed higher.

When is the next volume coming out?

Is this what heaven's fun feels like?

Look through it quickly.

What the... How can he end it here?

Oh, no!

The second volume. Give me the second volume.

If you wait, you can read it for free.

I cannot wait any longer. I will happily pay for it!

If you want the second volume, come to Shinwoong Temple on the 15th.

Shinwoong Temple... You mean a Buddhist temple?

It looks a bit difficult for you, right?

You think I can't climb rocks at this rate?

I informed the Great Queen Dowager about that wench being a swindler

and I was able to kick her out of the palace, but...

if a full-blown investigation ensues about this, things will get difficult.

Because among that girl's lies,

there is some truth to it.

As to why she had hidden her name until now.

With the Queen Selection process upon us,

we cannot spoil our plans.

We have never kept a woman

who was next to the King

alive, not even once.

Old Man, let's take your medicine.

So Rang! Leave me and run away from here!

Hurry!

Old Man.

- How can I leave you behind? - Your Highness,

if they chase you to the mountains, head toward the ocean!

Hurry!

Now!

Seriously...

Why is he like that again?

Quickly, make your escape!

Quickly!

So Rang.

Are you okay?

What happened?

What is that?

- Go check it out. - Yes, sir!

There are people!

What about the woman who was with me?

My daughter is taking care of her.

There's an extremely slim chance, but...

upon great shock or trauma,

once paralyzed nerves may come back to life.

What happened?

So Rang.

Did you, by chance...

What were you thinking! Jumping in like that...

You can't even use your arms! What if you had died?

Why would I die?

You...

What happened to your arm?

Your arm... You can move it again?

Shin Won!

My goodness!

It's okay.

- It's going to be okay now. - Come on!

Really.

What should I do if His Majesty returns to his previous state?

Your Majesty.

Are you healthy and peaceful?

I must.

Without fail.

Whenever they killed those women,

that is what they were hoping for.

That I may not be healthy and peaceful.

After enduring my crumbling emotions over and over again,

I think I finally know.

Why So Rang had to lie.

To bring me to my senses back then,

the very least she had to do was use deceit.

Is it really you, Crown Princess?

That she did not start this deceit with bad intention,

I am very well aware.

You have to let go of me,

so that I can depart from this world.

If it were not for those words,

she would not have been able to move my heart.

In order to help my fallen self

get back on my feet.

To help my broken self

be put back together and live.

I will go beat up that ghost and come back.

So you may enjoy your meals.

In all of So Rang's actions,

her heart for my well-being was embedded within.

Because I realized that fact,

I have grown to love her.

Your Majesty.

A letter has arrived from outside the palace.

Are you awake now?

My name is Sung Hwa Yoon.

And this is my home.

His Excellency Sung, her father,

is the one who rescued us.

Really?

Thank you, My Lady.

Those who were involved in this incident

are currently under the impression that you are now dead.

What?

I thought it would be safer to let it be known that way.

So I let it be.

I sent a letter regarding this separately to Aedaldang.

So, I'm now a dead person?

If the situation is that dangerous,

how about the two of you stay here in our home?

- Pardon? - Think about it.

No one would ever imagine that

you are staying at my house.

Though we are grateful for your offer,

we cannot be of such inconvenience to your family.

Not too long ago, something terrible almost happened to me as well.

I do not wish such a thing to happen to you, My Lady.

What is going on...

Greetings.

My name is Wang Bae.

And I am Oh Deok Hoon.

I am Painter Jung, the one who created this work.

Today, we plan to distribute to you all...

volume 2 of Born Sul Ro Romance!

Volume 2!

Volume 2, volume 2, volume 2, volume 2!

Volume 2, volume 2, volume 2, volume 2, vol-

Wow!

I waited so long for this!

- Let me see... - Aigoo.

But why are you distributing all this for free?

Within all of us,

we share the same type of pain.

I once knew a friend

who passed away after a lonely one-sided love.

When it was his time to go,

he said his one great regret...

was the unfulfillment

of his love.

Though all of you wish for a happy ending for the main characters of this story,

it will not be easy during the Forbidden Marriage era of Joseon.

What do you mean?

Then, are you saying this story ends without the two lovers being together?

Why are we even reading this, then?

What we must change...

is our future, not the ending of this story!

We must convey our sentiments to the government and rid of this Forbidden Marriage Edict.

We must go and secure our rights!

I, too...

want to be in a relationship!

Me, too!

I want to be in love!

I, too, want to be happy!

- Me, too. Me, too. - Yes, me, too.

Me, too! Me, too!

Me, too!

United under the name of Born Sul Ro Group,

let us communicate our eager intentions to the government!

- That is right! - Yes, that is right!

♫ Not able to take a husband ♫

♫ Not even able to take a wife... ♫

It is the seventh year of the Forbidden Marriage Edict.

Strange writings are covering the walls,

and children are running about singing a strange folk song.

During a time of harvesting crops in the fall, snow fell, and frost developed instead.

- Exhausted from the seven-year Edict, your people's... - All because of the grudges of the Sul Ro people.

protests are widely spread in this capital city.

For the comfort and stability of your people,

please end this Forbidden Marriage Edict.

Please lift this restriction!

Please lift this restriction!

Please lift this restriction!

Your Highness.

Are these all petitions to end the Forbidden Marriage Edict?

Yes, Your Highness.

Aigoo...

Where is the King right now...

Aigoo...

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty, you must not be like this.

Make it worse.

The Great Queen Dowager approaches.

Oh, Grandmother!

Aigoo, my King.

My King. Aigoo, how did you become such a doggone loser?

What do you mean, doggone loser...

- Aigoo, aigoo. - Let us go.

Aigoo, aigoo, aigoo. Aigoo, what to do!

Your Highness, it is best to return at a later time...

Some people never change.

To have the King have his head on straight during such critical times

would be of no use to us.

Instead of worrying about over there,

all we need to do is proceed with what we had planned.

Just why is the King like that?

Is it because I expelled that child?

Is that something to drive him to want to die like that?

Someone may think that this Grandmother is killing her grandson!

That girl...

While she was outside the palace,

she lost her life.

I am talking about the girl named So Rang.

I didn't e-expel her to have her killed...

There were some people who were preying on her life.

As you are well aware,

all the women by the King's side during the last seven years were eventually...

Even this time around,

is it the work of those same people?

For it is difficult to kill her within the palace walls,

it seems they were waiting for the opportunity to have her cast out.

There is something you must know, Your Highness.

Your suspicions were correct, Your Majesty.

By manipulating the Great Queen Dowager,

someone attempted to cast out So Rang from the palace.

What do you think was the reason they manipulated the Great Queen Dowager?

It was most likely to take control

this nation's Queen Selection process.

They repeatedly murdered inside the palace for the last seven years

and extended the Forbidden Marriage Edict.

Even for this Queen Selection,

do you think they will let the royal family choose whom they want?

First, thoroughly investigate those near the Great Queen Dowager.

I shall follow your orders.

But are you going somewhere?

Once a few more things are taken care of,

no longer will there be a need for the kidnapping business.

What?

In the world of Forbidden Marriage,

it was a profitable business.

But in the new world,

we should look for a new way to make money.

With the Investigation Bureau rummaging about,

better to disband the organization

and leave no corroborative evidence behind.

Once the hunting days are over,

will there be a reward?

Why? Do you think that I would devour my own hunting dog?

Rest assured.

I will give you a new position.

We will fill the spot for the new member of the royal family.

What is there to worry about?

Just focus on the remaining work.

Is it okay to walk around at night like this?

Apparently, the kidnappers only pick ladies from elite families.

Not sure. I heard we're fine.

I'm sure no one from the Women's Association has been kidnapped.

Is that so?

See you tomorrow.

Why did you want to see me?

I received your letter.

You said So Rang is safe without any injury?

I thought you might be deeply upset.

I'm not upset at all.

Is your hand okay?

That's a relief.

The first thing I did since I could start

using my hand was writing to you.

You should've included that in the letter, too, then.

Did I...

hurt you?

No.

I turned away without doing my duty to my king.

I'm the one who betrayed you.

So I'm the one who should feel hurt.

Please do not care for someone like me.

The greed I dared hold onto

and the promise I could not keep...

I shall never be forgiven for that.

You never understand my feelings, even now.

My apologies, Your Majesty.

Come back if you are sorry.

It might have been easy for you to

let go of me, but I do not...

find that easy.

Come back to me and

be by my side.

Do I...

have the right to miss His Majesty?

There you were.

My Lady.

My Lady!

They'd stop your tears.

It's really waking me up!

When it feels like everything's your fault,

take a bit of them.

It's not that it feels like it's all my fault.

It really is all my fault.

My Lady.

I'm a swindler.

When I was swindling around trying to survive,

I didn't even feel guilty.

But I ended up

hurting someone seriously.

It was even...

someone who really loved me.

That's why I'm being punished right now.

So...

I should certainly not be able to see him anymore.

But so shamelessly,

I keep wanting to see him.

I don't think you're a bad person.

If you really had bad intensions,

you wouldn't cry quietly every night.

It's just...

all my fault.

Is it your fault that you almost died from falling off a cliff?

Is it your fault that you had to hide here because of that?

I think you're putting too much energy into blaming yourself.

Don't blame me. It's all these things' fault.

My Lady, this is...

Where are you going?

I think someone who needs to talk to you is waiting.

What were you doing?

Nothing.

I wanted to hide alone and cry a bit,

but I couldn't.

I think...

that Lady is on another level.

Not as much as you.

She's a different breed than me.

She's kind of...

subtly unique.

Where have you been, by the way?

I...

met with His Majesty.

I see.

Well...

What did he say?

He told me to come back to the palace.

Did you say you will?

No.

But it really woke me up.

I didn't even think about what was good for His Majesty.

I don't think I understood how you and His Majesty felt.

I told you last time.

That we should stop being friends.

But...

I think I could really be friends this time.

Why...

all of a sudden?

Being by His Majesty's side suits you better.

That made me think...

that I need to take you with me.

To the place...

where you can smile.

You know.

I can't anymore.

I think I'd only be satisfied to see you happy.

That way,

I think I could be happy, too.

What do you say?

Don't you think I'm a good friend now?

What's the deal?

You stopped being my friend, and now you want to make up.

We're friends again, okay?

♫ From a slight breeze carrying the warmth I sought ♫

Try cutting me off again.

I won't take you back then.

Fine.

Aigoo.

Thank you, Madam.

I told you, I'm not married!

Marriage is forbidden. Stop calling me a married woman.

Where are the people who used to frequent here?

One of them...

will drift apart from me.

Because he couldn't have my heart.

And...

the other one is...

Is true love someone who makes you happy do death,

or is it someone you feel like you'd die without them?

Which one is it?

There are things you only feel when you're detached.

Love is the sense of longing.

I don't know.

Romance novels make it seem so easy.

But why is it so hard in real life?

Does a corner of your heart

feel warm toward someone?

Where does your heart lead to?

You are?

Yes.

Apparently, I was chosen as a candidate for the selection.

But I won't be chosen.

I almost got kidnapped once.

So I have a scar on my face.

Also, there's a favorable candidate.

Ye Hyun Seon, the eldest daughter of the Minister of General Affairs.

Apparently, she is the most likely one to become the queen.

Is it okay to walk around at night like this?

Apparently, the kidnappers only pick ladies from elite families.

I heard we're fine.

I'm sure no one from the Women's Association has been kidnapped.

Is that so?

See you tomorrow.

I think the fact that you almost got kidnapped

has to do with the Women's Association.

By Women's Association...

It's a group started by Lady Seo, the wife of the Minister of General Affairs.

They train young women who aspire to become the queen.

But apparently, the kidnappers avoid the women from the Women's Association.

Isn't that so strange?

To put it differently,

the women who qualify for the selection

who are not part of the Women's Association are being kidnapped.

And all of that is...

the effort to make Lady Seo's daughter the queen.

She took my name

to do such a thing?

You told me...

not to blame myself for something I'm not guilty of.

Shin Won.

I have only been running away all this time.

Also...

I even knew they killed my mother,

and they tried to kill me

no matter what it took.

But I was...

busy running away.

But...

I can't take it anymore.

I am...

the real Ye Hyun Seon.

I need to ask you a favor.

A fortuneteller of the Physiognomy Division predicted the time of arrival.

[October 9, 7-11 a.m.] He concluded that the maidens will enter the palace around 7-11 a.m.

Tell the maidens from outside of Hanyang

to come to Hanyang the day before and wait.

One cannot dress extravagantly for the selection.

One should wear a yellow top and a red skirt,

but it cannot be made of silk with patterns on it.

One can powder her face,

but she cannot wear rouge.

You can't wear that!

I'll see them as they are.

Throughout the entire selection process,

there cannot be a single mistake!

I will carry out your order.

How did she make the cut with that?

Give me, My Lady.

Was that bitch still alive?

I have a favor to ask you.

Please take me with you

as your servant for the selection.

Wow, you look beautiful.

Did you think I was dead, Hyun Hee?

Let's go, My Lady.

[Cheongyeonru Pavilion]

[Cheongyeonru Pavilion]

You must be nervous and

overwhelmed for coming here.

But I think knowing

how to stay calm at the moment like this

is a true characteristic of the queen.

[Butterflies that visit flowers]

I'll judge your level of patience

from the way you add stitches.

After you finish,

I'll be able to judge the woman's character

based on the insight and skills behind the work.

Hwa Yoon of the Sung family. Answer me.

What made you think you could enter the selection with a scarred face?

To be honest,

I almost got kidnapped about a month ago.

Does it mean that something bad could've happened?

Your family must have managed you poorly.

Thankfully, my father is gifted in martial arts.

So he defeated them right away.

We select the best maiden of Joseon here and now.

Even a small flaw cannot be tolerated.

Hyun Seon of the Ye family. Answer me.

What do you think?

Pardon me for speaking,

but if you collected enough good karma,

bad things avoid you, as I heard.

Since I was about to see the eldest member of the royal family,

I worried my actions might upset the palace.

So I avoided bad things and didn't listen to evil things.

I thought...

presenting the cleanest body and mind

is good manners.

However, this might be a competition,

but since she's a fellow woman who was brought here by heaven,

I...

would like to hide her flaw for her.

The scar on the face fades over time,

but the scar on the heart does not fade easily.

Thinking about how I could have been taken to a strange place by the kidnappers,

I still feel dizzy from fear,

but I do not think that was my fault.

What?

The kidnappers who were involved should be punished.

The victim is not at fault.

So my heart has not been flawed.

If so, what did you think this was about before you came?

It's easy to find flaws in one's appearance,

but it's difficult to find flaws in one's character.

I think that's why the country selects the queen in three rounds.

All the palace workers who participate in the selection are on our side,

but to be cautious, we need another option just in case.

Thank you for your hard work.

I thought you might get tired from working all day.

So I prepared some sweets.

Seeing how thoughtful you are,

makes me think highly of your lady, as well.

Soo Hyang!

Could you give me one, too?

Whose servant are you? How dare you behave so carelessly?

Do you not know that the servant's small actions could affect the owner's reputation?

If this servant bribed you,

you could judge her owner's action based on that, too.

Soo Hyang, whose servant are you?

I was kidding.

You can't call some sweets a bribe.

Right?

I'm happy to see that you put so much effort into them.

But I still need to pick the best one.

Anyone would agree that this is the best.

Whose work is this?

Read the name tag.

[Hyun Seon of the Ye family, Daughter of the Minister of General Affairs]

It's the eldest daughter of the Minister of General Affairs,

Hyun Seon of the Ye family.

[Hyun Seon of the Ye family, Daughter of the Minister of General Affairs]

Go ahead and stand up.

I have a lot to learn, yet you picked mine.

It's a great honor.

You're so humble, too.

I think something went wrong.

The maidens cannot speak unless they are asked a question.

It would be impolite to see his face.

Everyone, turn your head down.

Did he forget about the little old me?

Has he always been this out of reach?

♫ Because I am curious about you, because I miss you ♫

♫ Because I always want to see you ♫

Pardon?

They swapped their work with yours?

I'm usually not afraid to speak up,

but if I said the best one was mine,

I would've seemed weird in that situation.

It seemed like all the court ladies and servants were playing ignorant.

To be honest, I noticed something suspicious, too.

By the way, is it a white jade again?

She bribed her with that expensive white jade?

Yes, considering the situation,

I think a lot of court ladies accepted it.

Could there be a way to expose corruption?

Come back to me and be by my side.

Your Majesty.

[Young Sun of the Han family...]

These are the ones who made it to the second round of selection.

We're working so hard to select the queen.

But if His Majesty ignores the queen...

It'd be difficult to produce the heir again.

Grandmother, you came.

You must be busy picking the future granddaughter-in-law.

His Majesty, there will be a new member in the royal family soon.

You should not be looking like this, should you?

What can I possibly do?

It's already a rigged game, anyway.

What do you mean, rigged?

I know you're drunk,

but you should not speak that way.

I carefully selected these maidens myself.

Are you doubting me right now?

I'm doubting the ones around you, not you.

Apparently, they changed the ranking in the last selection, too.

Who did that, anyway?

How could you not know that everyone but you have been bribed?

There's no way my people would do that.

What if...

I'm not wrong?

Will you punish them?

Your Majesty.

Did you not say there cannot be any scandal in this selection?

I'll be the one to interrogate and I'll do the punishing as well.

Because they're my court ladies.

That's right. You should.

If so can I do the same, as well?

I'll interrogate them if they work in the palace,

and I'll punish them myself as well.

It's up to me to decide if they should be forgiven and

be reinstated, as well.

Is she alive?

Investigate all the court ladies' houses.

We need to find out who's behind the corruption of this selection.

I'll carry out your order.

Chief Royal Secretary.

There's someone we need to bring back to the palace.

Court Lady! Court Lady!

Court Lady!

Please don't!

Court Lady! Please don't do this!

Please forgive us!

Please don't do this

Court Lady!

No!

Please have mercy!

Please!

I'm Sul Sun Ho, who was appointed as the new officer

in charge of the Royal Guards.

Will you stay quiet even though there's evidence right here?

We do not know anything about it.

Someone snuck in and planted in our room!

A witness said you wore that jade hairpin when you were off duty.

Will you still continue to lie?

You're insulting His Majesty right now.

Do you need to be tortured to tell the truth?

- Get started! - Yes, sir!

I'll talk!

It's someone who's no longer at the palace.

The jade hairpin was given by Court Lady Won Nyeo!

What did you just say?

How dare you name someone who's not here?

Why did Court Lady Won give you the jade hairpins?

She said she had an urgent request later.

That's why she did it.

Do you know Won Nyeo's whereabouts?

Since she left the palace...

Since her name was mentioned,

we need to summon her to investigate.

No way!

Didn't she lie to distract the investigation?

That's why we need to prove her innocence by investigating.

Have you been well?

You should get ready to return to the palace.

Why all of a sudden?

His Majesty summoned you back.

♫ On this night, where even the moon is asleep ♫

He'll probably punish me.

♫ On a long journey without even a word ♫

I need to ask for forgiveness.

It'd be shameless to ask that,

but still...

But still...

♫ Like a fool, I am still unable to let go of you ♫

♫ I'm sorry ♫

♫ It's all my fault ♫

♫ Please see me even for a moment ♫

♫ How could I forget you ♫

♫ How could I erase you ♫

♫ You torment me in my dreams every night ♫

♫ How could you tell me to forget you ♫

Subtitles by the Anti-marriage Ban Minions @ Viki

♫ On a day where flower petals fall ♫

[The Forbidden Marriage]

I missed you.

I can never lose you.

We need to make sure to arrest all of them.

Is there anything I can do?

You can save me, can't you, Chief?

What's this?

Who put the sap in the teacup?

Put her in prison immediately!

Your Highness!

Do you know that we arrested the leader of the kidnappers?

How dare you go after me?

I can't relax even for a day.

Sometimes, you have to sacrifice yourself to reveal the truth.

♫ Every night... ♫