All language subtitles for Io Island 1977

Ieodo

Original Novel: Yi Cheong-joon
Screenplay: Ha Yoo-sang

Cast: Lee Hwa-si, Kim Jeong-cheol

Park Jeong-ja, Park Am

Kwon Mi-hye, Choi Yoon-seok

Yeo Po, Ko Sang-mi, Lee Jeong-ae

Shon Young-soon
Yoo Soon-cheol, Kim So-jo

Han Se-hoon, Song Ueok
Kwak Gun, Hong Seong-joong

Lee Young-ho, Hong Seong-ho
Kang Ji-woong, Cha Myeong-hwa

Cinematographer: Jeong Il-seong
Gaffer: Seo Byeong-soo

Assistant Director: Lee Kwang-joo
Scripter: Nam Hye-seon

Assistant Cinematographer: Min Wan-gi
Yoo Yong-ok, Kim Dae-gi

Assistant Gaffer: Lee Heon-jae
Choi Jae-hoon, Kim Kwang-soo

Art Director: Lee Myeong-soo
Editor: Hyeon Dong-chun

Still: Hwang Tae-seong
Production Manager: Won Soo-nam

Music: Han Sang-gi
Theme Song: Heo Jeong-ja

Recordist: Lee Jae-woong
Effects: Kim Seok-ho
Development: Korean Natural Color Development Co.

Planning: Kim Byeong-ha

Producer: Lee Woo-seok

Director: Kim Ki-young

Is anybody in?

Who are you?

Where are those countless women divers
of this island?

There's no more seafood to harvest,
so they've all moved elsewhere.

You used to run a bar before, right?

Well, that was 3-4 years ago.

What happened to the young lady
who worked here with you?

Who? She's gone to the beach.
She'll back soon.

I'll look around the island.
Tell her I'll be waiting up on the hill.

My wife died without having a baby.

Here on this island
I feel the depth of her sorrow all over again.

About 4 years ago, I visited this small island
off the coast of Jeju Island.

Fettered by conventionality and exclusionism
this legendary island is reserved for women.

Apparently, it's uninhabited now.

But I hear there's a woman
who still remains here.

These days, even when your husband is away
on a business trip abroad,

you can store his frozen sperm
in our sperm bank.

That way, it's possible to try artificial insemination
during your ovulation periods.

Please make sure you visit the sperm bank
before your upcoming business trip.

After all, it's your fault
that I haven't been able to get pregnant.

Can frozen sperm survive for a long time?

Once, a trekker went missing in the Himalayas
for a whole year.

When his frozen body was found
his sperm was still alive.

As we're about to open a new hotel
on Jeju Island,

our manager of the Planning Department
has come up with an ingenious marketing strategy.

First, he'd like to explain the meaning
of the hotel's name, Ieoh Island.

Ieoh Island is a fantasy island
that appears in the folk legends of Jeju Island.

When fishermen die while out at sea

Ieoh Island takes in their spirits
and lets them enjoy immortality.

This helps establish
a firm view of life and death,

so that people can find the courage
to confront death.

Since our hotel is a paradise on earth
we'll call it Ieoh Island.

I'm hoping to promote it
the best way we can.

Tomorrow, we'll tie things up with the media
and depart from Jeju on our tourist ship.

As for the destination of this new tour
we'll announce it on board tomorrow.

I invite you all
to our secret voyage.

A Celebratory Voyage for the Opening
of Hotel Ieoh Island

Thank for all very much
for your interest.

It's time to reveal our destination,
which we've kept a secret until now.

This ship is going in search of
the legendary Ieoh Island.

Our destination is Ieoh Island.

This joyous occasion is shared

not just by us but by millions of people
listening to the broadcast!

Turn the ship around at once!

Hoteliers trampling on the sacred ground of Jeju
with their filthy shoes.

That's an insult to
the folk beliefs of Jeju Island.

Turn the ship around!
Turn it around now!

Is this ship heading for Ieoh Island?

In that case
I shouldn't have joined this trip.

Why is that?

Don't you remember the legend
that says you can't reach Ieoh Island before death?

Director,

the reporter from The Jeju Daily is
frantically trying to stop the ship.

He must be drunk.

He claims we'll all die
if we ever get to Ieoh Island.

Either by getting him more drunk
or shoving him into the sea, I'll sort it out.

Director!

Ieoh Island is meant to be a paradise of immortality,

so that can't possibly mean
we'll all die when we get there.

Just because we're looking for it
doesn't mean the legendary island will pop up.

People are so sensitive
that they're easily swayed in a new direction.

You're threatening me now.

He wants to throw me into the water
for interfering with his business.

I have many witnesses here.
You're plotting a heinous murder!

Shut up!

Let's have a drinking match to find out
who is right.

Whoever drinks more wins.

How bizarre. It's getting foggy suddenly.

How come the rudder feels so light?

Feels like the ship is floating in air.

The rudder has become heavy again.

I'm getting anxious.

Engine room! Check everything!

Where is the man you were drinking with?
I don't see him anywhere.

He was here just a moment ago.

One man has vanished into thin air.
He's nowhere to be found.

Please turn the ship around.
A passenger has fallen into the sea.

An accident at last.

The currents are too fast.
He must've been swept away already.

Hello.
Investigation unit at the Jeju Police Station.

That case hasn't been concluded yet.

According to the other passengers
you're the one who killed Cheon Nam-seok.

Did you hold a grudge against him?

That drunken man lost his footing
and fell into the sea,

or he must've killed himself.

We'll decide what happened.

Director Yang from the newspaper is here.

Welcome, Director.

Is he the one
who murdered our reporter?

Be careful what you say.

If anything, I fell prey to
Cheon Nam-seok's scheme.

A scheme!
Don't slander the deceased.

So he had a motive to kill Cheon.

Absolutely.

This man came up with the name Ieoh Island
for the new hotel.

Cheon Nam-seok became furious
that they were using that symbolic name

for a tacky hotel aimed at foreign tourists.

So he did everything in his power
to persistently get in their way.

He pushed me into a corner!

The murderer's got a lot of guts.
I'm off now.

I have a report from Cheon Nam-seok's island.

It says his family fell victim to the water ghost
for 3 generations in a row.

Now that he's been taken too,
the whole island is frightened.

What's going on now?
Did they request an arrest warrant or not?

Cheon Nam-seok's been murdered!

You keep accusing me of murder
but I've been acquitted of all charges.

Still, a murder is a murder.

I've had to quit my job
because of what happened.

But I won't back down.
Did Cheon Nam-seok kill himself?

Or was he taken by the water ghost
like the islanders claim?

Leave the islanders out of it.

Cheon Nam-seok commuted
from a nearby island, didn't he?

I mean that closed island of women divers
full of legends and strange customs.

Even in modern times,

the island observes ancient customs,
upholding tradition.

I must find out the truth.

Will you take me there please?

If a murderer turns up on the island,
he could get beaten to death.

I'd rather die than turn back
without proving you wrong.

You're coming with me, right?

No way!

Are we going to the same island?
We hardly ever get visitors there.

We work for a newspaper.
We're hoping to find a news item.

Is Cheon Nam-seok's house
in the village?

The village takes up one half of the island,
and the other half is covered in rocks.

His house is on top of the rocks.

Thank you.

By the looks of her light hair,
she's a woman diver worn out by the sea.

Her lung capacity must be 3 times greater
than that of the average man.

Women divers can stay underwater for 5 minutes.

In winter sea, an ordinary man would die
within just 10 minutes.

But women divers can work all day long
in the same situation.

If you want to find out all about Cheon
you should visit the shaman.

You'll find many widows there.

Who is that woman?

She's the one and only barmaid in the village.
She's crazy about newspapers.

The problem with this island is
that there are no men here.

Women raise their daughters
to become divers.

But sons must be sent away
to live on land.

That's the custom here.

You need to go that way.

Oh, I see.

Let's go.

We're here.
The shaman is waiting for you in the backyard.

They've arrived.

I put all my effort into
fending off evil spirits.

Even though you're from the newspaper
you can't nose around.

This man is responsible for the tourist ship
that carried Cheon Nam-seok.

I was interrogated by the police
on suspicion of murder.

Then I heard about the strange history
of the Cheon family.

So I'm here to see
if anything caused his death indirectly.

Where was the tourist ship headed?

After departure,
we suddenly changed course to Ieoh Island.

Ieoh Island?

First of all, I must tell you about
the frightening curse

that haunted the Cheon family for years.

Every time they lost a family member
I performed an exorcism for them.

Here, take this.

You're back.

Yeah.

Did you have a good haul today?

Honey, even if we remove all the stones
will we ever be able to farm this land?

There are no fields or paddies here.

That's why men die while fishing
and women die while diving.

Do you think men of this island fear death?

If we go fishing and
die while out at sea

Ieoh Island will call forth our spirits
and invite us into paradise.

Don't say that!

I'll never let our Nam-seok become
another water ghost of Ieoh Island.

Men of this island are destined to die at sea.

We won't die surrounded by you stifling women.

No way!
I'll never make a fisherman out of Nam-seok.

Father, does Ieoh Island really exist?

It's the faith of all fishermen.

After death
we fishermen are promised

the most peaceful and abundant paradise
we can imagine.

Have this.
I've kept it especially for you.

I can't eat
with you staring at me like that.

About 20 years ago,
when I was your age,

my late mother-in-law
gave me rice cake in this kitchen.

She asked me to marry her son
and give birth to a boy.

Then she tattooed my arm
and we swore an oath.

She left everything to me,
and hung herself the next day.

Now, it's our turn.

It's an oath between two women.

You have something on your face.

Stop being so cheeky!

Honey! Honey!
Darling, where are you going?

If you're in your right mind,
take a look at the sea, darling.

What's all the fuss about?

Dark clouds are gathering.

No need to worry.

The sea weather is ever so fickle.
It's no worse than usual.

I'll come back with a full load of fish tomorrow,

and buy new skirts for the women.
What do you say, Nam-seok?

When you're in the middle of the sea
you'll regret not listening to me.

Honey! Honey!

The waves are getting bigger.

We must send our men off to land quickly.

Mother is timid because she's a woman.

There's no place for men on this island.

As soon as a man has a child
he must be sent off to land.

That's the fate of women divers.

But don't fishermen end up on Ieoh Island
and live happily ever after?

If you die at the hands of the water ghost
you'll only become food for fish.

I'm safe if I stay clear of the sea, right?

What are you talking about?

The water ghost of Ieoh Island
takes people from their own houses.

This family is cursed.
Five generations of men have been sacrificed.

I'm worried about your father tonight.

I need to get going. Please walk me home.

Yes, go on.

Nam-seok!

Father!

Mother, Father is back!

Honey! Honey!

Honey, oh my.

Oh dear, what happened? Tell me.

I survived a violent storm
by tying myself up on the broken mast.

But the others just swam away.

Where to?

In the storm,
we suddenly spotted Ieoh Island.

What?

The other fishermen swam towards it
with all their might.

Honey, don't look at the sea.

Those who lay eyes on Ieoh Island
are bound to meet their death.

You must leave this island
as soon as possible.

You must depart soon.
Alright, darling?

Let us all get some sleep now.
You'll set off as soon as dawn breaks.

But he has to cross the sea to get to land.
Is that okay?

You father will get on the ship
blindfolded.

If he sees the water ghost waving at him
he'll jump into the sea.

I'll be fine.

They've taken all my ancestors.

But not me!

Why don't you lie down?

I've tried to pack everything.
There's nothing to throw away.

At this rate, he'll end up
dumping things on the road.

People say that a blue light
can be seen from our house.

Really?
The ghost has got to us already!

Mother, look at that lamp.

Honey, where are you? Honey!

Give me back my husband.
Please give him back!

Nam-seok, the water ghost
has run off with your father!

Give me back my husband.
Give him back!

You damn ghost! Give me back my husband!
Give me back my husband! Give him back!

Give him back right now! I want him back!
You bloody water ghost! Give my husband back to me!

Mother!

Mom?

Mother! Mom! Mother! Mom!

Please eat something.

You can't go without food.

We should be more concerned
about the living than the dead.

I watched the whole thing from the start.
But I still don't understand anything.

According to my mother,

you'd better run away quickly
before the water ghost comes back for you.

I've given all my money to the shaman
for the funeral.

I'm going to keep my promise
to your late mother.

Leave it to me.
I'm gonna steal some money from my mother's closet.

Don't!

Nam-seok!

Minja! Over here!

Did you bring it?

Yes, here.

What are you doing?

You stay on this island.

What am I supposed to do with you?
It's difficult enough on my own.

Take me with you. I'll die otherwise.

If we go together, we'll both starve to death!

Coward! Are you scared of that?
I'd rather we starved together!

Wait for me. I'll come back for certain.
I'll return as a grown man.

You mustn't come back.
You'll become a water ghost here.

I'll come back no matter what.

I don't believe you.

Take my word for it.

Just kill me before you go.

My mom is gonna kill me
for stealing her money.

I'll be back. I'll come back for you.

Please don't! Don't ever come back.

Help! Help me!

Help! Help me!

After that, Minja never went near the sea again.

Later, her family went bankrupt and fell apart.
We don't know what became of them.

So Cheon Nam-seok ran away from the island,

but he came back to fall prey
to the water ghost, did he?

Let's stop talking about ghosts.

People of the 20th century are wicked enough
to kill anyone who gets in the way.

I'm sure you people are the culprits.

As for Cheon Nam-seok's dead body
the shaman will bring it back from Ieoh Island.

Ma'am, my sow is in heat.
Please let me mate it with your boar pig.

It'll have to wait.

Should we go?
I'll show you to Cheon Nam-seok's house.

It's the house on the mountaintop
that looks like a matchbox.

What's she doing down there?

She's driving away seagulls.

In this kitchen, Cheon Nam-seok's mother
sat Minja down,

and asked the girl to give her a grandchild
as her last wish.

Her mother-in-law tried to carry on
the family's accursed name.

But her daughter-in-law failed to fulfill her promise.

How come people remain on this island
knowing that the water ghost will get them one day?

There's no point in running off to land.
They'll be drawn back here by a fearful force.

They're deceiving themselves.

But since the day of my grandmother
the water ghost's been helpless against exorcisms.

For this family, I've been able to retrieve
all their corpses from the sea.

I'll now do the same
for Cheon Nam-seok's dead body.

How could a shaman be scared of ghosts!
That was close.

Anyway, go and look for other men.
They're all leaving this island.

The whole island is weeping.

This is why there are no men left on this island.
Only women remain here.

Why can't women go off too?
Why do they stay behind?

Women divers can't leave the sea.

They can't breathe on land,
much like fish.

Here we are.
Let's go inside.

Are you Mr. Goh Chun-gil?

I'm a newspaper reporter.

I hear you were friends with the late Cheon Nam-seok.
Maybe you can give us some information.

I'm not originally from this island.

I was lured here by Cheon Nam-seok's fantastic story

about how men could live with women divers
without lifting a finger.

Where did you first meet him?

Back then, I used to go hungry all the time.

Cheon Nam-seok and I used to roam
the back alleys of Seoul.

At this rate, we'll starve to death.

You should go and live on my island.

There, women divers provide for men all their lives.

That's crazy.

The sea plays magic tricks.

If you squint your eyes,
the horizon comes much closer.

And if you open your eyes wide,
it goes away in an instant.

Sometimes, clouds like soap bubbles
hang above the horizon.

Clouds like soap bubbles?
That's crazy.

How much do I have to pay to go there?

For you, it's free.

Hey! Sign here with your thumbprint

to hand over the right to this shoeshine spot.

I won't!
I'll never sign it.

How pathetic!

Your friend has already sold us this spot.

What?
He's screwed me over!

- Come here!
- I'll kill you!

He's put me out of business.
Let go of me! I'll kill you.

Cheon Nam-seok, where did you go?
I'll kill you!

Cheon Nam-seok! Cheon Nam-seok!

I've spoken to the shaman about you.

Ma'am.

Good things come in small packages.
What did you do on land?

I did all sorts of stuff except for killing people.

Can you kill pigs though?

Do you want to get yourself ten women divers?

I'll pay you 100,000 won a day.

It's a legendary island after all.

There are 500 sows on this island.

Only I have a purebred boar,
but instead of coming to me,

people just use mixed-breed pigs.
I want you to kill all the other boars.

Then I'll be able to get 5 million won in stud fees.

If we keep going this way
and frighten other men,

they'll either run away or die.
Then you'll be the only purebred man left.

Take your clothes off.

Take my clothes off?
I'm pretty expensive by the way.

Listen! The gas price has gone up
and so has the price of ice.

Minus all the bills, I end up in debt.
I'm not just looking out for myself.

Women divers can't live without the sea.
And I can't live without booze.

Goh Chun-gil!
Goh Chun-gil, you've come a long way.

You swindler!
You're the one who sold my shoeshine spot.

And you're now squeezing every drop out of my island,
so let's call it quits.

What brought you back here anyway?
Are you here to die?

Who's that woman?

Don't lay your eyes on her.

She's a mackerel chucked in the bin.
Just one bite will give you blisters on the lips.

Hurry up and get going!
The more fish you catch, the more profit you get.

The more profit my ass.
It'll all go into his pocket anyway.

Who are we running around
breaking our backs for?

Tell me about it.

It all comes to nothing. Nothing!

There's nothing left for us.

Couldn't agree more.

Why have you come back to this island?

I plan to build a paradise here.
I need you to provide seed money.

What's yours is mine
and what's mine is yours.

But I don't have any money.

I blew it all on the barmaid.
I'm not the only one.

You damn bastard. With so many women
divers around, you still needed a barmaid?

It's only after turning 30 that women become capable
of diving into the deep water.

That's why I could only find old women divers.

Yesterday alone, that gorilla made 100,000 won.

100,000 won?
That's the price of shining 2,000 pairs of shoes.

Give it here. Good.

That's it. Good job. Okay.

Come here, mister.

How come you don't come around here anymore?

It can't be fun drinking by yourself at home, right?

Booze unaccompanied by food is bad for your stomach.
And booze unaccompanied by women doesn't taste good.

Alright, alright.

Please come in.

Get off.

Are you really not coming in?

Underneath her make-up,
she's nothing but a rotten mackerel.

If ever she gets her claws into you
you'll lose everything.

Rumor has it that she gives a nasty disease
to the men of this island.

Where the hell did she come from?

Now that I'm here
I'll make sure I root out all evils.

Once a month, when women become so tired
that they can't even gather up the laundry,

men come around to their houses
holding candles.

Each woman selects a man
and invites him in.

It's at once the most primitive
and most modern form of marriage.

If you intend to stay here
you too should hold a candle.

Where there are many men,
there are many good women divers.

I don't mean to stay long.
I won't have a child by anyone here.

I know just the right woman for you.

She's rich and good at picking abalone.
Above all, she's a fine-looking woman.

Hello, are you in?

No man ever visits me here
with a candle in his hand.

This is a friend of mine, Cheon Nam-seok.
He's originally from this island.

Did you tell him
that I can't have a baby?

Come with me.

What does that make me then? Because I can't
get pregnant you won't take me as your wife.

Rather than being a wife, you can be
his business partner, investor, or secretary.

A secretary?

You know, like a wet nurse.

He's too big to be a baby.

Better still, he can be your stepson.

He's a little old but please feed him
and give him money for booze.

What kind of mother would do that?
It'll only spoil the child.

Please fix us some food and alcohol.
You should strike while the iron is hot.

Did you have to sneeze right then?

Hey, come take a look.

Hey!

Quick. Give it to me.

There you go.

What's going on here?

The women have been short of money lately.
You've been collecting money from them.

What on earth are you up to?

Cheon Nam-seok,
are you gonna swindle me again?

Give me that money!

Stop it.

Are you obsessed with money?
You're betraying your friend and neighbors.

I'll give you what you deserve.
I'll straighten you out once and for all.

Please stop. Don't do that.

Please help me.
We need to stop him.

Help me!

Please help stop the fight.

Are you siding with her husband?
You're siding with the con man!

Help me!

Cheon Nam-seok,
you're bleeding the whole village dry.

You and I have ruined everything
since we arrived here.

Let us just die together!

Get up!

It's not my fault.

I said it's not my fault!

Our ancestors treasured the Earth for millions of years
but humans are now destroying it.

Death is upon us all.
Our end is near!

It's not my fault.
I'm not the cause of this disaster.

All the fish in the sea,
they're dying out and I'm not to blame.

It's over. It's the end of the world.

The sea is rotting.
The air is rotting and the land is rotting.

In this universe, planet Earth is rotting all over.

Back then, I thought he'd lost his mind.

I only found out later what he'd been up to.
After his death, three days ago.

So the money came from Mrs. Park alone?

Mrs. Park somehow provided all the money.

Cheon Nam-seok pushed her relentlessly.

So in the end,
she must've taken on his debt.

That's where it gets weird.

Apparently, he paid if off with his body
before he died.

Paid it off with his body?

What does that mean?

Go and find Mrs. Park.
You should talk to her. Hurry up!

There's no point in wandering about.
Come on in and have some booze.

For men of this island,
there's nowhere else to go.

She is the only one
who reads the paper around here.

People on the island can only hear
about the outside world from her.

There's not a place in this country
that she hasn't been to.

I bet Goh Chun-gil told you
not to visit this bar.

But that's because he's scared
that you'll hear about his wrongdoings.

The women divers were conned into
giving all their money to Cheon Nam-seok.

And you were the main player?

That's only a drop in the ocean.
Someone lent me money on a horrific condition.

I'm sure he died
because of that.

Are you saying he was murdered?

They said it was a suicide.

What do you mean by a horrific condition?

And just what business
did he start here?

At first, his new business filled
not just me

but all the women on this island
with so much hope.

Hurry up. When we get to my house,
I'll show you everything.

Everything that I'm trying to do.

My neighbors are saving less and less.
They can hardly find any abalone.

My research is nearly complete.

In order to put it into practice,
I need at least 1 million won.

What's this? I see a tail of some kind.

It's a worm from my body.

Looks like you have a disease.

It's a human worm, my other self.

Scientists claim that
it takes not one

but a billion sperm cells
to impregnate an egg.

Are you doing all this
to help me have a child?

I'm researching abalone farming

so that I can increase the island's income
by 10 times.

There are secret rules in the way
living things combine together.

If I figure them out
I'll be able to breed abalone as much as I want.

Why are you flashing light on the abalone?

I'm providing a stimulus for it to lay eggs.

Just like a change in environment helps
with women with irregular periods.

My last period was already 10 years ago.

Is there a cure for it?
Will a flashing light work on humans too?

I've successfully completed
the first stage of abalone farming.

Look here, all these are
young abalone.

I'm making good progress
with the money you've given me.

I plan to hatch 1 million eggs a year
and scatter them in the sea around the island.

But that requires more money.
I want to build the biggest abalone farm in the country.

How about money?
You need even more?

Cut it out!
I can't worry about that right now.

You wait and see.
In 5 years, this island will make a fortune.

If I could make my dream come true,
I'd sacrifice myself to the sea in an instant.

I'll be rich for once! A rich man!
I'll be a rich man!

We've already poured so much money
into the research. Now that it's well on its way,

we'll work harder to make sure
the island gets surrounded by billions of abalone.

For such a huge project,
you need to get a loan from the government or a bank.

Why are you borrowing money
from other women?

We want to do this on our own.

Take your business elsewhere.

The experiment was a success.

Now if we just invest in mass production facilities,
the whole island will become rich overnight.

More often than not,
life presents us with disappointments.

With that kind of money,
you could start many other businesses.

There's not a soul on this island
willing to finance our project.

Do you see anything behind my back?

I don't see anything.

I wonder if that's Ieoh Island.

If it is, I'll just kill myself.

Honey, please hold on a little longer.

I'll find the money somehow.

Why can't you get me the money?

This is the most important project
in the history of this island!

Of course, you can't convince anyone
on the first try.

You have to repeat yourself
ten, twenty times!

If they're still not convinced,
either threaten or steal from them.

You're not a human being.

That's right. I'm not a human being.

I'm a corpse prepared for the water ghost!

But I won't die like this.
I won't give up so easily.

I have money for you.

Who are you?

Your elderly neighbor has come to offer help.
Here's one million won.

But there's a special condition.

If you fail to pay me back on time,
I'll take Cheon Nam-seok.

What will you do with him?

Until you pay back the money,
he'll have to live with me.

I'm making an investment
so as to enjoy myself with a young man.

Do not try to find out
who I am.

Here is our contract.

Darling, I've got the money!

- Really?
- Look at this.

Honey!

Great! We're all set.

The money comes with
one horrific condition.

There's never a loan without conditions.

If we don't pay it back, you'll be taken.

So I'll be able to pay it off with my body?
I'll worry about that later.

Finally, I'll be able to breed
thousands of abalone.

I'm scared.
I've had to sell you for that money.

Who's bought me anyway?

Some rich old lady, I think.

She must've gone senile.
I'll teach her a lesson.

I love it when you
hold me tight like this.

If the water ghost really
tries to take you away,

I'll never give up on you.

You have hundreds of millions
of other selves, right?

This country has a population of 40 million.

What's your expert opinion?
This is our test site.

How many young abalone did you place
on the attachment plaque?

About 20 million.

After fertilization, I got 100 from each abalone.

I've spent a fortune on this.

Since a few days ago, fish on this farm
have been dying of unknown causes.

Excuse me?

According to the reports by the women divers,
an unexpected change in the sea is killing fish.

Are you saying
that I've lost all these abalone?

What happened?
What's the cause?

It's the environmental pollution.

Waste water has leaked into the sea
and contaminated it.

Look at this.
All the abalone have turned red.

They're all dead. Dead!
We're ruined!

We're completely broke.
How are we gonna repay our loans?

Have you seen my husband?

I've searched the whole island for him.

What if he's drowned himself
in the sea?

We've lost the entire abalone farm,
which cost us 2 million won.

What am I going to do?

He's fast asleep here.

He said he'd failed in business
and wanted to jump into the sea.

I had no choice but
to comfort him with my body.

I sacrificed myself, so to speak.

He was so impatient
that I almost felt neglected.

Can I get a drink of water please?

Gosh, how tedious it was.
He only cares about himself.

Don't ever come back here.
You know nothing about women.

What's the point of washing yourself?

Earlier, you sounded like
you were about to kill yourself.

Now it seems you've left
all your sorrows with the barmaid.

We're completely ruined.

That's true. That woman
has dried up my tears.

What did you just say?

What are we gonna do about our debt?
And that horrific condition!

I'll just kill myself.

If that could solve everything
I'd kill myself too right now.

You can't die
without paying me back first.

If you can't pay off your debt
I'll take him as per the contract.

How could you be so cruel?

When you get the money,
I'll give him back anytime.

When I die, women here
will chop me up and devour me.

Take him.

I should thank the barmaid
for leaving her teeth marks on him.

A man can't eat
what a dog's been eating.

Honey! Honey!

Honey!

He's really cruel,
and cold-hearted too.

He must've given that old lady
quite a bit of trouble.

Who killed him then?

If only I'd done it myself.

Who's the old lady that lent you money?

There's no need to look for her.
It's obvious who the murderer is!

What are you trying to say?
I'm innocent.

After he died
my monthly cycles suddenly came back.

The shaman says

that the divine spirit will bring back his body
so that I can have his child.

You'll have a child by a dead man?

You'll never find Cheon Nam-seok's body.
Take it from me.

I beg of you. I beg of you.
I beg of you, Divine Spirit.

Night and day, I pray to you
with all my heart.

Every day, I offer you
all sorts of delicacies.

So please come to me now!

Please hurry up and come to me,
and grant my wish.

The divine spirit is here!

Let the divine spirit into the shaman,
and rest comfortably.

Shoo away all the children.
Shoo them away quick!

This is not a sight for children.

Divine Spirit, please don't do this.
Please stop, I beg you.

The spirit is upon me. The spirit is upon me!

The spirit is upon her!

The spirit is upon me
and won't leave my body.

Divine Spirit, please wake up now!
The sun is high up in the sky.

Please wake up, Divine Spirit.

I've arrived here at last.

I travelled tens of thousands of miles
with northwesterly winds.

Say what you want to say,
and ask what you want to ask.

I'll answer your questions
without a moment's delay.

I beg of you. I beg of you.
Grant this lay's wish.

Please draw Cheon Nam-seok's dead body
back to this island.

- Alright, alright.
- I beg of you.

All the men have been taken
by the water ghost of Ieoh Island.

Here is the man who tormented Cheon Nam-seok
and sent him to an early grave.

We must deal with him first.

That's a lie.
I did nothing to cause his death.

Any minute now we'll be in serious trouble.
Let's leave quickly.

As for you, young man,
what are you here for?

I'll tell you.
You're here to plant your seed in women here.

No matter how much you try,
you'll only beget a daughter.

And your daughter will become a woman diver.

Get him!
Lock him up in the pigsty.

Make him give us hundreds of offspring!

Hey, wait for me.
Don't leave me behind.

People say the two visitors must be
the ones who killed Cheon Nam-seok.

Apparently, they've seen you argue about it.

I have a hunch that's nearly killing me.

If we stick around,
I'm sure they'll beat us to death.

I'm leaving in the morning.

I had my suspicions from the start.

Aren't you the one
who influenced him the most?

Hoping to report on environmental pollution

and draw public attention,
I needed the most zealous assistant.

Cheon Nam-seok was one of the people
that I hired to that end.

If you want to be a junior reporter
you must show more passion.

For example, we could care passionately
about environmental issues.

Look around you! Industrial wastes
are destroying sea creatures!

Agricultural pesticides are decimating honey bees
needed to pollinate plants.

Climate change and contamination
affect living things everywhere!

So it's true after all.

I'm absolutely heartbroken.

If being a journalist means
getting to the bottom of it,

I'll give my life to it.
My life!

I think I've found
my true calling in life.

I like your straightforward emotions.

So do I get the job?

Thank you, sir.

I'm shocked. This waste water contains
no less than 5% mercury.

Not a single plant will
ever grow here again.

Soon, there'll be no place on earth
for humans to live.

We're doomed.
It'll be the end of humanity!

Don't say that!

Am I wrong? All the fish in the sea
are dying at the moment!

I'll fight back! Of course I will!
I'll fight back.

Cheon Nam-seok! Cheon Nam-seok!

I'll fight back! I'll fight back!

I'll never give up. Do you hear?

Hello? Speaking.
What?

Cheon Nam-seok's been caught
breaking into your factory?

Where is he now?

What's going on?

What were you doing here?

I'm gonna destroy every factory
that causes pollution.

What? I don't believe this.

I may have taught you too much.

We still have faith in humanity.

A journalist aims to influence public opinion
and generate change.

If you take matters into your own hands
you'll go crazy or get beaten up.

Polluting the environment is the same
as killing thousands of people.

How can I just let things be?
Don't you agree?

Let me pour you another one.

And another one for you, too.

Thank you, sir.

Drink up.

I feel sad.

We look up to the wide sky
at the end of life.

Why can't we enjoy life
gazing up at the sky?

I will lead a fine life
while gazing up at the sky.

Who dares to get in my way?

Cheon Nam-seok! Cheon Nam-seok!

Who dares to get in my way?

Cheon Nam-seok!

I put him on the tourist ship
before he'd fully recovered.

I had no idea the voyage
was in search of Ieoh Island.

Maybe I'm responsible for his death.
In an indirect way.

But there's another culprit.

I'm going to find that mysterious lady
who bought Cheon Nam-seok with money.

The one who destroyed
both his body and soul.

Which one of you pushed Cheon Nam-seok
into the water?

Since you've killed one of our men,

you can't leave the island
without creating a new life.

I want to have a baby.

She means to sell lots of booze.
Here, keep drinking!

Ieoh Island.
Ieoh Island.

Even if the water ghost of Ieoh Island
should come for him,

I'd ask the ghost to wait
until I could have his baby.

Looks like she's fallen for you.
But you're still the murderer!

I'll see you back in the office.
I have to return for Monday's evening edition.

As for the woman who
lent the money to Mrs. Park,

I'll make sure I reveal her identity.

You're the only elderly lady with money
in this village.

There are plenty of men in the bar.
Why would I pay a man to live with me?

You're mistaken.

Who is it then? Who?

I've questioned most older ladies
on this island.

You're the only one who could've
lent the money to Cheon Nam-seok.

Apparently, Cheon Nam-seok slept with his lender
every night.

Do you expect to walk away alive
after spreading such foul rumors about me?

Cheon Nam-seok harassed everyone.

In the end, he was stifled to death
by everyone.

I can't leave this island
until I find the mystery woman.

Stay here.

You'll soon be the only man
among us.

Where are you going?

What's wrong with you people?

Bring me rice!

Cheon Nam-seok, come and take this rice.

Come here and take this rice cake!

Cheon Nam-seok, come and take this rice.

Come here and take this rice cake!

Come here and take this rice!
And this rice cake too!

Come here and take this rice!
And this rice cake too!

Mister, mister?

The village is talking about a woman
who weeps every night.

Who is it?

She's in Cheon Nam-seok's abandoned house.

People think she might be the ghost
of his dead mother.

Come here and take this rice cake!

Come here and take this rice!

Come back to us, Nam-seok!

Come here and take this rice!

Come back to us, Nam-seok!

Turn the lights off.
I don't want to show my face.

I've come up here to talk.
I'm not here for a blind date.

It's only natural to age with time.
There's no need to hide yourself.

I feel like I've been waiting for you
for hundreds of years.

First you drove Cheon Nam-seok to his death
and now you're trying to seduce me?

No doubt he sent you here.

If you can help me get pregnant
I'll accept you the same way.

I have no tears left to cry.

Please take his place
and give me back my life.

You're the barmaid!
It was all your doing!

It's because I'm so sad.
Because I'm so lonely.

He gave me his word.

He said he'd send me another man
for me to love just as much.

You're that man.

How long did you know about him?
Before you bought him with money.

I'm still pretty new to this island.

I'm an outsider. Before, I experienced
the ups and downs of life on land.

How can we settle down here?

A barmaid should never sleep with a customer.

Or else, you'll have no customers left.

I still have to read the newspaper
every day.

Let me pour you a drink.

Booze should come with food
and food should come with women.

Can we enjoy both food
and women in this bar?

Do as you please.

Eat what you want to eat
and drink what you want to drink.

A bar should serve more than just alcohol,
shouldn't it?

But you can't just fool around
and then leave.

We won't let you go
until we've bled you dry.

It's easy to seize a woman,
but difficult to break free from her.

What shrewd women!
No wonder you've built a good business.

Still, lots of people owe us money.

The day we took off for this island,
50 new widowers were left behind.

For me, the number was one hundred.

Ieoh Island.
Ieoh Island.

My husband is spending
all the money I've saved.

Ieoh Island.
Ieoh Island.

Another day with no customers.

This is the problem with a fishing village.

We only get customers
when ships don't go out to sea.

We're here for a drink or two.

Welcome.

My friend is treating me today
for setting him up with a rich widow.

Oh my, is that so?

You know Mrs. Park, right?

The woman diver who is shunned
for being unable to have children.

I decided not to beget any children.

Why don't you want children?

Once a fisherman here has a baby
he becomes fearless

even when the sea runs high,
believing his other self waits at home.

I have five children already.
They all arrived at once.

A man like you is someone
I'd like to have a baby with.

There's nothing a man can do
when he's tied down by his wife and children.

Let me have some.

You can't keep your hands off
such ugly abalone every day,

trying every means to breed them.

But you take no interest in your wife
let alone worry about her.

You can't get pregnant anyway.

A woman should have her monthly cycles,
or our efforts will be in vain.

Who do think is responsible
for my condition?

Just who was it that lured
an innocent girl to the beach

and tied her up with rope
before running off on his own,

despite his promise that he'd take her with him?

Are you really Minja?

Minja is supposed to be dead.
How do you know all that?

Why would I be dead?

Because of what happened that day,
I got sick and became sterile.

My mother was so ashamed
that she fled the island.

Are you really Minja?
You're saying you're Minja?

I am Minja.

Really? I heard she died long ago.

If you tie me up with rope
like you did before

I may be able to get pregnant.

This is our last resort.

I can't believe you're Minja.

I risked my life
to look for you.

Your cries that day are still
ringing in my ears.

You want me to repeat what I did,
and tie you up with rope?

Please, I'm Minja. I'm your Minja.

You're crushing my bones.
I can't even breathe.

I'm dying. I'm dying here.

Is this enough? How's this?

I went crazy back then.

Is this what happened?
What's next?

How's this?

Ma'am, it's gonna be another sleepless night.

Thousands of jealous snakes
are writhing inside my body.

It's getting unbearable.

Do you have booze?
I need drinks!

Bring me some booze.

I'm ruined. I've lost 20 million young abalone.
All of them!

Before the water spirits of Ieoh Islands get me
I'll throw myself into the sea.

I'm too ashamed to face the islanders
whose money I've wasted.

Get me some drinks! Please!

Alcohol is not gonna help.
Use me instead.

I'll make your worries disappear
and fill you with courage.

Hurry up!
We have to finish before anyone comes.

I'm only doing this for your sake.

Right here?

I'm doing this because of you.

All because of you.

We must hurry.
Come on!

I'll make a noise with the plates
lest she may hear us outside.

You spared no thought for me.
You were so impatient.

Have you seen my husband?

I've searched the whole island for him.

What if he's drowned himself
in the sea?

Where are you taking me?

We're going to your house.

To my house?

Who are you?

Why did you have to hide yourself?

I didn't want you to scorn the money
I earned by selling booze and my body.

I had to risk my life as a woman
to make that money.

No matter! I'm a ruined man anyway.

Before the water ghost devours me,
do whatever you want with me.

I'm going to send you away from the island.

I'm not thinking about myself.

I can't leave the island!

I can't leave without
accomplishing something first.

Don't you read the paper?

The newspaper demands
the factories pay compensation

for destroying fish farms
with their waste water.

You should go and fight against them.

You're really letting me go?
I'll head to land

and become a newspaper journalist.

You're free to go.

I can't just leave like this.
I want to thank you.

No!

I don't want you to feel obliged.

If you become obsessed with my body,
you'll never be able to leave.

And I mustn't let myself feel passion.

Please don't fall for me.

Not before you get out of here.

Honey! Honey!

Honey! Why did you come back here?

I felt a sudden urge to return
to this island.

Now that I'm back
I feel the pull of Ieoh Island.

That can't be!

You haven't quite recovered
from the car accident.

Come on, let go of your hold.
Give me your hands.

I must've hurt my head.

I have a strange premonition
that I'll be taken to Ieoh Island.

No!
Please let go now.

I'm scared!
If I let go, I'll get sucked into the sea.

Please give me your hands.

Just trust me and do as I say.

No! I can't! No!

I've sent off all your belongings.
You'll have to sleep on this old fishing net.

Why did you come back here?
I begged you not to.

I'm starting my new job tomorrow.

But I feel frightened.
The earth is shaking under my feet.

No matter what, don't come back.

I remember what you said before.

All fears disappear
when a man and a woman unite,

and after having a kid
we can find tranquility even in death.

None of that matters now.
You must leave as soon as possible.

I'm trying my hardest
to keep you free in body and mind.

Why? Why do you do that?

Am I not man enough for you
because you bought me with money?

I'm afraid Ieoh Island will get you.

One thing is for sure.
You can't change your fate.

I'll lend you an ear tonight.
But you have to depart in the morning.

I'll go and say goodbye
to Mrs. Park.

It so happens that she's Minja.

I did her wrong 10 years ago
before I took off for land.

No way! You do that
and it'll be the end of both of us.

You're jealous.

Before in the bar, I was shocked
to find out you were a virgin.

How did you manage to keep your virtue?
How come you gave yourself to me so easily?

Please tell me.

I won't say a word.
I can't tell you that.

Tomorrow, I'm going on a tourist ship.

You can't go on a ship!
What's it for anyway?

As a tradition on this island, when we depart
we send in someone new.

Please make sure you sleep
with the man I'll send you later.

Why should I follow that tradition?

Women of this island
can only get pregnant here.

But there is no way
I'll lie with another man.

Aren't you a barmaid?

Hold me!
It's here!

All men in my family are cursed!

Help me!

Mother was right.

She told me to have a baby
and then wait for my turn.

She was right.
Every word of it was true.

Take me into your arms.

I'm Ieoh Island.
I'm your Ieoh Island.

Ieoh Island.
Ieoh Island.

My husband is spending
all the money I've saved.

Nobody is helping me solve
the mystery of Cheon Nam-seok's death.

He disappeared without a trace.

Did you see it?

At first I thought it was a dream.
It turned out to be nightmare.

What happened?

I'm terrified of the customs
you have here.

What a bizarre way to have children.

Are you here to fill his shoes?

Not me.

I went to see a gynecologist before.

For many years, women divers
have worked in cold water under the sea.

So we have different physical constitutions.

We can only get pregnant
from special people.

What do you want from me?

Give me everything you have.

I'm not him.
Don't get confused.

One is not enough.
I'll have both you and your secret.

I don't understand that exorcism.

You want to find Cheon Nam-seok's body.
That kind of miracle will never happen.

He'll come back
to watch over us.

Cheon Nam-seok, you're here.

Have you returned
to let me have your baby?

Tell me everything
you remember from that day.

Tell me the truth, Cheon Nam-seok.

I kept the ship's destination a secret.

I was going to announce it on board.

Yes, come clean
and you'll feel much better.

Cheon Nam-seok was shocked.

He'd had no idea that the ship was
going in search of Ieoh Island.

He insisted that we stop the voyage,
so I got him drunk.

That's how I'm directly responsible
for his death.

He disappeared that night.

The ship was heading for Ieoh Island.
How frightening.

The thing that took your life.
How did it kill Cheon Nam-seok?

Nam-seok! Nam-seok!

In the middle of the night, the bottles suddenly felt light
and so did my body.

It wasn't a dream.
Everything happened for real.

That's how people die,
and this is how people are born.

Human beings live and die.
We live and die.

I can't trust anything.
I can't trust myself.

Nam-seok, it's me!

This is how we're reunited!
This is how!

Does anything in this world
last forever?

Everything is only momentary.

Eternity is a word
that deceives us.

I have no business with you now.

But you'll live on inside me
on behalf of Cheon Nam-seok.

Minja, they've found his clothes!
His body will come up any minute.

Hurry up. Let's go!

His body has come up!

Look over there!
That's him!

His corpse at last!

Come here quickly!

I've brought him back from Ieoh Island.

I've brought him back from Ieoh Island.

Back from the water ghost.
Back from the Dragon King.

Don't touch his body.
It's mine!

It belongs to me!

Was it the rice?
Or did the rice cake look delicious?

Or maybe you were attracted
by a woman's groin?

None of that, none of that!
You heard my pleas!

The divine spirit guided you here.

Who should I give the corpse to?
Who should I give it to?

It's for me.

Nonsense! I asked for it.

I took no request from anyone!

Fight! Fight until you bleed!
I don't know who owns it.

I'll buy it from you.

I'll pay you 100,000 won.

I'll pay you 150,000 won.

No, I can pay 200,000 won.

I'll buy it for 250,000 won.

No, I'll take it.

No, I will.

Shut up!

Are you offering prices for rotten fish?

A corpse kept in cold water
has its seed intact.

I'll help you have a baby.
Pay for your offspring too!

I'll sell my house
and give you all the money.

I'll do the same!

The price should be higher still.
We still have a long way to go.

I'll be a rich shaman!

If we can't find an answer, let's ask the
islanders who should take the corpse.

Gather everyone!
Gather everyone!

It's a trial!
A trial to decide whose husband he is.

Hurry up.
Let's get going!

Shame on you!
You're an outsider.

How dare you claim him to be your husband?

Goh Chun-gil arranged our match.
For that, I'm eternally grateful.

He came here to stay and you took
him away from me and made him die.

Why did you kill him? Why?

Answer me!

In recognition of Mrs. Park's unfaltering loyalty,

we hereby decide to give
Cheon Nam-seok's body to her.

Listen to me!
We signed a contract that promised

she could have Cheon Nam-seok
until the debt was paid off

I'd rather let his body return to soil
than let you take it.

Are these the words of a human being?
They're animals.

Look at this.
It's the cruelty of people from land.

- What did you say?
- Give it here! That's enough.

The island is always governed by our own laws.

I'm from this island.

Who are you?
How can you be from this island?

I'm Cheon Nam-seok's wife,
married to him forever.

She's lying.

He met her for the first time on this island.

She's nothing but a barmaid
who gave herself to him for free!

What a shameless thief!

I'm Minja.

I gave my virginity to Cheon Nam-seok.

I had been all over the country
to look for him

before I returned here
in the hope that he'd turn up one day.

She's Minja!

For sure, she's Minja!

She's lying. Minja is dead!

I swore to his mother
that I'd bear him children.

So I'm guilty of not keeping my promise.

Here's proof of the oath
that I made to his mother.

Look at that!

Then how come you sent him away
and made him die?

I never disclosed my true identity to him.

I never spent a night with him
in peace.

I was afraid he'd grow fond of my body and
remain on this island.

I didn't want the water ghost to come
and take him away.

Cheon Nam-seok's spirit belongs to you.

Poor thing. Poor thing.

I can't give up! I won't let you win!

Follow me. I'll help you fulfill
his mother's dying wish.

You'll be able to bear him a child.

A corpse kept in cold water
has its seed intact.

Let's go!
Cheon Nam-seok is waiting! Let's go!

Let's all hurry up now.

He's as cold as ice.

Our 5 million ancestors struggled
with all their might

to bring new life into this world.

I can't help but admire
the incredible energy of women

who risk their lives to have children.

Why does she have to remain
all alone on this island?

It's been three years.

The islanders have all fled the island.

We're still here.

The descendents of Cheon Nam-seok will
live on this land.

He looks familiar.

That's impossible.

Please don't get the wrong idea.
He's not yours.

Islanders have nothing to do
with people of land.

Do you have children of your own?

How could this be! I don't believe it!

How could this be!

I'll let you hold his hand just once,

since this is goodbye.

You're leaving me here all alone.

Minja!

How am I going to live all by myself?