Original subtitles

Timing and Subtitles by For Your Eyes Only 👁‿👁 Team @ Viki

Lovers of the Red Sky

Kim Yoo Jung, Ahn Hyo Seob

Gong Myung, Kwak Si Yang

Lovers of the Red Sky

The characters and settings of this drama are fictionalized and have no connection to historical facts.

- Go inside. - Okay.

Painter Hong Cheon Gi of Baegyu Painting Institute.

Painter Hong Cheon Gi of Baegyu Painting Institute...

Well, look who this is.

Our Painter Hong!

We should finish our business first.

How dare you harass a woman in broad daylight?

What disgrace!

Quiet down!

You don't know anything!

Hey, hey.

Are you truly a painter?

Where is your contestant identification?

Oh, yes.

I seem to have left it at home.

I am from Baegyu Painting Institute.

I'm a painter. Please let me in.

A woman painter? A dog walking down the street would laugh.

If you don't have a contestant's identification stick, you cannot go inside. So there.

Next, next. Hurry up and wrap it up.

- Wait... - Hurry, hurry.

Let's go while I'm being polite. Let's not waste energy.

Wait, hold on!

What is going on here?

Let go of that hand right now.

Palanquin?

Sir.

I see. So, you two are in that kind of relationship, huh?

Watch your mouth!

- This is- - Man Su.

- Yes, Sir. - I will take her with me.

Who says? Come here!

Come now!

You bastard!

Are you all right?

Yes.

How dare you show such impudence to Supervisor Ha!

This is Grand Prince Yangmyeong's Maejukheon!

Get out of here!

- Shoo! - Run!

Let's go! Run!

Please come inside.

She is also a participant in the gathering today.

She will come in with me.

Oh, yes. Of course.

See? What did I tell you?

Come now, hurry up!

Take out your contestant identification.

Episode 5: Maejukheon Painting Gathering, Part 1

It is quite amazing.

It is as busy as a market street.

So, why are you at the painting gathering?

I was invited by Grand Prince Yangmyeong.

Invited?

Grand Prince Yanmyeong invited you

but forgot to be considerate.

There is no one to guide you.

Never mind! I shall guide you.

- Please, I will be indebted to you. - Yes.

Trust me and follow me.

This way, please.

Careful in front of you.

But Sir, how are you so nimble?

It was as if you could see.

Not even those who can see can be that good.

Are you an officer by any chance?

I have trained since I was young.

Let's say I had a good mentor.

Anyhow, it was marvelous.

How could I ever repay you?

It is nothing. I only did what I must.

But those men work for Wolseongdang.

I am worried they will retaliate against you because of me.

It is best to avoid fights and not get involved.

I will avoid them well, so do not worry.

You must be very, very careful.

These seem to be the guest seats.

And on the other side...

I will paint in the yard here.

Is that so?

I look forward to it.

I have never been anywhere this grand before.

I have dreamed of this moment for a long time.

I believe you could surely win first place.

Pardon?

Don't say such things.

But I will l do my best.

Then I pray you to go forth bravely and conquer.

Come this way, please.

Thank you.

Keep an eye out for me.

I'm sorry.

It is all right. I'm used to it now.

I will be going now.

Where did that girl go?

There she is!

Cheon Gi, Cheon Gi!

- Hey! - Goodness!

Why do you walk so fast?

When did you get here, Obnoxious One?

- We were worried about you. - Hey, hey!

You two came in here by yourselves. Worried?

Honestly.

I met Jeong Soen Nae on the way here and almost died.

What?

You met that thug?

How is he out so quickly?

I don't know.

So? What happened?

What do you mean, what happened?

I just escaped somehow.

Anyhow, we should watch our backs at night.

Then we did all of that for nothing?

- That is truly a shame. - I've seen him somewhere before.

Hey, don't mind him.

Let's hurry and find our seats.

True, we can talk later. We need to find our spots.

You still didn't find a seat?

- We were looking for you! - We had no time! We were looking for you!

Let's sit here.

This is the best seat.

Just watch. I will win first place here at Maejukheon.

Making it to the third round will get you into the Painter Bureau.

Stop being obnoxious. Be humble and careful.

Hey. That wouldn't be enough for me.

Let's see.

♫ Hey Ya Jihwaja, all is well ♫

♫ Hey Ya Jihwaja ♫

Are you ready?

I'm ready.

♫ Hey Ya Jihwaja, all is well ♫

Let's do it!

♫ Hurrah! ♫

Look who it is.

Supervisor Ha of Seomungwan!

You are as graceful as a painting, as always.

Have you been well?

I didn't think he was interested in paintings.

I was curious who he was

since His Majesty favors him so.

He is handsome and graceful.

He truly does not seem human.

I see.

Grand Prince Joohyang is here.

I apologize for not greeting Your Highness sooner.

I thought you would be busy with Seomungwan duties.

I am surprised to see you here.

I read the fortune today and got the fortune of revitalization. Thus, I am here.

It must have meant that I would be blessed to watch the gathering sitting next to Your Highness.

- The revitalization fortune? - You mean the heavens willed it?

Yes.

I am happy to hear someone as dignified as you

speak such words to me.

Enjoy yourself.

Yes, Your Highness.

What mischievous man you are.

Had you died...

that day at the cliff...

Move aside!

Mother!

Distinguished guests and painters we have invited here today!

The Maejukheon Painting Gathering shall begin soon.

Please take your seats!

Hey, hey.

Paint boulders with flying brushstrokes, trees like rubrication,

and for painting bamboo, you must be skilled in calligraphy.

Anyone who knows this must know that painting and writing are the same.

I have opened the doors of Maejukheon after four years

to find such a talented painter.

It is good to see you all.

I am the owner of Maejukheon, Yangmyeong.

Now, I shall introduce you to the judges who will judge by my side.

First, Painting Bureau's dignified painter, Han Geon.

And the man who studied with him, the headmaster

of the acclaimed Baegyu Painting Institute, Choi Won Ho.

Jeonngyu Painting Institute's headmaster,

Yu Si Saeng.

And me and my brother's close friend

as well as Dan Dynasty's best writer, Seo Gi Jeong.

And finally, the man who sets an example

for his brother by excelling in martial arts and literature,

Grand Prince Juhyang.

This gathering will take place over the next two days.

There will be three rounds total.

The first and second round paintings will be done today

and the third round will be tomorrow.

First, the guest I designate in each round

will assign the prompt.

Second, the evaluation will take place without revealing the painter's rank and status.

- That's right! - Yes!

Third, after the evaluation is finished,

the judges will determine pass or fail by using blue and red tiles.

Red tile means to pass, and blue tile means to fail.

You pass if there are more red tiles than blue.

If not, you fail.

However, even if you fail,

the higher judge's all pass tile will allow you to pass the round once.

I look forward to seeing paintings that will live on for an eternity.

And now I shall do my best as your judge.

For the first round,

you may use the painting papers we have prepared for you without limit.

Stay in your seats, and we shall hand out your first paper.

Thank you.

And if you do not finish the painting in time, you fail.

The time limit and requirements are different

- for every round. - The Maejukheon stamp is so beautiful.

It smells good. Maybe since it's top-quality paper,

it even smells different.

You two really are so tacky.

You look like you're about to kiss the paper.

Hey, Yeong Uk.

Who is that eerie-looking monk?

Jeolla Province's Ghost Painter, Monk Man Yu?

When he painted Yumahil on the temple wall,

the painting lit up the whole temple.

The people gathered to the painting and donated more than a million coins.

He shocked the world with his ghost-like painting skills.

So, they call him Ghost Painter.

Hey, what about that man in a sat gat?

I think he is Sim Sat Gat.

- He is Gyeongsang Province's Magic Painter. - Magic Painter?

Magic Painter...

I see. Hey, he must have the power to paint while riding a horse! ('Ma' in Korean means horse)

Whoa. Horse painting skill, like fog enveloping a horse.

He composes the painting while riding on thunderously.

Titled, The Horse Painting.

Geez, how frustrating.

Let me hold myself back here.

So, no one knows his face or age because he always wears his sat gat.

A goblin named Hwacha, who likes to paint, visited him every night to duel with painting

until he opened his eyes to the unconscious energy within him.

So he is called Magic Painter.

Do you see now?

All the best painters of the Dan Dynasty are here.

Actually, there is someone else here who has everyone's attention.

Who is it?

Oh, me?

No. Even I know who it is.

The most probable winner of this painting gathering is

Gang Hi Yeon of godly brushstroke.

The prodigy since childhood, skilled in literature and painting.

He paints trees and rivers with straight and composed lines,

but emphasizes empty spaces by framing the painting's focus with it.

His paintings are uniquely brimming with life.

The judges also prefer literati paintings, so he is most likely to win.

Not painters like us who paint for a living.

So you're saying...

that I should accept that I will not win this painting gathering?

Aigoo, look at the people around us.

How could we even compete against them?

Still, we should dream big at Maejukheon, Long Face.

- Annoying One? - Well, well.

So, you're going to try to win? Is that it?

She really had no fear since she was a child.

- Geez. - Exactly.

Keep grinding your ink stick.

We shall announce the first topic and prompt.

The first topic is 'Plum and Bamboo.'

And now, the prompt.

I shall hand it to the Painting Bureau's dignified Han Geon.

What?

Hey, doesn't this give Jeong an upper hand?

I know. Isn't that his teacher?

["Reciting a poem alone under the moonlight..."]

"Reciting a poem alone under the moonlight,

the scent of plum blossoms seeps into my clothes.

A herd of butterflies takes flight

in anticipation of spring."

Well then, you have two hours from now.

Two hours?

That's too little.

- My ink... - Grind your ink.

How is that?

I changed the topic to adjust to the level of the imitation painter.

An excellent choice, Your Highness.

Magnificent handwriting.

It puts Han Oh to shame.

How marvelous.

I agree.

How can one write with such grace?

- How graceful. - My goodness!

A firm but graceful handwriting.

His Highness's handwriting is as divine as usual.

Even the envoys of the Yeon Empire envy his handwriting.

His handwriting truly is worthy of being labeled a national treasure.

Does it bother you, Your Highness?

Not at all.

I am only proud of my brother's fine skills.

It is only handwriting.

Please focus on Grand Prince Yangmyeong's intentions.

[Reciting a poem alone under the moonlight...]

[the scent of plum blossoms seeps into my clothes.]

[A herd of butterflies takes flight in anticipation of spring.]

Hey, Jeong.

Hey.

Can you please...

interpret that prompt again?

Poem moonlight, plum blossoms, butterflies flying in spring.

What?

What is he saying?

Yeong Uk, you try.

All right, trust me.

Be precise.

Under the moon...

[Reciting a poem alone under the moonlight...]

Poetry something, something...

Hey. Forget it.

- Even I heard that. - Hey, hey, hey.

I'll repeat it one last time. Listen carefully.

Reciting a poem alone under the moonlight,

the smell of plum blossoms is so strong that it seeps into your clothes.

A herd of butterflies flies because they think spring has come already.

That is what that says.

All right, fine.

So...

Under the moonlight.

Plum flowers.

Butterfly.

What is it?

What a strange painting.

I haven't even finished.

I guess this won't do.

The aura of his brushstrokes is amazing.

Already?

Two hours have passed already.

Where the brush touches, we call Sil.

And the empty space is called Heo.

Will you let Sil win...

to minimize the form?

Or let Sil lose...

to reveal the form?

Father.

How could one include a million strokes in a single stroke?

I put down my greed

and I can see the flowers and the moon.

As this is the first round, there are many paintings that seem too clumsy.

How could painters draw such lamentable first strokes?

We must observe the merit of their paintings.

What the painter focused on.

As the first topic is plum and bamboo,

we will grade based on their perception of and attitude toward nature.

If you close your eyes like this,

you can hear sounds.

Even if it is her,

our tie has already broken.

I cannot ruin a grand plan because of petty feelings.

The first round is over!

Be sure to write your name.

- Are you finished? - Yes.

- Did you put your names on it? - Yeah.

Prepare for evaluation.

I see how generous and bold the composition is,

but it did not capture the depth of the prompt.

- It contradicts the prompt. - Six blues!

Twenty six blues...

and eight reds.

Fail!

The intensity of the ink to represent the moonlight is too dark.

Fail.

Grace is the most important element of plum blossoms.

There is nothing more to say.

Hey, Meok Soe!

It is not always best to overfill the painting.

The plum blossom's aura lacks what it needs to fulfill the lone scholar's uneasiness.

Fail!

Pil Dong.

Aigoo!

- Good work. - Be sure to stay and pass!

Aigoo.

There are not enough brushstrokes in the plum blossoms, so it looks too bare.

Fail.

Fail!

The strokes are too rough, and there is no control over the ink flow.

- Fail. - Fail!

- Fail. - Fail.

Fail.

Hey, look!

Yeong Uk's.

The radiantly blooming blossoms on each branch signify

maintaining fidelity and integrity in the midst of difficult reality

which symbolizes the plum blossoms. It is a fine piece of work.

Thirty-one reds and three blues.

Number 25, pass!

Pass!

Goodness!

The branches extend gracefully under the moonlight.

The flowers give off cold air.

Pass.

- Hey! - Hey! It's a pass!

You passed!

The rough portrayal of the blossoms invokes a sense of Buddhist fidelity.

Pass.

- Number 32 looks quite good. - Hey, it's yours.

This painting feels different.

It is a fresh composition and technique.

Pass.

Even the envoys of the Yeon Empire would want to buy it.

There is nothing more to say.

It expressed the flowers and moon poetically

and is pleasing to the eyes.

It is a pass.

The spirit of the painting flows with the wind, scatters at the flower,

and halts at the moon.

It is remarkable.

Marvelous.

But what is this?

It captured the essence of empty space

and the strokes, as well as the control of light and dark are magnificent.

As your gaze moves with the flow, you find the full moon

and it looks as if the legends of the heavens

could settle over the blossoms. It exudes marvelous energy.

However!

Plum blossoms do not boast their scent even in the coldest winters.

This painter should rethink the meaning of my words.

Fail.

Six blues!

Four blues.

Thirty-three blues and one red.

Then, this painting is a fail.

Wait, Your Highness!

I have something to ask Your Highness.

Come forth.

Aigoo.

Aigoo.

Aigoo.

I am Hong Cheon Gi of Baegyu Painting Institute.

Your Highness said that my painting is good, but you cannot give it a pass.

I would like to know the reason.

All the participants accepted the evaluation.

Why would you step forward to ask the reason behind it?

I apologize sincerely for interrupting the evaluation

and questioning out of place.

But I am not opposing the righteous elder's judgment.

I have already failed, as Your Highness has announced.

Then?

My institute's honor and my life's hope have both been broken.

If I return in shame without even knowing why,

I am afraid I could never paint again, out of resentment.

Thus I dare to ask you.

What is it that I lack?

Your painting is a unique composition, unlike any other plum blossom painting.

This alone captivates the viewer.

You have enough skills.

However, the petals of the plum blossom in this painting

are all facing up,

making it appear like apricot blossoms.

And do you not think these butterflies flying this busily at night

represent the painter's shallowness to buy people's affections?

It is the same as selling out fidelity and integrity, the core values of plum blossoms.

You can ask ten times, but your painting is nevertheless a 'fail' to me.

As expected, the butterflies were the problem.

What does that mean?

Don't you see?

His Highness is nitpicking.

There is something there in that butterfly painting.

There is something there.

As expected, that butterfly.

What?

What about the butterfly?

It looks fine. Why?

The wings are fine. It has antennae-

Butterfly?

- Gosh... - You are fearless.

This is my secret mark.

I saw that painter at the paint house.

The two surely...

must know each other.

She knows Yul?

Your Highness.

To say that the technique is too detailed and makes it too lively...

I feel the same-

How do you all feel about it?

The tip of the brush seems to hide meanings, as though such straight branches might break.

It seems that the painter is too honest with her feelings

and forgot the central theme of the painting.

I also think the blossoms in the painting are too simple.

They feel undignified and tasteless.

Listening to you all

has proven furthermore why this painting is a fail.

Your Highness, are you failing me simply because the blossoms

are not upside down and look like apricot blossoms?

You told the painters that this gathering was a free-spirited competition.

So how could you say such things?

Are you talking back to me?

Forgive me.

Whatever the case,

I see that you tried to show off your technique with its unconventional composition in this painting

and forgot the essence of the theme. What can I say?

Aigoo, that's right. Hong Cheon Gi got caught.

My painting also shows butterflies flying under the moonlight.

- So why... - Come now.

The world's happenings are all up to the human heart.

Who is to blame?

Those who are meant to pass will pass

and those who are meant to fail will fail.

I see.

I now realize what it means to participate in the Maejukheon Painting Gathering.

- Good, then. - Your Highness...

you say that Maejukheon Painting Gathering puts aside rank and status

and competes only with skills.

However...

I know full well that those were merely kind words

and the results are inevitably decided by Your Highness's

tastes and opinions.

Unbelievable!

- Look at her talk. - Goodness.

What a bold woman.

I have disrespected you.

I shall be going now.

Wait!

Your Highness, in my opinion,

the reason the blossoms are upside down in this painting

is because she had in mind the sagging plum blossom trees

that bloom upside down near the water as in Du Hyang's poetry, Dosumae.

Furthermore, the reason they appear like apricot blossoms with all the petals up

is because the painter is faithful

to her feelings as she looked upon the plum tree.

What are you doing?

Your Highness...

she is a divine painter.

What?

Does that painting have divine powers or something?

How bizarre.

You mean Hong Eun Oh's daughter could attend the gathering?

I tried to prevent her from coming,

but I'm telling you in case she does.

I did not realize Eun Oh had a daughter.

Promise me.

We must fail her.

I have no doubt she is the daughter of Hong Eun Oh,

the descendant of the divine painter.

I shall...

use my all pass tile.

An all-pass tile.

No questions asked.

It is a pass.

The all-pass tile.

"Mere painter list?"

But at the very least, this list has my friends' lives

and the honor of Baegyu Painting Institute,

and my life's hope written in it.

Pass!

You did it!

Next.

I truly thought there was going to be trouble earlier.

What were you thinking?

I don't know, either.

It is too early to be relieved. I have bad news.

What news?

I think Grand Prince Yangmyeong bought Wolseongdang's fake Sochoondo.

What?

I mean, was it not suspicious that he kept bringing up

- the butterflies in your painting? - No way.

If not that, what else would he have against you?

- Gosh, but still. - What will you do now?

No one knows whom Jeong Soen Nae sold it to.

Hey, let's say that His Highness did buy my painting.

So why would he not do anything about it all this time?

Geez, my back.

You keep saying, "No way." That's how they break your wrist

- and your painter life could be over. - Geez, seriously...

Painter Choi.

Good to see you, Painter Choi.

Painter Seong and Painter Jang.

I have to go to the bathroom. I'm off.

- You have to come back on time. - You are all here.

- Okay, okay. - Of course.

It is the first gathering in several years. We could not miss it.

I see I should work harder now that I see you both.

I shall be going now.

Go easy on us, Painter Choi.

See you soon.

Let's go.

Is that not the rude woman painter who talked back to His Highness?

Oh, it is.

She came in with Supervisor Ha of Seomungwan, right?

Supervisor Ha of Seomungwan?

Do they mean the scholar?

He must be here to back his woman since he is close to His Highness.

Even the dignified Han Geon gave her all-pass.

I guess it is not just a rumor that he was cursed and became the red-eyed water demon.

He must have enchanted the painting to make the butterfly fly to it.

Or maybe she painted honey onto it.

Incredible.

Goodness!

Darn it.

What?

Do you know Supervisor Ha of Seomungwan?

I do. He is the protector god of the King's palace.

That's it?

I hear he is called the red-eyed water demon.

Why?

- Because he has red eyes? - Yes.

No one has ever said that to me before.

People call me water demon when they see my eyes.

If he is a supervisor of Seomungwan, is he of high rank?

I suppose so.

Why?

Are you interested in him?

Hey! Do you ask about everything you're interested in?

I'm only curious since they say he has red eyes.

But that curse or something. What does that suppose to mean?

You really are strange today.

I can't believe you show interest in a man.

You know something, don't you?

Come, tell me. Hurry.

Well.

I heard his eyes turned red after he was sacrificed for the Seokcheok Rain Ritual.

What?

- Seokcheok Rain Ritual? - Yeah.

It was already almost 20 years ago.

Hey.

What's wrong? Are you unwell?

No, never mind me.

Twenty years ago was...

Could he be...

The second round will start soon.

Once each painter is called,

tell us your resolution for the second round.

Monk Man Yu.

They say a painting

uses paper and ink to draw the world

to contain oneself

and contain humankind within it.

Namu Amitabul Avalokitesvara Guan Yin.

Painter Choi Jeong.

A painting is not meant to be contained

but it is a fight between each stroke.

I am not one to lose a battle of strokes.

I shall win.

How can one win or lose in painting?

We can only paint, stroll,

and have a good time while we are here.

Most of the people here are daubers for a living.

We grew up fighting with our paintings on the streets.

I shall not back down easily.

What a bunch of lousy fancy words.

Fighting?

Well, well. I should win that fight.

I shall try to bring honor to my family.

Painter Hong Cheon Gi.

It seems this gathering

could be a playground for high born aristocrats

or a fight for money and honor for other painters.

But for me, my lifelong wish depends on it.

And my whole life depends on it.

I must win.

Now, then. I congratulate the 20 of you on making it to the second round.

Are you all prepared for the second round?

Good.

I look forward to seeing your works in the second round.

I shall explain the new rules for the second round.

For the second round, you shall use the paper and ink prepared for you by Maejukheon.

The paper is a thin bamboo paper coated with sesame oil.

If you make a mistake, you cannot start again.

It will be an immediate fail.

One wrong brushstroke, and it's over.

Thin bamboo paper...

Is this not the valuable paper they use to draw portraits at the Painting Bureau?

Do they expect us to draw a portrait?

What?

Then Annoying One has the upper hand.

You obnoxious bunch.

They wouldn't ask us to draw a portrait.

Well, since it's oil paper,

it will all depend on how we use the ink.

The brush's bristles are unfixed.

You get a single large sheep fur brush.

Those who cannot use this brush

and those who used a unique brush in the first round.

- If you cannot deliver... - One brush? I'm stunned.

- the same results, - What do they expect us to do?

- that is also... - A single large sheep fur brush?

- a fail. - I want to cry.

It isn't even fixed.

With just an average painting skill, it would be difficult even to hold the brush right.

If we don't adjust the water right, we can't make delicate strokes.

For delicate brushstrokes, you can make the tip of the brush jagged.

We knew that.

Right.

We will soon see who has more skill

competing with the same paper and ink.

An experienced painter will adapt to the brush quickly.

It will be a battle of the artistry of brushstrokes.

The second round's topic is mountains and rivers.

And now the prompt.

I leave this one to Supervisor Ha of Seomungwan.

Your Highness, how could I...

Supervisor Ha is a close friend of mine and

a great astrologist acknowledged by His Majesty.

His poetry is also exceptional and a joy to listen to.

Come forth.

I shall return in a moment.

I will leave it in your care.

The spirit of spring fills the mountains

as we walk among the peach blossoms.

I keep waiting for the peaches

and search morning and night.

For the second round, we will give additional points to paintings that move us.

We shall also give additional points to paintings

that seem bold and spirited.

Is he truly Ha Ram?

Now, you have two hours.

[The spirit of spring fills the mountains...]

They all paint fearlessly like they knew the prompt already.

I'm in trouble now.

I should paint horizontally.

Hey. I don't know what's going on but focus.

Right. I should ask him after the gathering.

I still cannot believe

that you are the Sochoondo imitation painter.

Is it really you?

Is it you?

I have so much to ask, but I'll save them for now.

♫ Can you see my feelings for you? ♫

The peach blossom field 19 years ago.

I wonder if you still remember that place.

I may have cared for you once,

but I am already a dead man.

I cannot forget how warmly you

listened to me...

and held my hand.

By chance, did you wait for me?

Wait for the tomorrow that I had promised you?

I want to know...

why you could not come back.

♫ So we don't pass each other like the brushing breeze ♫

♫ I will be here ♫

♫ Do you know that your eyes sparkle ♫

♫ Like the unreachable stars up above? ♫

Lovers of the Red Sky

How can you tell me to forget so easily?

The reason that boy did not come back for you

is because he forgot about you.

How long will you keep your mouth shut?

Is it so wrong for a painter to attend a painting gathering?

Do your paintings contain the spirit of your brush and ink at all?

People are not touched by a painter's skills.

Are you giving up like this?

What do you know about me that you are saying this to me?

Don't blame only yourself

"Don't blame yourself."

for things you cannot control.

Ha Ram.

It is you, isn't it?

♫ So we don't pass each other like the brushing breeze ♫

Lovers of the Red Sky