Original subtitles

THE TRUNK

5 YEARS AGO

Thanks for letting me say goodbye.

Now what would you like from me, dear wife?

A wedding and nothing else.

Are you sure you're okay with this?

If it's what you want.

Don't kill my mom, okay?

So I can't put a hit out on her?

Yeah, no hits.

Do you think

she'll come to the ceremony?

No.

Assuming people live to around 80…

Scratch that, we might live even longer.

Assuming we live to around 100,

don't you think you'll get tired of spending the rest of your life with me?

I'll let you go when you turn 70.

Forty years…

And what should I do after?

You could try spending the next 30 years with someone else.

A guy.

So do you think

it'll be less lonely by then?

For people, I mean.

Have you been lonely?

A little.

Not right now, though.

The way I see it,

people are either lonely or evil.

If there's one thing

life's taught me,

it's that lonely people are the ones who get left behind.

In our next lives,

let's not be born.

Let's get left behind.

I'll make sure you're not lonely.

I'll keep you safe, so you don't have to hide anymore.

THE TRUNK

I watched a documentary about this ethnic group called the Mosuo.

They live in a matriarchal society without formal marriage.

Dating's the equivalent of marriage for them,

and parents don't even know if their kids are married.

If a child is born, the mother raises it, and men raise their sisters' children.

Their village looked damn peaceful.

What are you rambling about?

You've never had to check the meter on a taxi, have you?

I was drinking until 3:00 a.m.,

yet you still called me out here, so say something.

Or at least catch us some fish to cook some spicy stew.

Using a living being as bait to catch another for sport

is cruel.

You're cruel.

I think I want to sleep with that woman.

Which woman?

You mean your wife?

They're not LSD or methamphetamines.

They're zolpidem-type sleeping pills, doxepin, benzodiazepines,

antidepressants, and anxiolytics.

There was also some prescription melatonin.

They're all drugs you can have prescribed, but it's rare to have so many on hand.

Do people ever hide their drugs?

Often, if they're addicted, yes.

Looks like it's going to rain today.

Have a nice day, Ms. Noh.

Thanks.

It's your day off, yet you still work.

I wanted to give this to you that day, but the timing seemed off.

You always wear the same one, so…

Need help putting it on?

I've gotten used to this one. I'll put yours on later.

Why'd you act that way at Mr. Han's?

Awkwardly playing house.

I've given it some thought.

I don't think it was because of me or Han Jeong-won.

Does Ms. Noh In-ji bother you?

I'm used to that house.

I wasn't playing anything. It was out of habit.

I guess that's one way to explain it.

I'll leave you to it.

YEONHEE UNIVERSITY

HAN JEONG-WON

I feel even more uneasy now that he's out of sight.

He should have shown up by now.

Eom Tae-seong, I mean.

How are things this time? Do you like your living arrangement?

This type of marriage is a first for you.

He's not a terminally ill patient whose days are numbered,

nor a gay guy who needs to get married because of his parents.

He's also not depressed and trying to kill himself every day.

He just doesn't need to be in a contract marriage.

You're damned if they've got issues, and damned if they don't.

He does have issues.

A drug problem, among other things.

All right, if you say so.

What do you want out of this marriage?

And what can you do for him?

A divorce.

A perfect divorce.

I never thought I'd see the day.

To think you'd find a woman who's not Lee Seo-yeon.

When you first told me you were getting married,

I thought you were nuts.

But then, I was lying in bed, and the notion kind of excited me.

You don't need to waste your energy looking for a partner,

and you get to enjoy a no-strings marriage with someone who's a perfect match.

To us married men, that's the dream. I'm sure even more so for women.

No kids and no in-laws. Just a safe, casual marriage.

It's too good to be true.

Do you really like that woman?

It's not like that.

-It's just… -Just?

I've had no trouble sleeping since she arrived.

I sleep at night and wake up in the morning.

I'm bothered by the changes she's made,

but more bothered with myself for being so bothered.

So you want to do it with a woman who bothers you.

Or maybe I just need a woman to do it with.

You're not 15. You're over 30. You should be able to tell the difference.

Why don't you figure out if it's a need or if you've actually fallen for her?

I haven't fallen for anyone.

I just need a woman.

It's why you don't listen to know-it-alls who've read just one book

or dated one person.

What would you know? Lee Seo-yeon's scrambled your brain.

In-ji.

You shop here?

So do I.

Why don't you check if it's just a need or if you've actually fallen for her?

Where are…

I'm glad I ran into you like this.

Why would you be glad to see me?

I don't have any friends in these parts. Plus, isn't this fun?

Neither of us has exes, and we both have partners.

Or maybe you're just glad to run into a co-worker.

So you knew?

I saw you at the office, Assistant Manager Yoon.

Here I was thinking only I knew.

Two husbands and two wives.

Like a game of truth where the real and the fake intertwine.

How about we forge an alliance?

I want to see things through to the end with Seo-yeon.

Does Ms. Lee Seo-yeon

frequently take medication?

Sleeping pills, for instance.

Are we allies, then?

Would you like to go out for dinner?

You pick the restaurant.

Sure.

Going on a date?

I should get going.

I don't know about you,

but I'm on your side, Ms. Noh.

Best of luck to us.

I didn't expect you'd pick this place.

I figured it would be satisfying to eat his favorite food in front of him.

Why are you smiling?

I'm wondering if it is just a need.

Do I just need it? Is there something more to it?

If so, what?

Ignore me.

Dig in.

Isn't seaweed soup mainly for birthdays?

Why does he like it so much?

People who grew up by the seaside cook this soup with rockfish, not beef.

Once you've had it that way,

its memory follows you all the way to the city.

You can't replicate that childhood taste, no matter how hard you try.

But some are beaten for not getting it right.

We always had seaweed soup at home.

At first, I thought it was because my father liked it.

I only found out later

that my mom had never even gotten it after giving birth to me.

My mom never had a mom,

and that haunted her throughout her life.

The day she was beaten by my father

and taken to the hospital with chipped teeth…

I saw her cook seaweed soup and eat it in the kitchen in the dark.

All over something like this.

Every time she was hurting, and every time she was beaten,

maybe she thought it would heal her,

or maybe she believed her fate was sealed because--

Because no one had ever made her this soup.

To me, seaweed soup is a reminder of death.

What does this mean?

It's in the manual.

Something married couples can give.

Moral support.

Think of it as me

holding down a perilla leaf for you.

Back in the day, freedom fighters had what were called "father-killing pacts."

Have you heard of them?

They would kill each other's traitorous, pro-Japan fathers

because they couldn't bring themselves to do it.

A shared division of labor, if you will.

Knowing such a practice existed

is rather comforting to me.

Do you want to do it with me?

I can kill that man…

and you can kill my mom.

Is my father fuming?

No, I'm almost there.

I'm going in now.

Okay, see you.

Mr. Oh Hyeon-cheol?

Yes, and you are?

Your wife ordered your father's rice cakes.

-We met at a Heritage Lounge gathering. -I see, thanks.

I'm a fan of yours.

I listen to every release from your record label.

Thank you, but I really must run.

Producer Han Jeong-won.

I've loved his work in particular.

Right.

-I'm with the Oh Hyeon-cheol party. -This way.

How was your day?

Spouses often ask things like, "What did you get up to today?"

I went fishing.

Do you like fishing?

No.

Why not?

I have pet goldfish. Fishing reminds me of them.

Why the look?

Don't you feel bad for your goldfish when you grill fish?

I can stop making fish if you like.

You even know how to make threats.

What did you do today?

You're the one who said spouses ask such things.

I did this and that.

Small but important things that aren't apparent but need to be done.

I had to run the dryer because it rained.

I'd wanted to dry our sheets in the sun.

It's comforting.

I don't know why, but when you say things like that…

I like the things you say sometimes.

It's not even any words in particular. It just feels like…

you're undoing the buttons that were fastened wrong

and re-buttoning them correctly, one by one.

Do you struggle with buttons?

I used to when I was younger.

Sometimes I screwed up on purpose

just to see the spark come back to my mother's eyes.

"Look at your shirt," she'd say.

She'd sit down, back to her old self, and redo my buttons one by one.

You have a way of disarming people.

I keep sharing these silly stories.

I'm not saying that's why I…

kissed you or anything.

So you do know how to do housework.

My father didn't like having people in the house.

I don't want to take after him, but I'm the same.

I pretty much lived alone for about ten years.

I didn't replace any furniture. I just cleaned and organized.

Whenever a new piece of furniture arrives,

it's like a battle, so it takes time for me to get used to it.

You must feel the same about me.

You have a knack for housework.

Why does your mom have to die?

It may be useful to know if we ever decide on that labor exchange.

You don't have to say if you don't want to.

My mom…

ruined my marriage

and killed him.

You killed them?

Holy crap!

What are you doing here so early?

Why are you here?

It's much stranger you're here at this hour, Ms. Do-dam.

For fuck's sake.

You try raising them, then! Let's see how long they last.

Try keeping them alive in this house.

With the right kind of care, these guys can outlive dogs.

Don't say anything, okay?

They keep her attached to this place.

If she finds out they died,

imagine how devastated she'd be.

It's almost like you actually care about her.

Snitch, and you'll pay for it.

Okay, fine.

The punk who owns this place is still alive, isn't he?

He'll be back, won't he?

Yes.

He's alive, apparently.

We thought he was dead, but apparently, he's still alive.

How have you been?

So you'd rather not be a rude-ass southerner.

I've been all right.

Have you eaten?

Is your husband still against it?

What about keeping the next one?

The gynecologist told me that I can't have kids.

They say I was born with a weak uterus.

I've lost contact with my younger sibling. No wonder I didn't dream of their corpse.

They're probably dead.

Now it's just me and this baby,

truly alone in the world.

I want this baby.

NM won't sit idly by.

If the client doesn't want the baby, the company has to pay an exorbitant fee.

So before that happens…

These are the brokers who kept me updated. He's still over there.

He worked for a small trading company that imported and exported goods to Korea.

Now he works as a tour guide.

He sells fish tanks too.

Ridiculous, isn't it?

Fish tanks.

I get the feeling that he's going to come back someday.

Whether he'll come back to you is another story.

Where are you headed?

Home.

Want to watch a movie together?

Isn't this nice?

Lee Seo-yeon worked on this place.

How did your father's birthday go?

The rice cakes saved it.

The guy who made them seemed to know you.

Who?

I heard he went to a Heritage Lounge gathering

and is a fan of yours.

Who knew you had fans?

Sure.

Hello, Seo-yeon.

I'll be going now.

Are you here because of the remodeling?

You seem happy about something.

Thanks.

Want to grab something to eat? I happen to be free.

It's okay if you have an appointment.

Sorry, but I have somewhere to be.

How about tomorrow at a time that works for you?

Sure, let's do that.

All right, then.

I had to get the tickets last minute, and this was our only option.

I like these kinds of movies.

Why aren't you watching?

Because I'm scared.

I can't stomach movies like these.

Is it very scary?

The person you have called is currently unavailable…

HAN JEONG-WON

The person you have called is currently unavailable…

Don't horror movies scare you?

They do.

You sure didn't look scared.

In a way, horror movies can be comforting.

It's a relief knowing

that my life is safer than what happens in those movies.

I hear that's why people watch horror movies.

Is there a reason you need to feel that way?

At times, yes.

We have that in common.

I'm glad you asked me to a movie.

I liked the choice of movie too.

I guess today was one of those days you needed relief.

A little.

Why?

You know that man my mom supposedly killed?

There's a chance

I'll be meeting him soon.

I'm not sure

if this is the right time to say this…

but I think I want to sleep with you.

I wish I could sugarcoat it,

but that would sound too contrived.

I'm telling you this instead of holding it in…

because I'm worried nothing will happen if I don't tell you now.

I'm always subtracting things in life.

I've subtracted and subtracted,

and finally ended up with a rather simple equation…

but I can't figure out where you fit in.

I can't tell if I want to sleep with you…

simply because you're a woman, or because I like you.

I hope…

it's simply because you're a woman.

I'll keep that in mind.

WIFE

Where's the whiskey?

Drink it slowly.

Pour me another.

I found it for you. Pour it yourself!

You do it!

I should have at least one person I can control however I'd like.

That person's you.

Don't you care who I am,

or what I used to do before this?

None of that matters to me.

Just because I like you doesn't mean I'm yours.

On the contrary,

you are mine.

At least for a year.

Stop drinking. You look pathetic enough already.

Sir.

They've identified the body.

Eom Tae-seong?

Eom Tae-seong, 36-year-old male.

History of mental illness and past hospitalizations.

The fatal wound was to his chest, and he also has a leg wound.

Oh dear.

Am I going to have to buy a new batch?

They don't look so good.

How's he connected to the trunk's owner?

He isn't. They didn't live anywhere near each other.

So it was a simple robbery?

That's what it looks like.

Why would a thief steal a trunk,

then get on a boat in the middle of the night?

Taxis and buses are everywhere.

Maybe it was to avoid cameras.

The CCTV wires were cut, remember?

The dead guy might not have known that.

Did you find any signs boats were used there?

Did anyone hear any engine sounds?

We're still questioning people, but no.

Our victim had an impressive criminal record.

Like what? What's the most recent offense?

Stalking.

He was arrested for repeated stalking, but his sentence was reduced.

Before that, he was fined and served time for stalking. He's a seven-time offender.

Who was he stalking?

What is it? Just tell me.

It's Mr. Han Jeong-won's wife. Why's her name here?

Ms. Lee Seo-yeon?

No, not the ex-wife. The other one.

His common-law wife, Ms. Noh In-ji.

Contact Ms. Noh In-ji, and get me Mr. Han's address.

-Do you have a Heritage Lounge gathering? -Yes.

See you, then.

I only make mistakes when you're around.

I don't let my guard down around anyone else.

Have a good time.

Try to behave.

Watch out for cars.

And hurry back.

I just got this mugwort tea, and I wanted to show it off.

It's so good. Don't you agree?

It sure is.

I heard you had a gathering at Jeong-won's house.

That's right.

The ex-husband, current husband, ex-wife, and current wife were all there?

Why didn't you invite us to such a special occasion?

We had a light meal, then called it a day.

It's nice you're all getting along.

Ma'am, will someone else be joining us?

I asked Ms. In-ji to join us.

I was supposed to meet her this afternoon, but I had to reschedule.

You're all acquainted, so I thought it'd be fine.

If it makes you uncomfortable, I can set up a separate meeting.

I'm okay with it.

You don't mind, do you?

I mean, you've already had dinner together.

Ma'am, your guest is here.

You're here.

Hello.

Apologies. I already had an appointment with them.

And I thought it might be nice to meet everyone all at once.

Would you be okay with that?

Of course.

I thought we might enjoy some tea.

It's been a while, Ms. In-ji. I'm Kang Yoon-a.

Of course, I remember you.

How have you been?

Sorry for not being in touch since you had us over. Is Jeong-won…

Is Mr. Han also doing well?

He is.

And is your husband doing well?

Were you with him yesterday by any chance?

I needed to discuss soundproofing material for his studio, but I couldn't reach him.

He asked for a specific one, but there are many with the same name.

It's probably because we were at the movies yesterday.

His phone must have been on silent.

I see.

What kind of tea do you like?

We were having some mugwort tea that I just got, but there are others too.

How about raspberry tea?

I tried it on my last visit, and it was great.

I think it would suit Ms. In-ji.

Would that be okay?

Yes.

How is it?

I hope you like it, even though I recommended it.

I like it.

I like berries.

By the way, what are beets good for?

Right, I heard that beets are so good for you.

They're great to drink in the morning.

I see.

I've always wondered…

why people drink that stuff.

Why doesn't Ms. In-ji join us at the Heritage Lounge gatherings?

I would love that. She's Jeong-won's wife, after all.

Of course.

I'm all for it,

if you're worried what I might think.

I see.

I won't worry, then.

Where did you park?

A public parking lot over there.

Park on the other side next time. It's easier.

How about you?

I have another class this afternoon since the kids will be home late.

In that case,

it was nice seeing you.

Likewise.

Jesus Christ, that was exhausting.

Holy hell.

Are you all right? A cat came out of nowhere.

We'll need to tow your car.

I've never caused an accident like this, even when I was a new driver.

I'll make sure the car is repaired.

I'll ask Mr. Han to handle it.

I know, but I'll do it myself. It was my fault.

Let's keep this a secret.

A secret?

You don't like secrets?

I just don't see why it should be a secret.

So you're not a fan of secrets.

Fine, then. Why hide something like this?

But aren't some things better kept hidden?

For instance, the fact that you and Jeong-won

are in a temporary marriage.

You don't seem surprised.

I was told the ex-wife was the one who requested it from NM.

You're missing the point.

The point is, I'm the one who chose you, Ms. Noh In-ji.

I was told there was no chance you two would ever match,

so I figured it'd never happen.

But your decision to take the job has made things fun for me.

You're the one who picked me?

That's right.

Why go to such lengths to torment Mr. Han Jeong-won?

Why go to such lengths to torment Mr. Han Jeong-won?

Do you know the fable of the scorpion and the frog?

After stinging the frog that saves its life,

the scorpion explains it couldn't help itself.

It's just in its nature.

Everyone's got their own point of view.

You seem to be a very diligent person, Ms. In-ji.

You prepare his breakfast and even debone his fish.

Thank you for taking care of Jeong-won in ways I never could have imagined.

Please be happy for this one year.

I may be punishing Jeong-won, but I'm also giving him some time off.

By the way, what are beets good for?

The point is, I'm the one who chose you, Ms. Noh In-ji.

Are you awake?

I moved you because you seemed uncomfortable.

Are you done subtracting?

I still don't have an answer.

Never mind. I was talking nonsense.

I'll keep that in mind.

Subtitle translation by: Jimin Choi