In the early 17th century, Jurchen which was in conflict with Ming China
named itself the Qing Empire and forced
the Joseon Dynasty of Korea to become its servant nation.
Joseon resisted on the reason of its dignity and loyalty to the Ming.
On December 14, 1636, the Qing's army crossed the Yalu River to invade Joseon.
Joseon's king Injo and his lieges took refuge in the fortress in Namhan mountain.
That winter was harshly cold with heavy snow.
Scare him.
Archers, forward!
Loose!
I have been ordered by the King of Joseon
to see General Ingguldai!
Is this how you would greet a royal envoy?
Ask him who he is.
Who are you?
Identify yourself!
I am Myeong-gil Choi, Minister of the Interior of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea!
LEE Byung-hun KIM Yoon-seok
Get inside. It's cold out.
PARK Hae-il GO Soo
Did the royal carriage cross here last night?
Yes, I led them across the ice.
Soon the Qing will arrive.
Why did you not go with the royal carriage?
Surely, not even the barbarians would kill a frail old boatman.
I know the icy path across this river well.
If the enemy comes, I will guide them across in exchange for food.
You are a subject of Joseon.
Yesterday, you led the way for your King,
and tomorrow, you would do the same for the enemy?
After helping the King cross, I received not even a handful of grain.
I am headed to Namhan Fortress.
Come with me, and I will reward you for your troubles.
I have a young granddaughter to care for.
The child at the river bank?
Her parents were lost in the flood a few years ago.
I'm the only family she has left.
Then I will care for the child, too.
Come with me to the fortress.
It's quite a journey from here. I advise you to head to the West Gate.
The road is steeper, but it's the quickest way.
I swear to take care of both of you.
Will you really not follow me?
I must return to my home, my lord.
Music by Ryuichi Sakamoto
Associate Producer HAN Heung-seok
Based on the Novel by KIM Hoon
THE FORTRESS
They say the King arrived last night.
I guess the barbarians have finally invaded.
Look at them. I doubt they'll even put up a fight.
Hurry! Get into formation.
They didn't bring even a handful of rice.
Don't you think we should get out of here?
Half the fortress village has already packed up and fled.
You have somewhere else you can go?
This is where we rode out the first Qing invasion.
Yeah, that's true, but...
I'm scared we'll be dragged into war if we stay.
Live or die, I will stand by this place.
If you want to leave, go.
You're too harsh with me. Where would I go without you?
Your Majesty, the Minister of the Interior has arrived!
Does the enemy really talk of a peace treaty?
The Qing general demands to know
why Joseon broke the promise of brotherhood.
He only wants to renew the pledge.
He has no intention of starting a war.
Have you seen the army that follows them?
I saw nothing but the advance party led by General Ingguldai.
You are so naive, Minister Choi.
How can we believe the words of the barbarians?
I can only tell you what I witnessed at the enemy camp.
And what are the conditions for this peace treaty?
Will we be forced to terminate our allegiance to the Ming Empire?
Your Majesty, I'm obliged to tell you...
Will the Joseon Court meet our demands?
They are narrow-minded enough to value moral obligations the most.
I don't expect they will give in easily.
What is their alternative?
They'll buy themselves time to think of a way out.
And if we give them the time they seek, will they succeed?
Why are you people of Joseon so foolish?
Sir, I am a man of the Qing Empire now.
The mountain is steep, and the fortress looks solid.
Yes, but Joseon walls are flimsy.
With enough force, the fortress will collapse on its own.
Once the wooden fences are complete,
block all paths in and out of the fortress.
Yes, sir.
We must send them the crown prince?
They insist we send His Highness as a hostage.
Otherwise, there will be no chance for a peace treaty.
The situation is extremely urgent. I will go.
Stay out of this.
But Your Majesty...
Speak your minds, all of you.
The crown prince demonstrates an honorable concern for his country.
Even if he is sent to the barbarians,
I'm sure his honor will guarantee his safe return.
Does Minister Choi agree?
Speak!
Your Majesty.
Regretfully, I must tell you,
if we fail to negotiate a peace treaty now, we...
Your Majesty!
You must behead anyone who would utter such vile words!
Whose men are they who would send the crown prince as a hostage?
It should be their heads we send to the enemy,
not the crown prince.
That would be the end of the barbarians' insolent requests.
Minister Kim speaks the truth.
As a loyal subject, I believe it is unthinkable
we would send the crown prince away.
Don't do it, Your Majesty!
Don't do it, Your Majesty. This cannot happen.
Your Majesty.
The enemy has traveled a long way. They are exhausted.
Put a bounty on their heads
and demonstrate to our soldiers an indomitable will to fight on.
Are we best serving the country by using swords in place of words?
What do you mean by words?
Are we to beg for our lives?
It is not death I fear, but the future of the country.
And you would hand over the future of our country to the barbarians?
Your Majesty.
If we do not send the crown prince,
I fear their demands will only grow harsher.
If the crown prince is sent, you will be scorned by the barbarians
and their demands will grow harsher.
- Your Majesty! - Enough!
I understand. You may leave, all of you.
Chief Eunuch, hurry!
Summon the royal doctor to care for the royal body.
How many soldiers are in the fortress now?
Including those at the fortress under my command,
the local soldiers from the nearby provinces,
and the men drafted from the village, we have a total of 13,000.
I understand the enemy numbers ten times that.
This fortress is built on a natural barrier.
If our will remains firm, we will succeed in defending ourselves.
I'm more worried
about the hunger and cold than the enemy outside the walls.
Are you trying to get yourself killed?
I told you not to start a fire along the wall.
He doesn't know any better.
Please forgive him, my lord.
What's all the commotion?
Sir, these men disobeyed a direct order and set a fire.
My brother here has never been in the army, my lord.
He has very little experience. Forgive him just this once.
I am ignorant about these things, my lord.
But if you were to send us to fight in this brutal cold,
shouldn't you make sure we don't freeze to death?
How dare you!
It is reckless to start a fire along the fortress wall.
If one man starts a fire, others will do the same
and then the enemy will know exactly where our soldiers are positioned.
Could you at least give us straw bags?
Straw bags?
This is the Minister of Rites. Speak up!
If you collect straw bags and distribute them among us soldiers,
we'll get shelter from the snow and the cold earth beneath.
What is your name?
Nal-soe, sir. I am a blacksmith.
If I choose not to send the crown prince, how do you think they will react?
They will demand Your Majesty instead.
And if I refuse?
Then they will gather their forces and breach the fortress walls.
Is this their idea, or yours?
It is what their interpreter told me. He rides alongside General Ingguldai.
But I can't send the crown prince.
How could a father hand his own son over to the enemy?
With your permission,
I will go to the Qing camp and find a way.
Do you think there's still a chance to negotiate?
I would choose death by the enemy's sword over lingering here a moment longer.
But the fortress is surrounded.
Don't worry, Your Majesty.
I'll find a way, no matter what the cost is.
How much food is left for the soldiers?
With the current rations, the food will last a month.
If we reduce the rations, we can hold out longer.
But I am worried by how much longer, and how much less.
Cut the rations, but not by too much.
How much do we feed them per day?
Do I have to tell you everything?
No, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty.
The soldiers guarding the wall are suffering from extreme cold.
They can barely grip their spears because of frostbite.
Your Majesty, the soldiers are used to sleeping out in the open.
When the clouds clear and the sun shines,
they will recover their strength.
Our soldiers are freezing to death, and you would await the sun?
If our soldiers are freezing and dispirited,
then the same must be true of the enemy.
If the enemy soldiers suffer,
it is acceptable that ours do as well?
It's not that it's acceptable but...
Why don't we collect spare clothes from the nobles and royal family
so that the soldiers can have something dry to wear?
Divesting the royal family of their attire
is a blunder that will result in a loss of prestige.
And if the nobles are stripped of their dignity,
what hope will the cold and lonely people of this fortress have?
The Prime Minister's words make sense.
What if we collect straw bags and give them to the soldiers?
Straw bags?
Yes, Your Majesty.
If we collect all the spare straw bags in the fortress,
the soldiers can use them to shelter
themselves from the snow and cold.
Minister Kim's plan is sound.
So be it.
Your Majesty's grace is immeasurable!
General Ingguldai welcomed you as an ambassador,
but your King has locked himself in his fortress and not once looked out.
The King is unsure of how to greet guests bearing swords and spears.
Please be forgiving.
Don't you see it's the Joseon's fault we've come here armed?
You've ignored our pact of brotherhood and chosen to remain loyal to the Ming.
Joseon is brother-in-arms to the Qing,
but the Ming is our parent country.
Is the older brother not generous enough
to understand the younger brother's plight?
The Khan has been generous in having spared your life so far
and in not yet destroying the fortress.
Remember that, Mr. Choi.
A gift from the Joseon King.
Your face has grown thin and gaunt.
How is life inside the fortress?
I appreciate your concern.
I seek your counsel in the hopes of finding a way out of the fortress.
I have already told you what I want.
We'll do everything possible except handing over the crown prince.
What is it you seek?
Do you want to fight with nothing but that little wall between us?
There must be another way.
It is your King's fault
we are where we find ourselves today.
The Emperor seeks justice by punishing your King.
This is not the fault of the King, but of his subjects.
I myself would accept whatever punishment I am due.
What sort of punishment do you seek?
Are you willing to give your life?
If my life would open a path to peace, then...
There is no alternative.
Bring the crown prince.
And if you wish to meet again, I suggest you hurry.
Soon the Khan will arrive.
Your Majesty.
Minister Choi was sent to the enemy's camp to beg for our lives.
Such an act disgraces both the crown prince and Your Majesty!
There is always a traitor, even in peaceful times.
But Minister Choi has thrown the crown prince
into the mouth of the enemy.
Everyone within the fortress calls him Son of Ingguldai!
I beseech you, cut off his head and send it to the enemy.
Minister Choi's beheading is the only appropriate action.
Behead Minister Choi!
Silence!
We are surrounded by the Qing army
and yet we would kill one another!
Your Majesty.
Cut my head off as they suggest.
Have the crown prince take it to the enemy.
Perhaps that will secure a peace treaty.
Make no further mention of sending the crown prince.
I cannot grant that request.
Your Majesty.
The entire nation is infuriated
by Minister Choi's talk of a peace treaty.
This is our opportunity to invoke the soldiers' indignation.
Please, dispatch a manifesto calling for a righteous army.
Your Majesty might also pay a visit to the soldiers,
and issue a royal order for a fight.
Your Majesty.
General Ingguldai made clear the Khan will arrive soon.
The Qing Emperor is coming?
So the general told me.
Your Majesty.
Minister Choi has been plotting with the enemy.
Ingguldai invents stories to intimidate us.
The Khan is at war with Ming China.
He wouldn't leave Shenyang and journey all the way here in the cold.
But if the Khan is indeed coming,
now is not the time to fight.
If the Khan is coming, that is all the more reason to fight.
If we can't fight off the enemy before the Khan arrives,
it will be even more difficult afterwards.
- I agree with Minister Kim. - But Your Majesty!
I will go up to the ramparts and encourage the soldiers.
I will issue a manifesto calling for the southern armies.
Minister Kim, draft the letter.
Yes, Your Majesty. I'll treat this as an order.
Your Majesty's grace is immeasurable.
Your Majesty's grace is immeasurable!
The royal court is too poor to protect you from the cold.
This is the result of my lacking virtue.
I watch you shivering in your thin clothes.
I see that your skin is chapped, and your toes frozen.
You have bared your bodies to guard the fortress,
and this causes me great pain.
With foul words, the enemy has laid bare their true intentions.
How can we admonish these men who are as lowly as beasts?
Their hearts are dark as those of animals.
All lines of communication have been severed.
No option remains but war!
If the King and his subjects will
defend the fortress with all their hearts,
united with the Great Cause,
we can drive the enemy back to their country.
Our fortress is isolated, and the danger could not be graver.
Your Majesty is perched in the most precarious place.
Armies of the southern provinces must come to our aid immediately.
Loyal subjects of the King, hurry along!
Deliver this letter and return with the southern armies.
I will execute your order with all my life!
Soldiers of the fortress, listen.
Those that distinguish themselves in the battle against the barbarians
will be handsomely rewarded when we return to the capital!
The fate of the country is in your hands.
The enemy camp lies dead ahead.
Spears at the ready! Riflemen, pack your gunpowder.
Pack your gunpowder.
A barbarian's head is worth 30 pieces of silver.
If we return with a head in each hand, we'll be rich.
Dead men cannot be rich.
Don't get too excited. Just stay behind me.
You worry too much.
I don't plan on dying before I marry.
It's an ambush! Take cover! Return fire!
Chil-bok!
Retreat!
Run, Chil-bok!
Can you fix this?
The rifle's bent, so its sights are off.
There are many other weapons that do not work well.
The barbarians charged with their swords drawn,
while our crooked weapons missed all their targets.
Why are you telling me this and not your superior officers?
I have talked to them about this repeatedly, sir,
but nobody listens. We are invisible to them.
What's worse, we were beaten,
and they claimed we tried to escape the battle.
What makes you think I'll listen to you?
It was you who got us the straw bags, was it not?
It was the King's mercy.
Then please, tell this to the King as well.
Get into line!
Hurry up!
Move quickly, if you wish to live.
That's Namhan Fortress down below.
What do they mean to do, hiding within those walls?
They must have some kind of plan.
They would probably try to summon an army from the provinces.
An army?
I haven't seen a single Joseon soldier since we crossed the Yalu river.
They await their forces from the south.
How foolish.
Hurry!
We have to finish before the Khan arrives!
Any news from the southern armies?
It seems all paths to the fortress are blocked by the enemy.
Do we sit and wait for them to break down our walls then?
There is a rumor the court seeks an accord with the barbarians.
I'm afraid the southern armies are hesitant to fight.
But we dispatched a manifesto ordering them to rescue the court!
The messenger has been sent. We'll have word soon.
Can we hold out until we hear from them?
Supplies officer, speak frankly.
My apologies for this report,
but there are many women and elderly in the fortress.
If we reduce their food rations, our soldiers will last longer.
What does Minister Choi think?
Minister Choi is not here today.
The demands for his execution have persisted day and night.
Surely, he's gone to Ingguldai to beg for his life.
There are requests for your execution as well, Prime Minister.
Your Majesty.
The food supply is the worrisome,
but dull blades and worn-out armor are also concerning.
Is the Minister of Defense aware of this?
Prime Minister, say something.
Are you not the army's commanding general?
Your Majesty...
Among the soldiers in the fortress, there's a blacksmith.
Perhaps we can ask him to repair the weapons?
We have such a man in the army?
Yes, Your Majesty.
Please exempt the blacksmith from his sentry duty
so that he can repair the weapons.
One can serve the country wherever possible.
Have him fix the weapons immediately.
Charge!
Victory!
Can these words be true?
Yes, Your Majesty.
The barbarians were intimidated by our soldiers.
They threw down their weapons and fled.
This is wonderful news.
Which general led the battle?
Fortress Commander Lee Shi-baek led the soldiers.
His bravery and loyalty must be hailed.
Your Majesty.
Let the news of our first victory be spread far and wide
so the southern armies will come running.
Yes, it should be so.
Send praise on my behalf to soldiers returning from this victorious battle.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty.
The fortress commander brought a small child with him upon his return.
A small child?
A young girl was left alone outside the North Gate.
Isn't the enemy camped outside the North Gate?
It's heavily fortified. Not even our best men have made it through.
But the child managed to slip past the enemy and into the fortress.
It is an auspicious sign.
Indeed. Bring me the child.
Your Majesty.
You would bring a peasant's child into the royal court?
Let her in.
She came on a victorious day. It must be a good sign.
Why did you leave your home?
You were asked a question. Answer.
I came in search of my grandfather.
Was your grandfather taken by the Qing soldiers?
Her grandfather is the boatman
who led Your Majesty across the frozen river.
He left home the next day and never returned.
It's the granddaughter of that boatman...
This is such a good karma, is it not?
Yes, Your Majesty.
What is your name?
My name is Naru.
You were named after the pier where you were born?
What a pretty name.
Prime Minister, send word to look for this child's grandfather.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Minister Kim, can you arrange a place for this child to stay in the meantime?
Why do you not answer?
I've heard you take excellent care of children.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Is anyone home?
Yes, sir!
My lord?
This child will stay here for now.
Wash her and give her food.
Sir...
Are you really going to find my grandfather?
Do as I've said.
Yes, sir.
Come with me.
Where'd you find liquor in this camp?
It's a gift from His Majesty.
I have for a friend the fortress commander who strikes terror into the Khan.
I'm so lucky to drink this in a time of war.
You don't seem that happy about the victory.
That's not true.
I am merely afraid our swords will cut off the possibility for peace.
My sword cuts only enemies.
Can we truly protect the fortress by cutting off a few enemy heads?
A rumor that your adversaries are begging for your head
has reached the fortress walls.
That rumor reached me as well.
Do you think my head would suffice?
If so, you are welcome to cut it off and use it to save the fortress.
I don't think it's worth enough.
I can neither open the fortress gate nor protect it with my useless head.
Useless as it may be, I suggest you keep it
so we can have a drink together from time to time.
Whose side are you on, Commander?
Neither side.
I am merely a sentry defending against the enemy.
Had I known this,
I would have become a military man like you.
We risk our lives for this war, and this is what they feed us?
To hell with them.
Stop complaining and eat.
Half the people in this fortress are starving.
Those poor creatures.
Poor, my ass!
They're all better fed than we are.
Your Majesty, our horses are starving to death as we speak.
Can we not find grass to feed them?
The supplies in the fortress are exhausted,
while the enemy continues to ambush us.
Your Majesty, we should strip thatched roofs,
and retrieve the straw bags from the soliders
to make porridge and feed the horses.
Your Majesty, the horses eat the most by far.
Even if we feed them the straw bags, they won't survive much longer.
The comfort of the soldiers is the more urgent...
Your Majesty.
Minister Kim's suggestion has not been thought through.
Humans can endure the cold by sheer force of will
but the horses are animals. They won't survive.
Does Minister Kim intend to fight without cavalry?
It's difficult to find a soldier unaffected by frostbite.
If you take their straw bags now it will only make things worse.
We can fight without horses,
but not without soldiers.
What is your opinion, Minister Choi?
It is easier to give out than to take back.
Horses are animals. Their feelings won't be hurt.
But our soldiers are humans.
If we take what is theirs, they'll be outraged.
Your Majesty.
I would rather strip off my own robes to clothe the soldiers.
The horses are essential to our military's strength.
Without a cavalry, how can we maintain Your Majesty's dignity
or plan a battle outside the fortress?
Please heed my words, Your Majesty.
Please heed our words, Your Majesty.
I understand. So be it.
Rip off whatever you can!
We'll use it as horse feed!
How can you do this?
Sir, what will we do against the cold?
This is for the sake of the country.
When the war is over, the King will repay you.
Stay with your neighbors until then.
Hurry. We must finish before sundown.
Look how they devour everything. Pity I wasn't born a horse.
How foolish of them to do this.
How did you manage to get that head in all the chaos?
My legs went limp at the thought of it.
Hey, how much silver is a barbarian's head worth?
I'll just ask for a table heaped with food.
Is this the messenger we sent?
It is indeed.
I'm telling you,
a table heaped with food plus 30 pieces of silver!
You idiot! Where did you find this head?
The soldier will be beheaded as a warning to others.
Should we send another messenger?
The enemy's siege of the fortress has intensified.
I am afraid another manifesto would never make it out.
Though the enemies are numerous,
they cannot cover every inch of ground.
But even our swift-footed officer failed.
Who will make it through with the manifesto?
Your Majesty.
You have many citizens living here.
I am sure there is someone fit for the task.
Would you care to do it then, Prime Minister?
Your Majesty, it is very fortunate the manifesto did not fall into the enemy's hands.
But if this happens again, and the Qing do seize our letter,
it may well be used against us.
My lord.
You've been waiting for me?
Yes...
I've heard no word of your grandfather.
It's cold. Go to your room.
My lords, would you care for a bowl of horse soup?
You took away our straw bags to feed the horses,
then killed the horses to feed us.
We are so grateful.
Couldn't you have treated us to the horses
while they were still plump?
Are you asking for prosecution?
When the Khan arrives, we're all dead anyway.
What difference does a few days make?
Rip that man's mouth!
Yes, sir!
Stop!
Prime Minister, please calm down.
I am the commanding general!
If I don't demonstrate military discipline,
who will follow my orders?
If we kill this man, we might tame the rest for now,
but eventually, we will lose their loyalty.
Minister Kim is right.
And if we lose their loyalty, the fortress will collapse from within.
If this happens again, I'll have your neck first!
More Qing soldiers have gathered since yesterday.
The Khan is coming...
Has the Khan arrived or not?
A rumor of the Khan's arrival has spread all about us,
but no one has set eyes on him.
Is it true, what Minister Choi heard from the enemy camp?
General Ingguldai does not usually engage in falsehoods.
Minister Choi seems to know him quite well.
According to the fortress commander,
a large number of enemy soldiers have gathered over the past few days.
Minister of Defense, is this true?
Yes, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty! Send me to the enemy camp again.
I will find out with my own eyes.
If people hear about this,
who will risk their lives to fight the enemy?
I will not discuss a peace treaty.
With the New Year approaching, I will take wine and meat as a gift,
as to demonstrate Majesty's generosity. Meanwhile, I will observe their camp.
Minister Choi has a point.
Even barbarians would understand the custom of sending New Year's gifts.
Your Majesty, last time Minister Choi visited the barbarians...
The Prime Minister will accompany him.
Prime Minister, you were going to say that we can't trust Minister Choi, no?
So you will go and observe with him.
Your Majesty... I...
I will not forget your loyalty after my return to the capital.
Your Majesty's grace is immeasurable...
These cannons came from the West.
We took them during a battle with the Ming.
A couple of shots from these will reduce
your little fortress to rubble.
Mr. Jeong, I understand you are originally from Joseon.
How can you speak so carelessly?
Look, Prime Minister.
My parents were serfs, so I was born a serf.
In Joseon, serfs are not considered human.
Never call me a man of Joseon again.
General Ingguldai says you should take back your gifts.
Are you not satisfied with the gifts we brought?
Feed your hungry King.
As you can see, we have plenty of food here.
We've been unable to carry out the usual formalities,
but these are the New Year's gifts from our King.
All lands of Joseon are already ours.
Thus, the wine and meat of Joseon are our as well.
I know you're starving in that stony burrow of yours.
You should feed your people with this meat.
We have come all this way carrying these gifts for you...
To return with them would be...
Take them back.
Are you trying to provoke the general?
I understand the Khan is here.
Is he truly here?
Allow us to greet him, even if from a distance.
Tell your King, he himself must come to greet the Khan.
When would you have that be?
The Khan will summon your King in due time.
This is a grave insult! How dare they refuse the royal gifts?
Behead Minister Choi and send his head to the barbarians
to restore Your Majesty's dignity.
Yes, Your Majesty!
How dare a barbarian general reject Your Majesty's gift?
The Prime Minister should not escape punishment either.
Please heed our words!
Your Majesty, I saw ladders at the Qing camp.
Ladders?
The Qing soldiers were forcing the hostage slaves to build ladders.
Their lengths exceed the height of the fortress wall.
We saw large cannons, too.
Cannons twice the size of our own.
What about the Khan?
Did you see him?
Not with my own eyes,
but it appeared the enemy is preparing for an attack to coincide with his arrival.
These two men are exaggerating to escape punishment.
Your Majesty! What we say is true!
They have disgraced Your Majesty,
and our country in front of those brutal barbarians!
You should punish them!
Although the enemy rejected our gifts,
Your Majesty has taught proper manners to those ignorant barbarians.
Now is not the time for divisions among us.
It is the time to unite our forces into defending the fortress.
If the enemy fires its cannons and climbs up the fortress walls...
do we stand a chance?
What if we were to strike first?
Strike first?
Yes, Your Majesty.
Do you think we can win?
On my way to the camp,
their defences seemed weaker outside the North Gate.
If we deploy our best soldiers, we will defeat our enemies
and demonstrate Your Majesty's dignity.
What does Minister Kim think?
Our reinforcements must be near the fortress.
I entreat you, make a show of our determination to fight.
What does the Minister of Defense think?
The Prime Minister saw the enemy camp himself.
He must be able to come up with a victorious plan.
Minister Choi, give us your thoughts.
If we are going to fight, it must not lose this battle.
Why does Minister Choi think of losing the fight even before it has begun?
Your Majesty.
If we opt for a surprise attack, we certainly have a chance of winning!
As this is the consensus, Prime Minister,
execute an attack when you see fit.
I'll wager my life on this, Your Majesty!
The fate of this country is in your hands,
but do not fear!
The enemy seems to have letdown their guard.
You will set fire to their barricades and open an avenue for attack.
If you encounter the enemy,
return fire using the higher ground to your advantage.
I will beat the drum to signal an advance or a retreat.
Prime Minister!
The fortress is surrounded by an ominous calm.
Send a scout ahead of the main forces.
Do you challenge a direct order?
I am the commanding general executing the King's command.
The wind is also a concern. It's been picking up in the afternoons.
Are you trying to avoid a battle because of a little wind?
Even the best rifleman cannot load gunpowder if the wind is too strong.
Today is a fortuitous day I selected with the aid of a shaman.
Raise no further objections.
Sound the drum to advance!
What are you doing? Advance!
Take my sword to drive the soldiers forward.
Yes, sir!
Advance!
Those who refuse will be killed!
It's a deer!
What a luck! We'll have meat for dinner tonight.
Mark the location. We'll retrieve it when we return.
Yes, sir.
Advance!
There's no sign of the enemy, sir.
Station soldiers in the north, east, and west.
Send the scouts ahead.
Yes, sir!
Retreat behind the barricades!
Hurry!
Regroup behind the barricades.
It's a cavalry unit.
Stay calm until they're closer.
Hold your fire until my command!
Hold your fire! Do not shoot!
Reload! Hurry!
Reload!
We must call them back.
Send in more soldiers.
It's too late.
Send the remaining soldiers! This battle must be won!
If we send in reinforcements now, they'll all die, too.
Are you defying a direct order?
We can't kill all of our soldiers!
What are you waiting for?
Beat the retreat drum!
It's the retreat signal!
Raise the flag!
Retreat to the mountain.
Retreat! Retreat!
Chase them!
Don't let them get away!
Can you see their bodies from the ramparts?
By now they would be covered in snow...
Shouldn't we at least attempt to bury them?
Your Majesty, leave that to me.
Ease your sacred mind.
Ease my mind?
Three hundred soldiers are dead.
Someone must be held responsible.
If you hold me accountable for this loss,
I will accept the responsibility with my life.
But if such responsibility calls for death,
then the men who refused to send reinforcements
and were unable to execute a timely retreat
should also be punished.
Who are they?
Fortress Commander Lee and his lieutenant.
I ordered him to send reinforcements, but he ignored my command.
Is this true?
It was already too late, Your Majesty.
How can it ever be too late to save our dying soldiers?
I saw the situation was dire and ordered the retreat.
But his lieutenant did not pull the soldiers out quickly enough.
Please put Commander Lee and his lieutenant to death,
and demonstrate our military discipline.
Is this what truly happened?
Ask the staff officers who were with me. They saw everything.
The Prime Minister speaks the truth, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty.
The fortress commander would never do something like this.
I understand Minister Choi and Commander Lee are childhood friends.
Now Minister Choi mixes public matters with his personal feelings.
Commander Lee is a distinguished officer who has fought in many battles.
If you execute him,
the morale of the soldiers will suffer greatly.
You must maintain military discipline, Your Majesty!
An officer who loses all of his soldiers
cannot avoid responsibility.
Administer thirty lashes to the fortress commander
and execute the lieutenant.
Your Majesty! My lieutenant was only following orders!
Spare his life and take my own!
Furthermore, the Prime Minister
will be relieved of his position as commanding general.
Minister Kim will henceforth assume the role of commanding general.
- Your Majesty... - This is a royal order.
There will be no further discussion!
Is this even possible?
If we time it precisely with the arrival of the reinforcements,
and attack from both inside and outside,
then yes, it's possible.
When can it be done?
The fifteenth of January.
How can you be sure the southern armies
received our letter?
I told them to light a signal fire when ready.
A monk entered the fortress a couple of days ago
and reported seeing a camp of soldiers led by the field marshal.
The field marshal has come?
Yes, Your Majesty.
The monk said the Joseon soldiers numbered in the tens of thousands.
If we launch a surprise attack at night,
we have a chance of winning.
Can you get this letter out of the fortress?
If there's a way in, there's a way out.
I will select the right messenger and send him out.
Your Majesty, there's not much food left.
If a messenger can't breach the enemy's line,
we won't last much longer.
Only Fortress Commander Lee and I know about this.
I am worried that if word gets out the mission would be jeopardized.
I understand.
How can you assign such an important task to a lowly blacksmith?
When the country is in danger, all should do their duty, high and low alike.
But nothing was never alike when it came to living day to day.
There must be someone more suitable for this mission than me.
The officers here aren't familiar with the terrain surrounding the fortress.
You're the only man I can trust.
You ask too much of him, don't you think?
Why are you asking him instead of the noblemen to risk his life?
Absolutely not!
If I do this, will the war end?
Nal-soe!
Yes.
If you deliver the letter, the southern armies will come.
The village people will return to their way of life
only after the royal court has left.
Way of life?
Everyone is already dead. What life do you speak of?
Chil-bok...
During the first invasion,
the barbarians attacked our village,
killed all our men and raped all the women.
That's enough.
Nal-soe lost his wife and newborn daughter right before his eyes.
But the King and his noblemen escaped to Ganghwa Island.
Where were you then, Minister?
I said that's enough!
I was never able to find my parents' bodies.
Did you have breakfast?
Yes, sir. I had a lot to eat in the kitchen.
I am fine. You eat it.
But if you don't eat rice cake soup,
you will not properly age another year.
I've aged plenty already. Must I age more?
But you should eat...
I'm full.
This is food given by the King. I can't just throw the rest away.
Would you finish it for me?
Do you really want me to empty this bowl?
If this soup is not eaten, I'm afraid the King will punish me.
Please don't worry. I will finish it for you.
What is that I see?
The Joseon King is performing a New Year's Day ritual
in honor of the Ming Emperor in Peking.
What?
In honor of the Ming Emperor in Peking?
Your Majesty, this is entirely my fault. Grant me permission to fire upon them.
Ready the cannons!
Hold your fire.
Hold your fire!
It is inauspicious to smell gunpowder on New Year's Day.
I cannot bear to witness such irreverence.
Leave them be.
They're merely doing what they've always done.
Fourth bow!
Your Majesty.
In my opinion, the reason the Khan has come
is not to destroy the fortress from the outside,
but to open it from within.
I beseech you, send him a letter in accordance with proper protocol.
This is different from your having sent Ingguldai New Year's gift.
Protocol demands two kings to face each other from a distance with the border between them.
If one king visits another with no official announcement,
then it is beyond any discussion of proper protocol.
Your Majesty, the Khan is at war with Ming China.
He can scarcely afford to remain here long.
We must open the gate while the Khan is still here.
No. That is precisely why we must not open the gates.
Since the Khan will not remain much longer,
they'll topple the fortress walls if we don't open the gates now.
If we dispatch the letter now,
the Khan will call himself Emperor and you will become his subject.
Enough!
Is Your Majesty willing to become the Khan's subject?
Your Majesty, it pains me to say this,
there is no path not worth exploring...
Minister Choi would send you straight into the jaws of the enemy.
The path to survival may very well run through the mouth of enemy!
There may be a place worthy enough to die upon.
But how could that be the jaws of the enemy?
I said enough!
Your Majesty, how can we bow before such ruthless barbarians?
This should not and cannot happen.
We cannot serve two emperors under the same sun.
Have you forgotten how the Ming came to our rescue when the Japanese invaded?
It's true, Your Majesty! This cannot happen!
If you will not stop, I will.
Your Majesty!
What is the purpose of the dignity and morale they speak of?
Mustn't we first survive in order to honor these values?
If you insist on going, take me with you.
The enemy is everywhere. Two men will be easily spotted.
You stay and care for the blacksmith's until I return.
If you leave, I will be forced back up to the ramparts.
If I succeed, everyone in the fortress can live.
But if something happens to you...
Don't talk nonsense.
I won't die.
Not before I see you married.
You better make it back...
The King will reward you greatly upon your successful return.
If I succeed, it won't be for the King's sake.
It matters not to me whether the King is on the side of the Qing or the Ming.
I merely dream of a world where we can sow in the spring,
harvest in the autumn, and eat through the winter.
This winter has been so long and cruel.
It is mid-winter now.
Spring is not far off.
Only those who survive the harsh winter
get to see the spring.
Minister Choi...
the King's letter has left the fortress.
He can't have gotten far.
Search for him.
Yes, sir!
Your Majesty.
If we divide our soldiers and attack from every direction,
we can breach the fortress in a single night.
The generals await your order.
Do you truly not understand the difference
between my presence here and my absence?
Do you think that I would send soldiers
to acquire such a small fortress?
The Joseon King must come to me on his own.
That will establish my dignity far and wide.
My apologies for speaking so rashly.
Bring me a scribe.
I will send a letter to the Joseon King.
You insist on making yourself an enemy
by opposing my will only to bring misfortune upon yourself.
But I am to blame for your lack of respect.
It was I who determined to lead a long expedition,
and I who crossed many rivers to meet Joseon's insolent people.
If you wish to live,
open the fortress gates and come to me.
I will hear your wishes.
Have no fear, for you can talk to me.
If you wish to die,
then remain hidden behind your walls.
If you wish to fight,
then under the full moon,
I will breach your fortress walls
and acquaint you with the mandate of destiny.
He wants me to leave the fortress.
If I go... what will happen?
Your Majesty, you are the ruler of this country.
Now is not the time to seek our opinion.
What do you suppose I do?
Make clear your sacred intention and we will accept it.
I want to live.
That is my intention.
Your Majesty.
If you wish to live, then reply to this letter and open a line of dialogue.
The wish to live is noble.
If you have truly set your mind on life, please, send no reply at all.
What happened to the messenger you sent?
The moon is nearly full.
When will the southern armies arrive?
Your Majesty, please remain strong. Hold out just a little while longer.
The Khan has vowed to destroy the walls before the next full moon!
It's my life they seek!
There is still time before the next full moon.
The southern armies will light the signal fires.
Your Majesty.
What signal fires?
What are you talking of?
How could you make such important plans without consulting us?
Minister Kim has no military experience.
How could you entrust him with the fate of the country?
So I should rely on you, Prime Minister?
You can save me?
We find ourselves in this position because of Minister Kim,
who rejected any overtures of peace.
Let Minister Kim write our reply to the Khan
and tell the Khan of Your Majesty's wish to live.
All right.
Minister Kim, send a reply to the Khan.
Compose a courteous letter and tell him of my wishes.
Your Majesty.
I'd rather die than kneel before the barbarians and beg for my life.
Why do you keep speaking of death when I told you I wished to live?
Minister Kim cannot be the only skilled writer among us.
Please spare him from having to violate his own integrity.
True.
It is not Minister Kim alone who has a way with words.
Who else among you is willing?
Are you afraid?
If you don't write a letter, you fear death at the hands of the Khan.
If you write a letter begging for your life,
you fear you'll go down in history as a traitor!
Your Majesty.
I will write the letter.
Are you all right?
Where am I?
Don't worry.
You're in a camp under the command of the field marshal.
We have the King's letter.
We've already passed it along to the marshal.
Did you come all the way from Namhan Fortress by yourself?
Yes.
You've made a very difficult journey.
Are you a military officer? May I ask your name and rank?
I'm not a military officer.
My name is Nal-soe. I am a blacksmith.
A blacksmith?
Who entrusted this letter to you?
The Minister of Rites, Sang-heon Kim.
Pig grease. It helps the frostbite.
This is why you came?
Have you heard anything?
About my brother Nal-soe or about the southern armies?
There is no difference between the two.
For you, word of the southern armies is much more important.
Be careful on your way back.
Chil-bok, please.
If I leave my post for too long, I'll be flogged.
What're you up to?
Why are you not in bed?
It's cold and you were late. I waited up for you.
Are these fish?
They're called perch.
Perch?
It lives near the edge of the river and has a sweet taste.
How do you know so much about fish?
It's the first fish my grandfather catches when the spring comes.
When the Songpa River melts, I'll catch one for you.
When will the river melt?
When the dandelions bloom.
True.
When winter is over, the dandelions will bloom.
No, Your Majesty!
This is preposterous, Your Majesty!
Your Majesty.
Minister Choi's letter would hand our country over to the Qing!
Burn the letter immediately and execute its traitorous author, Your Majesty!
Mount his head as an example to all our forces!
Your Majesty.
I couldn't adequately convey Your Majesty's intentions on paper.
If this letter needs correction, please let me know.
Is this really a letter for life?
It is not a letter written to survive.
He is right.
This is not just a letter, but a path.
It is the path Your Majesty should follow.
The soldiers are
enduring cold and hunger to protect the fortress.
The soldiers on the wall are losing their strength.
Tomorrow is the full moon.
Tonight, we'll see the fire signal and
the southern armies will come.
If you don't send the reply letter today,
the Qing army will come, and they will destroy us.
It's just one night!
Why are you willing to surrender without holding out one night?
The whole world can crumble in a single night.
Minister Kim is noble, and I am cowardly.
He is loyal, and I am dim-witted.
But even if you must kill me tomorrow,
please send this letter to the Khan today!
Minister Choi has recognized the Khan as the Emperor
and downgraded Your Majesty as a servant of Qing.
Will Your Majesty prostrate in front of the Khan?
Will you pour drinks for the Khan?
Your Majesty.
There's nothing the strong would not do to the weak,
and there's nothing the weak wouldn't do to survive!
Is this letter really the path you would take to survive?
Kim's words are righteous,
but they are only words.
He thinks words are more important than life.
The survival that he talks of is death itself!
I would rather accept a lighter sort of death
for a life heavier than death!
Death is never light.
Death does not allow life!
Choi cannot distinguish life and death any more.
He's disgracing life!
Death cannot be endured, but humiliation can be endured!
Your Majesty, do not choose death, for it means the death of all your people!
Dying while fighting the enemy is better for an honorable king
than begging for life in front of his people.
I can neither accept nor serve such a king.
If you wish to do so, execute me here right now.
What does it mean to be the king?
If a king must crawl through barbarians' legs
to open a path of life for his people,
he should do so,
and people will follow with all of their hearts.
If you must, behead me,
but please endure
this mortification of today!
I know we are in a time of war,
but why would they entrust a royal document to a lowly peasant like him?
He's right, general.
How can we be sure the document is genuine?
The stamp on the letter is no doubt the King's seal.
But if we light the signal fire and are caught by the enemy,
it will only result in our pointless deaths.
Namhan Fortress will not be easily breached.
They will survive on their own.
He's right.
Based on what the blacksmith said, it seems the enemy isn't far from here.
Let's monitor the situation before making another move.
But then we would be defying a royal order.
Who would suffer the consequences?
What if we simply never received it?
Come inside.
I never trust you hypocrite officials.
He's an enemy scout! Don't let him get away!
There he is!
Retreat!
Stop.
There must be a Joseon camp nearby.
Follow them and find it.
Yes, sir.
If you deliver this,
the humiliation will taint your name forever, even after the war.
I am willing to cast myself a traitor for all eternity
if it stops the world from crumbling.
Everyone in this world will call you traitor.
When you return to the palace, do not forsake Minister Kim.
He is the only loyal man in the fortress.
You are also my loyal official.
From now on,
I am the traitor.
I'm going to die of cold on this godforsaken wall...
They better hurry if they want us to fight before we all freeze to death.
You have any more of that grease?
They should have settled this fight back in Seoul.
What was the point of dragging the war all the way out here?
Do we know if the reinforcements are truly on the way?
My brother is no ordinary man.
Wait and you'll see. He'll bring the southern armies.
If they come as you say, I'll let you marry my daughter.
Seriously?
I'm a man of my word.
Is she pretty?
You bet she is.
Naru!
Where are you, Naru?
Naru...
Naru.
Your Majesty, you must evacuate.
Your Majesty!
Stop the attack, please!
You must stop at once!
I have come to deliver a reply from the King of Joseon!
Please, stop the attack!
What is he saying?
This is a reply to the Khan from the Joseon King.
Please, stop the attack!
Do not back down.
Those who retreat will die by my sword.
Your Imperial Majesty! This is the reply from the Joseon King.
Please, order them to halt the attack!
The King of Joseon has promised to be your subject.
Your Imperial Majesty, I know slaughter is not your intention.
The people of Joseon are innocent in this war.
Please, spare their lives.
Chil-bok!
Snap out of it, Chil-bok!
I'll kill all of you barbarian bastards.
When my brother returns...
You have finally grasped my will.
Stop the attack!
Are you all right?
Nal-soe...
Chil-bok...
Wake up.
Let's go back to our home.
Chil-bok!
Search every corner of the offices and noblemen's residences!
Destroy all documents that call the Qing barbarians!
I heard you submitted your resignation.
The war is over now. Someone must be held responsible.
I do not plan to avoid that responsibility.
You assume more than your due.
If someone is to be held responsible I cannot escape the blame.
What did the King get from the Khan in return for leaving the fortress?
A promise not to dethrone His Majesty or take him back to Shenyang, China.
What did you get from the Khan in return?
The Khan promised not to harm
any of the surviving soldiers or civilians.
You achieved all you wished, then.
My lord,
we should go back to the capital and rebuild the country together.
Wouldn't that be fulfilling our responsibilities?
If there's a place for my death, as there has been for my life,
it will not be under the feet of the barbarians.
Why do you abandon the path of life
and insist on going down the path of death?
Is there really a path for life in death?
What is the path of life you speak of?
A new path that
only a living man can walk.
Is that a path for the people or for the king?
A path that the people and their king will walk together.
I thought so, too.
But we were wrong.
The new path for the people
will only come once all things of the old disappear.
You,
me.
Even our King whom we have chosen.
That is what I realized in this fortress.
Her name is Naru.
Can you take care of her?
She has nowhere to go.
I am ashamed to ask,
but this is my final request.
What will happen to you, sir?
I will face what I must face.
What's this for?
It's called the bellows.
You use it to stoke the fire.
I'll take care of her.
If my daughter were still alive, she'd be about her age.
You have to be well.
Will you come back to see me?
I'll come back when the dandelions bloom.
When the Songpa River melts,
I'll catch perch for you, so you must come back.
All right.
When the King of Joseon leaves the fortress, he shall exit through the West Gate.
The King of Joseon is a transgressor,
and so he is not permitted to pass through main gate in the south.
The King's procession is not permitted to bring any guard or ornament.
The King of Joseon will take off his royal robes
and dress in the navy clothes of a courtier.
The King of Joseon will walk to the base of the Emperor's throne.
He will bow 3 times
and prostrate himself 9 times as a symbol of his surrender.
Where is the King going?
Back to the palace.
Then why is everyone crying?
The King is returning home,
I suppose they are happy.
Your Majesty, horses are not allowed beyond this point.
How lovely of you to come to me.
I will not speak of the past.
I wish to speak only of the future.
Your mercy is immeasurable, Your Imperial Majesty!
The King of Joseon will now perform the ritual of 3 bows and 9 prostrations!
First bow!
The war ended on January 30, 1637 after 47 days.
Over 500,000 Joseon people were taken by the Qing Empire as slaves.
Dandelions bloomed again that spring.
Naru, let's go fly our kite!
Don't go too far.
All right!
Written and Directed by HWANG Dong-hyuk