End his pain.
Cut a lock of his hair.
On our return to Korea,
I will return it to his family...
1375 AD 457 years after the founding of Korea,
Their 31st King, Gongmin, was assassinated
by Hong Yoon and Choi Man-saeng. He was replaced by King Woo.
In China, chaos ensued after Chu Yu an-chang founded
the Ming Empire in Nanjing,
forcing the Won Empire
from its century-old rulership of the land
directly to the north of the Great Wall of China.
Ahn Sung Ki
Jung Woo Sung
Joo Jin Mo
Ziyi Zhang
Rong Guang Yu
Lee Doo Il / Park Yong Woo
Park Jung Hark / Yu Hae Jin
Jung Suk Yong / Han Young Mok
Special Performance Song Jae Ho
Stop!
They say the castle is too disordered...
they will lead us to the temporary reception hall.
This place is huge.
This place doesn't look like a reception hall. Something's wrong...
General, settle yourself.
I am General Choi Jung of Yongho's troop, the protectors of the Korea's envoys.
Where are Ming's officials to greet us?
Drop your weapons now!
Koreans murdered our diplomatic envoy...
...then kept dispatching spies...
Now, you send us a military masquarading as envoys?
You will pay for it! Tie them up!
Relax, don't panic.
Stay back.
Throw your weapons away! Those who disobey will die!
General Choi!
No, don't.
My duty is to protect the envoys.
General Choi!
Everyone, follow his orders.
General...
...we are almost to the exile.
I'm sorry I allowed this to happen.
It's my fault...
No, this is where our destiny lies.
Exile is better than being in prison
that suffocating prison...no, this is better.
But here it's...
just too hot..
Hello
We are from Korea
We were sent to exile...
Are you a Mongol general
From Cokotemure's cavalry?
Now's not the time.
We don't have any grudges against Korea.
Ming's dogs, however, will die.
We leave you to your own fate. Move out!
General, including the Ambassador we have 12 casualties.
Among the 23 survivors, five are severely injured.
Have everyone gather their belongings.
Should we prepare to set up camp here?
Since the ambassador is dead, there isn't a point of continuing with the envoy.
That's absurd.
If we leave, Ming's troops will hunt us down.
- We'll explain to them what happened. - Do you want to be kept in exile?
We should not leave.
We have to abide by Ming's orders. We are the representatives of our country.
We do not carry any official letter or flag. How can we prove ourselves?
Besides, Ming's troops will likely blame us for the murders.
General, we caught some horses!
There were two!
If we stay here we will die.
- Get ready to leave, immediately! - Yes sir!
We're surrounded by an endless desert
Where could we go?
Back to Korea!
General, three are missing all the others are injured.
Let's find food and water first.
We're going to die if we stay here!
- Grab him, he's losing it. - Let me go, let me go!
We are leaving.
General, we should look for the missing first.
This trip is too hard for me.
I always wanted to be buried by my home.
Are you in much pain?
Can't we rest here for a while?
No.
Even if we make it to Shandong we will still need a boat
I'll take care of it.
Get up.
What?
Yeesol!
General, please forgive him...
he is a foolish one... he only cares for my well-being.
He is a slave of the vice-ambassador.
This is the Great Wall.
To the east Ming and Yuan are at battle.
Below over here are where Ming's troops are based.
Avoid the village, avoid his troops.
We must eliminate any chance to meet anyone.
General, if we head north we will confront Yuan's troops.
What about here in the middle?
It's impossible.
By day the sun scorches the desert.
It will take at least twenty days to cross.
Our remaining food and water will last us only 6 days.
We must pass through.
We will cross within ten days
If necessary we will eat once a day and walk during night.
In that case, the southern desert is better. We can gain three or four days.
Whose territory is that?
It is abandoned land. No one has been able to conquer it.
However, my concern is the vice-ambassador
- He is already exhausted. - Everyone here is!
Everyone is suffering, he should be no different.
Get your ass up.
Slow us down and you will die.
That son of a bitch.
He is going to kill us all.
Did you call for me?
My body can't go on. It is useless to me now.
Take care of the group.
I hope you all safely return home...
I see.
I have one last request...
This man here...
I relinquish my title on this slave.
He is now a free man. Treat him accordingly.
Please get some rest.
Hey you, stop there!
He stole food while standing guard.
I'm sorry sir.
Please forgive me!
There is no mercy for those in battle,
The same goes for those who steal.
Give them twenty floggings each
We only eat one piece a day, yet we are equal to your troops!
Give me the floggings instead of him!
Agreed.
You will receive the floggings for both.
Watch carefully!
You'd served in many battles with my father.
Would he be proud of me?
Times were not as difficult then as they are now.
But I am sure you will do well, sir.
Will we make it safely to Shandong?
Even if we return to Korea, people will ridicule us all.
I failed to protect the envoys. I failed to enter the castle of Nanjing.
This is for you,
Make use of it when you need it.
Take it.
Dying is better than this hell.
The vice-ambassador is gone.
Stop him and see what he carries.
The vice-ambassador has passed away!
Bury the body. The horse will belong to Yongho's troops.
You may bury him yourself, but we will take the horse.
General!
We're saved!
Good afternoon.
Please give us water and food.
Who the hell are you?
What should we do? Should I tell them that we are Korea's envoys?
Don't, they're not going to believe us anyway.
If you want to eat, you'll have to pay for it.
- What are they saying? - Do something. We're starving.
- Say something... - Relax!
I can't bare this.
Move one more step and I will kill you.
Are you from Korea?
Monk, are you also from Korea?
Serve food to these people. I will pay for it.
You have my thanks. I am General Choi Jung.
My Buddhist name is Jisan. I am glad to have company on the way home.
You, thief! Get your hands off my property!
Mongolian soldiers!
Sir...
Why do you carry a Mongolian sword?
General!
A few days ago, we passed the battlefields
Only the dead lay there.
- Are you a Buddhist monk? - Yes
Can you hold a ceremony for my dead warriors?
That can be done.
Do you have the names of the dead?
All my men were brave warriors.
Just write 'The Sons of the Blue Wolf'.
Treat the injured first.
The General is coming.
Please, eat.
Will you keep refusing food?
Did you hear that? He called her 'Princess'...
"Help me"
My friend, what do you want for it?
Shit! Who left this filthy thing here?
You brought this shit here, didn't you?
Get rid of it, right now!
Don't kill him!
He's formidable with that spear.
Where are you from?
Don't move.
They might kill us all.
He has the eyes of a lion.
Take him with us.
- General, he killed five of my men! - You'll receive ten horses.
You left this world too soon in this unknown land. May God bless you.
If you insist on travelling this path, I will join you.
No need for that.
I am familiar with these locations, I might be of help to you.
We're finished, shall we leave now?
No, we will wait.
Yuan's troops will pass through here.
We will save the Princess.
I thought we were headed back to Korea sir?
That was my intention until yesterday.
However, we are the diplomatic envoys
Saving her will allow us to enter the castle of Nanjing.
We could return home triumphantly after that.
A foolish plan! Yuan's troops are the strongest in the region.
Please reconsider General.
I made up my mind last night.
Let us try...
Daejung!
We have to save Yeesol as well.
We will attack from both sides. Hall of us will attack from the rear.
The others will ambush them from the front.
- Now go. - Wait! They're coming through now!
We will attack them all together!
General, we don't have any chance to win.
We can do it...
General!
Everyone hide!
Daejung!
Now is our chance!
Attack the horses first!
Save the Princess!
- Sir, wait... - Damn it get away!
Fucking idiot!
I am General Choi Jung, protector of Korea's envoys.
Get up.
I am Princess Buyong.
Funny, what are envoys doing in the middle of the desert.
What is a Princess doing in the middle of the desert, your highness.
Take me to the castle of Nanjing as soon as possible.
Escort me there safely and the emperor will award you greatly.
Your safety is assured with us.
Your highness,
board the carriage without any worries.
It is a total victory sir.
Are you okay?
You said you're an interpreter, right?
I am Park Jumyung... I haven't entered an official post yet.
- but I'm hoping to soon... - Deliver my words
to that man in black.
Hey, the princess wants you to guard her carriage.
Sir, the princess wants that man to guard her carriage.
I have a mission for you.
Guard the princess's carriage.
I want to see where my master's grave.
You can talk? Hey, he can talk!
I am ordering you again, guard the carriage
I am a free man now. I will do as I please.
General, don't be upset.
I don't need a slave who forgot his place.
But the vice-ambassador set him free, sir.
He was out of mind on the brink of death.
Once a slave, forever a slave. That is the law of Korea.
Stop it!
Leave the bastard here.
Everyone, mount your horses.
General, there is one girl who survived.
She is a Chinese slut. Leave her behind.
General, mercy is the virtue of a great man.
This is none of your concern. All decisions will be mine.
Take all with us.
General!
The General is coming!
Honorable Cookoo
I lost the Ming Princess...
Soldiers from Korea took her.
Lay him down at my tent.
Princess,
it may be below you, but please eat this.
I didn't have time to say this before...
...thank you.
Please get some rest, your highness.
I'm Yooran
Yooran?
Doesn't that mean 'the dancing orchid'?
That is the most beautiful name I've ever heard.
I am Park Jumyung
You have cute eyes.
Wicked little man...
you have nothing else on your mind
but to flirt with a woman.
What responsibilities do I carry?
I am just an interpreter.
Don't you understand? Those trivial readings are in vain...
What?
You Budhists ruined our country and accumulated all the wealth...
How dare you speak of Confucius as trivial readings.
Only fools believe Confucious is the best.
Hope for a joyous world lies in every teaching.
Confucius's words are spread throughout the world.
Open you eyes.
The first time I made a love was under the full moon
She was sixteen, I was eighteen.
Every evening we met on the hills...
Then one day, she became pregnant...
...and we got married. Five days later I left to join this trip.
Was it a boy or a girl?
When I left, she was eight months pregnant. She might be in labor now...
I miss her so much.
Is he alright?
Get some sleep. I will take care of him.
He will recover tomorrow your highness.
Where were you headed to?
To Korea, your highness.
The General's troops and yours don't seem to get along well.
In this kind of long journey many things might happen.
Take good care of him.
I will, your highness.
Do not worry about the vice-ambassador.
He was buried in a place of open sunshine.
Do you have any family at home?
I am alone.
From now on, you aren't alone.
We'll get through this together.
Ming will search every corner for the Princess...
...we must head north.
Everyone get out, I have to talk with Rambulhwa
Do me a favor..
Anything...name it.
Ming kidnapped my sister. I want their Princess in revenge.
Bring her to me.
Why did you help me?
Especially after the Emperor sent you to exile.
Personal concerns and public duty are two different things.
If you help us see the Emperor,
I can resolve the misunderstanding about our envoys.
What is the name of that man behind us?
He is a just slave, your highness.
I asked you for his name.
They're coming!
They're after us!
Where are they now?
They're moving really fast, sir.
- How many? - Over a hundred, sir.
We don't have much time. We must leave at once.
Escape to where?
We'll throw them off with the carriage.
Good idea sir.
Who will lead the carriage?
I will.
Give me two soldiers from Yongho's troop.
No, we can't sacrifice you or other warriors...
No, but I'm the interpreter.
And I never drove a carriage before...
He is too young, sir.
It has been decided.
Why is it always the Joojin soldiers?
Why do you keep quiet captain?
He doesn't even know his child!
Someone has to drive the carriage.
Put that boy on the carriage.
Captain Daejung!
We'll make them think the princess is in the carriage.
Wear this.
Please help me!
- You can help me, can't you? - I'm sorry...
Let me go with you.
Make a detour on the mountain, you'll see the Hwangho River...
We will wait for you there.
Please take this...return it to my master's family.
No...we will meet you there.
Take care of Dansaeng.
Protect the Princess...
Take this for good luck, I'll retreive it when you return.
Be careful...
Stop!
We will walk from here.
Keep the horses close together.
What if Dansaeng doesn't come back?
They aren't that stupid. They'll come after us sooner or later.
I'll be right behind you.
The Princess isn't in that carriage.
There can't be only one soldier guarding her.
They are heading for the mountain.
Once they make it past the mountains it will be impossible for us to track them.
They'll eventually try to cross the Hwangho River.
Burn the village and the ferry beyond the mountain.
Make sure nobody crosses that river.
Yes sir!
What about them?
Follow and kill.
Hurry! Let's go!
Stupid horse!
It's the Mongolian soldiers!
Dansaeng!
Throw that robe away and run...Now!
Go, now! Hurry, run!
Go! Run!
Yeosol!
I'm sorry...
Get up.
I served two years up north,
and two years to fighting the Japanese...
Altogether that's four years in the military.
When I got back, all that was left was rat shit in the kitchen.
Shit! So I went to the head officer
and hit him on the head, bang!
So did they force you to choose between imprisonment or military service?
How did you know that?
It's obvious
Don't go back at all.
I heard that there is a Korean village in Beijing
I will go back no matter what
My wife is waiting for me
Guess your wife is pretty attractive?
She's like a fat bear...
Yet, for me, she is the prettiest in the world.
What about you?
How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not married, yet...
I see.
What happened?
As we expected...
Sir, come.
Even if it's freezing we can't give any signals to the Mongolians.
I'm sorry your highness, I didn't mean to wake you.
I had a dream...
I was already in the Royal Palace.
Once we cross the Hwangho River, we will escort you to the castle of Nanjing.
Daejung tells me that we're headed to Shandong.
Believe me. I will keep my word, your highness.
Has the carriage returned yet?
I am sure it will, your highness.
They aren't here, sir.
Divide the soldiers into smaller groups and search the area.
What about the people?
Kill them as they have seen us.
I see no one at the ferry.
Double check to make sure.
Why aren't we going down?
First let's move through the valley.
Ha-il
Go check.
What is it?
The enemy is hiding near the ferry.
They'll kill anyone who tries to cross the river.
It seems that we have to give up Dungju as well as Nanjing
What the...
I'm sorry, I didn't mean
to bring them here.
They just followed me from the ferry.
Now Yuan's troops will find us at any moment.
We have to make them leave then!
Stop!
Stop it!
Don't you know what 'stop' means?
I never thought I would see you here, your highness...
I have something to discuss with both of you.
Let us cross the river when a night falls.
It is too far to Dungju.
It'd be better to go to Balhae Bay and find a ferry boat there.
Are you saying that we should cross the sea in a ferry boat?
If you can pass the Yuan cavalry, feel free to go alone.
After crossing the river, what if the General insists
on escorting the Princess to the castle of Nanjing?
Are you crazy? We have to return to Korea!
The Princess has brought us all problems...
Besides, now it seems we have to take all those people along as well.
We have a good news.
In five days we will head towards a fortress on the coast where Ming's troops are based.
If we escort the Princess and her people there...
she will arrange for us a boat to take us home to Korea.
Let's accept her offer.
Let us wait for the carriage first.
Do you think they are coming back alive?
We can't get to Koyro without the boat...
and with Ming's troops, we'll be safe.
Also, the Ming Emperor would know that we saved her...
Yuan's troops will never give up on the Princess.
True, but we do need the boat...
I will follow your opinion, General...
Good.
Get up.
But..
we will wait for the carriage to return first.
We are in agreement, your highness.
I don't need pity.
It is not the time for pity.
Prepare to leave.
The Joojin troops stay here.
We will leave when Yeosol and Dansaeng return.
You've been in the military long enough to know
what the result of disobeying a General's orders are...
General...
we should wait until the evening passes.
Dansaeng's returned!
You're alive.
You alright? Are you ok?
I've been waiting for you.
Welcome back.
It's stained with blood.
I am glad you returned alive...
I did not wish to award a slave such an honorable death.
The noble tend to have useless thoughts.
Shouldn't we arrange a horse for the princess?
She is not the princess of Korea.
The princess demands to ride in a palanquin! It's out of the question.
Get a thick piece of word, now.
It is foolish.
Daejung
Let's carry it.
But Captain...
Why should we carry that thing?
Someone has to carry it.
Hurry
My soles are as cracked as a turtle shell!
We don't have much time.
Shit.
I'll carry it.
~ the morning mountain home, the white bird sings a song ~
~ I want to hear the song, wish to go back home~
Quiet! Yuan's troops are right behind us.
I'm sorry.
Your voice is louder than hers, monk.
She's just trying to comfort the children, why are you so picky?
Aren't you worried about the children?
You're pretty thoughtful for one who plays around with a prostitute.
If Yuan's troop catches us, those children are the first victims.
And you'll be the first one who runs off.
What?
What do you know about me?
Silly fool.
Look at yourself...
We've walked all day, but have only covered 12 kilometers.
At this rate it will take us more than twenty days
I don't understand why we have to do this at all!
How can a young man like yourself have no one to wait for?
I don't have anyone. Really...
Any girl have your heart at least?
HA-Il, you miss your wife too, don't you?
He's still a bachelor.
How many times have I told you?
You haven't sex with a girl, right?
Why haven't you gotten married?
I took the wrong pills when I was young.
Yeah, he's still a child.
Would you like to try this?
No
Hey, hey...
Hey Granny! Come back!
She's a distracted old lady
She has been out of her mind since her son was killed at the ferry.
How could we care for an old one like her?
Bring her here. She is also one of my people.
Who are you? Let me go
I'll carry her on my back.
Tens of soldiers are coming to this way, sir.
Did they find us?
I am afraid so.
Let's just take the princess.
If we take the others along, we'll all die.
He's right... We'll just take the Princess and Yooran.
We must keep our promise to the Princess
We bring all of them along.
Yuan's cavalry are faster than the wind.
Even the hunter cares for the animal.