Moon River
Episode 4
Iljimae in Love
Let go.
I said let go.
What are you? Popping out like a ghost…
That’s what I want to ask.
Why are you running away?
Running away? Who are you saying is running away?
You’re chasing me for no reason.
What?
How long have you been living in the cave for?
That’s my cave.
From a long time ago, I used to come here to nap and rest.
So, if you want to stay here, you have to get my permission.
Okay?
Punk, you look pretty.
What? Punk?
That’s right. Punk.
You look like a girl.
What’s your name?
Iljimae.
What kind of name is that? It’s a girl’s name.
My name is Dal.
Dal like full moon and new moon?
Stupid. Do you think that’s the only meaning?
You call a mountain ginseng that blooms red, Dal.
My father is a ginseng digger,
so that’s why he named me that.
What’s a ginseng digger?
You’re quite dumb.
You don’t even know what a ginseng digger is?
People who dig wild ginseng are called that.
How can a boy be so pretty?
Your eyebrows, nose, lips. Everything looks so feminine.
Oh my. Your hands are prettier than mine.
Let go. I’m embarrassed.
Embarrassed?
It’s embarrassing.
Stupid.
Come here.
Everything happened so quickly.
Was that why
Iljimae, like a new and interesting toy to her, wasn’t able to shake off the girl’s pinches and touches.
Anyway, the world seemed to smell like all the scents of fruits
or to smell like a blanket saturated with the sunlight.
Iljimae felt like all his hatred was melting away.
It was the first time, not only for Iljimae but Dal also.
So, the two did know what to make of the pleasant dizziness
and of course how to express it.
Iljimae.
Huh?
Your clothes are wet, so this isn’t working.
Get up.
Let’s go somewhere more comfortable.
Ah, so comfortable.
I was bored by myself, but it’s nice that you’re here.
My father can’t know that you live here.
My father doesn’t like interacting with people, other than selling ginseng.
Understand?
Okay.
By the way, why are you wearing the clothes of Qing people?
Because I lived in Qing.
So, your parents are Qing?
You deserted your son once, are you going to abandon him again?
I don’t have a son like you.
Look at my face.
Look me straight in the eye and tell me I’m not your son.
If you’re really not my father,
I’ll leave without any regrets.
You are
not my son!
I don’t have anything like that.
Really?
But, I’m definitely a Joseon person.
Iljimae. Look at me.
It’s true.
I’m not a Qing.
Stupid. Who cares if you are?
Let me take a look.
Oh my. It’s really swollen.
I was going to endure it, but it seems like the swelling isn’t going down.
How did this happen?
That’s what I’m saying.
There was a rude Qing child,
and I was going to teach him about our laws,
but I ended up getting hit by his foot without any warning!
Did you say a child?
That’s what I said.
Ow, so embarrassing.
Why didn’t you come earlier?
Let me put in some acupuncture needs and send you some medicine.
The swelling will go down soon.
Okay. Let’s do that. It hurts.
But, that child had quite a kick.
That was definitely Eung Jo Kwon.
Eung Jo Kwon?
There’s something like that.
Thanks to him, I was able to see Eung Jo Kwon, which I’ve only seen in books.
Even though I got beat up, it was very cool.
Ow!! It stings!
Aigoo.
How come you never laugh?
Do you not know how to laugh?
You’re no fun.
Dad!
Dad, he’s not a bad child.
He doesn’t have a mother or father.
Can’t he live with us?
Dad…
Let’s be a family to him.
Dad.
Hey!
Why? Where are you going?
Your father doesn’t seem to like me.
My dad is usually like that.
If he doesn’t say anything, that means he likes you.
Don’t worry. Starting today, you’re going to live here.
To her father who speaks three four times at most,
Dal retold the long story, similar to a super action drama, that Iljimae suffered.
That’s why he was living in hiding by himself.
Really?
What are you doing?
Make him wear this.
Isn’t this my clothes?
You want a boy to wear girl clothing?
He says to change into these.
Thanks.
In exchange, I’ll get you a fat hen as a gift.
From where?
Just wait. Have the water boiled.
Anyway, Iljimae, since coming to Joseon, wanted to use his martial arts to steal a chicken for a good person.
Do you think that’s the chicken thief?
Shush. He’s coming.
Freeze and stand still!
This guy is the chicken thief.
What? It’s a girl.
We still have to catch her.
That’s right.
Now, come quietly.
After realizing that he’s still a fugitive,
Iljimae decided that he would no longer steal chicken.
However,
Hey, let me look at you.
Why is there a girl wandering around this late?
It’s not a girl.
Wait! He’s holding a chicken!
While Iljimae was leaving a deep impression on the police…
the other police was chasing Wang Hweng Bo.
What is that over there?
It seems like something is being burned.
Something doesn’t feel right. Let’s check it out.
Search the area.
Yes sir!
Everyone, search the area.
Yes sir!
There’s an injured man here!
Show him the picture of the culprit.
Have you seen anyone like this by any chance?
I… I saw him…
Did he walk sideways?
That bastard lit these people on fire because he wanted to hide his identity.
After transporting these people, go to the Ma Gun headquarters and request backup.
Yes sir.
Ready my horse.
We have to be quicker than him.
You go first.
Yes sir.
Go at full speed. I’ll meet you at Gaesung.
What is that?
Considering that he’s an express messenger, his attire is fancy.
The man’s distinguishing characteristic is his walk.
Watch closely to see if there’s a man who walks sideways.
Yes sir.
Yes sir!
I have an update that the criminal appeared in Gaesung.
He didn’t hide his identity, and he walked poised in a street filled with people.
What is he thinking?
We will be searching inside the city at dawn.
Leave some people here just in case and
Jung Tae, you lead the others after to Pyung Yang after dawn meal.
Yes sir!
Highly trained spies never behave without a reason.
Of course there was a reason Wang Hweng Bo exposed his identity in the public.
However, even Gu Ja Myeong wasn’t able to see the reason.
The man could have rode a horse also.
Full speed to Pyung Yang, okay?
Yes sir!
Let’s ride!
We’re off. Is everyone gathered?
We’re missing one person.
Here he comes!
What are you doing?
Let’s go.
‘I’ve heard that noise before’ He ignored this thought.
If only Gu Ja Myeong thought about it one more time…
Chief!
Chief! We have a big problem!
What is it?
In the back… In the back…
It seems like after the thief injured this person, he undressed the man, changed, and ran away.
That means he’s with the police going to Pyung Yang.
I ordered full speed, so they must be far ahead of us by now…
If you have the ability to do this, I have tenacity to keep going after you.
Get the horse ready.
What are you all doing! I said to get my horse ready!
Yes sir!
A horse was stolen and time was wasted…
If he was a normal person, he would have given up already.
However, Gu Ja Myeong was different.
If he took bait once, he was the type that would never let go.
Men are all the same
running here and there every single day.
No matter how close they are, but not being able to meet,
that’s destiny.
Baek Mae, who Gu Ja Myeong thought of every single day for 16 years,
has been living in Gaesung,
pouring love into taking care of magical plant that resembles people most.
The stray love that couldn’t be given to her son.
This is Sapgu. When you have a stomachache, boil it and eat it and you’ll be all better.
This is Senghuru. Touch it!
It’s good for the joints
and for someone who had a baby.
This is Sookguncho.
This is Hwasooh.
And this one is the root of white hollyhock.
If you boil and eat this, it’s a miracle cure for diarrhea.
If you pound and spread it on a burn, you’re cured right away.
Are you even listening?
What? Yeah.
But, where’s the mountain ginseng?
Mountain ginseng is deeper in the mountains.
By the way, did your father always not talk?
Father’s like that. He doesn’t usually speak.
But Iljimae, do you really not know how to laugh?
Is there someone in the world who really doesn’t know how to laugh?
Then, try laughing.
Even if it is you, you won’t be able to stop laughing after you hear this story.
Even father laughs at it.
Iljimae.
There were two swordsmen who had a competition to see who the better swordsman was by cutting a fly.
The first swordsman swung his sword down like this.
The fly was cut into two.
The other swordsman swung his sword forward like this to cut the fly.
However, the fly just flew away.
What do you think happened? The first swordsman said he was the better swordsman, smiling widely.
But the second swordsman said that’s not true.
He said he was the best. Do you know why he said that?
The second swordsman said “The fly won’t be able to lay eggs.”
The fly can’t lay eggs anymore?
Why?
Stupid.
He cut off the fly’s you-know-what.
Father!
Fly!
When they were absorbed in this kind of humor,
Gu Ja Myeong, who was chasing Wang Hweng Bo to Pyung Yang…
What happened?
There’s a spy in our army.
What?
Is everyone here without someone missing?
One is missing.
Where did he go?
I sent him to the Anjoo Jungjoo station to notify them.
He’s the one from Qing.
What?
That’s not possible.
Did you see his face?
He was covering his face…
He volunteered and in a hurry, I didn’t verify…
Let’s go. We have to continue the search.
Sir, people are people, but the horses look like they’re about to fall over.
We’ll borrow the war horses from the station.
Let’s go.
Give me a horse. Hurry! Hurry!
Bring it quickly!
Yes sir.
Being like this is great.
I feel like everything in the world exists for us two only.
The moon and stars in the sky, the mountains, the rivers, the wind…
Iljimae, you don’t like it?
I like it too.
Iljimae. Let the three of us live here for a long long time.
And have kids.
Kids?
Yeah, kids.
I’m not going to have any kids.
Stupid.
People were born to have children.
That’s why you have to have kids.
Who said that?
Do you have to know that because someone taught you?
You know when you see it.
When it’s spring, mountain animals give birth to babies,
when it’s fall, flowers and tress bear fruit and sow seeds…
That’s how all things in the world live.
My dad must be waiting… I’m sleepy.
But there are some kids that are thrown away at birth…
Everyone has a reason for being born…
Then me…why was I born?
Dad!
Look at that!
A moonlight shining night,
a light, that if it wasn’t Iljimae no one could spot, was leading him to the fated road.
Where did you find this?
Last night on the cliff, I saw something shining in the water…
So that’s why you got it out of the water?
Yes.
This sword is the one I threw away when Dal and I came to the mountains.
Have you wielded a sword before?
I’ve wielded a sword when learning martial arts, but I never probably learned before.
Try taking it out.
From now, the swordsmanship you’re going to learn is called Jang Baek.
Jang Baek is a swordsmanship for combat, which eliminates unnecessary moves.
Many swordsmanship have unnecessary movements,
which is called flowery movements.
However, flowery movements are completely removed in Jang Baek.
I told you not to use flowery movement!
Sir…I think we’re on a wild goose chase.
What was that?
He is more than 20 miles ahead of us.
What’s worse is that he’s in uniform and is passing each gate without a problem.
There’s no doubt he’ll arrive at Aprok River before us.
So are you saying we should turn back from here?
If he crosses Aprok River, we won’t be able to chase him anymore, right?
He sneaked onto our land and killed a lot of people.
Then, is there a law that says I can’t follow him to his country and catch him?
Whatever it takes! We must catch him. Let’s go!
This is a big problem.
How am I going to cross it?
Hey officer!
Would you like to cross the river?
You read my mind. Yes I do!
Over there. Come over to our side. We’ll even get your horse to the other side.
Alright!
Thanks a lot!
Thank you for all your hard work, officer.
I’m really grateful.
This boat sails to Eijoo, but
when we get across there, we’ll just let you off.
Eijoo? That’s great. That’s exactly where I’m going!
Oh really? That’s very good.
Heaven is always on my side.
Why would it be like that? Because I’m handsome? ‘Cause I’m nice? ‘Cause I walk sideways?
Heaven that came with lunch and helped Wang Hweng Bo.
And heaven that threw away Gu Ja Myeong like trash.
Oh, how unfair human lives are!
Anyway, even Wang Hweng Bo is relaxed now in the safety net.
Is there anything uncomfortable?
Could be better, but not bad.
Would there be any meat or alcohol on this ship?
There is, but it’s sold for money.
Money?
Wouldn’t you want to sell me a lot for this?
Thank you.
How long until we get to Eijoo?
Tomorrow we’re going out to sea and passing Simmee Island and going around Maahn…
about 3 days?
I have 3 days to eat?
I’ll try my best!
The wine is great, but the more I chew the meat, the more it feels like I’m going to throw it up rather than going down.
That's what horse meat tastes like.
What?
Yes. It’s from the horse you were riding on.
The one I was riding?
What’s wrong sir?
I feel light-headed.
Is that so? I think this alcohol may be too strong.
You bastard… you put something…bad…in…the alcohol…
Eijoo, my ass.
This is going to be your grave.
Strip him of everything!
Yeah, strip him!
Alright! 2 pieces.
Be a man. Call and raise 10.
Lucky streak at the beginning is the end of the streak.
What is this? How did I lose?!
Hey. That man woke up.
He must still be drowsy from awakening.
Where am I?
Did we arrive at Eijoo?
You little bastard. That’s it. We are there.
Come here!
Hey. Hey. Hey!
What…
No! Wait! Wait! Isn’t this the place where I first got on?
Did you just figure it out?
So, what the heck are you guys?
We are the excellent thieves of the Chung Chung River.
I’d like it if you took off the “excellent.”
So, you're going to kill me here?
Now, you realized.
Then, I guess I have to die tied up.
Then what to do? If I die, then 7000 nyang goes to waste.
7000 nyang? What 7000 nyang?
Truth is, I’m a spy from Qing and being chased by the police right now.
I have 3000 nyang on my head and I have 4000 nyang of hidden treasure on my body.
So if you guys kill me here, 7000 nyang goes with me to the grave. How wasteful.
Don’t lie! We searched every inch of your body and there's nothing that came out.
There are so many great doctors in my country.
Maybe in my skin, or somewhere else. We can hide many things.
Spies in my country have hidden important things like that since Confucius.
Are you telling the truth?
This is the first time I’m telling the truth since I’ve gotten to Joseon.
Tell me now! Where do I find the treasure?
Finding it will be hard…
What are you doing?!
Wait a minute!
Hurry up and tell me. Where is it?
I’m only going to say this once, so focus.
Down there. Behind my ankles.
Behind your ankles?
You little bastard!
I haven’t been this excited in a while. Come at me all at once!
I don’t have time. Let’s do this later!
So like I said, we killed his horse and stripped him of his clothes.
He couldn’t have gotten far.
He wasted time on the boat.
These guys bought us some time.
That’s true. We went up and down the river, pretending to go to Eijoo.
Arrest these men.
No! We didn’t do anything wrong.
We just that spy…
You guys thought he was an officer, not a spy.
How come you plunder your country’s police officer?
You guys transport them to Anjoo and take them to the police there.
The rest, chase after the spy!
Jung Tae.
Yes sir.
Search the area.
Sir, are you alright?
Go and chase after him. Now!
Search over here.
Yes sir.
Sir!
You bitch.
You bastards.
Go after him!
Those guys are such a pain. So many of them are following me.
Alright, I’ll show you a lot of surprises
but this is all just using up my energy.
Oh, this is Aprok River. If I cross this river, I’ll be in my own country.
Did you catch a lot of fish?
Why are you walking around without clothes on?
In order to wear good clothes, you have to take off the clothes you are wearing.
If you take me across, I’ll give you a gold coin.
You are telling the truth?
I never lied in my life.
Hurry up!
I can finally return to my country.
Stop right there!
What’s this?
Why are the police following you?
Quickly!
It’s still a waste of your work. You won’t catch me.
Because when I swim sideways, I’m faster than the fish!
In the end, did I lose him?
I’ve come so far to catch him.
Do you have to catch that man?
He’s a spy from the enemy country.
Why is Joseon water so cold?
It was a long chase of 600 km.
Take him away.
Yes sir.
Only Iljimae is left.
That’s right. It’s time to find Iljimae
and his mother.
Mother?
I must unite the mother and son.
This looks like a child.
Child?
I’ve never seen my dad look this happy!
It’s nice.
Yeah.
Don’t stand up!
It’s cute.
Dal.
From now on, I’ll call you Dalnim.
Dalnim? Stupid.
I told you before that my name is not the moon but wild ginseng.
Doesn’t matter.
To me, you are my Dalnim.
Dalnim.
Dalnim?
What are you looking at?
It’s the names of the WooPo provincial office.
You’re not in charge of that province, so why are you looking at these?
It might help in finding Iljimae.
It’s been many months and there’s no sign of him.
But here
there was a chicken thief a few months ago near Sweojok.
They caught him, but he escaped.
I can’t help think that it might be Iljimae.
Chicken thief?
Yes.
There’s something suspicious.
He has good fighting skills.
If he wanted to steal from a chicken house, it would be really easy for him.
He might be making his living, hidden in a deep mountain and going to town every night to steal chicken.
It says he was disguised as a woman.
It looks like we should go.
Even if it isn’t Iljimae, the chicken thief should be caught.
We have a duty to protect those poor farmers.
Let’s hurry and go.
Yes sir.
The reason the chief of the elite officers was so active in catching a mere chicken thief
is because Iljimae is Baek Mae’s son.
But that wasn’t all.
Gu Ja Myeong, who acted according to his principles,
thought that taking care of the fragile lives of the poor was an important duty of the police.
There is something here!
Oh, chicken feathers!
It seems like he ate the stolen chickens here.
Let’s search the surrounding area.
We should see traces of him.
Oh, I’m thirsty.
Me too.
Do you think he’s been hiding in that house?
No.
That house belongs to herb gatherers.
They might know of his whereabouts. We’ll go and check it out.
This is a real girl.
Do you live alone here?
I live with my father and Iljimae. The three of us live here.
Where did Iljimae go?
He went to the mountains with my father.
Mountains?
They went to gather wild ginseng.
When is he coming back?
After picking ginseng of course.
During the winter they couldn’t and just left.
They won’t come back empty-handed, obviously.
Episode 5: Love, Rage, and Sadness
Dal!
At least let Iljimae go.
Dal.
Iljimae!
Dal!
Dalnim!
Don’t look away.