--Episode 4--
I told you who I am. So, who are you?
Who are you to invade someone else's property and act like an owner?
You... you rascal!
Say what?
What kind of rascal are you? And who are you to call the owner a rascal?
What did you just say?
Hey, hey kid. You are not the owner.
Our boss took over Chun's Gaekju.
So how dare you talk back to the boss like that?
My father never sold it,
and what do you mean by taking over?
Soh-leh, stop it.
Let me go, sir!
How dare you yell back?
I'll forgive you for your father's sake for this time only. So go away!
Who said so?
Don't you ever come back!
Soh-leh, let's get out.
Let's get out, now.
No, I can't!
Sir, please!
Soh-leh, let's go please.
No!
Where is she?
She was forced to leave,
but she's just a kid. You didn't have to be too harsh on her, sir.
At war, a tiger can get killed if a child holds a spear.
Eh?
I must sell Chun's Gaekju as soon as possible.
Shin Suk-ju. Shin Suk-ju is in my way.
I feel like there's going to be a problem.
Slow down.
How do we owe money?
Did you know about it?
I don't know...
There was no such document in boss's account book.
Was that promissory note real?
Yeah, that was definitely Merchant Gil's handwriting.
Boss's stamp was on it.
That seemed weird.
I can't point out what's wrong, but...
Where is Kim Hak-jun's inn that he really owns?
Kangkyeong. It's Hwanjeon Gaekju in Kangkyeong.
Soh-leh, come follow me to Hanyang.
How are you going to survive here?
Let's go to Hanyang, and you can at least work as a market servant.
No!
As a servant who does young girls' hair
and cleans toilets, how am I supposed to rebuild Chun's Gaekju?
Can you help me...
Yeah, yeah.
Here.
Sir!
Yeah?
I'm sorry, but could you give me some money?
Yeah. Of course, of course.
Sorry. I got kicked out suddenly too, so this is all I can give you.
Thank you!
Soh-leh!
Oh, I forgot to ask. Where's Bong-Sam?
Bong-sam and So-gae?
Bong-sam... died.
What?
Bong-sam...
Bong-sam is with my father now.
Oh, no...
The Chun's Gaekju clerk is here, Head Merchant.
Head Merchant.
The clerk is here.
Come on in.
It seems like Chun's Gaekju will be put up to auction. Auction.
Kim Hak-jun passed out that statistics chart to merchant owners.
How much does Chun's Gaekju owe Kim Hak-jun?
He said 54,920 nyang, but
the letter of credence states that the principal amount was 30,000 nyang.
What. Only 30,000?
I heard Merchant Chun had a son who is 6 or 7 years old.
He's dead.
Bong-sam is dead. And Soh-leh...
Soh-leh is Merchant Chun's daughter, but
Kim Hak-jun kicked her out and she left Gaeseong.
I feel like Chun's Gaekju is cursed.
A rich man who goes bankrupted can still survive for three years,
how can a property worth 300,000 nyang disappear
as if wind and sand have blown away?
People had died and disappeared...
I don't know what kind of hell this is.
So-gae. When the time comes,
marry Soh-leh.
Marry Soh-leh,
rebuild Chun's Gaekju, and take care of Bong-Sam.
Hey.
This is the head merchant's recommendation letter.
This will get you into any Chosun peddler's inn.
I won't go out. Take care.
Thank you.
You rascal!
You just started working here. How dare you step on the floor!
My duty is to clean. Why are you hitting me?
Hey!
To be in this distance from the head merchant,
you need to be working for at least 10 years.
Get out!
I said get out!
You rascal.
Crazy-head. Ugh!
Bong-Sam is dead, and
Kim Hak-jun kicked Soh-leh out and she left Gaeseong.
I'm a Gaeseong merchant's daughter.
I'm going to keep traveling with you even after we get married.
Father.
I'm... going to be a kisaeng. (Kisaeng: a female entertainer)
Can you believe it?
I can't believe it either.
Bong-Sam is not here anymore.
So-gae... left me as well.
I, alone,
have to face Kim Hak-jun. And to own back Chun's Gaekju,
this is the only way.
The only way.
You're pretty.
You.
Turn around.
Alright, you can be useful. Good.
You have nice body that all men will like.
Wearing silk clothes, eating well, and having fun...
it's not that bad.
If you were born into rich family,
you wouldn't be here, right?
Serving one husband? Ha!
How funny.
Raising a child after another, eating poorly, wearing cheap clothes...
After you give birth, think about working all day in the fields.
When you turn 20 years old,
you lose all of your hair and teeth.
Do you want that life?
No.
Good!
Now, put everything down.
All of it!
From this point on,
forget everything that happened outside of this place.
You're being reborn as attractive flowers of this place.
Do you understand?
Yes.
Do you understand?
Yes!
--Gaekyeong--
--Chun's Gaekju--
Whoa. What brings all these people in here?
Exc... excuse me!
What is it? / Can I ask you something?
What kind of festival is going on at a bankrupted place?
Whoa...
Did he really step on someone...
Thank you for making it all the way here.
Now, we will start the auction for Chun's Gaekju.
Okay.
How much are you starting off with?
The head shop, Hanyang branch, and Byeongnan branch,
altogether, the market price is roughly 300,000 nyang. However,
you're also purchasing the dried sea cucumbers to be sent to the palace.
Isn't that right, Merchant Maeng?
Yes, yes. That's right.
So, how much are you saying?
Considering the future of Chun's Gaekju business, I will start with 50,000 nyang.
Eh, my tooth...
You all are leading merchants of Chosun. Why do you find this shocking?
Alright, this auction will proceed in 3,000 nyang increments.
Let's start.
Yes, sir.
Alright. We will now start the auction.
Okay. 500,000!
Next, next.
503,000.
Next.
506,000.
Excuse me.
Don't worry about me.
As I am getting older, I have to use the toilet more often...
506,000!
Hey, sir.
Head merchant!
I heard you were here.
But what brings you here in the middle of the auction?
Did it end already?
Um...
Could you step outside?
Yeah, go find out how the auction is going.
Yes, sir.
Alright.
Have a seat.
So, 506,000.
It started off with 500,000, so they have a lot more to go.
But, why aren't you participating?
Sir.
Take my hand.
Well, even if one of us is a son of a concubine, we're still brothers.
But if you don't want to take my hand, that's too bad.
But wouldn't you be better off taking my hand instead of taking Kim Hak-jun's hand?
I don't know if it would be as fun as holding a woman's hand.
It will depend on what's in those hands.
The royal floor of Sun-hye Palace.
It's the royal floor of Sun-hye Palace!
The position where you lost the election twice for
is in my hand.
National tax notices and tax payments,
all of the money of Chosun gets collected,
and the one who handles them is Son-hye Palace!
Would this satisfy you?
Alright!
941,000.
Next!
9...
What the...
It is very hot today.
944,000.
Next!
Hey, hey.
Instead of continuing this on,
how about we write down our own price?
What. What do you mean?
All of us are well-known merchants.
There's nothing good about revealing how much someone paid to buy Chun's Gaekju.
And continuing on with increments is too much.
Okay. Let's do that.
Okay, we'll go ahead and do that.
Everyone, write the price you are willing to pay.
Okay. If everyone wrote their prices, then may I...
Wh... what?
Head merchant.
Give it to me.
Here you go.
Merchant Kim, why aren't you announcing?
Hurry up and announce it.
Announce who is the new owner of this gaekju.
Announce it!
Yeah! Announce it. Now.
Bids rejected.
The price of Chun's Gaekju is completely far from what I predicted!
So this auction is canceled!
What do you mean?
What?
Hey!
Wha...
Wha...!
Hey!
What kind of deal did you make with Shin Suk-ju?
How much did he put down?
Ha! 30,000 nyang?
That man. This is way too little.
I asked you what deal you and Shin Suk-ju have made!
Hey, hey. How dare you speak of Yook-ei-jeon head merchant like that.
Now, now. Don't get too angry. And have a seat.
Tell Shin Suk-ju to stop playing games!
Only 30,000 nyang?
I would rather burn down Chun's Gaekju with my own hands.
But there's no way I will let Shin Suk-ju get it!
Do you think Chun's Gaekju is yours?
What?
I understand 30,000 nyang is too little,
but you should just accept it.
Head merchant knew everything from the beginning,
so it's not worth fighting against him.
Just quietly hand it to him.
I've worked on this for 3 years.
At Geummoon and Chaek-moon.
Do you even know all of the things I've done for this?
I don't care what you two have planned,
I can't give it away!
I will never hand it over to Shin Suk-ju!
So you handle the mess!
Chun Oh-su!
Shin Suk-ju knows what happened between you and Chun Oh-su!
Shin Suk-ju can take away your life if he wants to.
Is that tiny Chun's Gaekju worth more than your life?
What?
That tiny Chun's Gaekju?
You rascal!
You son of a concubine.
Do you want to die?
Do you really want to die?
Bo-hyeon!
You rascal.
How dare you!
In this world, even if you can do everything with money,
the fact that Kim Hak-jun is a son of a concubine,
that his mother was a prostitute, will never change!
For this one, I'll let you go for our father's sake.
Go.
Go to the head merchant and hand him over Chun's Gaekju!
You rascal!
The new...
owner of Chun's Gaekju is...
Merchant Shin of Shin's Gaekju.
Head merchant, congratulations.
Thanks.
Thanks for handing me over the best dried sea cucumber gaekju.
Thank you.
Thanks!
Alright.
When the sun comes up,
I'll get the best master craftsman in Gaeseong to change the signboard.
How did you know that Kim Hak-jun will hand over for that exact price?
If I knew the exact price, I would be a whiz, not a merchant.
What I already knew about is...
Those who calculate every little benefit
give up in front of a bigger benefit.
About that much?
Gives up in front of a bigger benefit?
Then, the one who tore the Chun's Gaekju apart is Kim Hak-jun?
Do you really need to know?
Oh. I was just curious...
Many people say that alcohol, women, and gambling mess people's lives.
That's not it. Nope.
Seeing what you shouldn't see,
hearing what you shouldn't hear,
and saying what you shouldn't say,
are what really mess you up.
Seeing what you shouldn't see,
hearing what you shouldn't hear,
and saying what you shouldn't say are what really mess you up?
That rascal.
Hey, hey. Hey you!
Why are you petting that in the middle of the night?
I wanted to make sure the door is locked.
When the sun comes up, find the best master craftsman in Gaeseong.
I brought you in here because you're from Gaeseong,
that shouldn't be hard to do, right?
Yes, sir.
You rascal.
Father.
Chun's Gaekju
really broke into pieces.
From now on, this is
Shin's Major Gaekju.
I also...
removed Chun's Gaekju from my heart.
As well as Soh-leh
and Bong-Sam.
Everything.
Bang-geum!
Sir!
Sir.
Hey? You're here.
Whoa, hey.
Seems like you're alive now, to walk around like that.
How about my sister?
Why aren't Soh-leh and So-gae here?
Sister, my butt.
You don't have home anymore. It totally broke apart!
What are you going to do now?
Stop talking to a kid like that!
I'm being serious.
Chun's Gaekju was put to auction, and no one is there to take him.
That's not possible. Soh-leh is there!
I'm telling you. She's not there.
It seems like she got kicked out of Gaeseong!
Hey. Are you sure about that?
Don't tease a kid like that.
I am serious! Why would I tease him?
I'm tired too...
Anyway, sir. We need to head back to Song-pa. What are we going to do?
Oh, well. He became a lump, huh?
Wait for me! Wait, please!
Take me with you all.
I will walk and carry some belongings, and I won't be annoying.
I need to find my sister!
Why do you bother finding a sister that left you?
To ask her.
To ask her why she left me.
Stop talking nonsense, and go back.
Do you think the world is easy on you?
It's not a place where a small child can survive on his own!
If you want to learn how to handle needles later on, you should go back.
I'm not going to work there!
I don't care what you do. That's your business!
Go back!
Do you need to get beaten?
Hey, hey, hey.
I'm not sure if that doctor is a nice guy or not,
he received some money, so he shouldn't just leave you alone.
Hurry up and go back!
Let's go.
I hope you break your leg on the way!
You rascal!
Maybe we should've walked him to Gaeseong, eh?
Going to Gaeseong will only make him think of his father and sister more.
He will struggle working as a merchant.
He would be able to forget about them doing other work.
That's right.
Since we paid 200 nyang, and you put 100 more on top of it,
he should be well-treated.
But man! Why did you give them so much money?
Chun-hyang!
Wake up!
Chun-hyang!
What!
Die!
I will kill you.
Bo-hyeon, you sucker.
Does being a son of a high-class woman make you so confident?
You're a trashy dog.
No, you're not even worth that.
Die, you sucker!
Shin Suk-ju, you sucker.
You damned fool!
I put so much effort into it, and how dare you get in my way to get Chun's Gaekju!
You, son of a concubine.
I didn't want to be like that, so I decided to become a merchant.
You get in my way again this time? Die!
Sir!
Sir, you can never beat Shin Suk-ju.
You little brat. What did you just say?
I said that you can never beat the Head Merchant.
You brat.
I dare you to open that mouth again.
My father told me.
That this world is tough on people.
That I won't be able to survive if I goof off drinking and playing.
You brat...
I'll rip up your ruthless mouth!
You. What did you say to me yesterday?
If you're awake, go ahead and take this.
You arrogant brat.
My father told me there's no one who shines alone.
There must be someone who fills missing spots,
and someone who supports those weaknesses
then you can shine.
What does your father do?
He sells his own daughter to a place like this, and says things like that?
He passed away.
What did he used to do?
A merchant?
A half nobleman.
So. Can you make me shine?
Filling missing spots and supporting my weaknesses?
You are the one to judge if I can do so or not.
Hey! Who are you?
Give her a room.
What?
Are you letting this little girl in as your concubine?
I will see if you become a star or poop.
I'll wait for 5 years.
I won't disappoint you.
Do they think I'm their slave?
They even got money to accept me.
But I'm always left out.
I'm going to leave to find my sister anyway.
Eat well, live better!
--Dongmong Agency--
This is Dongmong Agency, right?
Yeah, you're right.
Those words say, "Dongmong Agency".
If I stay here, I can become a peddler, right?
Yeah, you got it right again.
Next.
How old are you?
I'm kind of on the borderline.
If I counted right, my guess is about twenty.
You look about my age... Twenty, my butt.
Do you even know what goes on in Dongmong Agency?
Dongmong. Meaning single men.
This topknot isn't from marriage. I'm single!
Isn't Dongmong Agency a place that teaches young boys to become merchants?
I want to learn how to use abacus, calculate numbers, and run a business.
I walked hundreds of miles to become a merchant.
I get that. But,
how are you going to become a merchant with your crippled legs?
That doesn't matter!
When you are selling goods,
you don't use this.
This.
You use your mouth.
Here. Here's two.
And this is...
Eh?
Name?
Chun Bong-Sam.
You look about 8 or 9 years old. You're too young.
You won't be able to carry many goods. And no merchant owner will use you.
I've carried goods before, and made it to Chaek-moon!
Chaek-moon? Psh.
Whoa! Chaek-moon?
Where is that?
Go home!
Come back in two years.
Pick me! Pick me, please!
I must carry a merchant identification card to go find my sister!
You little brat!
Chief, add 3 years of my age to his, and pick him! Chief...
Here. This is... eh?
Go!
Oh, you boys! Get to work!
--10 years later--
Of Kyeong-gi-do providence,
Chun Bong-Sam!
Yes! I'm here!
Oh, that brat.
Brat.
Here!
Chun!
Bong!
Sam!
Welcome, Cattle Broker Cho.
It's been a while.
Yes.
Hey, sir. Could you come here please?
Me?
Yes, you, sir. Come here.
Yes. On the way, on the way.
Oh, sir. You're in the middle of these boys.
Hello.
I'm sorry, but
I'm a... student.
Oh okay.
I like your beard.
I like it.
I like your beard.
I'm Cho Sung-jun, a cattle broker from Song-pa.
I'm Song Man-chi, a head merchant.
I became unfortunate.
Unfortunate, unfortunate.
What?
You rude brat!
Let me ask you something.
What's the most important thing in business?
May I answer?
Go ahead.
Whether it be gambling or selling goods,
to make money, you need luck.
Luck and skill.
Luck is 7 and skill is 3, okay?
If you want to do business,
you must have luck in your fortune.
Luck.
Wow!
Alright, alright, alright.
Luck is good.
Indeed, you need luck.
However, a thing that moves business is a business ability.
A business ability to see where the money is, that's 7.
Luck is 3.
Hey, hey.
Look at him blabbering.
He has improved.
Improved blabbering.
You rascal!
Hey, you! Come here! Who are you?
What did you just say?
I didn't... I didn't say anything.
Yeah, nothing.
What a rude brat!
Man-chi.
Let me give you a test.
Dongmong Agency students who want to become merchants in Song-pa,
will first receive 20 nyang.
And by the sunset today, whoever brings back the most profits will be hired.
20 nyang?
Whoa, 20 nyang.
That's a lot of money.
Alright now.
Anyone who wants to participate
raise your hand.
Me!
Hey, hey, hey!
You.
I need to know your name.
Me?
Not you middle-aged man. You!
Not you, not you.
Yeah, you. What's your name?
Bong-Sam.
It's Bong-Sam.
Bong-Sam.
Oh yeah?
How dare you answer me so rudely?
Man-chi.
Okay, now.
People who raised their hands
get in line.
Okay. Okay.
Work as a team, you little young brats.
Make Bong-Sam the center-point and line up.
Okay, I'm the center-point.
Wait. You're crippled.
You head merchants need to stop being so old school.
You do business with this...
mouth, and never ever with...
this.
Give them the money.
You, middle-aged.
My name is Choi Dol-Ee.
I'm one of the very few people in Dongmong Agency with a family name.
I am a very valuable person.
Alright, Choi Dol-ee.
You.
If you get caught using this money at a tavern,
you're dead.
I would never do such thing!
Okay now. How much do you want to profit?
How about 30 nyang?
30 nyang?
Then, do you want me to bring exactly 30, or
bring over 30?
If you can, bring exactly 30.
Then I will, along with the head merchant, bow to you.
Sir. That's such a ridiculous joke you're making with this young immature brat!
You promise?
I promise.
Sounds great.
Principal amount of 20 nyang.
Profit of 30 nyang.
I will bring back exactly 50 nyang.
Let's see...
You should go find a cushion, because
I would need a comfortable seating when accepting your bow.
Let's go!
That rude brat.
What should I do with him?
Man-chi.
Where are you going?
Sir. That middle-aged man and young brat took 40 nyang!
I must watch if they run away with that money or not.
Let's go, let's go, let's go.
I don't have any energy to use my arms.
Here comes the aristocrat!
Get out of the way.
Aristocrat visiting the town!
Oh, man... it's hot. Hot.
What's up with their clothes?
Damn it. I'm so curious.
Oh, sir.
That's okay.
Sir!
We should head out now.
Hey, hey!
Could you sit still?
I'm looking at a phoenix right now.
They're not phoenix. They're roosters.
Roosters.
You crazy-head!
Crazy-head!
Can you not see?
It's too elegant to be a rooster. Can't you see?
You can't tell the difference, huh.
Low-class man like you cannot recognize a phoenix.
Listen to me carefully, you cheap fool.
Elegant phoenixes are raised with care,
and they are kept near a wind hole.
Wow, sir.
You're very knowledgeable!
The owner really knows it.
Let's ask him if you're right or I'm right.
Move out of the way, you cheap fool.
Hey, chicken owner.
So that one. Is it a phoenix?
What would you do if it is?
It's for a 60th birthday party.
You might want to keep it, but sell that one to me.
Eh-hem.
I've never made my father happy before.
I've always been stuck in countryside.
The only thing I did was read.
Please help me to fulfill my duty as a son.
Okay.
How can I reject such offer if you're trying to fulfill your duty?
I must sell it to you no matter what your status is!
Thank you, thank you...
You're going to prosper!
What... a phoenix?
What a piece of crap!
Magistrate.
Why do you treat an elegant phoenix like that?
You rascal!
How dare you make jokes like this!
You bring a rooster that does nothing but poop.
Saying that this is a rare elegant phoenix? You rascal!
Tie him up immediately!
For violating the law, I will punish you by flogging!
Magistrate!
Magistrate, please don't!
My sir does not have any fault.
When he was young, he was playing in a mountain fortress.
And he hit his head on a rock and became a bit slow.
He truly believed it was a phoenix, and bought it for the owner's birthday present.
I begged him to stop, but he still insisted that he wanted to bring it to you, Chief.
Please forgive us!
So, that phoenix...
I mean that chicken. How much did you buy it for?
He bought it for 100 nyang.
What? 100 nyang?
Ouch!
What do you mean by 100 nyang!
I swear my life that I only received 20 nyang.
What do you mean by 100 nyang...
You rascal!
Stop lying!
Didn't you tell them that it was a phoenix?
I mean, I did...
Then, how much is a rooster?
You rascal!
Answer me.
It is quite costly because they're strong roosters.
It is 3 nyang.
You bastard!
You sold a 3 nyang rooster for 100 nyang?
How dare you rip off of an innocent aristocrat!
Hey!
Go ahead and punish him!
Yes, Chief.
It is 100 nyang.
Fine. I will give you back 100 nyang,
please forgive me.
Come forth!
Cattle Broker Cho!
Now, you got to bow to me with head merchant.
This bag has the principal amount of 20 nyang,
30 nyang of profits.
Altogether, 50 nyang!
50 nyang!
Take them to the straw mat.
What? To the straw mat?
What is Dongmong Agency for?
A place that teaches stealing?
Or robbery?
Hurry up and take them to the straw mat!
Hurry up and put them to straw mat!
What are the four rules that a merchant with a license needs to follow?
Don't lie, don't sin, don't commit adultery, and don't steal.
Don't lie.
When doing business, do not lie to customers.
You must not profit by lying.
Don't sin!
When doing business, don't threaten or hurt the other side to make profits
Don't commit adultery.
Within the business family, or even out on the street while you are working,
don't commit adultery.
Don't steal.
You must not steal, you bastard!
Do you know which crime you committed?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Oh, man. I feel like throwing up.
Going back and forth. Back and forth, eh?
How can you both have such a great teamwork? Huh?
Sir.
Didn't I tell you?
He's a one young brat who steals money! Kill him!
What are you all doing there?
Put them to straw mat and kill them!
So is that why,
with your great teamwork,
did cowhide trafficking?
Isn't that stealing?
What?
They say 10 years can change the land.
You guys are living a great life as Song-pa cowhide merchants!
Have you forgotten about the cowhide trafficking you did at Chaek-moon already?
You have forgotten it, huh?
Who... are you?
Me?
I'm Chun Bong-Sam.
Who?
Gaeseong!
Chun's Gaekju
Chun Oh-su's son Chun Bong-Sam,
who was left with a doctor.
I'm that Chun Bong-Sam.
Chun. Bong. Sam.
[The Merchant: Gaekju 2015]
There's no medicine in front of business.
Saving someone's life isn't a common thing to do.
The grace of being saved should be paid back with your life.
Your life will be ended by Shin Suk-ju, so why not die together with me?
Nothing can happen until I get back.
It must come to an end before Bong-Sam comes.
-What are you doing? -I didn't hit him that hard!
The rascal ran away with the document.
No!