A large, beautiful bird was entangled by the seaside.
It was strange.
It seemed its legs were hurt.
Oh!
Wow, that's pretty!
- What Is it? - I'm not sure.
- A pheasant or A turkey? - Isn't it a peacock?
Do peacocks live on islands?
I don't know.
- Pretty, huh? - Yeah...
- You didn't steal it, did you? - No!
It was walking around and I caught it down there.
You want to eat it, don't you?
I'm going to raise it.
It's a sea bream!
- Excuse me. - Yes?
You're not asleep yet?
It seems the power went out in the bathroom.
That always happens to that room.
Must be something wrong with the wiring.
Sorry, I'll go fix it now.
- Also... - Yes?
On your way back could you bring a cold beer?
Sure!
Isn't it scary working here alone?
Without people there's nothing to be scared of.
After the tourist season it's Really dull.
Occasionally some fishermen Will come.
It must be hard during the tourist season.
Doing everything yourself.
We hire women to help, of course.
Besides, I haven't been here long.
I may have to stay longer this year because of Uncle.
So why did you come here, mister?
I'm not a 'mister'. I'm not even married yet.
Then what should I call you? 'Bachelor' since you're not married?
- That would be A bit awkward. - 'Mister' is better than 'Bachelor'.
She didn't come, did she?
- How did you know? - I can tell.
You must be a fortune teller.
Tell me more.
No girlfriend...
yet lazy...
dumb, a heavy smoker...
- And your blood type Is A. - It's O.
You should check again. I bet yours is A.
But who are you waiting for?
Ten years ago we promised to meet here.
Ten years ago?
- Then How old Are you? - Thirty-three.
Then you're twelve years older than me.
- Are you all right? - Yeah.
Let guess about you?
- What? - See if I'm right.
You seem like you have lots of friends but no boyfriend...
you never listened to your mother...
and you were so poor in school
that you were often yelled at?
You're a writer but you're very poor at guessing.
No?
That's strange... You seem like you Really were a poor student.
I was a good student listened to mom very Well...
and I used to have lots of boyfriends.
Liar. That's why you keep hiccupping.
Relax and try this. Your name is?
- Me? - Yeah.
- Lee - hic! - So-yeon. - What?
- Lee - hic! - So-yeon! - Say again?
- Lee - hic! Lee - So-yeon! - Well, So-yeon, So-yeon.
Well, So-yeon. Try this.
Take a deep breath and
hold it. One, two, three!
It stopped...
I'm embarrassed...
You said you'd tell I me what you're writing.
Nothing special. It's a screenplay.
A screenplay? Are you a movie director?
What movie did you make?
Well... a film called 'Thank You'.
'Thank You'? There's a movie with that title?
I'm sorry. I'll be sure to rent the video later.
It's okay. Hardly anyone has seen it.
So... what are you writing now?
It's a film set in the 1980s but it's not going Well.
Actually I was supposed to send it to Seoul yesterday...
but I haven't written a word.
Would you like to know a good solution?
- What is it? - It's not for free.
If I tell you you'll have to do me a favour.
- Okay. - Very Well.
You know those old doorways?
The spirits of the people who pass by gets stuck in them.
So if you strip off a bit of the doorsill...
make it into powder and eat it you'll get inspiration.
Wow, you're a real charlatan aren't you?
How about the floor of the Seoul subway?
- Thousands of people pass each day. - No.
My uncle told me.
It has to be made of wood.
Only wooden doorsills can collect people's chi.
Isn't it frustrating being here?
It was at first but after a while I got used to it.
What did you do before?
What did I do before?
- I danced. - Dance? What kind of Dance?
Actually, I wanted to study something else...
but the school doesn't teach it.
Still, I really want to join a dance department.
All dance is connected in some way.
What dance do you Really want to learn?
- I'm not going to say. - Tell me.
- I'm embarrassed. - No, Tell me.
I told you that I make films.
Tango.
Tango?
- That's cool. Tango... - So anyway.
Now you have to grant my favour.
Will you dance the tango with me?
- Me? - Yes.
Dancing the tango alone is really difficult.
And nobody else is around.
I'll teach you. Come on.
I really can't dance at all.
- I'm terrible at it. - You don't need to dance Well.
I'll teach you how... it's easy.
No, I can't.
I'll teach you. Get up.
- Why Are you doing this? - Get up!
I can't. Let me at least put on my shoes.
- But really, I... - All you have to do is just stand...
I'm not just saying this I really can't.
No, but it's really easy.
Okay, stand up like this. Move your centre of balance forward.
Your centre of balance not your stomach!
I can't dance.
Move your centre of balance slightly forward.
Don't stick your butt out. Hold my hand like this.
This is the position. And here...
...the woman's step is intertwined with yours.
So your weight moves to this foot.
And this foot goes to woman's right leg...
Step... like this press the knees together.
Seven, together, eight.
This is the basic step. You got it?
- It's hard. - It's not hard
Once you start, it's easy.
Here we go!
One... press together.
Oops, that's wrong!
Once more.
Try it again, with me. Ready...
Four, five, six, seven, eight. Wow, you' re good!
One, two... Wow, mister, Really good.
Now I'll close my eyes and you take the lead.
The man's supposed to lead in the tango.
Hello?
Is anyone in?
- Who's there? - Oh my!
Oh, hi... Well...
your house is... uh... pretty
Goodbye!
It's lit.
Wow, it's pretty!
Let's play a game until it burns out.
- What game? - The ' You Bet' game.
What's that?
Whatever I ask you have to answer ' You bet'.
- Let's do it. - I'll go first.
You have bad foot odour, right?
You bet.
Your butt's lopsided, right?
You bet.
People always call you fathead, right?
Oh, you bet!
So-yeon...
you were a dunce in school, weren't you?
You bet!
You really are that wanted criminal, right?
You bet.
After I leave
you'll probably eat that peacock and puppy?
You bet!
After you leave for Seoul you'll never come back?
You bet.
And you'll forget all about me and this motel?
If you don't answer, you lose!
I lose. Let's stop I don't like this game.
Now you've gone and made things awkward. It's just a game.
- How Is your uncle? - He spoke.
- What did he say? - 'Mm, tasty'.
My aunt cooked him some food.
I'm relieved.
I...
I'm leaving for Seoul tomorrow morning.
I see...
If you're ever in Seoul call me.
Why?
Just because.
I'll treat you to dinner if you come.
I feel sad to leave.
I'm relieved to hear you say that.
Then should we meet in Seoul next year?
I don't know...
If I get into university I'll be in Seoul, but...
Then let's meet in Seoul on this day next year.
By Jongmyo Gate, at 2pm.
No, I hate waiting for things.
I don't make such promises.
Okay.
I just feel grateful to you for a number of reasons.
Don't worry about it.
Oh, and you can have that piano.
It's a bit heavy to take with me.
- And the peacock? - You said you were going to eat it!
Ah...
- this Is my present to you. - What Is it?
I found it in the piano.
Thank you.
Aren't you going to open it?
Well, maybe later.
Mister!
Let's meet on that day!
- What? I said let's meet next year!
- Let's meet then, okay? - Yes, thank you too!
No, let's meet on that day!
Next year, September 9th! I'll go to Jongmyo!
I'll be sure to start university!
And if I do, let's meet then!
And so my journey of several days ended.
That letter contained extremely sad news.
She'd contracted breast cancer and had her left breast removed.
She was in a hospital in Germany.
Luckily, the operation was a success.
She was living happily with the German conductor.
They had a 3-year old son.
His name was Sigmund.
She had lost her hair due to chemotherapy...
so she looked awful, she said.
The piano was like her other half.
She said she was happy
and she remembered our promise.
I felt grateful to her caring husband.
I decided to cheer for Germany in the next World Cup.
I returned to Seoul and a year passed.
Today I finished writing my second screenplay.
Perhaps because of the doorsill this one came out Well.
Oh, and I found out later...
the place where So-yeon piled stones was her mother's grave.
During the game we played on the windy roof...
So-yeon asked me if she could get into university.
I answered, 'You bet' with gusto.
And it was the truth.
The night I finished the screenplay
I dreamt of So-yeon.
Biyang Island...
In this place where high tide covers the roads...
I saw the image of a woman dancing.
She danced with a feather
in her hair.