War of the Arrows
Get them!
Don't let them get away.
That way.
Get them!
Get them all!
Over there.
Father!
Look at me, son.
Are you afraid? Answer me!
Yes, sir. I am.
The only way to conquer fear is to face it head-on.
Father.
His name is Kim Mu-Seon. He lives in Gaeseong.
I'm staying with you.
Father.
From this moment, you're her father.
Look after her to the end.
Have you got that?
- Yes, sir. - Get up.
Father!
Go, my children!
Find the traitor!
Father, no!
Father!
Don't let them get away.
Come on.
Hurry.
We must go.
Father!
Over there!
I'm going back.
Please, Ja-In.
He's fighting them. We must bring him his bow.
He told me to look after it. Don't you understand?
I'm going back. Let me go!
Let's go back to him. He needs his bow.
Nam-Yi, please.
We got the traitor. Find his children.
Director: KIM Han-min
Nam-Yi.
Nam-vi!
WAR OF THE ARROWS
Song-ak-jung
Gaeseong, 1623 AD Shortly after King Injo's Coup
Did you witness his death?
You must be Ja-In.
What were his final words?
Those ignorant of diplomacy enthrone a new king.
Alas, the destiny of the nation hangs by a thread!
Take care of this bow until my child has grown.
The hand that supports the bow should be strong like the great mountain.
The hand that draws the bow should be fast like a tiger.
Have Lady Kim prepare fresh clothes for them.
Yes Sir!
Get changed. Don't go wandering about.
You must never talk to strangers. Is that clear?
Father.
From now on, you're her father. Look after her to the end.
13 Years Later
- Nam-Yi! - She's coming your way.
Go after it.
I'm doing it.
Nam-Yi,
she's going that way!
You missed.
It's hit.
He got her!
He got her.
Over there.
Wait!
What's the matter?
Where are we?
What do you mean?
These are markings for tiger traps.
Let's get out of here.
Wait.
Did you hear that?
I sure did.
- Tiger! - It's a tiger.
- Tiger! - Run, it's a tiger.
Tiger!
Run! It's a tiger.
Tiger.
It's a tiger.
Tiger!
Tiger! Oh, tiger! Good tiger of Mt. Songak
Where is my dear one? My darling as soft as feathers
The other day, I went to the so-called Songak's finest joy house.
Didn't quite live up to its reputation.
No?
Miss Ja-In is the fairest in all of Songak.
She'd have eligible bachelors line up for miles, if only...
Cut the crap and have a drink.
Lady Kim is just being unfair.
Miss Ja-In is more than a good match for her son.
Take her elegant demeanour for instance.
On top of that, she has outstanding beauty.
The young master has nothing to offer in comparison.
- You're right. - I said cut it out!
What's his problem?
That's enough. You know the circumstances.
I know so well. I was speaking out of frustration.
Shut your trap!
Moron!
I was speaking on your behalf.
You called me a name, didn't you?
Think you're better than me for speaking the savage's language?
I'll rip his mouth apart. Teach him a lesson!
Calm down, man.
- Get off me. - Please, sir.
I'll kill you.
You insufferable troll!
Knock it off, both of you.
I thought I would drop by for a drink.
Good evening, sir.
Does fighting help arouse the appetite?
What was the brawl about?
What brings you here in the middle of the night?
Come and have a drink.
I trust you could use a change of scenery.
Let's go someplace decent.
A good boy like you knows a decent place for a drink?
You'll see.
A hell of a spirit for a joy house.
This place is famous for its fine drink.
Indeed, it's rather refreshing.
Wait.
Allow me.
What do you want?
I would like to pour you a drink, brother.
- Brother'? - Please.
At last, you're treating me with some respect.
I hoped to discuss a matter of grave importance.
I would like to make an offer for Miss Ja-In.
What?
As her guardian, please accept my offer.
Does Lady Kim know of this? What about the master?
I can persuade them. I'm dead serious.
Please say yes,
for the sake of our friendship. Aren't we closer than anyone?
Says who'?
Says I.
Have you lost your mind?
We're family.
Besides, you're talking about marrying a traitor's daughter.
- Are you hoping to ruin your life'? - I know what concerns you.
I assure you, I'll persuade my mother.
We've lived under the same roof for so many years.
The years she had to endure...
caring for traitor's children she never wanted!
Will you burden her for the rest of her life?
- But Nam-Yi... - Also!
Think about Ja-In with such an unhappy mother-in-law.
My mind is set no matter what you say.
I'm prepared to do anything for her.
Anything?
Fine. Here is my condition.
Condition?
- What condition? - Hey!
If you cut me, I'll give you my blessing.
But if you fail,
I shall take my sister and leave town tonight.
Is that clear?
I don't know what you're trying...
Hey!
Look at you, pretty boy! Weak as a kitten.
I'm the son of a military official. I'm going easy on you.
I'll never give her to a sissy like you.
I would rather have her marry a butcher.
A butcher would be good.
That's enough. If you'll excuse me.
We're not done.
Sit down.
Mindless drinking and brawling. Life is a fun game for you?
Yes, sir. I have no worries at heart. The world seems like rat shit to me.
It's been 13 years since you came to this house.
You have abandoned your studies and training.
You're idling away your days.
Could I serve in the court or defend the country?
I'm the son of a traitor.
- I'll just live today and drop dead tomorrow. - Enough!
- Your father was the king's loyal servant. - I am well aware of that.
- And yet... - And yet!
I saw clearly how a loyal servant is valued!
What's the point? You're all doomed to the same destiny.
Isn't that why you're holed up in the countryside?
How dare you!
If there is nothing more,
I'll get some more drink before I sober up.
Did you know...
that I gave your sister her name?
And your father named my son.
I'm giving my permission for the marriage to Ja-In.
The bow hand should be strong like the great mountain and fast like the tiger.
Hold it up like a mountain.
Pull it curled up like the tail of a tiger.
You should use your elbow rather than the wrist.
What are you doing out so late?
You shouldn't be here.
Why did you do it?
What do you mean?
Forget about the wedding. It's all in vain.
Unless the king is deposed or the country falls,
there is no hope for the traitor's descendants.
You'll only end up hurt.
You're always like this.
Why did you run? Only to live like this?
We should have died together there and then.
Coward! At least I won't live like you.
You'll marry him without my blessing?
Marriage The root of all happiness
This way.
Thank you for coming.
What are you doing here? You should be at your seat.
Bride, bow twice.
Groom, bow once.
- Sir, your turn. - Come on.
- Are you all right, sir? - Will he make it through the wedding night?
Bride, bow twice.
- Look at him smile. - Shush.
Get into position!
Close the gates! Close the gates!
Get into formation!
We're under attack!
1636 A.D. Second Manchu Invasion of Korea
What's going on?
Run away! Run!
My lady!
Gang-Du!
Protect the prince.
Ja-In!
Let her go!
My lady!
Savages!
Highness!
No!
Father.
Ja-In.
No!
Where are they taking us?
Keep walking.
This is war.
Don't feel sorrow, dear cousin.
He broke Mangudai siege with his bow.
I never saw a Joseon man shoot like him.
We didn't have a full unit for encirclement.
I thought their bows were weak.
Their bows come from the same root as ours.
Shorter and thinner but with good range and mobility.
We must not underestimate them.
Jiusinta! Wanhan!
The captives exceed our number. I salute you, my uncles.
Have a safe trip, Your Highness.
They're ready for you.
Hurry back. We have a lot to do.
Long live Manchuria.
Commander, we're ready to go.
- Fuman, take care of His Highness. - Yes, Commander.
Our fallen brothers as well.
Yes, sir.
Ja-In!
King Injo who took refuge in the fortress of Namhansan
was eventually forced to surrender.
500, 000
men and women of all ranks and ages
were taken to Manchuria as prisoners and hostages.
Many died en route
of maltreatment and exhaustion.
MY dear!
When can I see them?
Who will look after my father's shrine now?
Mother!
Spare me.
Golden flag embroidered with a blue dragon,
where is it?
Please.
I'll decide after you answer.
They're headed north.
That's all I know.
The arrow penetrated the neck. Death was instant.
For all of them.
We must hurry. It could be the work of militia.
Take this one.
Please, no!
Commander, you should see this.
It happened in the blink of an eye.
He was there one moment and disappeared the next.
And arrows came flying in again.
They came from an impossible angle.
He speaks our language
and is chasing the royal banner?
That's what he said.
Did he shoot red arrows?
How did you know?
I don't know who he is,
but he is after the prince's troop.
Then he said something puzzling.
Why aren't you killing me?
My bow's purpose is not to kill.
It wasn't his bow's purpose to kill.
Abort the mission. Nirus, follow me immediately.
Is this the last batch?
That's right.
Brothers, we're going home!
Interpreter! Interpreter!
Yes, sir.
Listen carefully to what I say.
Once you cross this river, you'll never be able to go back to your country.
You all know that once you cross this river, you'll be deemed a traitor.
- Those who want to run, I'm releasing you. - Pardon me?
Uh...
Well...
OK, OK!
He says you can run if you want.
Now is the time.
This is your last chance. Don't you miss your home?
But you know you mustn't run even if he says so.
I'll count to five.
Those who'll go home, go now.
Sit tight for five counts. Then you'll live!
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Your last chance.
- What's going on? - Don't get agitated.
- Eun-Yi! - See you back home, Father.
No, my child!
Eun-Yi!
People of Joseon,
you can go back home whenever you wish.
Just never alive.
Get them!
See'? It was an evil ploy to test us.
This way.
Wretched monsters!
My child!
Eun-Yi!
- I shall stand up to them. - Sir?
If even one of them can make it back alive...
Master! You'll get yourself killed.
What's happening?
Come and get me!
You'll have to get past me first.
Have we no warriors among us?
You!
Crawl up to me like your king did.
If you don't, my arrow will pierce your heart.
Kill him!
Damn it.
What happened to lying low?
Let's join them!
Let's go.
Freedom!
We're free.
Hurrah!
Ja-In!
Don't blame me too harshly for losing her.
Didn't I promise you?
That I'll do anything for Ja-In.
She'll be waiting for me, enduring with fortitude.
Are you going to be OK?
Even if we have the enemy's map,
anyone crossing the river back home is deemed a traitor.
The king who abandoned his people is himself a great sinner.
Clean her up.
You brought a feisty one today.
Forgive me, Your Highness.
Take off her clothes.
I'm a married woman.
Do not disgrace me.
Stop.
When did you learn our language?
I learned it from my father who served at the northern border.
Then you must know about the greatness of Qing China.
Don't put me to this shame. I beg of you.
Even your king swore allegiance.
How can you consider this shameful?
How can you consider yourself to be an honourable man
if you persecute your prisoners?
Do you see this? It's tiger hide.
My courageous uncle Jiusinta gave it to me as a present.
It protects me from the cold and heat and rain, even fire.
This soft hide was stiff at first...
until it was properly tanned.
The process of tanning a hide can be quite fun.
Have her stand outside until she begs for her life.
Only the strategy map is missing.
We must track him down at once.
The bodies of our brothers shall be taken care of by the rearguard units.
Yes, Commander.
This is it.
Insufferable savages!
Is that Miss Ja-In?
Wait till sunset.
What difference will that make?
Can't just go without a plan.
Look at their numbers.
We'll take the leader as hostage and exchange him for Ja-In.
- That's the only way. - Is it going to work?
What about an exit strategy?
After we get Ja-In, we'll cross the river and meet back at this hut.
By tomorrow noon.
OK.
But, Nam-Yi,
we have no plans for how we'll catch their leader.
- Gang-Du! - Yeah?
There is something I want you to do.
What is it?
How insipid! This is no fun.
Your men have no backbones and women have no fidelity.
I'm curious.
What broke you down so quickly?
Was it thirst or hunger?
Or despair?
My father the Khan once told me,
men and animals alike, the best way to control them is food.
Looking at you, I see he was right.
My father once told me, one's vision is clouded when one is hungry.
So, one must always fill the stomach before a fight.
Are you saying you're a warrior?
I'm a Warrior's daughter.
I shall not beg for my life,
nor shall I die in vain.
Damn!
Impudent bitch!
Yeah, that's more like it.
Go on, try again.
Don't give up.
What's going on?
The prisoners are getting away!
Your Highness!
Do not interfere! Anyone who disobeys shall be killed!
- Leave us! - But, Your Highness...
They're over there!
This way! Come on.
Follow them.
Who the hell are you?
Long live Manchu!
- Manchu? - Manchu.
Yes, Manchu. Manchu, Manchu.
Tza-it!
What?
I see now
how stubborn and stupid Joseon's women are.
That skewer is all you depend on.
The strategy worked.
Let's get out of here.
Can you take it from here?
But, Master...
Master! Master!
It's them!
- Get those two first. - Let's go.
Who the hell are you?
Are you hurt?
Nam-vi!
I'm sorry it took so long.
Release the prince.
Or I'll kill her.
My lady!
Who are you people?
What are you doing?
- Your Highness! - No!
Step back.
Nobody move.
Shoot him!
Hold your bows.
- Go now. - What about you?
Remember what I said?
I'll meet you at the hut tomorrow noon.
We'll be waiting.
No! You're coming with us!
You want us to die here?
We leave together or we die here together.
Don't tell me to leave you like this!
My lady, we cannot all go together.
Wait for me. I promise I'll see you again.
You hope to live after what you have done?
I wouldn't have done it if I was worried about living.
Are you afraid now that your time is almost up?
The firewood has almost burned out.
Thank you
for holding up so long.
Where is His Highness?
He was assassinated.
Please.
Commander, he went in that direction.
Our men went after him.
Nam-Yi! It's great to see you again.
You made it.
What about Miss Ja-In? And the young master?
- They should be ahead of us. - How fortunate!
We must try to catch up.
- They must be going after them, too. - Gang-Du, take these.
What the hell?
Now it's reds instead of the blues?
It's the half-pounder.
What?
The arrowhead alone weighs over half a pound.
It's more powerful than a mechanical crossbow.
We must go into the woods.
Get into siege formation!
That doesn't look right. Let's go this way.
- We must cut through here. - Come on, we have to move on.
Nam-Yi, I think he's right.
- Let's go. - Come on.
The path ends there. We've got them.
We must capture him alive. He will suffer to his last breath.
Come on, hurry.
Gang-Du!
Look out!
We must hurry.
Gang-Du! Gang-Du!
Gang-Du!
It's a miracle I got this far. Leave me.
Gang-Du.
Gang-Du!
- Go! I'll hold them off as long as I can. - Gang-Du!
Go on!
Gang-Du, no!
Get going-
Gang-Du!
Cut the net!
I can't move.
Help them.
The marking for tiger traps...
it's the same here.
I can't go any further. I'm too old for this.
Gab-Yong!
Go on!
Take care of Miss Ja-In and the master.
I'm taking one of you with me.
Shoot!
It's him.
He is still alive.
We'll cross.
Adai!
Naigada!
Let's cross.
Adai!
Come on!
Adai!
Wanhan!
Hurry.
Let me go.
Get him for me.
Don't give up.
Commander!
Come on.
We're falling behind. We must pick up the pace.
- I'll do it. - Let me.
You have blisters.
They say if you cross back to Joseon, you'll be punished.
They won't do that to their fellow countrymen.
It's probably to stop people from crossing over.
Sir...
I'll hang on to that.
I'll get some drinking water.
Get back inside.
Ja-In!
My eye!
Ja-In!
Chase him!
Got him.
Keep chasing.
He turned back.
Let me ask you a question.
Why didn't you shoot me at the cliff?
Was it to bring me into contempt?
He shall suffer to his last breath. Cut off his limbs.
Look out!
Which way?
I'm not sure.
But there is only one way.
Just one way?
The river border is close. We'll catch up.
Hurahu!
Come to your senses!
I feel something ominous in the air.
Are you not a son of Manchuria?
Hurahu shall take the lead.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
It's the short arrow.
The same sniper arrows we saw at the battle at the fortress?
But it has a jagged tip.
There is no arrowhead.
He made it from a regular arrow.
It makes no difference to us.
My brother!
Hurahu!
Don't come this way!
Stop!
Ja-In!
My lady!
Nam-vi!
My darling!
All this trouble,
to save her?
Are you calculating for the wind?
But I've already seen your arrow.
There is no point in calculating for the wind.
Did you fear for your girl?
You may know how to shoot curved arrows...
but it's your fear that got you and your girl killed.
Now it's your turn to feel the pain
of watching your loved one die.
No, Nam-Yi!
You'll die if you pull out that arrow.
You lost.
Nam-Yi, no!
Now you'll sacrifice her?
Even the wind isn't on your side.
Fear, you simply face it head-on.
The wind is not to be calculated but to be overcome.
You.
Nam-Yi.
I have the other one here.
- You knew they were from me. - Of course I did. They were so big.
Only you could get it so wrong.
They were too big for you?
I thought you were all grown up. Maybe not so much.
Ja-In,
let's go back to our home in Seoul.
We'll go home. Wear pretty silk shoes.
Look.
It's our land that we must go back to.
Following the invasion,
there was no repatriation effort on Joseon's part.
Only a handful of people found their way back on their own.