Episode 18
Get up, all of you.
Mistress...!
- I said get up! - Mistress!
How dare you disobey me! Leave this place this instant!
You are not prostitutes or barmaids!
So get up this instant!
Chil-Sung, what are you doing there? Drag that wench out this instant!
A dancer must complete her dance no matter what the circumstance.
That is a dancer, and an artist.
That is enough. Cease this.
You've said enough.
Tell the girls to perform again for you.
After they perform, I will instruct them to pour wine.
I told you I don't need your despicable dancing!
You wench!
Do you think our talents are base because we were low-born?
The dance... has not yet finished!
How dare you insult royalty this way!
- You will pay dearly for your crime! - Of course!
How dare a mere courtesan cause such a commotion at a banquet!
You must not spare her life. No, you must not spare her!
Seize her this instant and chain her!
What are you all doing? Seize her and throw her in prison!
Please settle yourself, my Lord.
What has happened?
You are not an impetuous novice. How could you have done such a thing?
Say something! Explain yourself to me!
I have no explanation, my Lord.
I have already shown my emotions. What else can I say?
I will try to placate His Excellency as much as I can.
- So... - No.
- Please don't do anything. - Baek-Moo, you...!
All you have to do is to punish me in accordance to the law.
How can you say that?
Don't you know what the punishment will be?
- I know what it is. - Then?
If you don't punish me, it will reflect badly on you.
I do not want that, my Lord.
How... How could this have happened?
Baek-Moo, you...!
Mistress! Mistress!
- Stop crying. - Mistress!
Why are you crying? Stop crying and return to the Gyobang.
No!
If they're going to take you, then let them take all of us too!
Please take us with you. We will stay by your side!
- Stupid wenches! - Mistress...!
Don't call me that.
I am no longer worthy of that title.
How can you say that, Mistress?
Consider me a fool, and spit at me.
- Mistress...! - I taught you to never show your emotions.
I taught you to not even let Heaven know of your true emotions.
Swallow your tears,
and silence your joy.
No matter how angry, a courtesan must never show it.
That's what I taught you.
I forgot my own teachings. So how can I still be your Mistress?
So don't waste your tears and go back this instant.
- We can't do that, Mistress! - Go back inside!
Let us go!
- Mistress! Mistress! - Mistress! Mistress!
Did you just ask me to release Baek-Moo?
I will not do so.
Your Excellency!
I said no. She will pay for her crime with her life.
She is a talented artist.
And she is supposed to participate in the Royal Banquet.
Talent?
The dance of a proud courtesan who does not know her place?
His Majesty will not allow her to stand before him!
If your Excellency will only have mercy...
Governor, when will you asking for something not within your power?
How dare you belittle our law for a mere courtesan!
How can you call yourself a government official?
If His Majesty finds out about this, you will not be beyond reproach!
You must punish her immediately!
Break her legs so that she can never dance again!
You want me to break a dancer's legs?
That is a more cruel punishment to her than death itself!
We must make an example out of her.
No other wench will ever challenge her superiors again!
What? They're going to do what to our Mistress' legs?
Sir!
We have already informed Baek-Moo of the punishment that awaits her.
It is better... That she is prepared.
This is too much!
How... How can you be so cruel?
It is better than not expecting it!
That bitch Myung-Wol...!
Are you satisfied?
Are you satisfied that you got what you wanted?
I told you not to be so proud!
It was you that ridiculed them,
but why is our Mistress the one being punished?
Say something! Say something, you wench!
Go! Run to Lord Byuk Gae-Soo!
Beg for forgiveness and ask him to spare her life!
What shall I say?
Shall I say "please spare her life"?
Shall I promise that she will smile like a lovely flower even though
he may throw wine at her, and prevent us from dancing?
Myung-Wol!
Do you think that's what she wants?
Alright, you want to talk about that?
If you know how she feels, if you know how she thinks,
Why did you push her to her edge like that?
She did that because she was wounded by you!
If you didn't do that, she would not have broken like that!
- Stop! Why are you doing this? - Let go of me!
Stand back, or you will face my wrath too!
Stop this. Don't you think she's tormented as well?
Are you alright?
Why don't you go see her?
What about sending someone to the capital city?
Send a messenger to Mistress Mae-Hyang.
At one time, she was Baek-Moo's closest friend...
She will not ignore this.
Go to the Royal Troupe immediately. This is a matter of life and death.
What a mess! Should I go out and see what is happening?
What a mess! What a mess!
Eng-Moo...!
Eng-Moo... what are you doing?
Get dressed and go to the capital.
- To the capital...? Why? - Your relative in the government...!
- What? - Judge...? No, a commissioner!
I told you to get dressed. Why are you just sitting there?
My Mistress is going to die!
You've spent so much time here! Help us!
Get your relative to help us!
That... That...
- That... that relative... - Hurry and get dressed.
- We have no time to chat! - Well...
- My Lord! - He's a cousin of a cousin of a cousin...
A cousin... of a cousin... of a cousin?
What did I tell you! I told you study!
If you had studied hard and became a high official!
Then our Mistress wouldn't become a cripple!
What brings you here?
Geum-Choon, and Chwee-Sun...
They all came here and wept in front of me.
The commotion you wenches are making will bring down your house!
- Please spare our... - Go away if you're going to talk nonsense.
- Go away! - Your Excellency!
Why does your voice sound so pliant today?
Do you want me to take you to my bed again tonight?
Go away.
I... I am pregnant with your child.
So?
For the sake of this child, please have mercy just this once.
When the child asks me what kind of man his father was,
I want to be able to tell him that he is a good and merciful man.
Silly wench.
Your Excellency...!
Are you sure that child belongs to me?
Your... your Excellency!
A courtesan's body has many owners.
So how can you be sure that the child is mine?
Myung-Wol... you...!
Dan-Shim...!
I wanted to avoid this as much as possible...
...for... for your sake.
I know.
Forgive me.
You came to say something. So why are you so silent?
Release Mistress Baek-Moo.
Impossible.
I... I will become your concubine.
Are you certain?
Yes.
I trust this is not a lie?
After I confirm with my own eyes that she has been released,
I will pack all my things and head to your quarters in the Capital.
I would rather lose you than be your friend.
I fell in love for the first time.
And... never again.
That is why... I cannot take my heart with me.
The heart that loved a woman so deeply.
That heart... I will leave here.
I will end this love also.
I have no other choice.
Mistress...!
You must... you must try and eat something.
Please don't do this.
You don't need to come here everyday. Go and do your duties.
Don't lose hope. Everything will be settled.
Myung-Wol has gone to see Lord Byuk Gae-Soo, so...
What did you just say?
Why did she go to see him?
- Jin-Yi...! - Don't say anything.
Don't say anything, Mother.
There was no other way?
You could not let her die this way.
There must have been no other way.
Dan-Shim is... pregnant.
I know.
How cruel is Heaven...
How cruel are all the gods...
What could we courtesans have done that was so bad in our past lives?
How can they let our fates be so cruel like this?
Mother...
What will we do about my poor Jin-Yi?
How can I watch this happen?
Will you fetch me a comb?
Mistress...!
I look terrible.
This is a prison, but I wish to make myself presentable.
Madam!
How is she?
She... she is alright.
Why are you not with her?
She wanted me to fetch her a comb.
She wanted a comb?
Yes, Madam.
It was always like this.
Your fingers were always strong but lovely.
That is why the sound of your Gayageum is so beautiful...
Ever since you were a novice, you were such an affectionate girl.
When we scolded you and made you cry,
you would still come to us and offer to brush our hair.
And you would have such a bright and lovely smile when you did that.
Back then, you cried just as much as I did.
After you lost your first love,
you came to a novice and wept in her skirts.
Then you threatened to beat her if she ever told anyone.
Remember that?
And when the morning came, it was as if it never happened.
You would bustle around and scold all the novices like your usual self.
I would be confused...
...and sad for you.
Foolish girl.
Did I do the right thing?
You were so broken-hearted.
So broken-hearted you lost your eyesight.
But I still treated you so cruelly when you lost your love.
I was also cruel in cutting off Jin-Yi's love.
And Sum-Sum...
I can't count them all.
I was so cruel.
I can't count how many times...!
Mistress...
What did I get in exchange
for being so cruel and heartless?
Did I get anything in return?
What are you thinking?
Why did you want to get presentable?
Hyun-Geum...
You don't care if you die,
but you will die before you see Jin-Yi become a concubine?
Hyun-Geum!
You don't care if your legs break or your life ends during the beating,
but did you still want to bear it as a courtesan should, dressed properly?
Because even at the point of death, you want to be presentable.
- Enough! - Am I wrong?
- Leave me. - Don't do this.
- You shouldn't be like this. - I said leave me.
You have done enough. You must learn when to back down.
- Take care of your child first. - We must save your life.
- Shall I beg your child for my life? - Think of all your girls.
Don't think of anything else. Saving your life is our priority.
I will do with my life what I wish. Stop minding my business and be quiet.
What are you talking about?
- How can you jest about such a thing? - Jest? How can we do that?
Do you think we rode all the way here from Song-Do just for a jest?
How can this not be a jest?
Even at the point of death, Baek-Moo would never do such a thing!
We don't have time for this.
If we don't do anything fast, our Mistress' legs will not be spared!
- What do you stop me? - Please don't get involved.
- What? - It seems like it's already too late.
What if you get involved and you have to suffer...
- Enough! - Bu-Yong is right, Mistress.
Shut your mouth!
Keep talking! And I will not spare either of you!
Mistress!
Mae-Hyang, what brings you here at this time of the night?
Help us, my Lord. You must save someone.
Did you want to see me?
May I have a request?
Please let me go out for a little while.
Baek-Moo...!
Tonight is my last night as a courtesan.
I wish to spend it at the Gyobang.
Tears? That is not like you.
You don't need to cry.
There will be many days left for you to dance with that outfit on.
So you will be Lord Byuk Gae-Soo's concubine?
- I owe you nothing from now on. - Foolish girl.
Isn't that too much even for you? I saved your life.
You may not have to thank me, but you shouldn't insult me!
- I never wanted your pity! - Who's pitying who?
- I don't need your pity! - It's not pity!
It's not. I never wanted to be a courtesan.
Don't you know how much I hated it?
So I made my choice. I want a comfortable life!
Stupid girl.
First you lost your focus because of love,
and now you're going to lose your talent because of pity?
Take it back. You are not capable of living that way.
I said I was sick of it!
You can't even find your own way. How dare you pity me!
- Mistress! - Go away!
You want to dance. Even this very moment, you want to dance!
I don't need your help. I can take care of myself.
I will not go away so easily.
So stop your useless chatter, and focus on yourself!
I'm so sick of you. I'm just so fed up with you!
How can you be this way? How can you be so stubborn!
You're a miserable woman!
Impudent wench!
- Even to her death she insults me! - What does the letter say?
Mistress Baek-Moo says that she will pay for her own life,
and I shouldn't even dream about taking Myung-Wol as my concubine!
- That woman...! - Let's see what happens.
If she wants to die so badly...
then we must let her die!
Now you know how useless your music score is.
Now you really know.
I... I want to start from the beginning.
I must dance the Crane Dance properly.
I must see it completed.
"Crane Dance by Hwang Jin-Yi"
Mistress...! Mistress...!
Why are you so slow! You must hurry!
Yes, Madam.
Mistress...! Mistress...!
Governor!
Has Lord Byuk Gae-Soo still not changed his mind?
I will meet him.
While I do that, please try and postpone the beating.
The beating is not going to happen anyway.
What do you mean...?
She has disappeared.
Disappeared? You're telling me she broke out of her prison?
Break out of prison? That is impossible!
She is not the kind of person to do such a thing.
She has gone to find a place to die.
- Mae-Hyang...! - What are you doing?
Send all your soldiers to find her! Tell them to search all of Song-Do!
If you don't find her, I will make sure you pay for it!
Don't you know Baek-Moo?
Did you think that she would allow herself to be humiliated before her subordinates?
Or did you think she would allow her beloved to be the one to give the orders for her beating?
Foolish man... You have loved her all your life,
and yet you cannot even protect her. You let her suffer alone!
How can you still call yourself a man!
What has happened? Have you found her?
We...
What has happened to our Mistress?
The Mistress has returned to the Gyobang.
Go to her. She is waiting for you.
Mistress!
Get up.
What you doing lying down? Aren't you ashamed?
This is not possible. You cannot run away!
I can't accept this.
So get up. Get up now!
Open your eyes.
I have something to say to you. I have something to say!
You may have said everything,
but I still have not!
Open your eyes! Get up right now!
- Get up! - Get a hold of yourself.
Let go! Let go of me!
Get a hold of yourself!
This is not happening. This has not happened!
I won't accept this!
I have something to say to you! I must tell you something!
I have something to say!
Calm yourself.
Gather yourself. This is your last tribute to your teacher.
Settle down and give her your last farewell.
I will never ever meet anyone like her.
I lived with her for thirty years...
How... how?
How could she not bid me farewell?
If she had asked me to go with her, I would have agreed immediately.
Stop thinking foolish things and take care of the girls.
Yes.
Go with her? I will there with you shortly.
My best friend and rival has gone and left.
What is the use of living a long life?
Baek-Moo, you...!
Damnable wench!
Damn all of them!
- Why did you do it? - If you came here to nag at me,
go back to where you came from!
Pack up your things, and let us go back together.
No, I can't do that.
Bring Myung-Wol here! Bring her and tell her to be my concubine!
Look here!
A promise is a promise.
- Tell her to be my concubine! - A life has already been wasted.
I didn't kill her. I never ordered her to die!
I know. I know that you're troubled.
So let us go back.
I won't leave like this.
I won't leave!
Bring Myung-Wol before me. Tell her to kneel before me!
Tell her to be my concubine!
Enough! That is enough!
Don't harass her any further.
Are you saying she belongs to you?
Is that what this is?
A person can never belong to anyone. She is not a plaything or a possession.
You're so honorable. So damn honorable!
Deceit is worse than hypocrisy. Why don't be more honest with yourself?
I know that you are troubled by all of this too.
I'm sure of it.
If you won't return with me, at least pay your respect to the deceased.
Your guilt will be eased this way.
She...
She always said the same thing.
She wanted to come here when she died.
Because she was a dancer,
she wanted to be moved by the ripples,
so that she would sway here and there,
so she would dance in her death as she did in life.
That... that Myung-Wol! Has she gone mad?
Do you want to insult her until the end?
You should be the one feeling the most guilty!
But you're not even crying! And you're dressed up!
- Wait! - Don't stop me, sir.
I'm going to kill her first, and then kill myself!
Look carefully.
She is dancing. She is paying tribute.
The dance that you were not able to complete...
The dance that the Mistress so wanted to complete...
She is completing it.
"Fallen flowers carried away by flowing waters"
It means flower petals are carried away by flowing waters.
Even though they are flowers, they are now dead. Thus sadness is felt!
Well, would you like to learn more of this dance?
Cross the door quickly.
Come across that door and you'll be in the troupe.
The path of courtesans.
If you did that for me, it was not a good thing.
A courtesan's life is her face.
I only did what any Mistress would have done.
You must push love away.
Dance until you change your tears into laughter.
What is the most important thing to a courtesan?
Is it wine?
Is it love?
Is it art?
No...
It is pain.