Today, Mae-chang came to take the exam at the Office of Art, disguised as a boy.
So why do I have to give up my dream just because I'm a girl?
I came to apply for the King's Portrait Painter position.
It received the most number of votes.
- That is nonsense! - Your Highness!
With my authority! I grant him permission.
If you draw even a wrinkle or a hair on my face incorrectly,
you might face punishments.
I will do my best.
Can you give me some of your time?
What is all this?
I heard you didn't have anything to eat today.
Have some.
Here.
The food is getting cold!
I'm ordering you as the Chief of Office of Art.
I order the King's Portrait Painter to eat and take care of herself.
I need to follow an order when it comes to eating?
Yes.
I'd love for you to eat like this for every meal.
But I'm sure it will make someone very uncomfortable.
If you already start skipping meals in the beginning stage,
you'll wear yourself out quickly.
Here, try at least a little bit.
How come I don't see Lord Young-sang here?
He wasn't able to attend today due to health issues.
Then how come I don't see Minister of the Left?
Minister of the Left had an emergency at home
so he let us know that he won't be able to attend today.
Then what about Minister of the Right?!
We can't put off our work just because some of the officials are missing.
I'll discuss the important agendas with the ones who are here today.
Yes, Your Highness.
Your Highness!
We have an emergency!
There are people outside who are putting their lives on the line to submit an appeal!
Submitting an appeal?
Your Highness!
Joseon was founded on ideals of Neo-confucianism!
The country will be put at risk if we ignore
the big things and accept the small things.
There's difference between the nobility and the commoners and men and women.
How could you try to shake up the country like this?!
If a woman is allowed to paint the King's portrait,
then concubines' children will try to do it too!
And the commoners will revolt.
The system of this country will be destroyed!
The servant puts his life on the line when he speaks up.
If you find any fault with me today,
please cut off my head!
Please cut off our heads!
Your Highness, please reconsider your order!
Please reconsider your order!
How could a woman do it?!
A benevolent person should know which king to obey.
They say a wise bird chooses the right tree to build a nest.
Confucian scholars across the country have been outraged because of you
and have been flooding the palace with appeals.
I'm not interested in the politics
so I don't know what's going on outside.
What a stillness that sits amidst a blizzard.
I apologize, Your Highness.
Aren't you afraid?
The whirlwind doesn't blow all morning
and a rain shower doesn't continue all throughout the day.
A woman who has read Tao Te Ching...
No wonder Lee Gyeom fell for you.
I just believe that all of this is fate.
Fate?
Once I accepted it as fate,
I wasn't afraid of anything and felt like I could do anything.
I'm going to paint your portrait no matter what.
Where is that bravery coming from?
It wasn't bravery. It was a maternal instinct.
What are you talking about?
Lift up your head and tell me.
I wanted to show hope to my daughter who wants to be a member of the Office of Art.
Then...
tell me from a mother's perspective.
Since a King should take care of his people like their mother,
don't you think it would be similar?
Lord Lee Gyeom is here, Your Majesty.
Let him in.
You called for me, Your Majesty.
Welcome.
I asked Saimdang for her opinion.
Saimdang.
What would you like to fix the most in Joseon right now?
Your Majesty.
Why would you ask an artist--
She became the Chief Painter as a woman.
And I heard you were the head of Yangyoo Paper
Production Office who leads the village well.
A king should keep his ear open to what his people are saying.
Let me ask Saimdang, the Chief Painter, one more time.
What is it that you'd like to fix the most
in this country right now?
Tell me.
I asked you a question.
Answer me.
I'd like it to be a country where people can have dreams.
A country where people can have dreams?
A dream that life will get better...
A dream that things can get better if you work hard...
The reason that we're not afraid of the dark at night...
is because we believe that the dawn will break
and the sun will come up if we just wait.
A life where you can't have dreams
just because you're a woman or a concubine's child or because you're not a nobility.
is like living your whole life walking along a dark road with a bag over your head.
Your Majesty.
Please create a country...
where people can have dreams.
A country...
where people can have...
dreams?
Is anyone out there?
Anyone?
There's the King!
Die!
What have you done for us?!
The Crown Prince is much better than you!
This damned King!
Hey.
Is anyone out there?
Anyone out there?!
Your Majesty!
Are you all right, Your Majesty?
How many suns are there...
in the sky?
There can only be...
one sun in the sky.
How dare they...
Go bring the doctor.
No.
I need to visit the outside world in secret.
I think you should rest more since you're still not in good health, Your Majesty.
Be quiet.
Get the things ready.
Where's the blueprint of the battleship?
The court's attention is focused on the Office of Art right now
because of the King's Portrait Painter.
I don't want your excuses.
If we make the wrong move, you and I will both be dead.
So,
I need more time.
You look like you have nothing to lose.
I gave you a promise
so I will bring the blueprint of the battleship to you.
Withdraw your swords.
I need to get rid of Lee Gyeom first...
in order to get the blueprint.
Lee Gyeom is the one who shot our men at Dangjin port.
What are you contemplating for?
Just get rid of him.
Should I send an assassin?
We'll first start carefully discussing the matters of concubine's
children taking the state examination that you discussed last time.
Yes, Your Highness.
Here comes His Majesty!
Your Majesty,
how are you feeling today?
Your Majesty,
I'm so grateful to see you in good health.
The officials will listen.
The power I gave to the Crown Prince to run national affairs
will be withdrawn starting today.
Thank you for your graciousness, Your Majesty!
Crown Prince.
I heard your ears were blocked
and your sight blurred because of a bad group of people.
Stay in your palace and don't take a single step out of there...
until you receive an order.
- Your Majesty! - I told you to leave.
His Majesty has become very weak.
Look at the state the country is in!
The powerful officials are still abusing their powers!
We should've gotten rid of them during the Goryeo paper scandal.
The time has come.
The Crown Prince must stick to reformation and go at it aggressively!
Lord Lee Gyeom is his support.
That's right. He is the hope for our country!
Lord Lee Gyeom.
Yes, Your Majesty.
You will draw my painting...
together with Saimdang.
Your Majesty.
What?
Why are you shocked?
The best painter I know from both inside and outside this palace is you,
Lord Lee Gyeom.
What's the problem?
I'm only the chief who is overseeing the production of King's Portrait.
Only Lady Shin is the chief painter.
Then I will appoint you as the chief painter as well.
Your Majesty.
There can only be one chief painter--
I'm giving an order!
I'm appointing...
Lord Lee Gyeom as the co-chief painter...
along with Saimdang.
The two of you even discussed marriage at one time.
So I'm sure you guys will work very well together.
Work together...
to create a masterpiece...
that will make history.
The two of you...
must've painted together like this when you were younger.
I'm sure you did.
The man who wrote the marriage letter himself after falling in love with a lady
and the lady who said she'll submit an appeal
for permission to go to Gold River Mountain.
The two of you made a great couple.
Your Majesty.
What do you mean?
The two who know each other very well are painting together in the same place.
How does it feel?
Does it feel nice?
No, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty.
That's just an old memory we can laugh about now.
I have no ulterior motive while working on your portrait.
Whether you have an ulterior motive or not, the time you have painting my face...
may be...
the last time you guys can be together.
Don't you think so?
Lady Shin, Saimdang.
There were many praises about you at the Yangyoo Paper Production Office.
Think about the past.
Now we have a place to sleep and food to eat!
It's all thanks to our Lady.
What can we possibly worry about when we live here?
I don't know about anyone else,
but if they said Lady Shin could make flower out of poop, I'd believe them!
Of course! She saved the poor even when the King couldn't do it.
And now she's even painting the King's portrait!
Come on. She's better than the King.
Not only do you take good care of the drifters,
but you split the profit fairly depending on how much people worked.
I was just doing my best, Your Majesty.
Then...
you're like the King over there.
You're being too kind, Your Majesty!
It's not like that at all.
Your Majesty.
How can you jump to such a conclusion?
Jump to conclusion?
Did you just say I jumped to a conclusion?!
I apologize Your Majesty!
Please forgive me!
Please be gracious Your Majesty!
I'm tired.
Let's stop here for today.
What's going on with the battleship blueprint?
The completed blueprint is being stored at the back room of the Office of Art.
The security is very tight.
And the entire palace is focused on the Office of Art because of the King's Portrait.
Buy someone or give a bribe!
We've got to do something!
The Office of Art members have been careful ever since Lord Lee Gyeom took over.
Bribes won't work!
Do you think I haven't tried already?
Lee Gyeom...
Lee Gyeom.
I'll just kill him then.
Without anyone finding out.
Lord.
There's nothing stopping me.
I should've gotten rid of him a long time ago.
Lord.
You cannot do that.
Why not?
Do you still have feelings for him?
Does Lee Gyeom...
No.
Do you think this place is more than enough since you're from lowest of the lowest?
I'm different.
I worked so hard to get to where I was.
I must return to my place.
No matter what!
I'm going to kill Lee Gyeom.
I think things aren't going the way they're supposed to.
It might take a turn for the worst.
I'll have to brace myself for it.
Whether you do a good job or not,
the portrait will be judged when you're done painting it.
I don't know where this road will lead to,
but I'm going to give it my best so that I'm not embarrassed of my work as an artist.
I thought we'd be painting at a much better place than here
if we were to paint together again.
But...
I'm happy with here too.
I'm thankful that we could be together like this...
and also sorry.
Take care.
Bye.
Visitors are prohibited at this hour.
Right.
I think I left an expensive norigae here.
You can search for a lost item during the day.
It's a norigae I received from the Princess!
Don't you know how hot tempered she can be?
You're the teacher from last time.
Don't worry. You can go.
Go ahead and look.
I must've eaten something bad earlier.
Leave right away once you find it.
I'll be right back.
This is the blueprint.
You're still here?
Hurry up and go since you found it.
That's amazing.
How can they keep painting without eating or sleeping?
They're not called the best artists of Joseon for nothing.
- When will I get to paint the King's Portrait? - Come on now.
A man and a woman sitting side by side painting together...
- Doesn't that sound interesting? - Come on!
Take care!
They are so beautiful together.
What have I been doing all my life?
Today at noon, we will distribute food in front of Gwanghwamun
and display the portrait of His Majesty. The citizen of Hanyang should come.
Why would you reveal your portrait at Gwanghwamun?
In the street where common people are? That's a blasphemy.
You shouldn't, Your Majesty.
We put lots of effort to make that portrait.
Might as well use it.
As a bait.
I don't follow.
Yi Hyun Ryung (Reading Chinese)
Bi Hyun Ryung...
If you put it on your ear, it's an earring, but
if you put it on your nose, it's a nose ring.
The thing about art is...
depending on who's looking at it.
It can be a masterpiece or...
It can Ba garbage.
All the admirers of
Saimdang and Lord Lee Gyeom
will flock in to see the portrait.
Before their eyes,
I will destroy
both of them at once.
So that they can never think of disrespecting me again.
Once and for all.
You mean you will have Confucian scholars
talk about how horrible the portrait is
and move the crowd's opinion in that direction.
We will right get to it.
Give out emergency rice to people
so that more people would come.
It's been a long journey.
We can never be sure of whether it was the right path or not.
We did our best. So god help us.
What's going on?
His Majesty ordered that painters must stay out of Gwanghwamun until further order.
Follow me.
Hurry up.
Your Majesty, this is wrong.
We can finally see Mother's painting, right?
You bet.
Your Majesty, you can't do this.
Why are they mad?
It's because...
Because Mother is a woman.
Because Mother is a woman?
Forget it.
Your Majesty, please reconsider.
Please reconsider.
Your Majesty, we scholars cannot accept Saimdang's portrait.
Where's Mother anyways?
She should be here soon.
Is it okay to show His Majesty's face to common folks like this?
I don't see a problem with it.
It must be great.
Display the portrait.
Your Majesty, this can't be happening.
This is wrong, Your Majesty!
Your Majesty!
How can you let a mere woman paint your sacred face?
There it is!
This painting is impudent.
Look at the fierce way she drew His Majesty's holy eyes.
We must arrest the painter.
Confucian scholars are up to something.
They are sure to criticize the portrait and try to discredit her.
There's going to be serious trouble.
But we have the people on our side.
But the people are powerless...
Each one might be powerless, but--
they are strong together.
I am sure that the people will recognize the value of the painting.
Let's have a faith in them.
All right.
Let's all have a great time at Gwanghwamun tomorrow.
All right.
We must punish her.
My goodness. Goodness. I can't believe this.
My gosh.
The painting is...
It's alive!
The portrait is radiant.
My goodness.
That's our King.
Bless His Majesty!
- Let's celebrate! - What a blessed occasion!
The people are having a bliss, praising your virtue, Your Majesty.
We thank you, Your Majesty.
We thank you for your grace, Your Majesty.
Congratulations, Your Majesty.
The people are joyful in one heart of praising you.
Your Majesty,
we thank you for your grace.
It seems like your the Heavens recognized your virtue.
Lord Lee Gyeom and Lady Shin, you are allowed to go back.
I am relieved.
It will take lots of time to finish up the phoenix.
You should go home.
Your children must be waiting for you.
You did well.
So did you.
Move out of way.
Here comes the King's Portrait Painter.
I'm so proud of you, Mother.
Me too.
Are you all right?
I heard you had to paint on your knees for days.
I am all right, dear.
I trusted you'd make it, Mother.
I want to be a King's Portrait Painter, just like you, Mother.
That's right. You must reach for the stars!
Dream big!
Hi, Ji-gyoon.
- Congratulations, ma'am. - Thank you.
Thank you so much, everyone.
Blueprint of the Battleship.
What am I going to do with this?
My lady.
Come in.
Someone came from the school.
What did they want?
They said Master Ji-gyoon
hasn't come to school lately.
What are you talking about?
He's been missing school?
Then,
where is he now?
That brat.
Have you lost your mind?
You skipped school for this?
- I wanted to congratulate her. - Why would you?
What is so wrong about congratulate my friend on his happy day?
Friend?
Yes, my friend.
Mother, do you even know what I want?
What are you talking about?
Tell me.
Of course, you want to pass the State Examination.
You don't know anything about me!
Don't you know how I lived for your sake?
I never asked you to live like that.
What?
Our family don't even have a pleasant meal together.
Are we even family?
What I want more than anything is to have a meal with my family in peace.
You rascal!
Excuse me.
I was very happy to see Ji-gyoon and Hyun-ryong
and other children becoming good friends.
What are you trying to say?
I am saying that our children are more mature than us.
Let's forget about everything else.
Let's just think of our children.
You and I... We are both Mothers.
Please let this kingdom a place
where the people can aspire for better life.
Lady Shin saved the poor from starvation when the King himself couldn't do that.
She's better than him.
Watch what you say.
It's true though.
Whoever gives me food is my lord.
Your Majesty!
Please! Please give your servant one more chance!
- Move! - Your Majesty!
Your Majesty!
Please!
Please give me one more chance to serve you!
When you lift a snake from the lair of snakes,
you must use someone else's hand.
Have Min Chi-hyung come.
Your Majesty!
Thank you for giving me another chance. I'll be grateful eternally.
If I can show my loyalty to you
by taking out my heart,
I will do that--
I don't need your heart.
I need someone else's.
Your wish is my command.
I'll give my life to serve your will.
Saimdang.
And then...
Lee Gyeom.
Who are you?
Take this to Biikdang.
This is a bait to catch Lee Gyeom.
Don't you know what King is like?
Once this hunt for Lee Gyeom is over, he will get rid of his hunting dogs.
I am not like everyone else!
Once I complete this mission,
he will know who is his true servant.
You don't even have your soldiers. How will you get Lee Gyeom?
I have the Japanese soldiers.
You can't.
If things go wrong,
you'll be accused of treason, and our whole family will be ruined.
Wait.
My lord...
You've been hiding
the blueprint of the battleship all this time?
Out of fear that you will be ruined?
When I get back,
you'll be punished for what you did to me.
There's an old storehouse on the first corner at the entrance of Choansan.
Saimdang's being held captive there.
If you want to see her alive,
you better come alone.
What do you think you are doing?
Something I should have done a long time ago.
I'm finishing it up.
You think you'll be safe after doing something like this?
Let's see if you can keep blabbing
after I cut this head of yours.
I am not afraid of you.
Who'd dare--
Min Chi-hyung...
Your Majesty!
Move! This is an emergency!
What's going on?
Lady Shin is not in the storehouse on the way to Choansan.
What are you talking about?
They moved her to someplace else. Also...
he ordered them to kill her.
What?
Tonight is...
the end of this family.
I have to save my sons at least.
Since I have a good bait,
the fish bites it at once.
Where is she?
I was going to kill her first, but I got another idea.
I thought I should kill you both at once and display your bodies in front of Gwanghwamun.
I will let everyone know that the so-called royal painters were committing adultery.
You must have lost your mind.
If you do as little as touching the tip of her finger,
I will follow you to the hell and rip you apart.
Kill him.
His Majesty wanted your life.
Where's Saimdang? Say it!
Where is she?
How could a king order to kill an innocent woman?
I had to protect my authority.
The King ordered to shut down criminal Lee Gyeom's Biikdang.
- I am so sorry, my babies. - You should to Keumkangsan, Mother.
It's a bit late, but can you let me keep my promise
of getting old, painting by your side in Keumkangsan?