WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU TANGERINES
Can we get more squid soup?
-Sure thing. -Of course.
Are we reading this or not?
"A village over…"
Welcome!
You have to wait a bit.
-We'll call you soon. -Thank you.
Please wait a moment.
Guys, I told you the line here is really long.
And at last, the bells began to dance in the heart of the forest,
along with the sound of card swipes.
I can't retire because of Ae-sun.
The "trash dumpling" scandal is impacting even handmade dumpling shops.
The nightmare chicken shops experienced during the bird flu
is now hitting dumpling shops.
Choi Ji-woo was here.
Let me wrap this for you.
I'll make you an amazing wrap. Here.
Open up.
Stop glaring at customers asking for more squid soup.
-Let's eat this. -You should fix what needs fixing.
Your daughter-in-law is a cut above mine.
I don't want it. You have it, Grandpa.
Who will you give it to?
Which grandpa will you give it to? Which one?
Here. That's right.
You can't ask with your mouth open.
-Can we have some more squid soup? -Of course!
-More soup here, please. -For us too.
Yes, of course.
Hey, why are you putting so much squid in? That's why they eat it by the potful.
Add squid soup to the menu, or you'll end up with nothing.
We need to hire people. This is too much work for you.
Who said it was too much for me?
That darn money made my mom dance.
Singing in the rain
Singing in…
Why are you going down the stairs like that?
Are you past menopause?
I don't know. It's strange.
I'm just so thrilled. Is this what having money feels like?
We're so busy from early morning to late night.
But it's not hard to keep going when the cash register keeps filling up.
Are you happy?
Yes, I'm so happy.
Maybe the heavens were stingy with us just to bless us all at once.
Deliveries during the World Cup.
Domestic duty-free stores in Jeju.
They also filmed All In in Jeju.
Joonggonara helped us catch Cheol-yong.
An actress endorsed our restaurant. How did all this happen?
It feels like we're suddenly raking in a huge bonus right now.
Honey, you know what? I think we should go on trips.
Let's go to Guam and China.
That damn Mi-suk gets to go, so why can't I?
Why do you always say, "That damn Mi-suk"?
If every day were like this, I'd want to live for thousands of years.
Singing in the rain
My diligent parents, who once plowed rocky fields,
became people who built landmarks.
THE ORIGINAL SQUID RESTAURANT
That damn Mi-suk.
How dare she call her place "the original"?
Did you take over all the squid in Jeju?
Do you have a patent for it?
Then do you have a patent for riding on someone else's success?
No, wait. Maybe a patent for getting a foot massage?
I told you
I had cramps in my toes!
Change your sign.
Change your menu!
Let her be.
I'm actually thankful.
It's better she competes with us for the same thing.
Yeah? Why's that?
The real deal always sells better when it's next to a knockoff.
Sir, can we get more squid soup?
Yes, of course.
Please sign here.
DDUKBAEGI SQUID SOUP 4,000 WON
There was someone
even Mom would always lose to.
Hey, daughter.
I told you I wanted to eat it myself!
Me! Me! I wanted to.
I wanted to!
And I had someone like that too.
Mom!
I wanted to do it!
Even a terrible 37-year-old needed a mother.
Oh dear. Come on.
I know she's in her terrible fours, but how can she do this?
All I did was feed her.
I fed her when she wanted to feed herself.
Say "bye-bye" to Mommy.
Bye-bye, I'll be back soon!
I only had eyes for my child, and Mom only had eyes for me.
She's gotten thinner.
I'll be back.
She's such a sly girl, acting all shy.
I knew a thousand of my daughter's expressions,
but I could picture hardly any of my mom's expressions.
I had no idea back then
that I'd one day remember my mom
only through photos of her with awkward expressions.
Dear me, you stubborn child.
Why don't you listen to your mom?
Even though you're my grandchild,
I get a bit upset if you wear my daughter out too much.
The person you take most for granted in the world
is the person
who's the most precious to me.
Please go easy on my daughter.
Please look after my daughter for a long time.
Okay?
Sleep, sleep, rock to sleep
My baby sleeps well…
For some reason…
Seriously?
…saying "thank you" felt so awkward.
Who asked you to clean the place?
And why did you clean the bathroom?
Go back to sleep. You said it was your day off.
Mom, this is exactly why I don't want to call you over.
Hey, Terrible Thirty-sevens,
just say thank you.
I can tell how you feel just by looking at your eyebrows.
So just put her down.
You said you're getting cupping on your back.
I swear,
Sae-bom is the first thing in my life
that's ever made things not go my way.
How can she be so stubborn?
She never says "yes" the first time.
Serves you right.
You have a daughter just like you.
Honestly, you were annoyed too, right?
How did you raise three kids?
You should always take the drumsticks and do whatever you want in life.
You need to live your life so you don't grow resentful.
If you keep doubting whether it's worth it and wondering if this is right,
even your kid can tell.
She can tell just by looking at your face.
You're Sae-bom's whole universe right now.
But
that won't last long.
One day,
you'll be a background figure in your child's life anyway.
So you just do more of what you want to do.
Mom, do you have regrets?
You couldn't do everything you wanted.
I did everything because I wanted to.
Oh Ae-sun the lonely orphan, Oh Ae-sun the maid,
and Oh Ae-sun the high school dropout.
The most wonderful title I've ever held
is being Geum-myeong and Eun-myeong's mother.
I've lived an extraordinary life in my own way.
Don't pity the life that I've lived.
You know,
maybe I lack maternal instinct.
Sometimes, I get so angry…
and I end up yelling at the kid.
I think I'm losing it.
Who becomes a mother overnight?
Your child will grow, and so will you.
Sae-bom.
Will you chew your food 100 times again tomorrow morning?
Will you change your clothes ten times?
Why do you give me such a hard time every morning?
Why?
If I eat early, you leave earlier.
Once I finish my food and get dressed,
you go to work.
Is that why you've been doing that? You didn't want me to go?
I'm sorry I yelled at you the other day, okay?
I'm so sorry.
Come here.
Oh dear.
Mommy loves you, Sae-bom.
I love you so much, okay?
Kisses.
A mother's daughter was growing into a mother herself.
Mom hoped her daughter's time with her own child wouldn't be too tough.
GEUM-MYEONG: GINGER TEA SAE-BOM: CHOPPED VEGGIES
CHUNG-SEOP: BLACK GARLIC
Throughout her life,
Mom always cut her own time to quilt mine together.
-Honey. -What is it?
You know the money we saved to buy Sae-bom a piano?
Can we spend it on my mom and dad?
I just have this feeling
that I'll regret it if I don't do it now.
Honey.
Yeah?
Why are you asking me?
You're the one
who gets to make the decisions.
What now? Should I take off my socks again?
Patient 109, please proceed to window two.
So how much is it?
Checkups are pricier in Seoul, right?
I need to pay like this so you guys stop putting it off.
Parents need to treat their children with respect too.
Do it by staying healthy, okay?
Just the blood test for me.
Dad, your knee pain is chronic.
Mom, cupping doesn't cure everything.
-So how much is it for both of us? -I'll just take the blood test.
Hey, Yong-geon!
I'm in Seoul.
No, I can't go.
Now that we're better off…
Yes, that's right.
…he's learning the guitar. Acoustic guitar.
Dad? A guitar?
Yeah. Just move on with the lesson without me.
Others had time to enjoy playing guitar,
but your dad never got to try it even once.
Kim Kwang-seok is his idol.
Come on.
He has a hobby for the first time in his life.
PRECAUTIONS FOR ENDOSCOPY
I told you we should've removed your age spots.
When did you get so old?
No, what I'm saying is…
I don't want to go.
What is it?
Does someone keep asking you to come?
The thing is…
I can't go to build the retaining wall.
I shouldn't go to build the retaining wall.
Dong-myeong…
I shouldn't…
Dong-myeong…
Dong-myeong.
Dad is…
Dong-myeong.
For a long time, Dad kept calling out…
Dong-myeong!
…the name he couldn't bring himself to say before.
Dong-myeong.
That day, Mom saw…
Dong-myeong.
…where Dad was imprisoned for the first time.
Retaining wall?
ENDOSCOPY CENTER
"I shouldn't have gone to build the retaining wall."
"I shouldn't have gone."
That's what he said.
Your dad also kept repeating Dong-myeong's name.
That's when I finally realized
why we were never able to speak about Dong-myeong.
Well,
I asked when I was going under,
but they said I could go 'cause it was done.
Dad, aren't you hungry? I'll get you whatever you want.
-Pork belly? -Pork belly?
Yeah.
Within their hearts…
lay a grave,
tiny yet enormous.
Vroom.
Honk.
You're unbelievable.
Have you been coming here to do that all this time?
You thought I'd come tomorrow, so you came today?
Tomorrow is the day.
I had a feeling you'd come today, so I followed you.
I'm sure Dong-myeong wants to see both his parents on his birthday.
It's different.
Families all gather together and visit where the parents are buried,
but where the child rests…
I couldn't look you
in the face.
How can our baby stay on his own?
Oh no.
Our baby must be scared again.
Our baby must be scared.
Their footsteps created a smooth path,
and through all four seasons,
the grave where their child lay remained the neatest of all.
Where Dong-myeong lay,
cuter yet more heartbreaking things were placed.
GRADE 1 YANG DONG-MYEONG
Let's go.
Let's go home.
Back home.
I finally understand now why we could never bring up
Dong-myeong.
When guilt outweighs longing, it can never become a cherished memory.
He was the youngest, and we absolutely adored him.
He was simply an angel.
At least we got to hold an angel for four years.
If I had to do it all over again, I would.
We can see him again when we get up there.
The day we will see him again is getting closer.
I don't want to.
I'd rather Dong-myeong didn't come see me when I die.
I prayed every day
for Dong-myeong to forget about us completely.
Just like how I miss him,
if he's alone
missing us, it'd be…
I was worried whether he could bear it… if he could bear missing us.
When do I get to see that?
What's the title of today's poem?
"The Most Adorable Uncle."
Uncle Dong-myeong.
When I told the kids, "This is Uncle Dong-myeong,"
it felt so strange.
It felt strange, but…
I was happy.
Maybe Dong-myeong would feel less lonely.
You know, it's strange,
but I feel like I've become less of a bad mom.
Listen now. By nature, how can you be a bad person?
Dogs have dogs, and cows have cows, right?
Hello?
What about an angel?
Yeah, what is it?
-You said Dong-myeong was an angel. -Hold on.
Every night when you sleep,
I put in so much effort to keep your back in check.
I've been busy trying to push the wings back into your back,
so I couldn't even sleep.
Father, Yang Star wants to talk to you.
Not Mom? Me? She wants to talk to me?
Wake up the kids. Let's go home.
Hey, Yang Star.
Is she going to be in the papers again?
Mom? She's right here.
I thought you wanted to talk to me.
Yeah.
She wants to talk to me, right?
Right.
What is it?
Yeah.
Just as things were starting to look up,
just as the struggles got brushed away…
Really?
What? What is it?
…it felt like the heavens were paying off overdue wages all at once,
and as they did, they made a sound.
"Sorry. So sorry."
They just want to do another checkup.
It's probably nothing.
Even if it is something, everything is treatable these days.
-Mr. Yang Gwan-sik. -Yes.
Please wait by the blood test room.
What kind of curveball is this? How could Steelheart do this to me?
Dad.
Don't worry.
Don't be scared.
I'm right here. I'll be right here, okay?
I'm not worried at all.
Wouldn't I know my own body?
We didn't know
just how fragile the Steelheart really was.
-Mom. -Yeah.
Don't cry, no matter what the doctor says.
Your dad isn't. He's not.
There's no one in the world as good as your dad.
Mom. Mom?
-Yes? -Don't you trust me?
Even if he is sick, I'm just going to fix him.
Yeah, I trust you.
I do.
So don't cry in front of Dad.
Dad is a bit shocked too.
You've had rheumatoid arthritis for a long time.
You've endured the pain for far too long.
Symptoms of multiple myeloma
are sometimes mistaken for rheumatoid arthritis,
leading to delays in diagnosis.
Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer.
You can think of it as a distant relative of leukemia.
Dad barely knew a single popular song,
and he always asked, "Is that Sung Yu-ri?" when he saw a girl group.
It was frustrating.
Dad just wanted to talk to his daughter.
He, too, was a person who wanted to play the guitar.
But I didn't know, or I pretended not to.
People who endure well only visit after their illness has worsened.
It had already advanced to kidney failure. Weren't you aware?
You must have been very tired.
So…
what will happen now?
In the current state,
without immediate treatment, it could be dangerous.
That's how it is now.
The heavens were so harsh to my dad,
who had only just begun to like Kim Kwang-seok.
Yes.
You don't need to pick us up.
Geum-myeong. We're not doing this for just a day or two.
Don't do that. You'll just wear yourself out.
Here.
Don't you worry.
I'm going to make sure you recover.
Then all will be fine.
Let's go.
The 24 sessions of chemotherapy melted even Steelheart.
Mom forgot what season it was.
Hey, Flower-sun. Look at these flowers.
Things like this inspire poems.
Have you been writing your poems? When do I get to see them?
You love flowers so much, yet you're only looking at my feet.
You'll be in big trouble if I let you fall.
Take a look. Let's look at them together.
Next year, let's go to Zhangjiajie to see the fall leaves.
The damn Mi-suk went there. She couldn't stop bragging.
Why hold my hand so tightly? Are you afraid someone might take me away?
If you're not by my side, I have no one. You know that, right?
Of course you do. You have our kids.
I don't.
They both have their own families now.
My precious burden.
Ae-sun, my burden.
As kids, just thinking about how you had no croakers at your uncle's house
made me so mad I couldn't sleep.
Ever since then,
I've had this burden stuck in my heart.
So make sure to overcome this.
A single mother is also a burden to her kids.
Don't let me grow old feeling all alone.
Of course. I can't leave you behind.
I wouldn't dare leave my dear Ae-sun behind all alone.
Dad's time passed like cherry blossoms.
That was tough, wasn't it? Didn't it make you feel nauseous?
Not really. It didn't really hurt.
Of course it was painful.
How can it not hurt?
Mr. Yang Gwan-sik.
Yes.
Drink this. Drink it, all right?
-Mr. Seo Ji-won. -Yes.
Did you get the blood test done?
No. They told me downstairs to come up here first, so--
The procedures are all written here.
Oh my.
-Please go. -Sorry?
-Go outside. -Well, this…
You can't just walk in. You have to place those out here.
Right, I didn't see that.
It's written right here.
PLEASE PUT YOUR APPOINTMENT PAPERS IN THE TRAY AND WAIT
Ms. Park Gyeong-ja. Please come in.
So it's okay for him to eat meat?
Someone said meat wouldn't be good for him to eat.
Eating well is good for him.
I'll see you next month.
Well, sir, is it okay for him to get moxibustion?
I hear moxibustion would be good for him.
Are you going to ask about everything you found online?
-Patient 832. -Next, please.
Is this not it? I have number 832 here.
You can't bring the reception ticket to the payment counter.
I see. So this number is--
It's written over there.
Well, this is…
Please proceed to window seven.
Isn't 835 here anymore?
Do it.
Just do for her!
There are so many working here,
so why can't you just do it for those who've misunderstood?
What's wrong?
And what's with the sighing? Why did you sigh in someone's face?
-Honey. -Nobody knows at first.
Why did you scold her and make her feel small?
You think you're all so great?
You come up with things only you know
and treat others like fools if they don't understand.
She's smart too. She's even smarter than you!
-Mom, what's wrong? -Hey, Geum-myeong.
And why are you busy? What's keeping you so busy?
Always come with us to the hospital. That's a rule now. Got it?
It's because Dad is sick.
Being in pain makes you tetchy.
I mean, just a migraine is bad enough to set you off, so…
He wasn't mad at you. You do know that?
You think Dad's absolutely on my side, don't you?
He's not.
If you and I fight,
Dad will always take your side.
I may be his number one, but you're his number zero.
To Dad, you're like the One Ring from Lord of the Rings.
Mess with you, and they're dead meat.
Patient 848, please proceed to window four.
Dad could see Mom.
He could see her sitting here alone
in the distant future.
Cancel it.
Go with a four-person room tomorrow.
I didn't get this room for you. It's to make Mom feel more comfortable.
All right?
I could never have gotten you a private room.
I hit the jackpot by having a daughter like you.
Then get well soon and pay me back.
Watch Sae-bom for me, and keep your son-in-law disciplined.
He's still good to you, right?
He's head over heels for me.
I'll come with him tomorrow, help wash your hair--
Are you leaving?
You don't want me to go? You always rush me to leave, so what's up?
Sleep here tonight. It's a private room.
Private rooms come with a pillow for the family too.
It's so nice.
So, how much is this place?
Honey, go to Geum-myeong's and wash up.
She will stay here tonight.
That's insane. Lack of mental and financial competence?
So they took away Mom's class presidency?
-That homeroom teacher was crazy. -Son of a bitch.
Son of a bitch.
Unbelievable.
So Mom headbutted that woman?
She totally broke the innkeeper's nose with her head.
So you saw Mom there?
You saw her lying by Dong-myeong's grave?
I did.
I secretly followed her, worried she might jump into the sea.
How did she carry on?
Back then,
your mom was only 28.
Twenty-eight.
When I asked her to marry me,
I promised I'd either make her a poet,
send her to college, or send her to the mainland.
I thought I wouldn't even get to fulfill one.
But your mom's been writing these days.
Just seeing that makes me so happy.
Your mom once won the writing contest.
She was the top of her high school.
That's how amazing your mom is.
She's so precious beyond words.
Be good to her.
Please take care of her, okay?
Dad, you're so annoying.
You told me to stay so you could tell me this.
I feel sorry for my daughter right until the end.
I'm even leaving my wife in your care.
Where do you think you're going?
I don't want it.
I'm not done growing yet.
Raise me more before you leave.
Why are you in a rush to leave us?
Geum-myeong,
you made me feel like I caught a whale
in a tiny boat.
You were the first to learn the times tables.
Then you went to Seoul National University.
Goodness.
I was overwhelmed, yet sorry.
I was sorry to you every day.
I'm sorry to my daughter,
but when I think of your mom,
I'm so sorry, it kills me.
I can't sleep.
Then stay by Mom's side longer.
Just stay a little longer.
Geum-myeong.
Of course I want to.
I really do want to.
To me…
your mom means the world.
Don't treat her like a nuisance. Don't get frustrated.
Don't get annoyed with her.
Be sweet to her.
How am I…
How am I supposed to say goodbye to you?
Dad.
Dad, I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry.
I'm sorry for being annoyed at you.
I… I'm sorry for always rushing to hang up our phone calls.
But
I didn't do it because I was actually annoyed.
It was really never that, Dad.
I know.
Of course I know.
My daughter is the best.
I had a loving dad.
So is Dad coming or not?
But my dad didn't have a loving daughter.
"A dragon from the stream."
Why do I dislike hearing that?
Who benefits if a dragon rises from the stream?
The pillar, the older sister, the eldest child. I'm sick of it all!
Yang Geum-myeong!
His loving request for me to be sweet to my mom
still stings in my heart.
You want me to live like you? Is that what you want?
I did it so I wouldn't live like you.
I hate the idea of living within your means.
You always reeked of cooling patches, but what did you do for me?
We took Dad for granted,
as though we owned him forever.
Can he stay home?
That's what he really wants.
He says he wants to stay home, even if just for a while.
He wants to see the sea.
If he stays home,
he will get better.
Father.
You pedal sitting down, so your back will be fine.
I guess you can sit in this chair and listen to Kim Kwang-seok.
I searched all over the Internet to find this LP, and…
Your guitar…
Dad, what…
Why…
Why did you get so thin?
Dad.
Dad, why?
Come on.
You're a dad. Don't embarrass yourself.
Dad, what's wrong?
I asked you to watch me.
I told you I'd buy you a Mercedes.
I told you I'd buy you your boat!
I've watched you. Dad has watched you all along.
You've been a good son.
I already know.
I always knew, but I…
I…
Your brother passed away three days after your birthday.
Just accept living without a birthday.
But that's not fair!
I don't want to!
Eun-myeong, come out here.
Eun-myeong, choose one.
We can have homemade rice cakes or go out for tangsuyuk on your birthday.
You can't do both. Just pick one.
A robot toy and tangsuyuk.
So should I keep buying them for you in secret or not?
You should.
Just be sure to keep it a secret.
You're gonna tell your sister, aren't you?
You blabbermouth.
I think you like me more than Geum-myeong.
Have these too.
You only bought them for me.
You gave them to me in secret.
I knew all along.
I just chose to remember only what I wanted.
You blabbermouth.
There you go spilling everything again.
I'm a son of a bitch.
Now you're insulting me like that?
The aunties harvested these.
That damn sea.
It must be upset that you are unwell, so it gave even more.
The sea gives endlessly, even if we harvest from it all our life.
Mom, your son's here.
Wash up quickly.
Wash up and eat.
To us, Dad was the sea.
We all relied on him to live.
This tiny person
bought me a cup of cherry cola and asked me to sign a contract with her.
She said she'd make me a celebrity lecturer.
Honestly, I found it ridiculous,
but after seeing the company's name, I decided to give it a chance.
The next speaker I'll introduce is someone
who is changing the game in the world.
Here's Yang Geum-myeong, the CEO of Ever Study.
TODAY'S NOTABLE LECTURER YANG GEUM-MYEONG, CEO
My goodness.
Look, it's Geum-myeong.
We had to repay our debt.
We lit up his path to the stars with a fanfare.
Hello, my name is Yang Geum-myeong.
When I was studying in Japan,
I used this to record lectures and listen to them over and over again.
As I couldn't speak the language, this was all I had to rely on.
I thought, "Wouldn't it be great to carry the teacher in my hand?"
One day, I went back to my hometown and looked at the bookcase.
Then something hit me like a ton of bricks.
There was my mom's
very old college entrance workbook.
Is she talking about me?
My mother was truly an amazing person.
She was smart and diligent,
and she really wanted
to pursue her studies.
If my mom had access to classes in her hand back then,
she would've studied to her heart's content.
She would've soared so high.
Even without living in an education hub or getting expensive tutoring,
a literary girl on an island should be able to study if she wants to.
I believe anyone,
whoever they may be, whenever and wherever it may be,
should have the opportunity to study if they truly want to.
And that's how
Ever Study
began from my mother's dream.
I can't believe it.
What is she doing?
She's even good at selling stories.
Just in time, the number of high-speed Internet users surpassed 10 million
and PMP devices came out too.
Video calls even reunited families divided by the Korean War.
I was certain the era of online lectures would arrive.
I pressed on with the relentless diligence I inherited from my father.
She mentioned me too.
There were things
we had to show our dad at all costs.
To honor the history and resilience of Jeju's haenyeo,
the Haenyeo Museum officially opened today.
Opening a museum dedicated to the history and resilience of Jeju's haenyeo
will allow us to showcase haenyeo to the world.
To be included in the list of World Heritage sites,
we want to show we're alive, our culture is also alive, and…
Alive!
Yes, we are alive.
We are alive!
With the resilient pioneering spirit of Jeju's haenyeo…
Are you serious? You think you'll be a good son like this?
How can you take money from my wallet to buy A-reum a headband?
It's Jeong A-ram, not A-reum.
Honey, did you give him these highlights?
-Open up. -Just look at him.
You go to school with this hair to date A-reum, don't you?
I know everything.
Your dad knows it all. He's a total expert.
But why does it seem like my father keeps laughing?
I feel like you smile every time I squabble with my kid.
We're switching sides in life, right?
You always reap what you sow. Serves you right.
What?
Honey.
What?
What is it now?
I can't believe it.
What's up with this family? There's never a moment of peace.
Now what?
You kept your promise.
You kept one of the three.
"To the Heart That Leaves Me Behind."
By Oh Ae-sun of Dodong-dong, Jeju.
I believed I had to hold your hand To feel its warmth when I was young
But now I know you're with me Even if you're not by my side
Now that I have a warm spot too
Just the thought of you Warms my whole heart
I'll live knowing the moon is still there Even during the day
So if you're going to leave, go like the gentle waves.
After 50 years Finally set me down and be free
My precious dear You have worked so hard
My precious dearest Here's to all you've been through
All you've been doing is crying lately.
See? You did keep one of the promises.
Now that my poem has been published in a book, I'm a poet too.
If you hadn't ended up with me, it would have been published ages ago.
I couldn't do it without you.
I couldn't write poems like this one.
Goodness. Damn Ae-sun.
My burden, Ae-sun.
Are you happy?
I am.
I'm so happy.
They're kissing.
Piggyback ride?
I'm heavy.
Come on, there are kids watching. Behave yourselves.
Because of you two, the kids think love is everything.
Buy 100 copies and give them to the fishing co-op.
Make sure you do, all right?
Mom prayed all night that time would stop that day
and that the bonus track would never end.
Honey.
Let's just live like this.
I just want to live like this for five more years.
No,
let's be together for all the seasons
just once more, okay?
Fearing I would leave before seeing any of the wishes come true drove me crazy.
But seeing you write poetry before I go
has made my heart feel much better.
So much better.
In our next life…
I'll keep five, no, ten promises.
Will you be with me again in the next life?
Will I be able to…
meet you again in the next life?
Why?
You don't want to meet me again?
Such blessings never strike back-to-back.
How could I be the only one living in a flowery heaven?
You suffered all your life because of me.
Thanks to you,
I was never lonely for a day.
Not even for a day.
Where could you ever find a life like this?
Ae-sun.
Yeah?
I have one favor to ask you.
When my time comes…
don't cry too much.
When Oh Ae-sun cries,
it tears me apart.
Then I can't go like gentle waves.
What I want to see…
in my final moments…
is your smile.
Thanks to your smile,
my entire life has been filled with joy.
Oh dear.
You can't even do that for me?
Pat my back.
Sleep, sleep
Rock to sleep
Sleep, sleep
Rock to sleep
My baby…
I miss her so much.
…sleeps well
Sleep quickly
A black dog walks away
A black dog walks this way
Come help my baby sleep
Then I'll help your pups sleep
My mom always said
there were difficult days but never lonely ones.
Looking back, her life was a paradise.
Goodness me.
Dad spent his life patting our backs.
Even until the very end, he gave us all his strength.
Honey, you'll have an accident.
Stop driving and pull over for now.
-I'll be right there. -It's fine.
There aren't any cars.
-There are no cars on the road. -There are no cars?
Dad, don't go until I get there.
Don't go until I see you.
The heavens showed us one final mercy
so that we could give him our final escort.
Dad, I'm here. Dad, I'm right here.
Dad, I'll stay right here.
Dad, don't be scared.
Dad, I'm sorry.
Dad, I love you.
Dad, I'm sorry.
Dad.
-Dad. -Honey.
Dad, I'm sorry.
The last look Dad saw on our faces
was filled with a sadness
that he'd never seen before.
You should have been easier on yourself. Why have you aged so quickly?
But you're still the same.
I've gotten older too.
No.
You're the same.
In my eyes, you've looked the same
for the past 50 years.
There was a girl in the boy's life.
All his life, the boy kept the girl's world safe.
Thank you, honey.
You've lived a good life.
A truly great life.
Was it all right?
Was our time together good?
It was more than perfect.
It was so wonderful that I couldn’t have asked for more.
Gazing at the one person etched into his life…
Dad
slept in for the first time.
After leaving his last gifts behind.
Your dad asked me to give this to you, no matter what.
Dad
never withdrew the paltry amount of money I sent him.
He never used the money
but kept updating the bankbook, so I asked why.
He said the fact that you thought to send him money meant so much to him.
Why didn't he use it?
The 100,000 won you sent
brought your dad happiness worth a million won.
But all he had for himself
was this single section of the wardrobe.
Dad, you're so annoying.
Dad's uneven love had just ended,
while mine was only beginning.
That damn Mercedes.
Your dad wanted to buy you one.
He wanted you at least to live an awesome life.
What's the mileage on this?
You really are
so much like my daughter.
You wear these hairpins every day and lose them every day.
Why do I bother buying them for you? You lose them every day.
Mom's treasure trove
was filled with 50 years of affection.
It held his heart, never to cease.
Honey, what should I do?
How am I supposed to live on?
Stop making rolled omelets.
You couldn't bear to eat sujebi after Dong-myeong left.
When I'm gone, you'll cry at the sight of rolled omelets.
If the kids ask you to live with them later,
just give in and go along, okay?
If you're here alone,
I'll cry.
Goodness.
When did he move them all down?
You were busy.
You were so busy, my husband.
Just as she knew the moon was in the sky during the day,
Mom
continued to live with Dad.
SEEING A LOVED ONE RETURN EACH DAY THROUGH THE DOOR THEY LEFT IN THE MORNING.
IT WAS A MIRACLE EVERY DAY.
I've come a long way.
I really have.
Now let's keep it going.
OH AE-SUN
Just as snow covered the world,
time covered noisy sorrows…
and winter had fully arrived.
I'll be back.
I'll be back soon.
No,
it's just that my husband is over there.
Look.
I wrote the entire book.
I finished it.
I'm sending you my parents' 70 years.
I believe it's a story that should not be forgotten.
From Yang Geum-myeong, the eldest daughter of Yang Gwan-sik and Oh Ae-sun.
The words you've held deep in your heart all your life.
That'll be the best poem of your life.
Teacher, can you color mine?
Why do you always ask me to do everything for you?
You should get used to doing things on your own.
Spend time drawing on your own.
Talk to yourself a bit.
Play cards.
That way, you can stay healthy.
Loneliness can make you unwell.
Oh my.
Why do you keep giving me yours?
Yesterday, I went to a restaurant with my daughter and her husband.
I ordered my own food.
It's thanks to you.
All thanks to my teacher, Ae-sun.
"An Illiterate" by Jeong Gong-rye.
I had to dive I couldn't go school
And I felt ashamed my whole life
When they open the menu and ask "What do you want to order?"
My heart sinks
But yesterday, I ordered what I wanted
I ordered a special sushi set
It was a taste of heaven
Teacher.
Have some. Here.
Oh, why do you all keep giving me things?
-You're so lovely. -Because I remind you of your daughter?
It would've been wonderful
if my daughter could be like you, sitting at a desk.
It'd be nice to live like your teacher, sitting at a desk and writing stuff.
I wish my mother were here to peel these tangerines.
I'd treat her to a special sushi set.
What I wanted to say the most in my life…
Mom.
Mom!
Others live to be 90 or even 100,
so what was the hurry?
Were you born again in this wonderful world?
I hope you get to sit at that desk you've always wanted and live like a boss.
MY DAUGHTER
Hey, what is it?
Nothing much. It's just the same old.
What?
All of a sudden?
You said you couldn't come this month either.
Oh no, I shouldn't have given your aunt the sour kimchi.
Mom, stop bringing more out and just have a seat.
You like it sour, and Eun-myeong likes it fresh.
I always have to make it separately.
You're just killing me.
Mom, who had been lonely until yesterday,
suddenly turned into a young girl again.
Their boat was loaded with full nets.
Mother, look. It's Lim Young-woong.
Oh my.
Why are you so into Lim Young-woong?
Your father loved Kim Kwang-seok.
He learned guitar to play this song.
But he never sang it for me
because I might cry.
But then, I heard Young-woong singing it.
It made me tear up.
Mom, how do you stay a young girl forever?
In the still petal-like season…
HAENYEO MUSEUM
UNESCO INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE HAENYEO PERFORMANCE - LET'S GO TOGETHER
…still dreaming season…
Be sure to go to the hospital with me.
You don't need to ask the kids.
I'll take care of you if you get sick.
Take care of yourself, would you?
Look at your belly.
Our children-in-law will badmouth you. And dye your hair. Goodness.
Do it for me.
Dye my hair.
So is there an age limit to first love?
Just stop talking.
If there isn't, we could--
Let me out of your car.
Why are you trying to get out of a moving car?
Just look ahead and drive.
Am I your chauffeur or something?
…in the still child-like season
stood Mom, whose life was still colored in flowers.
You never get old, do you?
Getting old is nothing special.
Was there much of a difference for you between your thirties and forties?
You feel the same at 70?
God, sounds exhausting.
It's the same.
It's all the same.
You feel the same on the inside,
but when you look in the mirror,
you see an old woman.
That's all aging is.
Mom, it's here!
It wasn't a phishing scam.
SEAFLOWER PUBLISHERS
I made it clear
that my sister is a big shot and that I own a franchise branch.
I thought that at the last minute, these book peddlers would ask us
to contribute money to publish the poetry collection.
But it wasn't a scam after all.
I must be out of my mind.
It says, "Oh Ae-sun's Poetry Collection."
Mom.
I bet Dad is happily laughing now, huh?
Grandma's using her cheat code again.
HERE'S TO ALL YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH
TRIBUTE
THE BEAUTIFUL, DREAMLIKE STORY BROUGHT ME TO TEARS
"I'M SORRY. THANK YOU. I LOVE YOU"
EDITOR'S NOTE
MENTAL AND FINANCIAL COMPETENCE
So you're here to see the flowers today. How do you feel about them?
The flowers remind me of my first love.
-First love. Of course. -Go live with her, then.
Hye-ran. That's dirty.
Excuse me, ma'am. What are you doing over there?
I'm right here.
Ma'am, who did you come here to see?
Well, my mother-in-law told me to go with the pretty lady.
Then who would it be?
Which one would it be?
LITTLE PUNK
THE DAY WE BECAME THE SAME AGE
I WAS TEN WHEN I LOST MOTHER
SHE LEFT BEHIND HER THREE CHILDREN AT 29
WHEN I TURNED 29, I CRIED LIKE I WAS TEN AGAIN
Wait.
Are you crying?
Yes.
What's wrong with me?
Why am I tearing up?
You love it that much?
It's just…
I'm so…
So…
How should I put it?
I'm proud of her.
So proud.
OH AE-SUN
CONTENTS
SPRING IN A HEARTBEAT THE BLAZING SUMMER SUNSHINE
What should we do to celebrate your debut?
Just say it. Don't hold back.
Your daughter is a big shot now.
And she even bought you a house.
Come visit me more often.
My wish before my time comes is to see my busy daughter a hundred more times.
Why would you say something like that?
I barely see you ten times a year because you're so busy.
I'd be so happy if I could see you a hundred times.
That's why I said you should come to Seoul with me.
Why are you so diligent in going to the nursing home?
Even when you're old, you want to have a place in the world.
I'd hate being treated like an extra even more.
I'd just be enjoying myself if I were you.
You were always so busy your whole life.
To tell you the truth, I go there because I'm excited.
When I'm there, they all call me "Teacher."
You could say I've really moved up in life.
From a haenyeo's daughter who cried every day at sea,
to the Literary Girl embarrassed by everything in the world…
Now we have a house and a boat.
…to a captain's wife filled with overwhelming joy…
to Chief Oh,
to a lady filleting fish at the market,
to a supposed teacher at 70,
and finally, to Oh Ae-sun the poet.
In life, you never know what will happen unless you go for it.
It would've been a shame if I'd given up halfway through it.
I'm so glad I lived through it.
So,
is it spring for you again?
Yes.
Yes, it's spring again. Spring.
I thought
life went from spring to summer, fall, and then winter,
but I was wrong.
It sometimes feels like winter,
sometimes like spring.
I've had myriad spring days.
70 years of stars came together to form the Milky Way.
I've had many sparkling moments.
I've had so many.
The 70 years of my life spent in a flowery heaven
are all in this book.
The countless memories she buried in her heart
were now in full bloom.
So,
are you happy?
Yes.
I am.
I'm so happy.
My mom is now shining in the most beautiful colors.
To my love.
From the age of nine until now,
thanks to you,
my life has been spring every day.
This book wouldn't exist if it weren't for you.
Until the spring we meet again,
I'll live as though every day is spring.
Come here.
If I become a poet someday,
I'll wear two-piece dresses like celebs do.
Also, if I become rich,
I'm going to live in a two-story house and raise an adorable dog.
I'm going to have our kids learn piano too.
I'm going to eat out quite often.
I'm going to drive a Jeep
and wear Ray-Bans.
You like cars?
Yeah.
You actually like something?
I'll take you in that car, and we'll go everywhere together.
Even to America.
I love it!
Hand in hand, swaying and chatting, let's do everything we want.
I love it. I love it too.
Let's do all kinds of things for as long as we live.
Let's do whatever we want!
To their seasons,
once so young and still so tender.
With remorse, gratitude,
and the deepest respect.
Here's to all you've been through.
"IF YOU CAN'T, JUST BACK DOWN. WE'RE ALWAYS HERE FOR YOU."
Subtitle translation by: Sung In Jang