Dae Wang Sejong (2008): Season 1, Episode 85 - Episode #1.85 - full transcript
A Hui Hui physician...
Let us begin.
Do right by the dead man Choi Haesan.
You know the official
who has been spying for Ming.
So you should know how to clean this up
without causing a diplomatic row as well.
Assistant Director!
This country may be doomed to ruin!
Dissecting a human body?
Stop.
What are you doing?
Don't you this is a far fetched speculation?
I hope it is.
But if this is true,
I swear to you I will do whatever
it takes to bring the King down!
The scholars?
They're on their way to Jingwan Temple.
Your Majesty.
You want to make a deal?
Where is the human
dissection taking place?
What would you give me if
I gave you that information?
The throne, of course.
Our desire is to bring you
forward as our new King.
There is no deal.
The Royal throne for the proof that
the King is dissecting a human body.
It's not a losing proposition for you,
Your Highness.
You said you wanted to be my tactician.
Then finding that proof is your job.
Shouldn't we stop the dissection?
Your Majesty?
Are you working against the King?
I'm trying to figure out what
Heaven has intended.
Are you sure that is not an
excuse to seize power for yourself?
Anpyeong!
Heaven will determine the outcome.
If Father is right, Choi Manli and his
men will not get the proof they need.
What is the plan?
Does the King have a plan that will prevail?
"Do one's best and leave
the rest to divine will."
Where are they?
Did you find out where the
dissection is taking place?
Of course, sir.
Go to Jingwan Temple.
Go and stop Choi Manli.
No, I won't do that.
Then go out right now and bring
back a casket for me to lie in!
Mother.
How could you do this?
You were the first prince to come
forward and support the King's
brave dream of creating a
writing system for this country.
How could you of all
people do this to him?
I would still be supporting him if
he hadn't gone as far as ordering
a human dissection.
You must not turn against your father.
There is nothing I can do now.
All is beyond my control.
Stop!
Clear the gate.
It is the King's order
not to allow any visitors.
Clear the gate, I said!
Men!
Stop!
Sheath your sword.
But...
The King's sword cannot be
drawn against his people.
Sheath your sword, Gang Hui.
Now!
Attend to the deceased with due respect.
What brings you, master?
I'm sure you know exactly
what brings us, Your Highness.
What I know is that King's
men are attempting
to attack a temple where the King is resting.
These swords are not
drawn against the King.
If we fail to find evidence to save this
country from imminent doom tonight,
they will end our lives instead.
Enter as you wish.
But only the unarmed.
Take the scholars inside and get
the evidence you seek, master.
Armed guards are everywhere in the temple.
It is protection that the
Royal King is entitled to.
Then I guess we could all end up dying.
Political partner for thirty years
and you still don't know the King?
The King does not suppress those
who oppose him by force, master.
What are you doing here?
We're doing some preliminary work
for the Collections of Astronomy.
This can't be!
What do you mean?
The King just performed a
human dissection right here!
Human dissection?
Tell me the truth!
You're delusional.
Search the place for evidence!
A Hui Hui physician.
Now we have the evidence!
What was this man doing in there?
He was comparing the Hui Hui calendar
to our Almanac of the Seven Planets.
The Hui Hui calendar?
But this man is a physician.
He is an astronomer as well,
an expert in Hui Hui calendar.
Isn't that right?
Almanac of the Seven Planets
is quite impressive.
I'd like to take it back with me
to Arabia to study it further.
Bravo!
You've thought of everything!
I commend you for that.
But it's not over yet.
What are you trying to say?
We already know that a dead
man was brought into this temple.
And that man, I'm sure,
violated the dead man.
Go to the main worship hall.
For what?
You made it.
What is this?
Lifeless body of a poor soul.
No money, no education
and no family to rely on
he eked out a living as
a petty thief, I'm told.
This funeral is rather
grand for such a man.
My people are my children.
I failed to take care of him in this life,
so I will wish him well in his next life.
Not because he is your merit subject?
Forgive me, Your Majesty, but
may I take a look at the corpse?
It's not a good idea.
For me or for you, Your Majesty?
Do as you wish.
How could this be?
It's pestilence.
You must step back now.
You mean this was Choi Haesan's wish?
Writing system development
was his dream as well.
It's time for you to decide now.
What do you want Choi Haesan's
last act of loyalty to become?
I don't support the writing
system development,
and I don't understand
Choi Haesan's decision.
Then...
But I think we need time.
Loyalty that keeps
Jang Youngsil next to the King even
after being almost beaten to death,
loyalty that made Choi Haesan give
his body away to serve the King's
cause we do need time to understand
the cause and nature of their loyalty.
I called them in.
This is a mourning, so more
people we have the better.
I see now that only the learned and
the wealthy are gathered here.
This will be a good time for some
introspection for all of us as well.
We are to live our lives together by sharing
our wealth and knowledge with others.
Let us never allow our negligence to
cause another tragedy such as this.
Royal Attendant.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Send off the deceased with due respect.
Send off the deceased with due respect...
Your man Haishou was incompetent
and you have no manners.
Do you have a death wish?
Is this how you treated Haishou?
What do you mean?
He tried to steal our new weapons
technology and turn it over to your
enemy state Mongolia perhaps because
he didn't get any respect from you.
As the result, Joseon has lost a
very important weapons expert!
Haishou killed Choi Haesan?
Choi Haesan hid uncovered his secret plot.
Is it completed?
Yes, Your Majesty?
Velars, Alveolars, Bilabials,
Dentals, Glottals...
- Gaa.
- Gaa.
- Kaa.
- Kaa.
- Ang.
- Ang.
Ahhh!
Velar sound.
Naa, Daa, Taa...
Maa, Baa, Paa...
Alveolar and bilabial sound...
Ss...
Ch...
Ss, Ch.
Dental.
Ah, Ba, Ha.
Ah, Ba, Ha, Haaa...!
And glottal sound.
These five basic sounds make up
the consonants of our speech.
According to characteristics
of each sound...
Let's make those sounds once
more a bit more clearly this time.
Huh?
What's wrong?
I think my jaw has fallen out.
How can you talk if your
jaw has fallen out?
Uh, well...
My cheeks are all stretched out,
your Majesty.
Don't be a child now.
You've been doing this for
ten hours, Your Majesty.
Ten hours?
That long?
Then we will do it just one
more time and call it a day.
Huh?
To Japan?
As long as we continues to ignore
Ming's warning and carry on with
the writing system development, Ming will
explore various angles to intimidate us.
Am I to investigate the weaknesses of
shogunates that are likely to betray Joseon?
You are your grandfather's protege indeed.
The information you collect will be
vital in protecting our writing system.
They are continuing to
develope the writing system.
Then our relationship must continue as well.
Perhaps you can send a more
competent agent this time.
I can't make things work if I'm
forced to deal with another agent
who doesn't know what he's doing!
Why did you have to kill Haishou in Joseon?
Am I to give a traitor a choice
on where he gets to die?
Indeed you are a pride of Dongchang.
Perhaps I should assign you
to kill the Joseonese King.
Does this mean you're Wang Zhen's
Right-hand man now?
Keep your lips sealed and
you will be my right hand-man.
New leader of Dongchang?
Yes.
His name is Shuqing.
He is the best kept secret weapon
Dongchang has ever created.
Serve your new leader well.
This is your new duty.
The new and more powerful Dongchang will
suppress Joseon and the insolent King and
pave the way to bring
a new obedient King to its throne.
A new King?
The nobles are fiercely opposing
the writing system development.
It was expected.
So much so that the new writing may never
be put to use even if it is completed.
That's what I've recently confirmed.
Is that why you decided to use that
as a weapon to gain power instead?
I'm trying to stop the Royal
house from crumbling and the
country from descending into confusion.
Anyway you dress it up,
you're just looking for an excuse
to seize power for yourself.
And...
I don't intend to stand
by idly and let that happen.
Do you know about Jinyang?
I heard about it from Anpyeong.
Are you angry?
His Majesty will be in the palace for
a few days at the urging of the physician.
What do you mean?
Discuss it with the King and
find a way to stop Jinyang.
These kinds of things must be nipped
at the bud to prevent future trouble.
Mother...
Crown Prince, I...
I don't want there to be another fight for
the throne in the Royal house ever again.
Because I know all too well the
blood sacrifice such fights demand.
The roof ridge...
Cozy and elegant buildings in the palace...
Mt. Baekak in the background...
"Hall of Worthies"...
Even the signage that I wrote and hung
myself looks fuzzy and blurry no.
The physician recommends
a retreat, Your Majesty.
Will that stop the onset of blindness?
But if you continue to push
yourself without rest,
consequences far worse than blindness...
What's the worse that can
happen but an old man dying?
Your Majesty...
Is someone still working?
The light is on.
What did I just hear you talk about?
My man, you'll catch a cold.
My man.
Your Majesty.
Shhh!
But your Royal robe!
Don't wake him.
He dozed off working.
Let him sleep for a while.
But...
Great desire, was it?
What led this lad to the
Hall of Worthies, that is.
Come to think of it,
many men have planted their great
desires here at the Hall of Worthies.
But the writing system development...
I wasn't able to share that great
desire here at the Hall of Worthies.
It's a pity...
- Yong.
- Yes, Your Highness.
Will I... will I be able to live
up to our father's name?
I do not know the path to greatness.
But I can't add another burden on the
shoulders that are already burdened
with the writing system development.
What do you mean?
About Jinyang, we will ignore it for now.
But...
I'll deal with it on my own.
Royal Attendant!
Royal Attendant!
Where has he gone?
It's so dark in here that I can't read.
Were you looking for a writing brush?
What... time is it?
It's past nine o'clock, so it's dark outside.
Why has the Royal Attendant
neglected to light the lamps?
I told him not to.
Why... not?
Don't you like the moonlight?
Close your eyes and relax for a while.
See with your heart's eyes,
and things might look different.
Heart's eyes...
You're like an obedient child.
I'm afraid you might whip me.
It's rather simple.
Touching it without looking
makes the shapes of the sound
producing parts feel quite simple.
If we take the shapes of the sound making
organs and turn them into simple symbols,
we'll be able to create an alphabet that's
easy enough to learn with your eyes closed.
Velars are formed when the back of the
tongue meets the back of the throat.
We will copy that shape in the
simplest form using straight lines.
Alveolars are formed when the tip of
the tongue meets the roof of the mouth.
We will use the shape of
the lips for the bilabials,
the shape of the teeth
for the dental consonants,
and the shape of the throat
for the glottal consonants.
But you just told me it was nighttime...
How long have you known?
Velars, Alveolars, Bilabials,
Dentals, Glottals...
It's time to celebrate the birth of the
beautiful Josenese letters you've created.
Will we be able to express all of our
language with these five letters?
These are the basic characters.
We will add strokes to distinguish
stronger or harsher sounds...
And we will call variation of sounds created
by similar articulatory movement "Variants".
Seventeen characters in all.
These are the consonants
that decide the speech sound.
You said syllables have three
components: Initial, medial and final.
Same sounds make the initial and final,
so we well use the same characters.
But you need the middle
sound to compete a syllable.
Yes, of course.
That's why we need vowels.
Does this mean we have to go
through the sound exercises again?
No, the vowel symbols,
are already in my head.
It's a message of hope that a young
child gave me many year ago.
Heaven...
The land beneath it...
And men that live on that land.
Fervent hope that all men that live on
that land would one day live in equality,
and those who built this dream
of creating a writing system on
top of that hope with us but left us
before the dream could be realized...
I will symbolize their desires in these
dots and honor them in our letters.
These eleven symbols are the medial
sounds-the vowels of our alphabet.
Heaven!
Earth!
And men!
17 consonants and 11 vowels.
These 28 letters will work together to express
every sound of the Joseonese language.
The simplest of minds will be
able to learn, thus I will call this
Hunminjeongeum: Proper Sounds
for the Instruction of the People.
This is Hunminjeongeum,
the letters of Joseon.
I hereby bestow these letters to the people
of this country, so begin immediate
distribution throughout the country
through local governments and schools.
A writing system?
Is this the inevitable?
Is this really
the writing system Joseonese
King has created himself?
It's called Proper Sounds for
the Instruction of the People.
With your help, we'd like to compile
a rhyming dictionary that unifies the
confusing pronunciation of
Chinese in our new writing.
Even the words with the most difficult
pronunciation can be rewritten!
Of course.
How is this possible?
How could one man invent such a brilliant
writing system in such a short time?
Unbelievable!
It's impossible!
We will not compile a rhyming dictionary!
It's the King's order,
Assistant Director Choi.
The Hall of Worthies will have nothing
to do with this barbarian alphabet!
You're calling all of us barbarians by calling
our writing system a barbarian alphabet.
Don't you realize that?
Why don't you persuade the Inspector
General and the Censorate first?
Assistant Director!
I have a feeling they are opposing
this more fiercely than we are.
We will go together if you'd like.
The Hall of Worthies has to rally
with the censors on this anyway.
Don't underestimate the King.
Office of Inspector General
What brings you?
Are you here to review the
Hunminjeongeum with us?
You mean the censors are
supporting the new writing?
It's a shock to me as well.
Who knew the censors would be so
quick to appreciate the King's intent?
It seems all of Joseon is singing
praise of this peaceful reign.
Board of Censors
Now it's up to our organization
of regional lords and scholars to
stop the distribution of the new writing!
For what reason do the Joseonese
want their own writing?
Perhaps they aspire to dominate the world
like the Mongols of Yuan once sought to do.
Dominate the world?
Obstructing distribution
of Joseonese writing is
an act undermining the
autonomy of Joseon!
I will take an unyielding stand
and show no tolerance!
Let us begin.
Do right by the dead man Choi Haesan.
You know the official
who has been spying for Ming.
So you should know how to clean this up
without causing a diplomatic row as well.
Assistant Director!
This country may be doomed to ruin!
Dissecting a human body?
Stop.
What are you doing?
Don't you this is a far fetched speculation?
I hope it is.
But if this is true,
I swear to you I will do whatever
it takes to bring the King down!
The scholars?
They're on their way to Jingwan Temple.
Your Majesty.
You want to make a deal?
Where is the human
dissection taking place?
What would you give me if
I gave you that information?
The throne, of course.
Our desire is to bring you
forward as our new King.
There is no deal.
The Royal throne for the proof that
the King is dissecting a human body.
It's not a losing proposition for you,
Your Highness.
You said you wanted to be my tactician.
Then finding that proof is your job.
Shouldn't we stop the dissection?
Your Majesty?
Are you working against the King?
I'm trying to figure out what
Heaven has intended.
Are you sure that is not an
excuse to seize power for yourself?
Anpyeong!
Heaven will determine the outcome.
If Father is right, Choi Manli and his
men will not get the proof they need.
What is the plan?
Does the King have a plan that will prevail?
"Do one's best and leave
the rest to divine will."
Where are they?
Did you find out where the
dissection is taking place?
Of course, sir.
Go to Jingwan Temple.
Go and stop Choi Manli.
No, I won't do that.
Then go out right now and bring
back a casket for me to lie in!
Mother.
How could you do this?
You were the first prince to come
forward and support the King's
brave dream of creating a
writing system for this country.
How could you of all
people do this to him?
I would still be supporting him if
he hadn't gone as far as ordering
a human dissection.
You must not turn against your father.
There is nothing I can do now.
All is beyond my control.
Stop!
Clear the gate.
It is the King's order
not to allow any visitors.
Clear the gate, I said!
Men!
Stop!
Sheath your sword.
But...
The King's sword cannot be
drawn against his people.
Sheath your sword, Gang Hui.
Now!
Attend to the deceased with due respect.
What brings you, master?
I'm sure you know exactly
what brings us, Your Highness.
What I know is that King's
men are attempting
to attack a temple where the King is resting.
These swords are not
drawn against the King.
If we fail to find evidence to save this
country from imminent doom tonight,
they will end our lives instead.
Enter as you wish.
But only the unarmed.
Take the scholars inside and get
the evidence you seek, master.
Armed guards are everywhere in the temple.
It is protection that the
Royal King is entitled to.
Then I guess we could all end up dying.
Political partner for thirty years
and you still don't know the King?
The King does not suppress those
who oppose him by force, master.
What are you doing here?
We're doing some preliminary work
for the Collections of Astronomy.
This can't be!
What do you mean?
The King just performed a
human dissection right here!
Human dissection?
Tell me the truth!
You're delusional.
Search the place for evidence!
A Hui Hui physician.
Now we have the evidence!
What was this man doing in there?
He was comparing the Hui Hui calendar
to our Almanac of the Seven Planets.
The Hui Hui calendar?
But this man is a physician.
He is an astronomer as well,
an expert in Hui Hui calendar.
Isn't that right?
Almanac of the Seven Planets
is quite impressive.
I'd like to take it back with me
to Arabia to study it further.
Bravo!
You've thought of everything!
I commend you for that.
But it's not over yet.
What are you trying to say?
We already know that a dead
man was brought into this temple.
And that man, I'm sure,
violated the dead man.
Go to the main worship hall.
For what?
You made it.
What is this?
Lifeless body of a poor soul.
No money, no education
and no family to rely on
he eked out a living as
a petty thief, I'm told.
This funeral is rather
grand for such a man.
My people are my children.
I failed to take care of him in this life,
so I will wish him well in his next life.
Not because he is your merit subject?
Forgive me, Your Majesty, but
may I take a look at the corpse?
It's not a good idea.
For me or for you, Your Majesty?
Do as you wish.
How could this be?
It's pestilence.
You must step back now.
You mean this was Choi Haesan's wish?
Writing system development
was his dream as well.
It's time for you to decide now.
What do you want Choi Haesan's
last act of loyalty to become?
I don't support the writing
system development,
and I don't understand
Choi Haesan's decision.
Then...
But I think we need time.
Loyalty that keeps
Jang Youngsil next to the King even
after being almost beaten to death,
loyalty that made Choi Haesan give
his body away to serve the King's
cause we do need time to understand
the cause and nature of their loyalty.
I called them in.
This is a mourning, so more
people we have the better.
I see now that only the learned and
the wealthy are gathered here.
This will be a good time for some
introspection for all of us as well.
We are to live our lives together by sharing
our wealth and knowledge with others.
Let us never allow our negligence to
cause another tragedy such as this.
Royal Attendant.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Send off the deceased with due respect.
Send off the deceased with due respect...
Your man Haishou was incompetent
and you have no manners.
Do you have a death wish?
Is this how you treated Haishou?
What do you mean?
He tried to steal our new weapons
technology and turn it over to your
enemy state Mongolia perhaps because
he didn't get any respect from you.
As the result, Joseon has lost a
very important weapons expert!
Haishou killed Choi Haesan?
Choi Haesan hid uncovered his secret plot.
Is it completed?
Yes, Your Majesty?
Velars, Alveolars, Bilabials,
Dentals, Glottals...
- Gaa.
- Gaa.
- Kaa.
- Kaa.
- Ang.
- Ang.
Ahhh!
Velar sound.
Naa, Daa, Taa...
Maa, Baa, Paa...
Alveolar and bilabial sound...
Ss...
Ch...
Ss, Ch.
Dental.
Ah, Ba, Ha.
Ah, Ba, Ha, Haaa...!
And glottal sound.
These five basic sounds make up
the consonants of our speech.
According to characteristics
of each sound...
Let's make those sounds once
more a bit more clearly this time.
Huh?
What's wrong?
I think my jaw has fallen out.
How can you talk if your
jaw has fallen out?
Uh, well...
My cheeks are all stretched out,
your Majesty.
Don't be a child now.
You've been doing this for
ten hours, Your Majesty.
Ten hours?
That long?
Then we will do it just one
more time and call it a day.
Huh?
To Japan?
As long as we continues to ignore
Ming's warning and carry on with
the writing system development, Ming will
explore various angles to intimidate us.
Am I to investigate the weaknesses of
shogunates that are likely to betray Joseon?
You are your grandfather's protege indeed.
The information you collect will be
vital in protecting our writing system.
They are continuing to
develope the writing system.
Then our relationship must continue as well.
Perhaps you can send a more
competent agent this time.
I can't make things work if I'm
forced to deal with another agent
who doesn't know what he's doing!
Why did you have to kill Haishou in Joseon?
Am I to give a traitor a choice
on where he gets to die?
Indeed you are a pride of Dongchang.
Perhaps I should assign you
to kill the Joseonese King.
Does this mean you're Wang Zhen's
Right-hand man now?
Keep your lips sealed and
you will be my right hand-man.
New leader of Dongchang?
Yes.
His name is Shuqing.
He is the best kept secret weapon
Dongchang has ever created.
Serve your new leader well.
This is your new duty.
The new and more powerful Dongchang will
suppress Joseon and the insolent King and
pave the way to bring
a new obedient King to its throne.
A new King?
The nobles are fiercely opposing
the writing system development.
It was expected.
So much so that the new writing may never
be put to use even if it is completed.
That's what I've recently confirmed.
Is that why you decided to use that
as a weapon to gain power instead?
I'm trying to stop the Royal
house from crumbling and the
country from descending into confusion.
Anyway you dress it up,
you're just looking for an excuse
to seize power for yourself.
And...
I don't intend to stand
by idly and let that happen.
Do you know about Jinyang?
I heard about it from Anpyeong.
Are you angry?
His Majesty will be in the palace for
a few days at the urging of the physician.
What do you mean?
Discuss it with the King and
find a way to stop Jinyang.
These kinds of things must be nipped
at the bud to prevent future trouble.
Mother...
Crown Prince, I...
I don't want there to be another fight for
the throne in the Royal house ever again.
Because I know all too well the
blood sacrifice such fights demand.
The roof ridge...
Cozy and elegant buildings in the palace...
Mt. Baekak in the background...
"Hall of Worthies"...
Even the signage that I wrote and hung
myself looks fuzzy and blurry no.
The physician recommends
a retreat, Your Majesty.
Will that stop the onset of blindness?
But if you continue to push
yourself without rest,
consequences far worse than blindness...
What's the worse that can
happen but an old man dying?
Your Majesty...
Is someone still working?
The light is on.
What did I just hear you talk about?
My man, you'll catch a cold.
My man.
Your Majesty.
Shhh!
But your Royal robe!
Don't wake him.
He dozed off working.
Let him sleep for a while.
But...
Great desire, was it?
What led this lad to the
Hall of Worthies, that is.
Come to think of it,
many men have planted their great
desires here at the Hall of Worthies.
But the writing system development...
I wasn't able to share that great
desire here at the Hall of Worthies.
It's a pity...
- Yong.
- Yes, Your Highness.
Will I... will I be able to live
up to our father's name?
I do not know the path to greatness.
But I can't add another burden on the
shoulders that are already burdened
with the writing system development.
What do you mean?
About Jinyang, we will ignore it for now.
But...
I'll deal with it on my own.
Royal Attendant!
Royal Attendant!
Where has he gone?
It's so dark in here that I can't read.
Were you looking for a writing brush?
What... time is it?
It's past nine o'clock, so it's dark outside.
Why has the Royal Attendant
neglected to light the lamps?
I told him not to.
Why... not?
Don't you like the moonlight?
Close your eyes and relax for a while.
See with your heart's eyes,
and things might look different.
Heart's eyes...
You're like an obedient child.
I'm afraid you might whip me.
It's rather simple.
Touching it without looking
makes the shapes of the sound
producing parts feel quite simple.
If we take the shapes of the sound making
organs and turn them into simple symbols,
we'll be able to create an alphabet that's
easy enough to learn with your eyes closed.
Velars are formed when the back of the
tongue meets the back of the throat.
We will copy that shape in the
simplest form using straight lines.
Alveolars are formed when the tip of
the tongue meets the roof of the mouth.
We will use the shape of
the lips for the bilabials,
the shape of the teeth
for the dental consonants,
and the shape of the throat
for the glottal consonants.
But you just told me it was nighttime...
How long have you known?
Velars, Alveolars, Bilabials,
Dentals, Glottals...
It's time to celebrate the birth of the
beautiful Josenese letters you've created.
Will we be able to express all of our
language with these five letters?
These are the basic characters.
We will add strokes to distinguish
stronger or harsher sounds...
And we will call variation of sounds created
by similar articulatory movement "Variants".
Seventeen characters in all.
These are the consonants
that decide the speech sound.
You said syllables have three
components: Initial, medial and final.
Same sounds make the initial and final,
so we well use the same characters.
But you need the middle
sound to compete a syllable.
Yes, of course.
That's why we need vowels.
Does this mean we have to go
through the sound exercises again?
No, the vowel symbols,
are already in my head.
It's a message of hope that a young
child gave me many year ago.
Heaven...
The land beneath it...
And men that live on that land.
Fervent hope that all men that live on
that land would one day live in equality,
and those who built this dream
of creating a writing system on
top of that hope with us but left us
before the dream could be realized...
I will symbolize their desires in these
dots and honor them in our letters.
These eleven symbols are the medial
sounds-the vowels of our alphabet.
Heaven!
Earth!
And men!
17 consonants and 11 vowels.
These 28 letters will work together to express
every sound of the Joseonese language.
The simplest of minds will be
able to learn, thus I will call this
Hunminjeongeum: Proper Sounds
for the Instruction of the People.
This is Hunminjeongeum,
the letters of Joseon.
I hereby bestow these letters to the people
of this country, so begin immediate
distribution throughout the country
through local governments and schools.
A writing system?
Is this the inevitable?
Is this really
the writing system Joseonese
King has created himself?
It's called Proper Sounds for
the Instruction of the People.
With your help, we'd like to compile
a rhyming dictionary that unifies the
confusing pronunciation of
Chinese in our new writing.
Even the words with the most difficult
pronunciation can be rewritten!
Of course.
How is this possible?
How could one man invent such a brilliant
writing system in such a short time?
Unbelievable!
It's impossible!
We will not compile a rhyming dictionary!
It's the King's order,
Assistant Director Choi.
The Hall of Worthies will have nothing
to do with this barbarian alphabet!
You're calling all of us barbarians by calling
our writing system a barbarian alphabet.
Don't you realize that?
Why don't you persuade the Inspector
General and the Censorate first?
Assistant Director!
I have a feeling they are opposing
this more fiercely than we are.
We will go together if you'd like.
The Hall of Worthies has to rally
with the censors on this anyway.
Don't underestimate the King.
Office of Inspector General
What brings you?
Are you here to review the
Hunminjeongeum with us?
You mean the censors are
supporting the new writing?
It's a shock to me as well.
Who knew the censors would be so
quick to appreciate the King's intent?
It seems all of Joseon is singing
praise of this peaceful reign.
Board of Censors
Now it's up to our organization
of regional lords and scholars to
stop the distribution of the new writing!
For what reason do the Joseonese
want their own writing?
Perhaps they aspire to dominate the world
like the Mongols of Yuan once sought to do.
Dominate the world?
Obstructing distribution
of Joseonese writing is
an act undermining the
autonomy of Joseon!
I will take an unyielding stand
and show no tolerance!