Joseon Attorney (2023–…): Season 1, Episode 3 - Divorce Suit (I) - full transcript
Lady Yeon, the wife of Commissioner Park, leaves her home to stay in Sowongak. It turns out that Commissioner Park abused her and intentionally killed her father to take all of his property. She wants to file a divorce suit agains...
(Characters, incidents, and
period depicted are purely fictional.)
Father!
Father!
Father!
Court Lady Hong!
Father!
The King is dead!
The King is dead!
The King is dead!
Leave the room for a moment.
We were given the order to
stay until everything is cleaned up.
And?
Do you intend to defy the Princess?
I understand.
What must you find urgently that
you had to force yourself inside?
Why are you standing outside?
I said you must never leave the room.
- Her Royal Highness is here.
- What?
Goodness, Your Royal
Highness, what brings you here?
I understand that you are the Princess,
but please do not break
the customs of the palace.
The customs?
It is the customs of the
palace to record and preserve...
every single scroll and book
left behind by the late King.
I just made a visit
because I missed my father.
I do not want to meddle
with the duties of the subjects.
Let us go.
Please wait a moment.
Goodness.
What is that book, and
why are you hiding it?
It is a book my father gave me to read.
As I have made myself clear,
it is my role as his subject
to record and preserve...
every scroll and book which
belonged to His Majesty.
Then return it to me afterward.
Are you all right?
("Book of the Law")
My sister.
Do you really think...
we can bring down the
influence of Yoo Je Se?
Envoys came from Ming,
but they only spent time
with Executive Minister Yoo.
Last time, you asked me for a favor,
then the envoys came for me to entertain.
But there was nothing I could do.
It is quite shameful
that I call myself a king.
Will things change...
once the regency ends?
Your Majesty.
Things will not end just
because the regency ends.
You must increase your power.
Keep subjects who support you
and give you power by your side,
and then establish a principle
which you can depend on.
The law, correct?
If I said the law can become a sword,
would you believe me?
I believe there are vacant offices
in the magistrate of Hanseongbu...
and the commissioner of the
Royal Academy of Painting.
How did you know?
The commissioner of the
Royal Academy of Painting...
resigned for personal reasons.
Your Majesty, my sin is too grave!
The magistrate of Hanseongbu
took a bribe during a trial,
then made a misjudgment
and freed a heinous criminal.
I reprimanded him severely.
Everything began...
from the tip of the tongue of an
attorney named Kang Han Soo.
You should fill those
vacancies with one of our own.
Someone who will help you reign,
someone who wishes to do
good for our country and people.
I wish...
to cut out the rotten things
of this world by using the law,
then sprout new life in return.
The man who can wield this sword best...
is that attorney, Kang Han Soo.
("Book of the Law")
I will make use of you for the
sake of our country and people.
I hope your understanding
of the law, your cleverness,
and eloquence with an edge...
can comfort the hearts of
those who were wronged.
Which will take me...
a step closer to the world
my father dreamed of.
That is my wish.
Goodness gracious.
If you say that, would he go,
"Oh, my, is that so?"
Do you think so?
He would not. Never.
He would not even believe me.
He will think I have
gone completely insane.
You know that very well.
Let us go out now.
This place is...
leaking water.
- Then...
- Goodness.
What do I do?
What do you mean?
You must go out and think.
- What should I say?
- Goodness.
You are much better at acting now.
Come on. Come out now.
Attorney Kang!
Allow me to work at Attorney for Hire.
What are you talking about?
I wish to work for you, Attorney Kang.
I can work as an
investigator or an assistant.
It is not okay.
There are woman officers in
the law agency called damo,
so I will become your one and only damo.
That job is not for everyone.
Then one day, you will ask me this.
"Are you in pain?"
"I am in pain too."
That is all I want.
You are...
surely unwell.
You are just unwell.
Therefore, I cannot let someone
who is unwell work for me.
- Go! I must feed my horse carrots.
- I...
- Han Soo!
- What?
What?
- The ship is...
- Yes?
sinking!
- What?
- It continues to leak water!
Come quickly.
Take me in as your assistant.
Then I will provide your lodging,
as well as an office space
free of river and rainwater.
I do not fall for such petty...
I will give you the biggest space...
in the merchant house.
Are you serious?
(Episode 3: Divorce Suit 1)
(Joseon Attorney: A Morality)
This is our merchant house.
Hey.
And this is the best room here.
Is that the man the Princess... No.
The man So Won brought?
Yes.
He is that man.
He does not have the looks
or the attire of an attorney.
What a pretty-looking man.
He must have the
temper to go with his looks.
He is good-looking. Handsome.
Next, this is...
I am just saying. Never mind.
I used to live in my own
house. Now I am freeloading...
at someone's merchant house.
Own house, my foot.
You would think that I kidnapped you...
when I provided you with food and a bed.
What are you complaining about?
Do you serve food as well?
Give it a taste.
It contributes to most of the
sales of our merchant house.
All rice soup tastes the same, though.
What?
- Hooray!
- Hooray!
- We love it!
- We love it!
Let us just take her in.
This is pretty much a windfall.
No. I cannot help but consider the risk.
We cannot have an assistant
who is not aware of our situation.
Then how about we make
her a temporary assistant?
We will need to buy some
time while we get the ship fixed.
That is how you end up in a trap.
You must be rational at times like these.
If you were so rational,
how did you pay so much
for a broken used ship?
Look what you have got us into!
This is driving me insane.
I am already busy trying to find his fault.
No!
Just accept her!
What is happening?
(We give legal advice.)
(Attorney)
This is so boring.
I have brought you a client.
Have a seat.
So, what is your story?
Park owes me medical charges,
so I want to file a lawsuit.
He has suffered from a chronic disease...
for ten years now,
and I recently cured him.
Is it not fair that he
pays me medical fees?
Right.
Actually, the doctor told me...
that eating beef would be my only cure.
He had given up on curing my disease.
But a few days ago, Lord Kim Se Won...
was grilling beef.
I wanted to at least get a sniff of beef,
so I was leaning against his wall.
Somehow, I was completely
cured the next day.
I see.
But he did not even eat the beef.
There is no guarantee that
he was cured by the beef.
You must pay him.
Excuse me?
See?
You are a famous attorney for a reason.
I paid 50 nyang for beef that time.
You can pay me half the price.
It will cost more when he files a lawsuit,
so I recommend you settle with 25 nyang.
I will take that.
Attorney Kang!
Here.
Good. Here you go.
Happy?
Wait. What are you doing?
Park's disease was cured
after only smelling beef.
It is simply fair that you only
listen to the compensation.
Right?
Here you go.
Thank you so much.
- You may go.
- Gosh.
Hold on.
What do you want now?
You must pay for our legal advice.
- That will be five nyang.
- What?
Do not tell me...
you are planning on
jumping an attorney's bill.
You cannot reject me now.
Why will you not hire me as your assistant?
Enough. I told you that I would pay you...
five nyang a day for staying
at your merchant house.
If you want to be so heartless,
I will charge you properly.
You and Dong Chi...
both eat, sleep, and poop at our place.
Your donkey eats, sleeps,
and poops at our stable.
Add them up, and ten nyang
a day would not be enough.
So, may I write the other five
nyang in our ledger every day,
including the interest?
Calm down.
You are tenacious. I will give you that.
You are quick at figures,
so you will not be conned.
Fine. I will give you a chance.
I will test you to see
if you are qualified...
to be my assistant.
How would you do that?
Here.
This is the reason I became an attorney.
So, make your own pouch.
You will also have to find
what you want to put inside.
That is your first test.
Understood.
A coin pouch?
Yes! He said that was the
reason he became an attorney.
At first, I thought it had to be money.
But I have a feeling that it is a trick.
I must look thoroughly into his background.
That way, I can convince him.
I get the feeling that
this is one of his tactics.
- What?
- There is nothing inside,
but he wants to make you think...
that there is something significant.
What?
Princess, he got the best of you.
- No, he did not!
- He did.
- The best of me?
- Yes.
Goodness.
What is this tangerine for?
Right.
He sent you another letter.
With these valuable fruits again.
- The lord?
- Yes.
"By the time this letter reaches you,"
"I will also have arrived at Hanyang."
(It is a shame that I
cannot also send you...)
(the clear sound of the waves.)
"I also send you these tangerines."
"I hope you put it to good use."
He is coming to Hanyang.
Last month, he was in Hamheung.
The month before that, he was in Buyeo.
What does he do for a living...
to be all over the nation?
I do not know what he does,
but I can sense what kind of man he is.
I am certain that he is a man
of integrity and a good heart.
I can see it from his penmanship.
Of all those things,
judging from how he
sends you precious gifts...
that are good enough for kings,
he is certainly a man of great wealth.
You should ask him to meet
you to thank him for all the help.
He would have already been here
if he had wanted to show himself.
He must want to help our
merchant house anonymously.
I do not want to burden him.
Plus, I am pretty busy myself.
What do I do with Attorney Kang?
Still,
you must write him back.
Right. I must.
Kang Han Soo. How should I convince him?
Look here! Is anyone there?
I am a peddler!
Okay.
He is not the person to
hide away for being demoted.
Lord.
Master Cho here...
will help you plan your
inauguration celebration.
Let me officially introduce myself.
I have recently become a
master. My name is Cho Chul Ju.
I am glad that you are here.
Especially the fact that we
have no mutual acquaintances...
or shared memories makes me satisfied.
Sharing a common past...
can be tiresome, at times.
Good luck.
Keep in mind...
that it will be crucial in the
future for both you and me.
I will.
"Minor Inspector Yoo Ji Sun of Saheonbu..."
"traveled all around the
country in secret for years..."
"and uncovered the
corruption of officials..."
"to tighten the public
sentiment from going astray..."
"and make other remarkable contributions."
"As a reward for what he has done,"
"he will be promoted to
a higher-level position,"
"which is a level-two
magistrate of Hanseongbu."
"With devotion, fulfill your
duty granted by His Majesty."
Thank you for your
generosity, Your Majesty.
Hurry up already.
Hurry up.
Move quickly.
Carry two at a time.
Oh, goodness.
There you go. Carry two bottles.
Jung Hyang, put your chin up.
The gaze.
The smile.
This place is where you come to have fun,
not to work.
Just how great of a person is
coming that we are making all this fuss?
Whoever it is, they have my hatred.
(Sowongak)
My lady!
You came here yourself this year.
I am not here to make a donation today.
I know.
We still have not used up the rice
and fabric you donated last time.
If you are out to take a breather,
stay at our merchant house.
- Goodness.
- Look at him.
They're doing so well.
You might even chase
the incoming luck away.
That is exactly my point.
Making the pouch itself is...
harder than choosing what to put in.
I hated sewing even
when I lived in the palace.
Hold on a second.
Your sewing seems just as bad.
Is this really necessary?
Attorney Kang is good-looking for nothing.
He does not look helpful at all.
You know my rough life in the palace...
got me to develop a
discerning eye for people.
He certainly is wicked inside.
We cannot be sure how
he will turn out until later.
If we cut him off already, it
will stay unknown forever.
His ways may be wrong,
but those can be fixed.
Yes, absolutely.
Will it work?
Should we just throw them out?
Why do we not ask for
help from Lady Yeon...
staying in Gukhwa Room?
She has good sewing skills.
Maybe she can patch these up.
Great idea.
- Your Highness, be careful.
- Let us hurry.
Please be careful.
My lady.
My lady.
I guess she stepped outside.
She was here just a while ago.
Gosh, that felt so good.
Goodness.
Nice job.
The weather is wonderful.
- Gosh.
- Yes, right.
The weather is wonderful.
- Gosh.
- Yes, right.
- Eat your fill.
- All right.
I see you are having fun.
Pour more.
Fill it up.
Goodness.
- There you go.
- They're doing so well.
- Gosh.
- I need more too.
Let me pour you a glass.
I almost lost Executive
Minister Yoo's trust...
with Master Jang's incident.
And you gave me a chance to make
up for it. How should I repay you?
It is enough that you know.
Thank you.
- Oh, no.
- Executive Minister Yoo!
Executive Minister Yoo!
Escort him now!
- What is going on?
- Executive Minister Yoo!
Executive Minister Yoo!
Executive Minister Yoo!
What are you waiting for?
Right,
not like this.
I need to know why. The reason.
Just why my parents...
had to face such a devastating death.
The reason.
My lady.
Are you okay?
It is you, So Won.
What...
Executive Minister Yoo,
District Magistrate Song in
Pyongyang requested the King...
to grant him from stepping
down due to his chronic illness.
The district magistrate in Pyongyang?
He is only in his 40s.
Hungu does not have...
enough influence over Pyongyang yet.
Sarim's influence is stronger there.
Its district magistrate must be one of us.
His chronic disease must be an excuse.
When he got caught having an affair...
with the landed proprietor's daughter,
he settled it with the proprietor
by stepping down and leaving.
So if we do not agree with this appeal,
the proprietor will not stay still.
Give the proprietor...
an office position and promote
him to the central government office.
How about the 4th senior
rank's 3rd deputy commander?
(3rd Deputy Commander: 1
of the top 5 posts in Joseon)
Are you not being too generous?
I am giving him such a
position because he deserves it.
Only when we show him the power we have...
will he not come at us again.
And tell him...
if he messes with Hungu's
government affairs again,
he will have to pay for it...
with his life, including this issue.
Understood, my lord.
I feel anxious with only
District Magistrate Song.
It is best to plant another
man from our side.
Yes. It is about time we change...
the fourth senior rank's deputy
magistrate in Pyongyangbu.
(Deputy Magistrate:
4th senior rank officer...)
(supporting the magistrate
and left 3rd magistrate)
It is my first time seeing
the executive minister.
This place feels like the
palace and not the banquet...
when he speaks.
Yes, you are on point.
The executive minister's eyes,
gestures, and every word...
are all a part of politics.
That makes this place the
Royal Office and the palace.
We only do...
as we are told.
It was an order we could not decline,
an order from the very top.
I see.
So it could not be the king.
- Pardon?
- It is nothing.
By the way, who came up with this banquet?
The commissioner.
He used up all his fortune.
I guess he went mad after
being demoted out of the blue.
All of this is not cheap.
Park Jae Soo.
He has jumped...
on the most expensive wagon in Joseon.
My lady.
My lady!
My lady.
That was the day...
Father's third anniversary
of his death ended.
You are exquisite.
- Draw me beautifully.
- Of course.
To be honest, I knew.
That my husband was visiting
the courtesan house every day.
That he was not only sleeping
with the same woman...
but also sharing feelings with her.
I knew about it all but
covered my ears and eyes...
and endured it with great effort,
believing it was the wife's virtue.
- When will you...
- But...
give me a room?
That depends on how you behave.
But I do not want this room.
How come?
Did you not tell me...
your father-in-law
passed away in this room?
There is nothing to fear.
That man already got
everything off his chest...
and crossed the river to the underworld.
I made his wish come true...
just before he died.
I bought and gifted him a pile of yakgwa...
he was always craving.
Was the lord not suffering from diabetes?
That was none of my concern.
Father.
Father!
Father.
Father.
What?
Why did you come back so early?
- Leave.
- What?
No, do not. It is all right.
Leave at once!
Come on. She might catch a cold.
Good grief.
Was it you?
What do you mean?
My father passed away...
after his condition suddenly worsened.
Was it your doing?
What are you saying I did?
Out of filial affection
to your father, I...
I will sue you.
What?
I will sue you to the government office,
reveal all your wrongdoings,
and have you receive proper punishment.
Never...
will I overlook this matter.
Have you gone crazy?
As you are a dim-wit,
you must not know that...
there is no law in Joseon where
a wife can sue his husband.
Had your mother been alive,
she would have sued me in your stead.
But too bad.
Both your mother and
father died a long time ago.
If you want an ancestral
rite to be held after you die,
keep your mouth shut...
and live quietly.
Understood?
All I could do back then...
was simply smash the
jars that contained food...
I made for my husband every day.
Goodness, I will catch you. I surely will.
Magistrate.
What is this?
It is not anything grand.
But it is said that my wife...
is the best cook in this city.
This is my gift to the new magistrate.
Please do not refuse it.
- But I must refuse.
- All right.
Excuse me?
Gosh, you did not even open it.
Here.
- Oh, my.
- Good grief.
- What?
- Those are priceless.
It is filled with my wife's love.
At least have a taste of it.
Look at that.
Come on. Give it a taste.
He must have brought
it since it must be divine.
Even the envoys of Ming...
praised the honeyed ginseng
made by the commissioner's wife.
Have a bite.
Take it.
- Pardon?
- Share it with the people...
who helped prepare this banquet.
You will need more strength than me.
That is fine, right?
Yes, of course.
It is your gift, so do as you please.
All right, then.
Hey! You!
Goodness, this is...
the precious blue and white pottery...
only used by the Royal Family.
Our patriotism...
for this country is not any less than them.
All we have to do now is
prove that we are worthy of this.
You are right.
Now.
Cheers.
- Thank you, Lord Yoo.
- Thank you, Lord Yoo.
Yes.
Move quickly.
Goodness, looking good.
You are here.
Kang Han Soo.
I do not understand.
I have trouble breathing
as if my lungs are pierced,
and I cannot stop crying as
if I am bleeding from a cut.
I pinch and hit my bruises...
to forget the pain of my
heart with the pain of my body,
but everything is useless.
Must I continue to live like this?
Should I leave everything up to fate?
That is not a matter
to leave to time or fate.
My lady, this is a matter that
requires human intervention.
You must find an attorney.
What do you say?
It is a crime to break the
basic moral disciplines.
(Three principles and five moral
disciplines in human relationships)
I will be shunned by society.
"That woman does not know
the basic human moralities."
"That is why her husband did that to her."
They will take his side instead.
A divorcee is considered less of a human...
than the lowest of society.
Does this mean a woman
should put up with everything?
No.
That is unreasonable.
I am sure there is another way...
we are not aware of at the moment.
Did you find anything at the
Royal Academy of Painting?
No one held a personal grudge
against the commissioner...
to the point of taking him to a trial.
- Really?
- Yes.
But I did hear rumors say
that Myung Wol will become...
Commissioner Park's concubine.
Han Soo, what about you?
Did you find anything?
I did.
But I did not.
What do you mean?
Commissioner Park...
seems to have made good connections.
The most powerful man of the
Hungu, Chu Young Woo, is behind him.
And today, he went to see
Executive Minister Yoo's son...
and left a strong
impression with his flattery.
This means he will surely
take the fourth senior rank...
in Pyongyangbu, the
deputy magistrate's office.
Wait, Pyongyangbu is...
the next largest region to Hanseongbu.
The deputy magistrate there is...
more influential than most
third senior rank officers.
That is right.
We should report him for buying his office.
Try to say something that makes more sense.
There is no way they left
any kind of hard evidence,
and they are the same spoiled bunch.
So who will come and testify?
Try to think, okay?
What about the new
magistrate of Hanseongbu?
Executive Minister Yoo's son
can only be as good as his father.
He is pretending to be uptight,
trying to look like an
upright and incorruptible man.
In the end, men are all
blind to their own causes.
That is why...
I am living this darned life.
We must find a muddy path.
A muddy path, I say.
A path that can trap him for good.
You are here, my lord, young master.
Ji Sun.
Yes, Father.
Enjoy it.
You do not have to be so uptight already.
Do not doubt if you
are worthy of the office,
and just enjoy it.
That is why we take power.
You are...
my son,
the executive minister's son.
No matter what you want and what you take,
you can do everything as you wish.
Therefore,
think of the men who bowed
their heads before you...
as your people.
When those people face trouble,
show them...
a little more mercy than the others.
If you do that,
your kingdom...
will operate on its own.
May I truly expect to receive the office?
Executive Minister
Yoo laid his eyes on you,
which equals his answer.
The problem is...
if you can truly take root in that office.
Your foundation is in Hanyang.
Your home and land are all here.
On top of that,
you said the deeds are
all under your wife's name.
Do not worry about that.
It will take quite a fortune...
for me to get a fresh start in Pyongyang.
I must sell all my assets,
including moveables...
and real estate property to
find enough money to do that.
I also must show my gratitude to
Executive Minister Yoo and others.
What about your wife?
That is why the law exists.
(Sowongak)
You must have failed to make the pouch.
You are trying to blind
us with so much food.
The pouch is coming along fine.
This is for another case, so it is...
my bribe to you.
Bribe?
All right.
In that case, I will begin.
You two can take your time and have a talk.
Tell me quickly!
I am not sure if you have heard,
but there are three philanthropists
who help this merchant house.
This will take a while.
Then I will eat first.
One of them is an anonymous helper,
who travel all around the nation...
and sends us specialties from every area.
We sell it here at a high price
to help operate Sowongak.
Another one is a member
of the Royal Family,
who is acquainted with Lady Hong.
That person sends us
grains once every quarter.
- Are you listening?
- What? Yes.
Lastly,
there is a wife of a nobleman...
who is staying on the second
floor, in the Gukhwa Room.
Does the Gukhwa Room lady
need an attorney for her case?
Yes!
Why? Was she robbed?
Or did her servant run away?
Or is this a family affair...
over the gravesite in their mountain?
No.
She wants...
to sue her husband.
What?
The wife wants...
to sue her husband?
Come on. If she did,
she would be flogged instead.
That is why I am asking you.
I thought you might know another way.
Yes, I do!
However,
she should have talked
to the deity of childbirth.
- The deity of childbirth?
- Yes!
Because she will have
to be reborn as a man.
So, she will have a better
chance asking the deity.
Now...
Give me a spoon.
Let us eat.
Is it not the attorney's job...
to help those who were unfairly treated?
Attorney Kang!
Fine.
Does she have a witness
who can testify for her?
- Testify? Of course!
- Good.
Her farmhand...
and her husband's courtesan.
I see.
A farmhand will be executed
for testifying against the master.
Who will dare to testify?
And the courtesan is directly involved,
so she will never testify against herself.
But it is true.
Who says it is true?
Well...
The lady?
Perhaps she has a new man.
She is not that type of
person. How dare you?
How can you be so sure?
One cannot even trust one's
own spouse after 20 years.
Hastily trusting a person
is poison for an attorney.
Then what would you have me do?
I am telling you to give up.
Kang Han Soo.
Kang Han Soo.
Kang Han Soo!
Princess...
Hi, So Won.
Ta-da.
What do you think? Is this good enough?
It is lame... My lady.
I will give you the money.
I will pay you a generous legal fee.
How much do you want?
But...
I have a favor to ask, my lady.
What is it?
Find fault with Han Soo.
He turned down coins,
which were his favorite.
Can you believe it?
He said no to coins?
Just coins.
He said no to coins.
Money wasn't the thing that made him work.
I guessed wrong!
Then what was this for?
I told you that was lame.
Look at this!
We spin the bottle,
and whoever it points at,
that person must answer a question.
You must empty the
glass if you cannot answer.
You see,
this merchant house has
too much liquor to dispose of.
That's true. So much.
Free booze?
I love it.
I will play.
I will spin it.
Okay.
Oh, right.
Where are you from?
Why do you ask?
Well, we must know where you are from...
to get closer.
Is that right?
Sorry, I drank it.
As the rules say, I will not answer.
I am stupid.
Shoot.
You used to love money.
Why did you reject the offer?
Come on. You cannot be so direct.
All right.
Attorney Kang is only
human. He must have a secret.
Hey, Lady Hong.
Fill up my glass.
This is nice!
It is not even a difficult question.
Why do you refuse to answer?
You said that I could only
drink if I did not answer.
I took care of all your disposing alcohol.
If you want to thank me,
you can fill my glass again.
All right.
I feel great.
Return to your room safely.
That was a failure.
(Lavatory)
Who is there?
Lady Hong.
Where are you from?
Why do you want to know where I am from?
You said that one must know...
where you are from to get more intimate.
How did it go? Did you learn anything?
I learned...
that he was a heavy drinker.
How does it look?
How ridiculous.
The government should help
those who were unfairly treated.
Why does she ask me?
As you are a dim-wit,
you must not know that...
there is no law in Joseon where
a wife can sue his husband.
What is the matter with you?
What has gotten into you?
Will you take a nap in my arms?
Oh, my. What are all these?
What do you think?
They are for you, Myung
Wol. These mean my heart,
my tears,
and my bribe.
Just give me one. I only need your heart.
Tears make me awkward,
and bribes make me uncomfortable.
Will you only accept one, then?
Or will you accept my heart,
my tears,
and my bribe?
All of them, of course.
So, what is it that you want?
Rumor has it that you will soon
be Commissioner Park's concubine.
Is that true?
Do not even get me started.
It is all ruined.
Why?
He is all spin and no substance.
The house, the land, the store...
were all owned by his wife's family.
His mother-in-law died way back,
and his father-in-law
passed away three years ago,
so I thought he would get all the property.
Right! I heard you were an attorney.
Then you must be well informed.
Is there a way...
for the husband to take the wife's wealth?
Sure.
Commissioner Park is
confident that there is a way...
and tells me not to worry.
But I cannot fully trust him anymore.
Does he need to get a divorce?
That is right.
What if Commissioner
Park files a suit for divorce?
Have you seen Dong Chi?
He seems to have stepped out.
What is so urgent?
You can join us if you want.
Where did you...
get this food?
It is from the Gukhwa Room lady,
one of our benefactors we mentioned before.
Gukhwa Room?
There is a wife of a nobleman...
who is staying on the second
floor, in the Gukhwa Room.
She wants...
to sue her husband.
Are you perhaps talking...
about the lady So Won asked me to defend?
That is right.
Why? You declined it. Did
you have a change of heart?
I could not see what
was right under my nose.
This is great.
Where is So Won?
She disappeared.
She is not in the room,
and she is nowhere to be found.
She did not leave.
Her pajamas are here,
so she must be out for a bit.
We must find her.
Be careful!
You startled me more.
You did not have to yell.
Because I was startled.
Why?
Right. I wonder why.
What is with the rush?
She did not leave for good.
She may be up to leaving this world itself.
She lives in the middle of Bukchon,
but she came all the way
here. So she must have felt...
This place is...
What about it?
It is close to the Han River.
- Speaking of which...
- Wait.
If you are asking me
again to take the lawsuit...
I am done making the pouch.
You call this a pouch?
I made it with Lady Yeon's ripped sleeve.
She must have...
wiped her tears with this so many times.
So I...
would like to put people's
tears in this pouch.
I want to seal their tears in this...
and give them a smile in return.
After all, the law is...
like a handkerchief to those
who are wronged, I believe.
Please be her handkerchief.
I beg you.
Find her in a rush.
You must escort her back safely.
- Yes, my lady.
- Yes, my lady.
- Do you know Lady Yeon?
- No.
- I have not seen her.
- No?
That way.
Have you seen Lady Yeon?
No.
Have you not seen a noble
lady who is slim and beautiful?
No.
Han Soo! Lady So Won!
- Stop. Goodness.
- Gosh.
Tell them what you said earlier.
(Bureau of Punishments)
My lady.
How did you come here?
What happened?
You have committed 1
of the 7 bad behaviors?
You could not have.
He probably did not have
any other good excuses.
I demanded him to move out,
and he counterattacked.
I apologize for the late introduction.
This is Attorney Kang Han Soo.
She is...
Commissioner Park's wife, I know.
How do you know me?
I heard of your story before coming here...
to help you.
That is right.
He is quite competent, you see.
He recently won a lawsuit
against Jang's guild.
What an ill-fated connection.
My husband was so
furious about that incident.
He and Master Jang knew
each other for a long time.
Anyway,
how are you going to help me?
Why do you not file for divorce?
Divorce?
Yes,
I am going to bring a divorce
lawsuit to Hanseongbu.
As we fiercely defend each other,
everything will be revealed...
to the point that your husband
framed you to take your fortune.
Only then, you will
get to leave this place.
But...
the divorce will...
The moment I get divorced,
everyone will point their fingers at me.
They will think I did
something to deserve it.
Then will you just die?
If you do not divorce him,
you will die anyway.
You will be publicly executed...
in the worst disgrace...
of having an affair
with a servant, at that.
But...
if you divorce him, you will be
able to keep your inheritance.
Your husband is after this fortune,
so you must stop him from seizing it...
to take good revenge on him.
So you should...
bear with the humiliation
of being a divorcee.
You are right.
- My lady.
- But...
will it be possible?
There is a type of
divorce called repudiation.
If there is a cause of divorce
between a married couple,
one can divorce the other by force.
For example, a son-in-law having
an affair with his mother-in-law...
or a husband assaulting
his wife's parents...
or grandparents like this case.
Thus,
I will focus on proving his violence.
Speaking of which,
can you have your leg break?
You mean...
That is right.
You have to risk one
of your legs, at least,
in order to win this trial.
Goodness.
It would be great if you
were in deadly condition.
Are you kidding me?
That is an absolute no.
She has suffered enough already.
But you want her to bear
with something worse?
And you will resort to
such a dangerous plan?
You are not considerate of her at all.
All you care about is winning.
Of course.
If we lose, there will be no revenge.
What about the pain she has to go through?
Who is this revenge for anyway?
Then what do you suggest?
Standard tactics.
I will reveal the fact that
he framed Lady Yeon,
make him pay the price, and
get her the divorce she wants.
I will...
find an attorney who
will take this divorce suit...
based on due process and conscience.
What?
I do not understand.
I am saying that I will take back...
hiring you.
What?
Did you not hear?
Then let me tell you again, Kang Han Soo.
I am firing you.
You are...
fired.
(The animal scenes were filmed
under protection and safety.)
(Special thanks to Han Min
for his guest appearance)
(Joseon Attorney: A Morality)
In order to win a divorce lawsuit,
it is important to reveal
the details of everything.
You have told her more than enough.
She might pull it off without you.
Lord Chu.
My wife brazenly filed a divorce lawsuit...
to Hanseongbu.
She killed herself.
I will make it look like that.
I will make it look like that.
Come back, Kang Han Soo.
I am sorry.
period depicted are purely fictional.)
Father!
Father!
Father!
Court Lady Hong!
Father!
The King is dead!
The King is dead!
The King is dead!
Leave the room for a moment.
We were given the order to
stay until everything is cleaned up.
And?
Do you intend to defy the Princess?
I understand.
What must you find urgently that
you had to force yourself inside?
Why are you standing outside?
I said you must never leave the room.
- Her Royal Highness is here.
- What?
Goodness, Your Royal
Highness, what brings you here?
I understand that you are the Princess,
but please do not break
the customs of the palace.
The customs?
It is the customs of the
palace to record and preserve...
every single scroll and book
left behind by the late King.
I just made a visit
because I missed my father.
I do not want to meddle
with the duties of the subjects.
Let us go.
Please wait a moment.
Goodness.
What is that book, and
why are you hiding it?
It is a book my father gave me to read.
As I have made myself clear,
it is my role as his subject
to record and preserve...
every scroll and book which
belonged to His Majesty.
Then return it to me afterward.
Are you all right?
("Book of the Law")
My sister.
Do you really think...
we can bring down the
influence of Yoo Je Se?
Envoys came from Ming,
but they only spent time
with Executive Minister Yoo.
Last time, you asked me for a favor,
then the envoys came for me to entertain.
But there was nothing I could do.
It is quite shameful
that I call myself a king.
Will things change...
once the regency ends?
Your Majesty.
Things will not end just
because the regency ends.
You must increase your power.
Keep subjects who support you
and give you power by your side,
and then establish a principle
which you can depend on.
The law, correct?
If I said the law can become a sword,
would you believe me?
I believe there are vacant offices
in the magistrate of Hanseongbu...
and the commissioner of the
Royal Academy of Painting.
How did you know?
The commissioner of the
Royal Academy of Painting...
resigned for personal reasons.
Your Majesty, my sin is too grave!
The magistrate of Hanseongbu
took a bribe during a trial,
then made a misjudgment
and freed a heinous criminal.
I reprimanded him severely.
Everything began...
from the tip of the tongue of an
attorney named Kang Han Soo.
You should fill those
vacancies with one of our own.
Someone who will help you reign,
someone who wishes to do
good for our country and people.
I wish...
to cut out the rotten things
of this world by using the law,
then sprout new life in return.
The man who can wield this sword best...
is that attorney, Kang Han Soo.
("Book of the Law")
I will make use of you for the
sake of our country and people.
I hope your understanding
of the law, your cleverness,
and eloquence with an edge...
can comfort the hearts of
those who were wronged.
Which will take me...
a step closer to the world
my father dreamed of.
That is my wish.
Goodness gracious.
If you say that, would he go,
"Oh, my, is that so?"
Do you think so?
He would not. Never.
He would not even believe me.
He will think I have
gone completely insane.
You know that very well.
Let us go out now.
This place is...
leaking water.
- Then...
- Goodness.
What do I do?
What do you mean?
You must go out and think.
- What should I say?
- Goodness.
You are much better at acting now.
Come on. Come out now.
Attorney Kang!
Allow me to work at Attorney for Hire.
What are you talking about?
I wish to work for you, Attorney Kang.
I can work as an
investigator or an assistant.
It is not okay.
There are woman officers in
the law agency called damo,
so I will become your one and only damo.
That job is not for everyone.
Then one day, you will ask me this.
"Are you in pain?"
"I am in pain too."
That is all I want.
You are...
surely unwell.
You are just unwell.
Therefore, I cannot let someone
who is unwell work for me.
- Go! I must feed my horse carrots.
- I...
- Han Soo!
- What?
What?
- The ship is...
- Yes?
sinking!
- What?
- It continues to leak water!
Come quickly.
Take me in as your assistant.
Then I will provide your lodging,
as well as an office space
free of river and rainwater.
I do not fall for such petty...
I will give you the biggest space...
in the merchant house.
Are you serious?
(Episode 3: Divorce Suit 1)
(Joseon Attorney: A Morality)
This is our merchant house.
Hey.
And this is the best room here.
Is that the man the Princess... No.
The man So Won brought?
Yes.
He is that man.
He does not have the looks
or the attire of an attorney.
What a pretty-looking man.
He must have the
temper to go with his looks.
He is good-looking. Handsome.
Next, this is...
I am just saying. Never mind.
I used to live in my own
house. Now I am freeloading...
at someone's merchant house.
Own house, my foot.
You would think that I kidnapped you...
when I provided you with food and a bed.
What are you complaining about?
Do you serve food as well?
Give it a taste.
It contributes to most of the
sales of our merchant house.
All rice soup tastes the same, though.
What?
- Hooray!
- Hooray!
- We love it!
- We love it!
Let us just take her in.
This is pretty much a windfall.
No. I cannot help but consider the risk.
We cannot have an assistant
who is not aware of our situation.
Then how about we make
her a temporary assistant?
We will need to buy some
time while we get the ship fixed.
That is how you end up in a trap.
You must be rational at times like these.
If you were so rational,
how did you pay so much
for a broken used ship?
Look what you have got us into!
This is driving me insane.
I am already busy trying to find his fault.
No!
Just accept her!
What is happening?
(We give legal advice.)
(Attorney)
This is so boring.
I have brought you a client.
Have a seat.
So, what is your story?
Park owes me medical charges,
so I want to file a lawsuit.
He has suffered from a chronic disease...
for ten years now,
and I recently cured him.
Is it not fair that he
pays me medical fees?
Right.
Actually, the doctor told me...
that eating beef would be my only cure.
He had given up on curing my disease.
But a few days ago, Lord Kim Se Won...
was grilling beef.
I wanted to at least get a sniff of beef,
so I was leaning against his wall.
Somehow, I was completely
cured the next day.
I see.
But he did not even eat the beef.
There is no guarantee that
he was cured by the beef.
You must pay him.
Excuse me?
See?
You are a famous attorney for a reason.
I paid 50 nyang for beef that time.
You can pay me half the price.
It will cost more when he files a lawsuit,
so I recommend you settle with 25 nyang.
I will take that.
Attorney Kang!
Here.
Good. Here you go.
Happy?
Wait. What are you doing?
Park's disease was cured
after only smelling beef.
It is simply fair that you only
listen to the compensation.
Right?
Here you go.
Thank you so much.
- You may go.
- Gosh.
Hold on.
What do you want now?
You must pay for our legal advice.
- That will be five nyang.
- What?
Do not tell me...
you are planning on
jumping an attorney's bill.
You cannot reject me now.
Why will you not hire me as your assistant?
Enough. I told you that I would pay you...
five nyang a day for staying
at your merchant house.
If you want to be so heartless,
I will charge you properly.
You and Dong Chi...
both eat, sleep, and poop at our place.
Your donkey eats, sleeps,
and poops at our stable.
Add them up, and ten nyang
a day would not be enough.
So, may I write the other five
nyang in our ledger every day,
including the interest?
Calm down.
You are tenacious. I will give you that.
You are quick at figures,
so you will not be conned.
Fine. I will give you a chance.
I will test you to see
if you are qualified...
to be my assistant.
How would you do that?
Here.
This is the reason I became an attorney.
So, make your own pouch.
You will also have to find
what you want to put inside.
That is your first test.
Understood.
A coin pouch?
Yes! He said that was the
reason he became an attorney.
At first, I thought it had to be money.
But I have a feeling that it is a trick.
I must look thoroughly into his background.
That way, I can convince him.
I get the feeling that
this is one of his tactics.
- What?
- There is nothing inside,
but he wants to make you think...
that there is something significant.
What?
Princess, he got the best of you.
- No, he did not!
- He did.
- The best of me?
- Yes.
Goodness.
What is this tangerine for?
Right.
He sent you another letter.
With these valuable fruits again.
- The lord?
- Yes.
"By the time this letter reaches you,"
"I will also have arrived at Hanyang."
(It is a shame that I
cannot also send you...)
(the clear sound of the waves.)
"I also send you these tangerines."
"I hope you put it to good use."
He is coming to Hanyang.
Last month, he was in Hamheung.
The month before that, he was in Buyeo.
What does he do for a living...
to be all over the nation?
I do not know what he does,
but I can sense what kind of man he is.
I am certain that he is a man
of integrity and a good heart.
I can see it from his penmanship.
Of all those things,
judging from how he
sends you precious gifts...
that are good enough for kings,
he is certainly a man of great wealth.
You should ask him to meet
you to thank him for all the help.
He would have already been here
if he had wanted to show himself.
He must want to help our
merchant house anonymously.
I do not want to burden him.
Plus, I am pretty busy myself.
What do I do with Attorney Kang?
Still,
you must write him back.
Right. I must.
Kang Han Soo. How should I convince him?
Look here! Is anyone there?
I am a peddler!
Okay.
He is not the person to
hide away for being demoted.
Lord.
Master Cho here...
will help you plan your
inauguration celebration.
Let me officially introduce myself.
I have recently become a
master. My name is Cho Chul Ju.
I am glad that you are here.
Especially the fact that we
have no mutual acquaintances...
or shared memories makes me satisfied.
Sharing a common past...
can be tiresome, at times.
Good luck.
Keep in mind...
that it will be crucial in the
future for both you and me.
I will.
"Minor Inspector Yoo Ji Sun of Saheonbu..."
"traveled all around the
country in secret for years..."
"and uncovered the
corruption of officials..."
"to tighten the public
sentiment from going astray..."
"and make other remarkable contributions."
"As a reward for what he has done,"
"he will be promoted to
a higher-level position,"
"which is a level-two
magistrate of Hanseongbu."
"With devotion, fulfill your
duty granted by His Majesty."
Thank you for your
generosity, Your Majesty.
Hurry up already.
Hurry up.
Move quickly.
Carry two at a time.
Oh, goodness.
There you go. Carry two bottles.
Jung Hyang, put your chin up.
The gaze.
The smile.
This place is where you come to have fun,
not to work.
Just how great of a person is
coming that we are making all this fuss?
Whoever it is, they have my hatred.
(Sowongak)
My lady!
You came here yourself this year.
I am not here to make a donation today.
I know.
We still have not used up the rice
and fabric you donated last time.
If you are out to take a breather,
stay at our merchant house.
- Goodness.
- Look at him.
They're doing so well.
You might even chase
the incoming luck away.
That is exactly my point.
Making the pouch itself is...
harder than choosing what to put in.
I hated sewing even
when I lived in the palace.
Hold on a second.
Your sewing seems just as bad.
Is this really necessary?
Attorney Kang is good-looking for nothing.
He does not look helpful at all.
You know my rough life in the palace...
got me to develop a
discerning eye for people.
He certainly is wicked inside.
We cannot be sure how
he will turn out until later.
If we cut him off already, it
will stay unknown forever.
His ways may be wrong,
but those can be fixed.
Yes, absolutely.
Will it work?
Should we just throw them out?
Why do we not ask for
help from Lady Yeon...
staying in Gukhwa Room?
She has good sewing skills.
Maybe she can patch these up.
Great idea.
- Your Highness, be careful.
- Let us hurry.
Please be careful.
My lady.
My lady.
I guess she stepped outside.
She was here just a while ago.
Gosh, that felt so good.
Goodness.
Nice job.
The weather is wonderful.
- Gosh.
- Yes, right.
The weather is wonderful.
- Gosh.
- Yes, right.
- Eat your fill.
- All right.
I see you are having fun.
Pour more.
Fill it up.
Goodness.
- There you go.
- They're doing so well.
- Gosh.
- I need more too.
Let me pour you a glass.
I almost lost Executive
Minister Yoo's trust...
with Master Jang's incident.
And you gave me a chance to make
up for it. How should I repay you?
It is enough that you know.
Thank you.
- Oh, no.
- Executive Minister Yoo!
Executive Minister Yoo!
Escort him now!
- What is going on?
- Executive Minister Yoo!
Executive Minister Yoo!
Executive Minister Yoo!
What are you waiting for?
Right,
not like this.
I need to know why. The reason.
Just why my parents...
had to face such a devastating death.
The reason.
My lady.
Are you okay?
It is you, So Won.
What...
Executive Minister Yoo,
District Magistrate Song in
Pyongyang requested the King...
to grant him from stepping
down due to his chronic illness.
The district magistrate in Pyongyang?
He is only in his 40s.
Hungu does not have...
enough influence over Pyongyang yet.
Sarim's influence is stronger there.
Its district magistrate must be one of us.
His chronic disease must be an excuse.
When he got caught having an affair...
with the landed proprietor's daughter,
he settled it with the proprietor
by stepping down and leaving.
So if we do not agree with this appeal,
the proprietor will not stay still.
Give the proprietor...
an office position and promote
him to the central government office.
How about the 4th senior
rank's 3rd deputy commander?
(3rd Deputy Commander: 1
of the top 5 posts in Joseon)
Are you not being too generous?
I am giving him such a
position because he deserves it.
Only when we show him the power we have...
will he not come at us again.
And tell him...
if he messes with Hungu's
government affairs again,
he will have to pay for it...
with his life, including this issue.
Understood, my lord.
I feel anxious with only
District Magistrate Song.
It is best to plant another
man from our side.
Yes. It is about time we change...
the fourth senior rank's deputy
magistrate in Pyongyangbu.
(Deputy Magistrate:
4th senior rank officer...)
(supporting the magistrate
and left 3rd magistrate)
It is my first time seeing
the executive minister.
This place feels like the
palace and not the banquet...
when he speaks.
Yes, you are on point.
The executive minister's eyes,
gestures, and every word...
are all a part of politics.
That makes this place the
Royal Office and the palace.
We only do...
as we are told.
It was an order we could not decline,
an order from the very top.
I see.
So it could not be the king.
- Pardon?
- It is nothing.
By the way, who came up with this banquet?
The commissioner.
He used up all his fortune.
I guess he went mad after
being demoted out of the blue.
All of this is not cheap.
Park Jae Soo.
He has jumped...
on the most expensive wagon in Joseon.
My lady.
My lady!
My lady.
That was the day...
Father's third anniversary
of his death ended.
You are exquisite.
- Draw me beautifully.
- Of course.
To be honest, I knew.
That my husband was visiting
the courtesan house every day.
That he was not only sleeping
with the same woman...
but also sharing feelings with her.
I knew about it all but
covered my ears and eyes...
and endured it with great effort,
believing it was the wife's virtue.
- When will you...
- But...
give me a room?
That depends on how you behave.
But I do not want this room.
How come?
Did you not tell me...
your father-in-law
passed away in this room?
There is nothing to fear.
That man already got
everything off his chest...
and crossed the river to the underworld.
I made his wish come true...
just before he died.
I bought and gifted him a pile of yakgwa...
he was always craving.
Was the lord not suffering from diabetes?
That was none of my concern.
Father.
Father!
Father.
Father.
What?
Why did you come back so early?
- Leave.
- What?
No, do not. It is all right.
Leave at once!
Come on. She might catch a cold.
Good grief.
Was it you?
What do you mean?
My father passed away...
after his condition suddenly worsened.
Was it your doing?
What are you saying I did?
Out of filial affection
to your father, I...
I will sue you.
What?
I will sue you to the government office,
reveal all your wrongdoings,
and have you receive proper punishment.
Never...
will I overlook this matter.
Have you gone crazy?
As you are a dim-wit,
you must not know that...
there is no law in Joseon where
a wife can sue his husband.
Had your mother been alive,
she would have sued me in your stead.
But too bad.
Both your mother and
father died a long time ago.
If you want an ancestral
rite to be held after you die,
keep your mouth shut...
and live quietly.
Understood?
All I could do back then...
was simply smash the
jars that contained food...
I made for my husband every day.
Goodness, I will catch you. I surely will.
Magistrate.
What is this?
It is not anything grand.
But it is said that my wife...
is the best cook in this city.
This is my gift to the new magistrate.
Please do not refuse it.
- But I must refuse.
- All right.
Excuse me?
Gosh, you did not even open it.
Here.
- Oh, my.
- Good grief.
- What?
- Those are priceless.
It is filled with my wife's love.
At least have a taste of it.
Look at that.
Come on. Give it a taste.
He must have brought
it since it must be divine.
Even the envoys of Ming...
praised the honeyed ginseng
made by the commissioner's wife.
Have a bite.
Take it.
- Pardon?
- Share it with the people...
who helped prepare this banquet.
You will need more strength than me.
That is fine, right?
Yes, of course.
It is your gift, so do as you please.
All right, then.
Hey! You!
Goodness, this is...
the precious blue and white pottery...
only used by the Royal Family.
Our patriotism...
for this country is not any less than them.
All we have to do now is
prove that we are worthy of this.
You are right.
Now.
Cheers.
- Thank you, Lord Yoo.
- Thank you, Lord Yoo.
Yes.
Move quickly.
Goodness, looking good.
You are here.
Kang Han Soo.
I do not understand.
I have trouble breathing
as if my lungs are pierced,
and I cannot stop crying as
if I am bleeding from a cut.
I pinch and hit my bruises...
to forget the pain of my
heart with the pain of my body,
but everything is useless.
Must I continue to live like this?
Should I leave everything up to fate?
That is not a matter
to leave to time or fate.
My lady, this is a matter that
requires human intervention.
You must find an attorney.
What do you say?
It is a crime to break the
basic moral disciplines.
(Three principles and five moral
disciplines in human relationships)
I will be shunned by society.
"That woman does not know
the basic human moralities."
"That is why her husband did that to her."
They will take his side instead.
A divorcee is considered less of a human...
than the lowest of society.
Does this mean a woman
should put up with everything?
No.
That is unreasonable.
I am sure there is another way...
we are not aware of at the moment.
Did you find anything at the
Royal Academy of Painting?
No one held a personal grudge
against the commissioner...
to the point of taking him to a trial.
- Really?
- Yes.
But I did hear rumors say
that Myung Wol will become...
Commissioner Park's concubine.
Han Soo, what about you?
Did you find anything?
I did.
But I did not.
What do you mean?
Commissioner Park...
seems to have made good connections.
The most powerful man of the
Hungu, Chu Young Woo, is behind him.
And today, he went to see
Executive Minister Yoo's son...
and left a strong
impression with his flattery.
This means he will surely
take the fourth senior rank...
in Pyongyangbu, the
deputy magistrate's office.
Wait, Pyongyangbu is...
the next largest region to Hanseongbu.
The deputy magistrate there is...
more influential than most
third senior rank officers.
That is right.
We should report him for buying his office.
Try to say something that makes more sense.
There is no way they left
any kind of hard evidence,
and they are the same spoiled bunch.
So who will come and testify?
Try to think, okay?
What about the new
magistrate of Hanseongbu?
Executive Minister Yoo's son
can only be as good as his father.
He is pretending to be uptight,
trying to look like an
upright and incorruptible man.
In the end, men are all
blind to their own causes.
That is why...
I am living this darned life.
We must find a muddy path.
A muddy path, I say.
A path that can trap him for good.
You are here, my lord, young master.
Ji Sun.
Yes, Father.
Enjoy it.
You do not have to be so uptight already.
Do not doubt if you
are worthy of the office,
and just enjoy it.
That is why we take power.
You are...
my son,
the executive minister's son.
No matter what you want and what you take,
you can do everything as you wish.
Therefore,
think of the men who bowed
their heads before you...
as your people.
When those people face trouble,
show them...
a little more mercy than the others.
If you do that,
your kingdom...
will operate on its own.
May I truly expect to receive the office?
Executive Minister
Yoo laid his eyes on you,
which equals his answer.
The problem is...
if you can truly take root in that office.
Your foundation is in Hanyang.
Your home and land are all here.
On top of that,
you said the deeds are
all under your wife's name.
Do not worry about that.
It will take quite a fortune...
for me to get a fresh start in Pyongyang.
I must sell all my assets,
including moveables...
and real estate property to
find enough money to do that.
I also must show my gratitude to
Executive Minister Yoo and others.
What about your wife?
That is why the law exists.
(Sowongak)
You must have failed to make the pouch.
You are trying to blind
us with so much food.
The pouch is coming along fine.
This is for another case, so it is...
my bribe to you.
Bribe?
All right.
In that case, I will begin.
You two can take your time and have a talk.
Tell me quickly!
I am not sure if you have heard,
but there are three philanthropists
who help this merchant house.
This will take a while.
Then I will eat first.
One of them is an anonymous helper,
who travel all around the nation...
and sends us specialties from every area.
We sell it here at a high price
to help operate Sowongak.
Another one is a member
of the Royal Family,
who is acquainted with Lady Hong.
That person sends us
grains once every quarter.
- Are you listening?
- What? Yes.
Lastly,
there is a wife of a nobleman...
who is staying on the second
floor, in the Gukhwa Room.
Does the Gukhwa Room lady
need an attorney for her case?
Yes!
Why? Was she robbed?
Or did her servant run away?
Or is this a family affair...
over the gravesite in their mountain?
No.
She wants...
to sue her husband.
What?
The wife wants...
to sue her husband?
Come on. If she did,
she would be flogged instead.
That is why I am asking you.
I thought you might know another way.
Yes, I do!
However,
she should have talked
to the deity of childbirth.
- The deity of childbirth?
- Yes!
Because she will have
to be reborn as a man.
So, she will have a better
chance asking the deity.
Now...
Give me a spoon.
Let us eat.
Is it not the attorney's job...
to help those who were unfairly treated?
Attorney Kang!
Fine.
Does she have a witness
who can testify for her?
- Testify? Of course!
- Good.
Her farmhand...
and her husband's courtesan.
I see.
A farmhand will be executed
for testifying against the master.
Who will dare to testify?
And the courtesan is directly involved,
so she will never testify against herself.
But it is true.
Who says it is true?
Well...
The lady?
Perhaps she has a new man.
She is not that type of
person. How dare you?
How can you be so sure?
One cannot even trust one's
own spouse after 20 years.
Hastily trusting a person
is poison for an attorney.
Then what would you have me do?
I am telling you to give up.
Kang Han Soo.
Kang Han Soo.
Kang Han Soo!
Princess...
Hi, So Won.
Ta-da.
What do you think? Is this good enough?
It is lame... My lady.
I will give you the money.
I will pay you a generous legal fee.
How much do you want?
But...
I have a favor to ask, my lady.
What is it?
Find fault with Han Soo.
He turned down coins,
which were his favorite.
Can you believe it?
He said no to coins?
Just coins.
He said no to coins.
Money wasn't the thing that made him work.
I guessed wrong!
Then what was this for?
I told you that was lame.
Look at this!
We spin the bottle,
and whoever it points at,
that person must answer a question.
You must empty the
glass if you cannot answer.
You see,
this merchant house has
too much liquor to dispose of.
That's true. So much.
Free booze?
I love it.
I will play.
I will spin it.
Okay.
Oh, right.
Where are you from?
Why do you ask?
Well, we must know where you are from...
to get closer.
Is that right?
Sorry, I drank it.
As the rules say, I will not answer.
I am stupid.
Shoot.
You used to love money.
Why did you reject the offer?
Come on. You cannot be so direct.
All right.
Attorney Kang is only
human. He must have a secret.
Hey, Lady Hong.
Fill up my glass.
This is nice!
It is not even a difficult question.
Why do you refuse to answer?
You said that I could only
drink if I did not answer.
I took care of all your disposing alcohol.
If you want to thank me,
you can fill my glass again.
All right.
I feel great.
Return to your room safely.
That was a failure.
(Lavatory)
Who is there?
Lady Hong.
Where are you from?
Why do you want to know where I am from?
You said that one must know...
where you are from to get more intimate.
How did it go? Did you learn anything?
I learned...
that he was a heavy drinker.
How does it look?
How ridiculous.
The government should help
those who were unfairly treated.
Why does she ask me?
As you are a dim-wit,
you must not know that...
there is no law in Joseon where
a wife can sue his husband.
What is the matter with you?
What has gotten into you?
Will you take a nap in my arms?
Oh, my. What are all these?
What do you think?
They are for you, Myung
Wol. These mean my heart,
my tears,
and my bribe.
Just give me one. I only need your heart.
Tears make me awkward,
and bribes make me uncomfortable.
Will you only accept one, then?
Or will you accept my heart,
my tears,
and my bribe?
All of them, of course.
So, what is it that you want?
Rumor has it that you will soon
be Commissioner Park's concubine.
Is that true?
Do not even get me started.
It is all ruined.
Why?
He is all spin and no substance.
The house, the land, the store...
were all owned by his wife's family.
His mother-in-law died way back,
and his father-in-law
passed away three years ago,
so I thought he would get all the property.
Right! I heard you were an attorney.
Then you must be well informed.
Is there a way...
for the husband to take the wife's wealth?
Sure.
Commissioner Park is
confident that there is a way...
and tells me not to worry.
But I cannot fully trust him anymore.
Does he need to get a divorce?
That is right.
What if Commissioner
Park files a suit for divorce?
Have you seen Dong Chi?
He seems to have stepped out.
What is so urgent?
You can join us if you want.
Where did you...
get this food?
It is from the Gukhwa Room lady,
one of our benefactors we mentioned before.
Gukhwa Room?
There is a wife of a nobleman...
who is staying on the second
floor, in the Gukhwa Room.
She wants...
to sue her husband.
Are you perhaps talking...
about the lady So Won asked me to defend?
That is right.
Why? You declined it. Did
you have a change of heart?
I could not see what
was right under my nose.
This is great.
Where is So Won?
She disappeared.
She is not in the room,
and she is nowhere to be found.
She did not leave.
Her pajamas are here,
so she must be out for a bit.
We must find her.
Be careful!
You startled me more.
You did not have to yell.
Because I was startled.
Why?
Right. I wonder why.
What is with the rush?
She did not leave for good.
She may be up to leaving this world itself.
She lives in the middle of Bukchon,
but she came all the way
here. So she must have felt...
This place is...
What about it?
It is close to the Han River.
- Speaking of which...
- Wait.
If you are asking me
again to take the lawsuit...
I am done making the pouch.
You call this a pouch?
I made it with Lady Yeon's ripped sleeve.
She must have...
wiped her tears with this so many times.
So I...
would like to put people's
tears in this pouch.
I want to seal their tears in this...
and give them a smile in return.
After all, the law is...
like a handkerchief to those
who are wronged, I believe.
Please be her handkerchief.
I beg you.
Find her in a rush.
You must escort her back safely.
- Yes, my lady.
- Yes, my lady.
- Do you know Lady Yeon?
- No.
- I have not seen her.
- No?
That way.
Have you seen Lady Yeon?
No.
Have you not seen a noble
lady who is slim and beautiful?
No.
Han Soo! Lady So Won!
- Stop. Goodness.
- Gosh.
Tell them what you said earlier.
(Bureau of Punishments)
My lady.
How did you come here?
What happened?
You have committed 1
of the 7 bad behaviors?
You could not have.
He probably did not have
any other good excuses.
I demanded him to move out,
and he counterattacked.
I apologize for the late introduction.
This is Attorney Kang Han Soo.
She is...
Commissioner Park's wife, I know.
How do you know me?
I heard of your story before coming here...
to help you.
That is right.
He is quite competent, you see.
He recently won a lawsuit
against Jang's guild.
What an ill-fated connection.
My husband was so
furious about that incident.
He and Master Jang knew
each other for a long time.
Anyway,
how are you going to help me?
Why do you not file for divorce?
Divorce?
Yes,
I am going to bring a divorce
lawsuit to Hanseongbu.
As we fiercely defend each other,
everything will be revealed...
to the point that your husband
framed you to take your fortune.
Only then, you will
get to leave this place.
But...
the divorce will...
The moment I get divorced,
everyone will point their fingers at me.
They will think I did
something to deserve it.
Then will you just die?
If you do not divorce him,
you will die anyway.
You will be publicly executed...
in the worst disgrace...
of having an affair
with a servant, at that.
But...
if you divorce him, you will be
able to keep your inheritance.
Your husband is after this fortune,
so you must stop him from seizing it...
to take good revenge on him.
So you should...
bear with the humiliation
of being a divorcee.
You are right.
- My lady.
- But...
will it be possible?
There is a type of
divorce called repudiation.
If there is a cause of divorce
between a married couple,
one can divorce the other by force.
For example, a son-in-law having
an affair with his mother-in-law...
or a husband assaulting
his wife's parents...
or grandparents like this case.
Thus,
I will focus on proving his violence.
Speaking of which,
can you have your leg break?
You mean...
That is right.
You have to risk one
of your legs, at least,
in order to win this trial.
Goodness.
It would be great if you
were in deadly condition.
Are you kidding me?
That is an absolute no.
She has suffered enough already.
But you want her to bear
with something worse?
And you will resort to
such a dangerous plan?
You are not considerate of her at all.
All you care about is winning.
Of course.
If we lose, there will be no revenge.
What about the pain she has to go through?
Who is this revenge for anyway?
Then what do you suggest?
Standard tactics.
I will reveal the fact that
he framed Lady Yeon,
make him pay the price, and
get her the divorce she wants.
I will...
find an attorney who
will take this divorce suit...
based on due process and conscience.
What?
I do not understand.
I am saying that I will take back...
hiring you.
What?
Did you not hear?
Then let me tell you again, Kang Han Soo.
I am firing you.
You are...
fired.
(The animal scenes were filmed
under protection and safety.)
(Special thanks to Han Min
for his guest appearance)
(Joseon Attorney: A Morality)
In order to win a divorce lawsuit,
it is important to reveal
the details of everything.
You have told her more than enough.
She might pull it off without you.
Lord Chu.
My wife brazenly filed a divorce lawsuit...
to Hanseongbu.
She killed herself.
I will make it look like that.
I will make it look like that.
Come back, Kang Han Soo.
I am sorry.