Harbin (하얼빈)

(In 1905, Japan forced Korea to sign the Eulsa Treaty)

(which abolished its diplomatic rights)

(and established a Residency-General)

(but in fact, it lost its sovereignty)

(Some Koreans, unable to contain their fury, resisted,)

It's been over a month.

(January 17, 1909, Yanchihe, Russia)

What do you think, Chang-sup?

If he's not back by now,

(Lee Chang-sup Korean Independence Army)

we should assume he's dead.

He'll return alive, for sure.

(Korean Independence Army Kim Sang-hyun)

If he returns alive,

that means the Japanese have turned him into a spy.

Look here, Chang-sup.

(Woo Duk-soon Korean Independence Army)

Don't go framing someone without clear proof.

Have you forgotten who it was

who got our comrades slaughtered?

He had no other choice!

It was an idiotic choice without an ounce of foresight!

Chang-sup is right.

Whatever his reason was,

(Choi Jae-hyung Chief of Staff, Korean Independence Army)

it's unthinkable to side with Ahn Jung-geun.

Are you okay?

Is it true you let the enemy commander free?

Did anyone return alive?

They're waiting for you.

Ahn.

You're alive.

I knew you'd come back.

What...

What's happened to you?

Are you okay?

(Ahn Jung-geun, Korean Independence Army)

I'm glad to see you alive.

First, sit down.

What gives you the nerve to show up here?

Chang-sup, calm down.

Whatever that man says,

I have no intention of forgiving him.

I didn't come for forgiveness.

I came because there's still work to do.

(40 Days Ago Kyonghung, North Hamgyong Province)

What's going on?

Looks like an advance party.

Maybe 150 men.

That means 70 more than us.

We're at a disadvantage.

Spirit matters more than numbers.

We can handle 2:1.

I get what you mean.

But it's true we're disadvantaged.

And they have better weapons.

What about guard posts?

Two each on the north and south.

Then I'll take the left squad and attack from the south.

I'll come from the north with Kim.

In that case,

I'll hit the guard post first.

With their guns pointed at me,

you two can launch surprise attacks.

Chang-sup, wait for my signal.

Okay.

Now!

Get it together! Go!

Suzuki, stop crying.

Die like a soldier.

Suzuki, die like a soldier.

Who are you?

Who are you?

I'm Major Mori Tatsuo of the Imperial Japanese Army.

Who are you?

Major Mori Tatsuo. Who are you?

I'm Lt. General Ahn Jung-geun of the Korean Independence Army.

Anything to say?

I'm Lt. General Ahn Jung-geun of the Korean Independence Army.

I followed my orders as a soldier.

I feel no shame for my actions.

However,

I wish to die with honor as an Imperial Japanese Army soldier.

Please let me kill myself.

A man who knows no shame

is nothing but a brute,

you worthless beast.

After all the innocent Koreans you people slaughtered?

You son of a gun.

- Woo. - Let me kill them all!

Do you have a family?

Do you have a family?

A wife and two sons.

He's got a wife and two sons.

I release you as prisoners of war,

so go treat the wounded soldiers.

Comrade Ahn!

You're released as prisoners of war,

so go treat the wounded soldiers.

I'm too ashamed to live as a failed commander.

Let me keep my honor.

I'm too ashamed to live as a failed commander.

Let me die honorably.

Major Mori.

Don't turn your kids into orphans,

and go back alive.

Ahn!

Don't turn your kids into orphans,

and go back alive.

Why are you doing this?

Don't you fear the consequences?

Release them,

and they'll regroup and attack us again.

If we take their weapons

and free them after we're gone,

we have nothing to fear.

Freeing them will divide our troops.

Look at our comrades dying over there.

Huh?

You think our men will stand for this?

I understand how you feel.

But universal law states

that prisoners of war should not be executed.

This is barbarism!

A thousand universal laws

can be blown up by one cannon.

Those empty words you love

will make our comrades' deaths mean nothing.

Is it your goal to kill all 40 million Japanese?

My goal is to restore our nation's sovereignty!

If killing 40 million Japanese

will free our country,

I'm all for it.

Attempting to kill them all

will kill all of us, too.

Don't you know that?

You'll take full responsibility

for this decision.

(Hoeryong, North Hamgyong Province)

Do you think I made the wrong decision?

Chang-sup took the left squad and cleared out.

Our troops have heavy losses too.

Returning to Yanchihe across

the Tumen River won't be easy.

Woo, are you still upset with me?

No use in being upset.

Damn.

I'll go down to the village and look for food.

I'll join you.

Get some rest.

I'll be back soon.

If there's any alcohol, get that too.

We should drink to our fallen comrades.

Let's do that.

Prepare the cannon.

Blinded by sentimentalism,

how could you release a captured enemy leader?

If you captured

that Japanese officer again,

would you make the same choice?

Jung-geun.

Answer him.

Take responsibility for destroying our army!

Do it!

That's right! He must take responsibility!

Say something, for god's sake!

- Prove that you're not a spy! - You should resign now!

Comrades.

You can demand responsibility

after hearing him speak.

Choi!

How can you take that scoundrel's side?

Chang-sup, am I wrong?

Comrade Ahn,

why didn't you return immediately? Answer that.

I took refuge in Hoeryong and tried to cross the river,

but it was difficult.

(Tumen River North Hamgyong Province)

I was crossing the Tumen River, going to Yanchihe,

but I wasn't sure I could make it back alive.

The screams of dead comrades rang in my ears,

and corpses with missing limbs

floated before my eyes.

I had lost my way.

Many comrades had died because of my faith,

and I could find no reason to keep living.

So I decided to give up on everything and die.

But at that moment I realized something.

That my life belongs to my dead comrades.

That I am living in place of those fallen comrades.

And I knew what I had to do.

The leader of the Japanese wolves ravaging Korea...

I must kill that old wolf

at all costs.

Considering the close ties between Japan and Korea,

to secure mutual happiness

and establish a permanent peace

in East Asia,

we are convinced of the need

for Japan to absorb Korea,