The King's Face (왕의 얼굴)

This drama's historical events and characters are fictional. The work is the author's imagination.

Episode 1

Please reconsider!

Your Majesty, please reconsider your order to depose His Highness!

Please, withdraw your command.

King Seonjo

PLEASE RECONSIDER!

-Drag them out! -Yes!

Mother! Mother! Crown Princess Yoo.

You bastards! How dare you!

Ga Hee, what's your thought?

Kim Ga Hee

I think anyone who covets the king's throne deserves death.

Kim Do Chi

Your Highness!

First grandson of the King, Lee Gee.

Where is traitor Gwang Hae?!

King Saejong's facial features consisted of a wide forehead and a pronounced nose.

And a prominent chin.

All three facial parts were harmonious, and his eyes resembled that of a dragon.

In fact, that face..

is the face of a peaceful reign.

It is truly the face of a king.

Please reconsider!

King Seonjo's reign of 41 years

I've already told you that it is an impossible matter. Therefore, why are you still causing this much ruckus?!

Are you all trying to go against me, who am the King?!

I'm prepared to die in order for this request.

How can you depose the Crown Prince without any evidence of treason?

Your Majesty, that must NOT happen!

You have prepared yourself for death?...

Then, I'll grant your wish.

For someone who is willing to die...

Who else?

Sincerely...

I...

Do I possess the face of a king who isn't meant to be?!

Crown Prince Gwang Hae

If a ruler without the ideal facial features succeeds as the king...

people will starve.

The royal servants will only listen to their own voices.

The whole country will fall into chaos.

And it will go through a huge tribulation.

Subtitles brought to you by The Face Readers @ Viki

Surely, the King of Joseon must be...

someone who has the face of a King!

Your Royal Queen,

Prince Ha Seong has a face that shouldn't become a king.

The citizens will suffer greatly if someone of those facial attributes becomes the king.

The current king's illness looks very grim. Therefore, what is the course of a plan then?

It's foretold in the book, "The Manual of the King's Face" .

I'm risking my own life to report this to you as the Royal Court's face reader.

"The Manual of the King's Face" is written by the Great Master Moo Hak who founded this nation.

This unique guide to face reading was written with the sole purpose of Joseon's peaceful reign.

Please, believe and abide by the ideology.

Your Highness!

Your Royal Highness...

you must not covet the king's throne! You should not become a king!

This country would face great chaos, if you were to become the king!

For the sake of this nation's future!

Seonjo 22nd Year of Reign (1589)

Your Majesty, we have arrived at our destination.

Subtitles brought to you by The Face Readers @ Viki

Hurry! Hurry!

How are the patients doing?

There are countless fatalities, because we're having a difficult time containing the disease.

Move! . . .

-Please help me! -Your Majesty, please come this way...

-Move aside! -Please, save me!

Your Majesty, you should not..

Move aside.

Don't worry. I will surely save you.

I will not leave my people in despair.

Everything is a lie!

Stop with your lies and get out of here! I don't care if you're the king!

-Hey, you bastard! -The well has dried up long ago.

This place is not even suitable to forage for plants in order to feed my kids.

Truthfully!

First, give us some food! If your intention is to save us.

You're only trying to treat us with cheap ineffective herbs..

Since we're of low status, are you just trying to gather us up to die?!

I'm dying of starvation!

Are they telling the truth?

The lack of food

is not this region's issue, only.

From a plague to starvation?! . . .

Release the food stored in the palace. So the people won't go hungry anymore!

Your Majesty, thank you for your grace.

In hopes of making it rain here, I plan on a prayer ceremony to bring rain.

I will not disregard your sufferings. By any means.

Your Majesty, thank you for your grace!

Move aside!

For those who didn't honor the king,

punish them, discreetly.

Yes. Your Majesty.

The king's forehead represents the sky.

And the area under the nose of the king's face represents the people.

The bottom of the king's facial features should contain the virtue,

so the people won't be poor.

Your Majesty's pointy chin,

will stab the people's mind and body, so please do not stop training your mind!

Don't ever forget that! Not even once.

Your Highness! Are you okay?!

Your Highness, are you having fun teasing me?

Yes, it's much more fun than watching a mask dance.

I told you it doesn't hurt at all many times. Why do you have the bedwetter's face every time?

It's because the person who treats you with acupuncture is not a doctor.

My knees are knocking together when I think he is missing the pressure points.

A great face reader is familiar with complexion and the acupuncture points in the face.

How can you compare Scholar Go to a quack?!

I'm sorry to compare you to a quack!

Your Highness should not speak while you're treated. Go San, Physiognomist (Face Reader)

The King has returned to the palace.

Your Highness should remain here for about an hour.

No. I will go greet him and come back.

This is also the king's royal order.

You still didn't find her?

Please forgive me, Your Majesty.

The reason why I brought you in here is because

you said things that other face readers didn't.

You said, "If you find a woman that will help me thrive,

"my fortune and my reign will change."

Was that not true?

How could I lie to you?

I'm trying all possible means...

I will give you one month.

If you can't find her,

you will have to take responsibility for your words.

I will remember, Your Majesty.

How is Prince Gwang Hae?

According to your command, he is receiving acupuncture treatment on his face everyday.

Gwang Hae does not know why he is receiving the treatment, right?

He does not.

There cannot be two dragons under one sky.

Even if you have to use suction cups along with the acupuncture,

change his face.

That's the only way Gwang Hae can live.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Lower jaw area next to the chin,

If that part is round and plump, and well balanced with the cheekbones,

the person will have great leadership and people's trust.

The area above the tails of the eyebrows, if this area is clear, fleshy and smooth,

You are born with great fortune.

Still,

he is changing my good facial features into something bad.

Your Majesty.

Who are you?

This is not a place that anyone can come into easily.

What are you looking for here?

Please save me.

If you just save my life, I will pretend that I didn't see anything.

Please save me.

Who are you rascals?

What were you looking for over here?

Your Majesty, there were thieves in the library.

Just shoot!

I'm okay.

Shoot the arrow and catch him!

Stop right there!

What are you doing?

Why aren't you shooting the arrow and catching him?

Your Majesty, the Prince is in danger.

Don't worry about the Prince.

Your Majesty!

Father...

Did you travel comfortably?

I wasn't able to greet you.

This late at night,

what were you doing at the library?

Oh...

Because I couldn't sleep, I was reading a book.

Are you okay?

Please get up.

Your Highness, are you sure you are okay?

I'm okay.

You really are something great.

You have caught the thief, Your Highness.

Oh, no. There was more than one.

I forgot for a moment.

Your Highness.

What were you trying to steal?

I came to get The Manual of the King's Face .

Did you just say The Manual of the King's Face ?

That's right. The book that will prove your face is not that of a king.

The Manual of the King's Face will prove that you don't have a king's face; that's what I came to get.

Who sent you?

The king who will open a new world.

He sent us to save Joseon.

What?

Reigning King! Don't you see the hunger and the suffering of the people?

The reason why the Joseon land is cursed

is because of the one who should not have been the king is sitting on the throne.

For the sake of the country's peaceful reign,

we need a new king.

The Manual of the King's Face will validate that.

From now on, you are the Chief of the Royal Guards.

I thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!

Look at the corpse and find out his identity.

We have to find who is behind him.

Yes, Your Majesty.