Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin (불멸의 이순ì‹)

Lt. Yi Young-nam, sir.

You must be the newly appointed high commander.

We were not expecting you until tomorrow, sir.

Take of your uniform!

You don't deserve to be called a warrior!

Sir!

What happened, sir? What's causing you to be so upset?

Isn't that obvious?

Slacking on duty, sloppy uniforms, poor weapons maintenance?

Your control and command over the recruits is pathetic!

You're right, sir.

I'm glad you're quick to admit it.

Then put them on torture racks.

I will punish them by third degree flogging!

But I think there is a misunderstanding, sir.

You must have seen them resting and thought they were slacking on duty,

but they were on a short break after completing their morning drills and

having lunch.

I don't believe it ts reasonable to demand discipline during a break.

What?

And the guards cannot be subjected to third degree flogging for sloppy

uniforms, sir.

More serious infraction such as falling to carry proper weapons on duty is

punished only by forth degree flogging, sir.

I believe a verbal warning would be more appropriate, sir.

So you know the military laws by heart. And you're quite articulate as well.

A verbal warning? It seems they assigned you to the wrong place.

They should've sent you to the Ministry of Punishments.

Is it wrong to command the recruits by uniform code of military justice?

Yes, it's wrong!

Sir!

Words do not teach discipline!

Do you think you can lead an army by memorizing the code of justice?

Unjustified punishment breeds resentment.

And resentment breeds defiance.

And it is impossible to lead defiant men.

Is that so?

Yes, sir.

Customs and traditions are there for a reason. Do you defy them?

If they are bad customs, yes.

Fine.

Very well. We will do this your way.

But first you must defeat me.

If you can fight me one to one and prevail, there will be no floggings.

Are you challenging me to a game of kyuk-gu?

Yes.

I cannot accept this challenge, sir.

Why! Are you afraid? Are you afraid you might lose?

On the contrary, sir. This won't be a fair contest.

I am barely over twenty years old...

And I am an old man way over fifty.

What's more, I've never lost a game of kyuk-gu in my life.

That's even better. I like a good challenge.

All right, sir. As you wish. But you must honor your word.

Of course.

Look! Over there!

It's the high commander!

High commander!

Are you all right, sir?

High commander...

I won. Accept your defeat.

You didn't play fair, sir.

You know a lot about the codes of law but I guess you don't know a thing

about the art of war. Haven't you ever heard of tactical deception?

Sir!

A war has to be won. It isn't important how you win it.

If you win you live, and if you lose you die. That's war.

You didn't think that war is a fair game did, you?

Remember, Lt. Yi. You don't fight wars with words.

What are you waiting for? Strap them on flogging racks!

It's a letter from the governor of Cholla, sir.

He's sending us cannons and gunpowder from the armory.

That's wonderful news!

Sir, I'm glad that a part of our budget problem is solved, but...

I was told that His Majesty wants to conquer Japan.

And to pursue it, he is sending Personally handpicked warriors to

the southern coast.

Are you aware that Won Kyun has been assigned Right Kyung-sang

Naval Commander?

That was rather harsh for a first hello, sir.

Give the boys some breathing room.

They're not the tough warriors that fought in the north with us.

Sir, I am Garrison Captain of Jisepo Han Bek-rok.

I entered service in my early twenties, but I know little about war as I was

bound to a desk job.

Don't be fooled by his modesty. He is extremely knowledgeable

when it comes to weaponry.

Captain Han's garrison always has he best maintained armory

in all 4 garrisons and 16 ports in the Right Kyung-sang Navy.

I'm magistrate of Nam-hae Ki Hyo-keun. I am well-apprised about all of your

magnificent accomplishments in 1572, 1583 and 1588.

I see this place has more than one man who likes to memorize things.

What purpose could it possibly serve you to memorize my accomplishments

by heart?

If you have spare time, I suggest you study your recruit profile logs.

I'll be inspecting the garrison soon.

And if I find that your men are a disorderly mob,

you will be the first to be flogged.

Now, now, there's no need to get nervous today.

You may be flogged tomorrow, but tomorrow is another day.

Drink up! This is how we men build strength and character!

Let's drink.

What's eating you? You look like you stepped in dog poop.

I'd probably get sick drinking with you, not drunk.

Isn't it obvious, Captain Woo?

I've seen you with the same look many times when you were a lieutenant...

out of love and concern for your subordinates.

Oh, sir...

He reminds me of you.

Oh, but there is one thing different about him.

He is a much better kyuk-gu player than you are.

The high commander can be cruel sometimes.

He didn't have to trick you like that.

That's all right. Don't get up.

How long have you been in service now? About two months?

Didn't you mock me enough at the banquet, sir?

Who mocked whom?

Does it make you that mad?

I don't believe I was wrong.

You are not wrong, and neither is the high commander.

No, the high commander is wrong. The recruits are men just like you and I.

They cannot be treated unfairly or with scorn.

I was just like you once... outspoken and defiant.

Once I drew my sword against the high commander.

But now, I would walk into a burning inferno if he commanded me to do so.

Do you know why? Because I know that I would not die.

If I went to battle with the high commander, I know that would

return alive.

He never sends his men into the battlefield first.

He stands at the front and leads each battle himself.

And he never leaves his men in the enemy hands.

He will jump back into the line of fire, all alone if he has to,

to retrieve soldier that is left behind.

Despite his repulsive manners and arrogance, he was trusted by all

warriors of the six camps.

Do you know why?

Unshakable faith and conviction that they would not die under his command.

I think that is the first belief a leader must instill upon his men.

And it is the most important lesson I learned in all of my years at the

northern front.

You're going to be working very closely with the high commander.

So you will learn that very quickly.

So that is Tsushima Island...

Yes, sir!

Our ancestors hard conquered the island of Japanese pirates 5 different times.

Three times during Koryo Dynasty and twice after the founding of Chosun.

And all five times the campaign was launched from right here,

O-apo of Right Kyung-sang Naval Station.

Our conquest will be the sixths.

His Majesty sent me here to conquer Tsushima and display the mighty

power of Chosun, and I don't intend to let him down.

Your Majesty, Commander of Cholla Yi Il bids you humble greetings.

Chief of Police Shin Lip bids you greetings, Your Majesty.

Welcome, in-law!

Your Majesty!

Don't be embarrassed. We are family.

Your daughter is wise and intelligent, a perfect match for Prince Shin-sung,

and the Concubine Kim is thoroughly delighted with her.

I am overwhelmed by your infinite grace as you look so kindly upon

my daughter.

Would you like to know how you can return his grace?

His Majesty is appointing the two of you special military inspector.

Commander Yi, I have long known of your competence.

Your grace is immeasurable, Your Majesty!

Your Majesty, trust these two good men.

They will travel to all six provinces of the north and south inspecting

everything from weapons to morale and strengthen our defense.

The court of Ming has required us to conquer Japan, but I'm inclined to

think that they do not actually expect us to initiate aggression.

After all, they are not fools.

Yes, they must know that we are not equipped to attack Japan right now.

That's right. But the fact that they made such a request shows that they

are wary of Japan and that they are considering the possibility of war.

Ming is a huge empire. It is unlikely that our envoy was the only source

of information about the movement of the Japanese.

Then...?

A war.

Soon the Japanese will show themselves on the waters of Chosun.

What we need now is tactics and strategy to fight against them.

It was seized in 1555.

I didn't know that you had an interest in Chosun vessels, General Dodo.

Do wars interest you as well?

I'm His Eminence's retainer as well.

If conquest is his will, I will not argue.

Good, I certainly am glad to hear that. To tell you the truth, I was concerned.

You were the tea master Sennorikyu's biggest aficionado,

and Sennorikyu liked you very much. Isn't that right?

So I had feared that you've been influenced by his pathetic ideals.

It is His Eminence who ordered me to study the battleships of Chosun.

Dodo Takadora...

Along with Wakizaka Yasuharu and the Kurushima Brothers, he was one

of Hideyoshi's navy generals.

Sailing to Chosun in 1592, he would fight the battle of his life on the

waters of Okpo on what was Yi Soon-shin's first sea battle.

Meanwhile in Japan, Hideyoshi assumed the title of Taiko after

passing on the rank of Kampaku to his adoptive son Hidetsugu and busily

readied his forces for a conquest of Asia.

Attack the capital city of Chosun by sea?

Yes, Your Eminence.

The first fleet will consist of 700 ships.