The Matchmakers (2023) s01e01 Episode Script
I Have Not Fallen for You
1
(Rowoon)
(Cho Yi Hyun)
(Writer: Ha Soo Jin)
(Directors: Hwang Seung Ki, Kim Soo Jin)
(The Matchmakers)
One in 10,000 humans are born
with the ability to identify one's soulmate,
and people with that special ability
existed in every era.
In ancient times, they were chief priests.
In Silla times, they were called Agent of Love
and enjoyed great power and riches.
The Heritage of the Three States appendix on agents says
most influential Agents of Love until the Goryeo era were women,
and as Joseon was a nation built on Confucianism,
they slowly disappeared.
There is no record to show
how they recognized one's soulmate.
(Soulmate)
Agents of Love with a heightened level of skill
are said to bring couples together without knowing themselves.
Silla people called Agents of Love
"lonely souls."
That is because
he who marries an agent is fated to die young.
That is why many agents are widows.
Couples I bring together
live happily and are quite fertile,
so most of my clients are parents with daughters.
(Jung Soon Duk, Left Councillor’s second daughter-in-law and peddler)
I can tell
if they are a match or not.
You could say I was born with the ability to tell their fate.
(Episode 1: I Have Not Fallen for You)
The first-place winner of this year's state exam,
is Sim Jung Woo.
Goodness.
The youngest to place first since Joseon was established
happens to be handsome as well.
Yes.
He scored much higher than the man who came second,
and all ministers who graded the papers were astounded.
Is that so?
Sim Jung Woo came first, and he will
take the currently vacant
Deputy Administrator of Pyeongyang position.
Apply your youthful and new ideas
and assist your superior well.
Your Majesty.
This is too unconventional an appointment that I think
I will uphold your command,
and with my clever mind and quick thinking,
I will clear
the corruption in Pyeongyang and restore order,
Your Majesty.
You do that.
Kids these days are unlike us.
They care not for humility.
Oh, dear
It is said
the greatest of the three misfortunes
is for a young man to gain a lofty title.
Watch your language
and stay out of trouble.
Rather than place far behind the winner
in 3rd place well into one's 40s,
living an unfortunate life
as a successful young man does not seem too bad.
Do I not know what I am saying because I am too young?
Your Highness, you cannot be out here.
Princess.
Your Highness.
Why should I marry the princess?
His Majesty sent me to Pyeongyang, and I leave tomorrow.
The King's son-in-law cannot take a government post.
That position
was reassigned to Min Hyun.
His Majesty gifted you
a great house in Bukchon as a wedding present
and will bestow your older brother with a title as well.
It is a great opportunity for you and your family.
If you were to become a member of the royal family,
it would be a great benefit to our faction.
It would.
This is all thanks to your effort, my lord.
If it is that great an opportunity,
your second son In Guk who is still single
could marry the princess.
The princess wishes to marry you.
The Classic of Rites states
a marriage is bringing together the good of both genders
to honour and serve the family
and bear descendants to carry on the name.
This means a marriage involves two families.
How could the princess name a spouse
based just on her preference?
That goes against our rites.
That is enough.
It is my wish that you marry the princess.
So comply and do not complain.
Father.
You know my dream is to become Premier.
I will not marry the princess if that stops me from taking office!
Are you pleased you sold your son for a large house in Bukchon?
How dare you speak to Father like that?
You are dull-witted and greedy,
and very likely to become a corrupt official.
What did you say?
Heed my advice
if you wish to keep the position
you got from selling your brother.
Take two bows.
Bride, two bows to the right.
Groom, one bow in response.
- Your Highness.
- Your Highness.
- Your Highness.
- Your Highness.
Your Highness.
She has
passed.
The princess died before we even put up
the sign the King sent.
What should we do now?
She died during the wedding.
Did he not get to consummate the marriage, then?
Of course not.
He's a widowed son-in-law of the King.
Kings' sons-in-law cannot remarry or have a concubine.
What good is a house this big?
Oh, dear.
(8 years later)
It is so pretty even on the outside.
How pretty must it be inside?
What do you think?
Hey.
- It suits you.
- Goodness.
- You are here.
- You made it.
- Hello.
- Hi.
I am almost sure
a Marriage Ban will be issued next month.
It is all about speed.
Remember that.
If you have any information,
we should share it.
Do not keep it to yourself and mess things up like before.
Okay, fine!
Will you stop saying that?
I thought Marriage Bans are lifted after a month or so.
- Why are you
- Making a fuss?
While the Marriage Ban is issued, most families with a daughter
must submit the Virgin Note.
I know that much.
But Marriage Bans are not enforced too long,
and it is a good thing to marry the crown prince.
Are you from a distant countryside?
People say "NK Jin."
"NK Jin?"
The next king
will be Prince Jinsung, the nephew of the left state councillor’s wife.
I see.
Whoever were to marry the young, sickly crown prince
is bound to end up a poor widow.
Who would want their daughter to suffer that fate?
So people with daughters of marriageable age
go crazy for matchmakers to get them engaged
before the Marriage Ban is issued.
All we have to do is reap the benefits while the tide is in.
There will be no Marriage Ban this year.
What are you saying?
A court maid I know was adamant.
My sources say
there will be no Marriage Ban this year.
Do not humiliate yourselves using that
as an excuse to arrange marriages.
How cool is she?
Who was that?
She is not cool at all.
If Lady Yeoju said there will be no Marriage Ban,
- I doubt there will be one.
- Right?
Lady Yeoju is never wrong.
"Lady Yeoju?"
The master of matchmaking that does business only with
the rich and famous?
She is no master.
Where are you going?
She said no Ban.
I am off to sell my wares. Get out of the way.
Do we all have to listen to Lady Yeoju
Wait for me!
Postpone the crown prince's wedding
because of a rumour of a female ghost?
Your Majesty.
The number of spinsters and bachelors in the Capital
are at an all-time high.
What?
The rumour of the female ghost surfaced
after a depressed spinster took her life.
We are concerned her grudge will harm the future of our nation.
The untimely drought also
What about the drought? Are you saying the darned woman
caused the drought also?
Well
Well
The heavens' intentions are beyond our understanding, so
What is your point, Minister of Defence?
Pardon?
Right. My point
So, the nation
I mean
A couple and the nation's energy
- What are you saying?
- Your Majesty.
The previous kings urged people to marry young
because people who were allowed to stay single for too long
caused disharmony of yin and yang
and brought on us natural disasters.
We cannot say for sure
the drought was not caused by the lack of marriages.
You might be right, Lord Jo.
But spinsters and bachelors have always posed a problem.
Right now, we are discussing the crown prince's marriage.
Which is why I offer you such counsel.
With rumours spreading of a woman who died because she could not wed,
if we were to issue a Marriage Ban to find
a bride for the young crown prince,
women within the Capital cannot marry even if they wish to.
It is just a short
The Marriage Ban
might be temporary.
Yes.
But it has a significant meaning.
We need as many people as possible to marry,
not issue a ban on marriages.
A Marriage Ban would be against all reason.
Please accept our counsel.
- Please accept our counsel.
- Please accept our counsel.
Last year, they postponed marriage because my son was unwell.
This year, they complain about the age-old spinster issue.
The unworthy fools.
Lord Jo is stalling in Prince Jinsung's favour,
but I believe we cannot marry off the crown prince this year.
No!
I will marry him off before June, as planned,
and send envoys to Ming in August
to bring back the Letter of Investiture.
- But
- Do you think
they will let the crown prince marry next year?
I cannot put it off any longer.
Bring me an excuse to marry off the crown prince before June.
At all costs.
He will be hard-pressed to find an excuse.
Even his late father
could not solve the spinster and bachelor problem.
(Park Bok Ki, Minister of Defence)
(Kim Moon Gun, Chief Magistrate, Capital District Office)
It is not over yet.
There is no way the crown prince can marry now.
We cannot use the same spinster excuse
to postpone his marriage next year.
If the crown prince
were to marry and have a son,
it will be even harder to enthrone Prince Jinsung.
We must eliminate the root of our troubles this year.
You mean kill the crown prince?
Hush, Lord Park.
Watch what you say.
I am King,
and yet I cannot marry off my own son.
I am too ashamed to face you.
I did not ask to see you for an apology.
I believe
I have found the person who can get
the crown prince married.
What?
Who is it?
"Man of Anger."
"Man of Anger?"
Court Lady Choi told me about him recently.
Do you even know who that man was?
You should not stand and stare at him.
I could not help it. He was so handsome.
Who is he?
He is Lord Gyeongunjae, the man with the most anger
in all of Joseon.
The man who spent eight years in celibacy
since his bride died during the wedding?
The man who lives like a monk apart from the fact he eats meat?
Letter of Appeals.
What is marriage?
Based on the Chinese characters,
it means the groom spends the evening at the bride's,
and also
that the bride follows her groom to live with her in-laws.
Eight years ago, in the Year of the Rat,
I, Sim Jung Woo, came to the palace to marry the princess.
But the princess did not follow me to her in-laws.
Considering the situation,
for me to be the King's son-in-law
and enjoy luxuries paid for with taxes
is not right, and I do not merit the treatment.
To correct the wrong,
I submit an appeal to annul my marriage with the princess.
You have been doing this without fail for eight years.
However long it takes,
it is a scholar's duty to correct what is wrong.
You are right.
I was out of line.
Bring me a brush and paper.
What for?
Forget the appeal I brought.
My report on your neglect of duty is a more pressing matter.
I must write about it now.
A slip of the tongue is not neglect of duty.
Enough!
Do you think I am picking on you
because of what you said, like some close-minded fool?
No, but
That is worth considering.
Look at your appearance. Your official cap is crooked,
you dare use a jade ornament allowed to Junior Third Rank and above.
Your belt must hang three inches below your navel,
but yours almost reaches your knees.
Your robe must always be clean,
but there is dried ink on your sleeve.
How can I ignore such a disaster?
Bring me a brush
and paper.
He knows every rule and regulation,
and if he is in a foul mood,
just because you looked at him,
he can have you banished from the Palace.
He is a walking lump of pent-up frustration.
So it is best
to stay out of Lord Gyeongunjae's sight.
That is what I warned a little girl
who recently joined the Palace staff.
Frustration?
My goodness.
That description suits the man who married into our family.
(A royal in-law)
There is nothing he does not know.
Could he not come up with a pretext
to marry the crown prince?
Yes.
How concerned must she be for my politically clueless wife
to suggest I consult Lord Gyeongunjae?
Your Majesty.
I believe the Queen had a brilliant idea.
Are you acting out as well now?
Lord Gyeongunjae is a core member
of Lord Jo's Dongro Faction.
He is.
But from what I heard, the spinster excuse
Lord Jo came up with to postpone the crown prince's marriage
was Lord Gyeongunjae's idea.
What?
That is why his older brother Sim Myung Woo
was on Lord Jo's list for a spring promotion.
That punk. Bring him
That is what makes him the ideal man.
If the well-educated Lord Gyeongunjae
were to do as the Queen said,
he should come up with a pretext for the crown prince's marriage.
Even if he were to fail,
you can name his leader Lord Jo responsible.
Would that not shake the Dongro Faction to their core?
Yes.
Why is my ear so itchy?
My goodness.
O Bong.
Oh, you are late today.
An incompetent official delayed me.
Take me to the inn.
My lady, the female peddler is here.
Now we are in-laws
with the Sungkyunkwan headmaster.
I can demoralize
women from lofty Goryeo families
who have no money and only honour.
I am in a good mood.
I will buy all the cosmetics you brought.
Thank you.
Where is your daughter?
I called her. She will join us soon.
There you are.
Oh, dear.
To form connections so her only son can be successful,
she wants to
sacrifice her daughter to marry into a good family.
But the young lady meets her lover at the water mill.
That is why she looks grumpy when she is engaged.
If she is timid enough to wear the tacky ribbon her mother chose,
she could not tell her mother she does not want to marry him.
I have everything set up.
You just have to be the messenger.
Please do what you do best.
I do not think I can be the messenger.
So,
do you have Official Song's daughter's date and time of birth?
(Date and time of one's birth was used to tell fortunes.)
Before I give you the note,
may I see your son?
I heard the rumour
that you match couples based on their appearance.
But this engagement was agreed on by both families,
and you are just for show.
You can skip that step.
I know
you want Song's daughter
because her family is nouveau riche.
But I do not match couples based just on backgrounds.
On my way in,
I saw your husband as he was leaving and I was surprised.
I could see his nature, as frail as thin porcelain.
I wondered how he managed to become Sungkyunkwan headmaster.
What made him successful
was your steely
It was due to your wisdom and support.
You have no idea.
What man is so timid and frail?
Just one scathing comment
shreds him like wet paper.
Dragging him all the way until he became headmaster
was really
You must have been through
so much, my lady.
You saw through me just like that.
You wish to see my son?
Is anyone there?
Stand right where you are.
He is handsome enough,
and he got into Sungkyunkwan at 19,
so he is smart.
He definitely is the greatest catch in Hanyang.
Mother, why
This marriage
is not to be.
What do you mean?
I spent a fortune on this engagement!
My lady. The headmaster's son is a typical young boy
swaddled in his mother's skirt.
(A boy in his mother's skirt is usually a mother's boy.)
Is it serious?
Very.
If your daughter were to marry him,
he will drain your family's coffers,
but he will do nothing to assist your son's success.
That is a lie.
What I do know for sure
is that if a couple marry and their mothers are controlling,
they will be miserable.
I told the whole family
we would become in-laws with the headmaster.
Breaking things off now is as good as an annulment.
Most crucially, if your daughter were to marry into that family,
she will not bear any children.
I cannot allow that. No.
Noblewomen believe such lies?
How can they not when I am as good as a mind-reader?
My lady.
Put that down as you talk or you will break it again.
Okay.
You said it was an arranged marriage
and your services were just for show.
Yes.
I thought I could make an easy profit from my reputation.
But
Officer Song's daughter was seeing someone in secret.
Once I noticed that,
how could I set her up with a man
she does not love who is not
a good match for her?
Love does not put food on the table.
Everything is arranged these days.
Bok Hee.
Will you marry any man from a rich family?
Why would I when I am not of noble blood?
Smart girl.
Oh, dear.
Does your chest hurt again?
I will be fine once they are out of sight.
Get me away from here.
Yes, my lord.
Goodness.
Come along now.
Did this woman
just rescue me?
You almost bumped into the crate.
Goodbye.
- Well done.
- Sure.
Take care.
Welcome.
What book do you want this time?
I do not want a book this time.
"Golden silkworm poison."
What is this?
A poison mentioned
in the Yuan Dynasty book on medicine you got me.
Oh, in that case
I do not deal in poisons.
Did you not say you can get anything from Ming?
I do not care how much it costs.
Find out if you can procure it.
"Golden silkworm poison."
("The Lady's Private Life")
("The Lady's Private Life")
"The Lady's Private Life?"
("The Lady's Private Life")
"Written by Hwa Rok."
"Spotted deer?"
Gosh.
What an immature and lowly pen name.
"The lady who was looking at the flower in the garden"
"let out a low sigh."
"Hanyang was upside-down due to the revolt,"
"and she felt sorry for herself"
"as she had to stay indoors with an assumed identity."
"The fragrance wafted through her clothes,"
"enveloping her, and in a strong embrace"
"Low moans filled the yard,"
"then subsided at the same time."
Oh, goodness.
Excuse me. Could I
Honey?
Faint moans echoed throughout the garden.
Oh, gosh.
Why are you reading this?
What is that book?
It is a clumsily written erotic romance novel that women read.
I must find out who wrote this book.
By any chance,
did you like this erotic romance novel?
What? Such insolence!
Based on what he is wearing,
he must be a senior fifth-rank officer.
He is neglecting his duty,
visiting this woman first thing in the morning.
Clearly, the author wrote this novel
to ridicule the scholar-officials.
I must report this to the local office and punish the author.
My lord, this book is not worth the trouble.
I will have to finish reading the book to decide that myself.
What does that mean?
If what I have read so far turns out to be a foolish woman's dream,
I cannot report the author.
Oh, please. Hand it over.
That story is a fiction.
Are you gullible enough to believe that it is a true story?
Also, how could you be sure
that it was morning based on the illustration alone?
That book I mean
The morning glories in the illustration are in full bloom,
so I am certain that it was before 9am.
Perhaps, they are convolvulus flowers?
Such insolence. Their leaves look completely different.
It would be hard to be mistaken!
You have a sharp eye.
Such erotic novels are often exaggerated.
So please think that the illustrations were exaggerated too.
Every fiction is inspired by true events.
I must look into this and find out the author's true intentions.
Darn, this fudging idiot.
What? Come again?
I said you were way too serious for your own good.
So you must be a peddler. Which inn do you work for?
Tell me your name and age.
You must be a high-and-mighty nobleman, seeing how you are
looking for a source and meaning behind a completely fictional story.
Why are you
approaching me like this?
I am a peddler, a married one. Why are you hitting on me?
Hitting on you?
You got the wrong idea. Do you even know who I am?
I do not know who you are,
but you asked for my name and age
when I did not write this book.
So naturally, I am wondering if you have fallen for me.
Fallen for you?
My gosh.
You are getting hiccups. So it is true?
I suppose I was not mistaken after all.
How obscene.
No.
He has never even dated. How dare he think he can beat me?
He is cute.
No, you got the wrong idea. Wait.
The peddler who left just now. Did you see which way she went?
O Bong!
You will head home now, right?
What do you do at night these days that you keep dozing off?
I got married recently, you know. Please understand.
What does being married have to do
with dozing off all the time?
Right, you have no idea.
What are you doing?
Those dirty eyes
Is your chest hurting again?
Let us hurry home.
I must rest.
Yes, my lord.
Who made you so upset?
Oh, dear.
("The Lady's Private Life")
I could not eat
or sleep well for days,
but ever since I started reading this illustrated novel by Hwa Rok,
my condition has greatly improved.
I am truly glad to hear that.
By any chance,
have you met Hwa Rok in person?
I do not mean to brag,
but I practically raised Hwa Rok.
In fact, I was the one who came up with the pen name, Hwa Rok.
I see.
What kind of scholar is he?
Clearly, he understands what women want.
He must be a sensitive
and graceful man.
Darn it.
His name
"Graceful?"
"Mysterious" would be a better word to describe him.
I see, a mysterious man.
I will visit you again in five days.
Oh, please try the cosmetic products I brought for you.
For whom should I adorn myself?
Do it for yourself.
My lady.
Kim's family brought some barley.
Could you please open the shed?
One moment.
Yes, my lady.
Come along.
Forget her husband who is never home.
Those two would make a better couple.
If there is indeed a next life,
I hope they are born into the same status and fall in love.
How beautiful.
Oh, no.
Darn, I am late.
Here, you can check.
Also,
you need to give me more time for such urgent orders.
Of course, I want to give you more time.
The lady who dropped this off is extremely busy.
Oh, there she is.
Is the thing I dropped off in the morning ready now?
Please check.
I am sure you did a good job. I am busy, so I have to go.
Wait.
Which family is she from?
I have seen it many times before.
I was not sure whether or not I should tell you.
Do not worry though.
Gosh, what should I do?
Chun Sam's father said
he saw her near Unjongga.
Please be careful, my lady.
I am sure he was mistaken.
She sews all day in the annex.
Why would she be seen near Unjongga?
Lady Ye Jin, I thought he was mistaken too.
But she did not come to the kitchen once today.
I am worried she might be slipping back into her old habits.
Call her.
Yes, my lady.
Lady Jung, Lady Park is here!
Oh, no. Was Chun Sam's father telling the truth?
Why is she not answering?
Lady Jung!
We shall go inside.
How come she is all quiet?
She thought she caught a cold. She fell asleep as she is not well.
Mother, let us go.
My goodness. Lady Ye Jin, you are so gullible.
At a quick glance,
I can tell that it is just a crumpled blanket.
Go move the blanket.
Yes, my lady.
Oh, Mother.
When did you get here?
Why are you here?
Are you talking to me?
Well Why were you lying there quietly,
looking like a crumpled blanket?
Why did you not answer when we called you?
What happened was
I have a bad cold,
but I forced myself to stay up to finish the clothes
for Father and Geun Seok and fainted.
Very well. You should go back to bed.
You need not come to my chamber to greet me in the morning. Rest up.
Wait, Mother.
Why did you come all the way to the annex at this hour?
Knowing my mother-in-law, there is no way she came here voluntarily.
Sam Wol's mother must be the culprit.
I must make sure she would never egg Mother on again
to come here.
Well, the third solar term has begun.
We should change all the beddings, so I came to consult you.
However, you are not feeling well. Rest up for the next few days.
Just make sure you change all the beddings by the 20th.
Pardon me?
By the 20th of this month?
Get some rest.
The 20th?
That is in eight days.
Me and my mouth. I brought this upon myself.
From now on, only tell me what you know for certain.
You are home.
I need to speak with you in regard to Ye Jin's marriage.
Let us talk inside.
What a thrilling day.
It was a good call to stay up all night.
I should organize these now.
Oh, boy.
Chun Sam's father was not lying when he said he saw you near Unjongga.
Thank goodness it is you.
Ye Jin.
You should have made sure Mother would not come to the annex.
Sam Wol's mother kept going on about it, saying she was convinced.
I will come up with an excuse to scold Sam Wol's mother.
Do not scold her.
She probably did that to win points with Mother.
I will be more careful from now on.
Goodness.
You are too understanding when you do not even need to be.
Why must you work as a matchmaker when you always
have to be anxious about getting caught?
Well
Because it makes my heart flutter.
My heart will never flutter again for I am a widow.
I should not let it flutter.
But you see,
when I match a lovely couple,
I can picture the happy life they will build together.
It makes my heart flutter and gives me joy.
And most importantly, I can earn money this way.
There are so many talented seamstresses.
My sewing skills will not improve no matter how much I practice,
so it would be much wiser to earn money
and hire a good seamstress to do the job.
My gosh.
Do not act like you are here to help me. Just say it already.
Seriously, you are awfully quick-witted.
What?
You want me to make sure the marriage talks would fall through?
Yes. I heard he was the Deputy Minister's son,
but I cannot stand men like him.
The Deputy Minister's son?
I did hear you would always find him at courtesan houses.
But how did you know you would not like him?
Do not tell me you lurked around the Deputy Minister's house
to see his face.
Have you lost your mind?
If the word were to spread, you would really have to marry him.
I am not crazy.
I heard it from Gae Dong.
Are you telling me the truth?
Like Mother, I will go on to marry a first-rank officer.
Such a philanderer I do not wish to marry him.
My gosh.
But even so
How could I make the marriage talks fall through altogether?
Well
I do not know how you would do that,
but the master matchmaker, Lady Yeoju, would know.
What?
If you do not help me,
I will tell Mother all about your matchmaking gig.
Let me remind you that I am your sister-in-law after all.
That is truly scary.
Obscene books ridiculing noblemen such as "The Lady's Private Life"
are being widely circulated.
What is the Capital District Office doing? They should ban such books.
Yes!
This is how a married couple should be.
A novel written to bring disgrace on government officials
is widely circulating among women, so I am writing
to report the Capital District Office for dereliction of duty.
In addition, the peddler should also be punished for selling the book
So naturally, I am wondering
if you have fallen for me.
What is wrong with me?
I must report the Capital District Office for dereliction of duty.
In addition, the peddler should also
Have you fallen for me?
In addition, the peddler should also
My goodness.
Did you stay up all night trying to write another petition?
Goodness.
This chest pain I have never experienced before
kept me up all night.
Oh, dear.
(Physician's Office)
I have had chest pain all my life,
but I have never felt such pain with no one else around.
Did you notice anything else that was unusual?
Did I notice anything else?
Oh, yes.
Every time I think of what happened at 6pm yesterday,
the chest pain arises.
At 6pm? You were at the inn.
What happened there?
I do not even want to talk about it. It was despicable
and unfair.
This is different from the chest pain
you normally get. I believe it was caused by Suduraesu.
"Suduraesu?" I have never heard of such an ailment before.
Suduraesu.
"Su" as in "anxiety," "Du" as in "smallpox,"
"Rae" as in "cause," "Su" as in "head."
Living in this complicated world,
when your beliefs do not match what you have experienced,
your anxiety
manifests as physical symptoms and pain.
This newly recognized ailment
- is caused by your bad temper.
- My goodness.
See? This, right here.
Such chest pain and headaches are the most common symptoms.
I see.
So it is a psychogenic ailment caused by cognitive dissonance.
Then I think I know how to treat it.
O Bong, we will go to the inn now.
Yes, my lord.
Thank you.
Goodness.
("The Lady's Private Life")
Why? Do you not like it?
No, do not say it.
I will revise it and have you read it again.
Goodness. You need not revise it.
Volume One was good,
and Volume Two is even better.
You are a genius, are you not?
Oh, please. I am not a genius.
Well
What was your favourite part?
Well, I enjoyed every page but
Right. The part where she escapes from the Department of Justice
Oh, I see.
Lady Yeoju?
I do not know when she will be here.
Why are you looking
for Lady Yeoju?
What is with you?
Lower your voice.
My ears hurt.
Oh, my apologies.
I must talk to the peddler about something.
You can tell me.
I will be sure to relay your message to her.
This all began with a foolish misunderstanding,
so having someone relay my words could cause more misunderstanding.
Hence, I must
speak with her in person.
You wish to see her?
Why? Can I not see her?
It is not that.
I have never seen you picking fights with someone other than noblemen.
When did I pick fights with anyone?
In any case,
I will wait here until she comes back.
She might not be back today.
Sir.
Please excuse me, my lord.
Chief, let us talk.
It seems like you do not know who my lord is
since he always buys medical books.
If he does not meet the peddler today,
I shudder to think what will happen to you.
What will happen?
He will report to the officials
that there is an inn renting out novels
aimed at mocking the gentry.
That will get you 20 flogs to begin with.
It is the law.
So if the peddler is not coming,
you better get her right now.
He is way more obnoxious than I thought.
Do you know him?
I told you about him.
The petty fellow who wanted to report the book
for mocking nobles.
Does that mean he is here to report me?
Do not worry.
He would have gone to the officials if he wanted to.
Why would he come here for me, going as far to threaten Chief?
I see. But why is he here?
I think
My lord, this book is not worth the trouble.
I will have to finish reading the book to decide that myself.
What does that mean?
If what I have read so far turns out to be a foolish woman's dream,
I cannot report the author.
He must be curious about the ending of Volume One.
Everything will be settled if he gets that book.
("The Lady's Private Life")
- Really?
- Just count on me.
Meow.
Oh, my. Come to think of it,
Lady Yeoju will come here to return the books.
Yes, she is on her way.
I heard him too.
There she comes!
She is not there.
- Goodness!
- My gosh.
Are you looking for me?
Where did you come from?
I heard that you had something to tell me.
Please excuse us.
- Sorry?
- Please do.
O Bong, you too. Wait outside.
- Me too?
- Quick!
But I Goodness.
Please speak.
I have something for you too.
I
I
I have fallen for you.
My gosh.
That is nuts.
- Did he just confess?
- Yes.
("The Lady's Private Life")
What What did I just say?
You said you have fallen for me.
I misspoke because I am unwell. Forget it.
What I want to say is
I
have not fallen for you.
I see.
What is he saying?
What?
Why are you stating the obvious?
When we were here yesterday,
did you not suppose that I had fallen for you?
Pardon?
But you asked for my name and age
when I did not write this book.
So naturally, I am wondering if you have fallen for me.
Right.
You came all the way here just to rectify that?
Correcting that ridiculous misunderstanding
is extremely important for me.
I thought he was an obnoxious jerk. Turns out, he is a total freak.
I should not interact any further.
I need to be polite and apologize quickly.
That day, I was in a hurry and misunderstood.
I apologize for the inconvenience caused.
I shall set this straight and take that
you did not fall for me.
All right.
To make up for it,
I will make sure to stay out of your sight.
Excuse me, then.
Is that really necessary?
Does your chest still ache?
No.
I just fixed the misunderstanding.
It will not ache anymore.
- I do not think it is fixed.
- Why, you
Why are you
The traitor is here.
Arrest him!
Lords, there must be a misunderstanding
Why, you
Goodness. How insolent!
If you knew who I was,
you would realize how impudent
you were being.
My lord is in a foul mood right now.
Someone will lose their title today.
You must be an investigator from the Department of Justice.
Seeing how you only brought your henchmen,
it must be a secret mission.
Your failure to recognize people shows your incompetency.
What a shame.
While you were here wasting time with me,
your suspect would have fled already.
Your crime is
My lord!
Wake up!
You are not a lowly thug. How can an investigator
go against the manual?
How dare you act so impudently?
Do you know who I am?
Are you not Lord Gyeongunjae?
Despite knowing my identity, you acted rashly.
That is an act of contempt against the throne.
Who is the one belittling the throne?
And who are you? Look
Oh, Your Your Majesty.
Because you belittled the throne
and deceived me,
I ordered him to arrest you.
Your Majesty, that is absolutely illogical
Since the establishment of Joseon,
no son-in-law of the king has been allowed to remarry.
Yet, you blatantly wrote appeals.
Is that not contempt against the throne?
Well, that was an appropriate appeal
- Sim Jung Woo.
- Yes?
When you married my daughter,
you should have been ready for this.
Even wives keep their chastity easily.
How dare you write appeals about it?
Pardon my impudence, but that appeal
was not a request for permission to remarry.
As per the recommendation by the royal family,
I wanted you to annul my marriage to the princess.
Did you perhaps think they were the same thing
or was that not the case?
What?
I never realized.
You are the type that asks to be punished.
Bring it here.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Chief Royal Secretary
Your Majesty.
This is not the right sentence by law.
Please give me a fair sentence later and
Do not try to buy time.
I know you will rack your sly brain
and get away with a wonderful excuse again.
Just like how you stopped
the crown prince's marriage with the spinster-bachelor problem.
How did you know that?
I knew it. So you were the one who gave the left state councillor
an excuse to stop the crown prince's marriage.
Serve this traitor the poison at once!
Yes, Your Majesty.
(The Matchmakers)
(We thank actress Jang Hye Jin for her special appearance.)
They named you a traitor?
How can this be?
I am finally going into government.
Have you heard of the old ladies?
It is not that we cannot wed, but we refuse to.
What is wrong with that old fossil?
I will attempt to marry off Lord Maeng's three girls
in two months.
I will never accept matchmaking requests
from people like you.
Why is everyone doing this to me?
Can you pretend to be Lady Yeoju this once?
You will not leave easily today.
You will regret it.
Lady Bang only has her husband.
I miss you, my dear.
(Rowoon)
(Cho Yi Hyun)
(Writer: Ha Soo Jin)
(Directors: Hwang Seung Ki, Kim Soo Jin)
(The Matchmakers)
One in 10,000 humans are born
with the ability to identify one's soulmate,
and people with that special ability
existed in every era.
In ancient times, they were chief priests.
In Silla times, they were called Agent of Love
and enjoyed great power and riches.
The Heritage of the Three States appendix on agents says
most influential Agents of Love until the Goryeo era were women,
and as Joseon was a nation built on Confucianism,
they slowly disappeared.
There is no record to show
how they recognized one's soulmate.
(Soulmate)
Agents of Love with a heightened level of skill
are said to bring couples together without knowing themselves.
Silla people called Agents of Love
"lonely souls."
That is because
he who marries an agent is fated to die young.
That is why many agents are widows.
Couples I bring together
live happily and are quite fertile,
so most of my clients are parents with daughters.
(Jung Soon Duk, Left Councillor’s second daughter-in-law and peddler)
I can tell
if they are a match or not.
You could say I was born with the ability to tell their fate.
(Episode 1: I Have Not Fallen for You)
The first-place winner of this year's state exam,
is Sim Jung Woo.
Goodness.
The youngest to place first since Joseon was established
happens to be handsome as well.
Yes.
He scored much higher than the man who came second,
and all ministers who graded the papers were astounded.
Is that so?
Sim Jung Woo came first, and he will
take the currently vacant
Deputy Administrator of Pyeongyang position.
Apply your youthful and new ideas
and assist your superior well.
Your Majesty.
This is too unconventional an appointment that I think
I will uphold your command,
and with my clever mind and quick thinking,
I will clear
the corruption in Pyeongyang and restore order,
Your Majesty.
You do that.
Kids these days are unlike us.
They care not for humility.
Oh, dear
It is said
the greatest of the three misfortunes
is for a young man to gain a lofty title.
Watch your language
and stay out of trouble.
Rather than place far behind the winner
in 3rd place well into one's 40s,
living an unfortunate life
as a successful young man does not seem too bad.
Do I not know what I am saying because I am too young?
Your Highness, you cannot be out here.
Princess.
Your Highness.
Why should I marry the princess?
His Majesty sent me to Pyeongyang, and I leave tomorrow.
The King's son-in-law cannot take a government post.
That position
was reassigned to Min Hyun.
His Majesty gifted you
a great house in Bukchon as a wedding present
and will bestow your older brother with a title as well.
It is a great opportunity for you and your family.
If you were to become a member of the royal family,
it would be a great benefit to our faction.
It would.
This is all thanks to your effort, my lord.
If it is that great an opportunity,
your second son In Guk who is still single
could marry the princess.
The princess wishes to marry you.
The Classic of Rites states
a marriage is bringing together the good of both genders
to honour and serve the family
and bear descendants to carry on the name.
This means a marriage involves two families.
How could the princess name a spouse
based just on her preference?
That goes against our rites.
That is enough.
It is my wish that you marry the princess.
So comply and do not complain.
Father.
You know my dream is to become Premier.
I will not marry the princess if that stops me from taking office!
Are you pleased you sold your son for a large house in Bukchon?
How dare you speak to Father like that?
You are dull-witted and greedy,
and very likely to become a corrupt official.
What did you say?
Heed my advice
if you wish to keep the position
you got from selling your brother.
Take two bows.
Bride, two bows to the right.
Groom, one bow in response.
- Your Highness.
- Your Highness.
- Your Highness.
- Your Highness.
Your Highness.
She has
passed.
The princess died before we even put up
the sign the King sent.
What should we do now?
She died during the wedding.
Did he not get to consummate the marriage, then?
Of course not.
He's a widowed son-in-law of the King.
Kings' sons-in-law cannot remarry or have a concubine.
What good is a house this big?
Oh, dear.
(8 years later)
It is so pretty even on the outside.
How pretty must it be inside?
What do you think?
Hey.
- It suits you.
- Goodness.
- You are here.
- You made it.
- Hello.
- Hi.
I am almost sure
a Marriage Ban will be issued next month.
It is all about speed.
Remember that.
If you have any information,
we should share it.
Do not keep it to yourself and mess things up like before.
Okay, fine!
Will you stop saying that?
I thought Marriage Bans are lifted after a month or so.
- Why are you
- Making a fuss?
While the Marriage Ban is issued, most families with a daughter
must submit the Virgin Note.
I know that much.
But Marriage Bans are not enforced too long,
and it is a good thing to marry the crown prince.
Are you from a distant countryside?
People say "NK Jin."
"NK Jin?"
The next king
will be Prince Jinsung, the nephew of the left state councillor’s wife.
I see.
Whoever were to marry the young, sickly crown prince
is bound to end up a poor widow.
Who would want their daughter to suffer that fate?
So people with daughters of marriageable age
go crazy for matchmakers to get them engaged
before the Marriage Ban is issued.
All we have to do is reap the benefits while the tide is in.
There will be no Marriage Ban this year.
What are you saying?
A court maid I know was adamant.
My sources say
there will be no Marriage Ban this year.
Do not humiliate yourselves using that
as an excuse to arrange marriages.
How cool is she?
Who was that?
She is not cool at all.
If Lady Yeoju said there will be no Marriage Ban,
- I doubt there will be one.
- Right?
Lady Yeoju is never wrong.
"Lady Yeoju?"
The master of matchmaking that does business only with
the rich and famous?
She is no master.
Where are you going?
She said no Ban.
I am off to sell my wares. Get out of the way.
Do we all have to listen to Lady Yeoju
Wait for me!
Postpone the crown prince's wedding
because of a rumour of a female ghost?
Your Majesty.
The number of spinsters and bachelors in the Capital
are at an all-time high.
What?
The rumour of the female ghost surfaced
after a depressed spinster took her life.
We are concerned her grudge will harm the future of our nation.
The untimely drought also
What about the drought? Are you saying the darned woman
caused the drought also?
Well
Well
The heavens' intentions are beyond our understanding, so
What is your point, Minister of Defence?
Pardon?
Right. My point
So, the nation
I mean
A couple and the nation's energy
- What are you saying?
- Your Majesty.
The previous kings urged people to marry young
because people who were allowed to stay single for too long
caused disharmony of yin and yang
and brought on us natural disasters.
We cannot say for sure
the drought was not caused by the lack of marriages.
You might be right, Lord Jo.
But spinsters and bachelors have always posed a problem.
Right now, we are discussing the crown prince's marriage.
Which is why I offer you such counsel.
With rumours spreading of a woman who died because she could not wed,
if we were to issue a Marriage Ban to find
a bride for the young crown prince,
women within the Capital cannot marry even if they wish to.
It is just a short
The Marriage Ban
might be temporary.
Yes.
But it has a significant meaning.
We need as many people as possible to marry,
not issue a ban on marriages.
A Marriage Ban would be against all reason.
Please accept our counsel.
- Please accept our counsel.
- Please accept our counsel.
Last year, they postponed marriage because my son was unwell.
This year, they complain about the age-old spinster issue.
The unworthy fools.
Lord Jo is stalling in Prince Jinsung's favour,
but I believe we cannot marry off the crown prince this year.
No!
I will marry him off before June, as planned,
and send envoys to Ming in August
to bring back the Letter of Investiture.
- But
- Do you think
they will let the crown prince marry next year?
I cannot put it off any longer.
Bring me an excuse to marry off the crown prince before June.
At all costs.
He will be hard-pressed to find an excuse.
Even his late father
could not solve the spinster and bachelor problem.
(Park Bok Ki, Minister of Defence)
(Kim Moon Gun, Chief Magistrate, Capital District Office)
It is not over yet.
There is no way the crown prince can marry now.
We cannot use the same spinster excuse
to postpone his marriage next year.
If the crown prince
were to marry and have a son,
it will be even harder to enthrone Prince Jinsung.
We must eliminate the root of our troubles this year.
You mean kill the crown prince?
Hush, Lord Park.
Watch what you say.
I am King,
and yet I cannot marry off my own son.
I am too ashamed to face you.
I did not ask to see you for an apology.
I believe
I have found the person who can get
the crown prince married.
What?
Who is it?
"Man of Anger."
"Man of Anger?"
Court Lady Choi told me about him recently.
Do you even know who that man was?
You should not stand and stare at him.
I could not help it. He was so handsome.
Who is he?
He is Lord Gyeongunjae, the man with the most anger
in all of Joseon.
The man who spent eight years in celibacy
since his bride died during the wedding?
The man who lives like a monk apart from the fact he eats meat?
Letter of Appeals.
What is marriage?
Based on the Chinese characters,
it means the groom spends the evening at the bride's,
and also
that the bride follows her groom to live with her in-laws.
Eight years ago, in the Year of the Rat,
I, Sim Jung Woo, came to the palace to marry the princess.
But the princess did not follow me to her in-laws.
Considering the situation,
for me to be the King's son-in-law
and enjoy luxuries paid for with taxes
is not right, and I do not merit the treatment.
To correct the wrong,
I submit an appeal to annul my marriage with the princess.
You have been doing this without fail for eight years.
However long it takes,
it is a scholar's duty to correct what is wrong.
You are right.
I was out of line.
Bring me a brush and paper.
What for?
Forget the appeal I brought.
My report on your neglect of duty is a more pressing matter.
I must write about it now.
A slip of the tongue is not neglect of duty.
Enough!
Do you think I am picking on you
because of what you said, like some close-minded fool?
No, but
That is worth considering.
Look at your appearance. Your official cap is crooked,
you dare use a jade ornament allowed to Junior Third Rank and above.
Your belt must hang three inches below your navel,
but yours almost reaches your knees.
Your robe must always be clean,
but there is dried ink on your sleeve.
How can I ignore such a disaster?
Bring me a brush
and paper.
He knows every rule and regulation,
and if he is in a foul mood,
just because you looked at him,
he can have you banished from the Palace.
He is a walking lump of pent-up frustration.
So it is best
to stay out of Lord Gyeongunjae's sight.
That is what I warned a little girl
who recently joined the Palace staff.
Frustration?
My goodness.
That description suits the man who married into our family.
(A royal in-law)
There is nothing he does not know.
Could he not come up with a pretext
to marry the crown prince?
Yes.
How concerned must she be for my politically clueless wife
to suggest I consult Lord Gyeongunjae?
Your Majesty.
I believe the Queen had a brilliant idea.
Are you acting out as well now?
Lord Gyeongunjae is a core member
of Lord Jo's Dongro Faction.
He is.
But from what I heard, the spinster excuse
Lord Jo came up with to postpone the crown prince's marriage
was Lord Gyeongunjae's idea.
What?
That is why his older brother Sim Myung Woo
was on Lord Jo's list for a spring promotion.
That punk. Bring him
That is what makes him the ideal man.
If the well-educated Lord Gyeongunjae
were to do as the Queen said,
he should come up with a pretext for the crown prince's marriage.
Even if he were to fail,
you can name his leader Lord Jo responsible.
Would that not shake the Dongro Faction to their core?
Yes.
Why is my ear so itchy?
My goodness.
O Bong.
Oh, you are late today.
An incompetent official delayed me.
Take me to the inn.
My lady, the female peddler is here.
Now we are in-laws
with the Sungkyunkwan headmaster.
I can demoralize
women from lofty Goryeo families
who have no money and only honour.
I am in a good mood.
I will buy all the cosmetics you brought.
Thank you.
Where is your daughter?
I called her. She will join us soon.
There you are.
Oh, dear.
To form connections so her only son can be successful,
she wants to
sacrifice her daughter to marry into a good family.
But the young lady meets her lover at the water mill.
That is why she looks grumpy when she is engaged.
If she is timid enough to wear the tacky ribbon her mother chose,
she could not tell her mother she does not want to marry him.
I have everything set up.
You just have to be the messenger.
Please do what you do best.
I do not think I can be the messenger.
So,
do you have Official Song's daughter's date and time of birth?
(Date and time of one's birth was used to tell fortunes.)
Before I give you the note,
may I see your son?
I heard the rumour
that you match couples based on their appearance.
But this engagement was agreed on by both families,
and you are just for show.
You can skip that step.
I know
you want Song's daughter
because her family is nouveau riche.
But I do not match couples based just on backgrounds.
On my way in,
I saw your husband as he was leaving and I was surprised.
I could see his nature, as frail as thin porcelain.
I wondered how he managed to become Sungkyunkwan headmaster.
What made him successful
was your steely
It was due to your wisdom and support.
You have no idea.
What man is so timid and frail?
Just one scathing comment
shreds him like wet paper.
Dragging him all the way until he became headmaster
was really
You must have been through
so much, my lady.
You saw through me just like that.
You wish to see my son?
Is anyone there?
Stand right where you are.
He is handsome enough,
and he got into Sungkyunkwan at 19,
so he is smart.
He definitely is the greatest catch in Hanyang.
Mother, why
This marriage
is not to be.
What do you mean?
I spent a fortune on this engagement!
My lady. The headmaster's son is a typical young boy
swaddled in his mother's skirt.
(A boy in his mother's skirt is usually a mother's boy.)
Is it serious?
Very.
If your daughter were to marry him,
he will drain your family's coffers,
but he will do nothing to assist your son's success.
That is a lie.
What I do know for sure
is that if a couple marry and their mothers are controlling,
they will be miserable.
I told the whole family
we would become in-laws with the headmaster.
Breaking things off now is as good as an annulment.
Most crucially, if your daughter were to marry into that family,
she will not bear any children.
I cannot allow that. No.
Noblewomen believe such lies?
How can they not when I am as good as a mind-reader?
My lady.
Put that down as you talk or you will break it again.
Okay.
You said it was an arranged marriage
and your services were just for show.
Yes.
I thought I could make an easy profit from my reputation.
But
Officer Song's daughter was seeing someone in secret.
Once I noticed that,
how could I set her up with a man
she does not love who is not
a good match for her?
Love does not put food on the table.
Everything is arranged these days.
Bok Hee.
Will you marry any man from a rich family?
Why would I when I am not of noble blood?
Smart girl.
Oh, dear.
Does your chest hurt again?
I will be fine once they are out of sight.
Get me away from here.
Yes, my lord.
Goodness.
Come along now.
Did this woman
just rescue me?
You almost bumped into the crate.
Goodbye.
- Well done.
- Sure.
Take care.
Welcome.
What book do you want this time?
I do not want a book this time.
"Golden silkworm poison."
What is this?
A poison mentioned
in the Yuan Dynasty book on medicine you got me.
Oh, in that case
I do not deal in poisons.
Did you not say you can get anything from Ming?
I do not care how much it costs.
Find out if you can procure it.
"Golden silkworm poison."
("The Lady's Private Life")
("The Lady's Private Life")
"The Lady's Private Life?"
("The Lady's Private Life")
"Written by Hwa Rok."
"Spotted deer?"
Gosh.
What an immature and lowly pen name.
"The lady who was looking at the flower in the garden"
"let out a low sigh."
"Hanyang was upside-down due to the revolt,"
"and she felt sorry for herself"
"as she had to stay indoors with an assumed identity."
"The fragrance wafted through her clothes,"
"enveloping her, and in a strong embrace"
"Low moans filled the yard,"
"then subsided at the same time."
Oh, goodness.
Excuse me. Could I
Honey?
Faint moans echoed throughout the garden.
Oh, gosh.
Why are you reading this?
What is that book?
It is a clumsily written erotic romance novel that women read.
I must find out who wrote this book.
By any chance,
did you like this erotic romance novel?
What? Such insolence!
Based on what he is wearing,
he must be a senior fifth-rank officer.
He is neglecting his duty,
visiting this woman first thing in the morning.
Clearly, the author wrote this novel
to ridicule the scholar-officials.
I must report this to the local office and punish the author.
My lord, this book is not worth the trouble.
I will have to finish reading the book to decide that myself.
What does that mean?
If what I have read so far turns out to be a foolish woman's dream,
I cannot report the author.
Oh, please. Hand it over.
That story is a fiction.
Are you gullible enough to believe that it is a true story?
Also, how could you be sure
that it was morning based on the illustration alone?
That book I mean
The morning glories in the illustration are in full bloom,
so I am certain that it was before 9am.
Perhaps, they are convolvulus flowers?
Such insolence. Their leaves look completely different.
It would be hard to be mistaken!
You have a sharp eye.
Such erotic novels are often exaggerated.
So please think that the illustrations were exaggerated too.
Every fiction is inspired by true events.
I must look into this and find out the author's true intentions.
Darn, this fudging idiot.
What? Come again?
I said you were way too serious for your own good.
So you must be a peddler. Which inn do you work for?
Tell me your name and age.
You must be a high-and-mighty nobleman, seeing how you are
looking for a source and meaning behind a completely fictional story.
Why are you
approaching me like this?
I am a peddler, a married one. Why are you hitting on me?
Hitting on you?
You got the wrong idea. Do you even know who I am?
I do not know who you are,
but you asked for my name and age
when I did not write this book.
So naturally, I am wondering if you have fallen for me.
Fallen for you?
My gosh.
You are getting hiccups. So it is true?
I suppose I was not mistaken after all.
How obscene.
No.
He has never even dated. How dare he think he can beat me?
He is cute.
No, you got the wrong idea. Wait.
The peddler who left just now. Did you see which way she went?
O Bong!
You will head home now, right?
What do you do at night these days that you keep dozing off?
I got married recently, you know. Please understand.
What does being married have to do
with dozing off all the time?
Right, you have no idea.
What are you doing?
Those dirty eyes
Is your chest hurting again?
Let us hurry home.
I must rest.
Yes, my lord.
Who made you so upset?
Oh, dear.
("The Lady's Private Life")
I could not eat
or sleep well for days,
but ever since I started reading this illustrated novel by Hwa Rok,
my condition has greatly improved.
I am truly glad to hear that.
By any chance,
have you met Hwa Rok in person?
I do not mean to brag,
but I practically raised Hwa Rok.
In fact, I was the one who came up with the pen name, Hwa Rok.
I see.
What kind of scholar is he?
Clearly, he understands what women want.
He must be a sensitive
and graceful man.
Darn it.
His name
"Graceful?"
"Mysterious" would be a better word to describe him.
I see, a mysterious man.
I will visit you again in five days.
Oh, please try the cosmetic products I brought for you.
For whom should I adorn myself?
Do it for yourself.
My lady.
Kim's family brought some barley.
Could you please open the shed?
One moment.
Yes, my lady.
Come along.
Forget her husband who is never home.
Those two would make a better couple.
If there is indeed a next life,
I hope they are born into the same status and fall in love.
How beautiful.
Oh, no.
Darn, I am late.
Here, you can check.
Also,
you need to give me more time for such urgent orders.
Of course, I want to give you more time.
The lady who dropped this off is extremely busy.
Oh, there she is.
Is the thing I dropped off in the morning ready now?
Please check.
I am sure you did a good job. I am busy, so I have to go.
Wait.
Which family is she from?
I have seen it many times before.
I was not sure whether or not I should tell you.
Do not worry though.
Gosh, what should I do?
Chun Sam's father said
he saw her near Unjongga.
Please be careful, my lady.
I am sure he was mistaken.
She sews all day in the annex.
Why would she be seen near Unjongga?
Lady Ye Jin, I thought he was mistaken too.
But she did not come to the kitchen once today.
I am worried she might be slipping back into her old habits.
Call her.
Yes, my lady.
Lady Jung, Lady Park is here!
Oh, no. Was Chun Sam's father telling the truth?
Why is she not answering?
Lady Jung!
We shall go inside.
How come she is all quiet?
She thought she caught a cold. She fell asleep as she is not well.
Mother, let us go.
My goodness. Lady Ye Jin, you are so gullible.
At a quick glance,
I can tell that it is just a crumpled blanket.
Go move the blanket.
Yes, my lady.
Oh, Mother.
When did you get here?
Why are you here?
Are you talking to me?
Well Why were you lying there quietly,
looking like a crumpled blanket?
Why did you not answer when we called you?
What happened was
I have a bad cold,
but I forced myself to stay up to finish the clothes
for Father and Geun Seok and fainted.
Very well. You should go back to bed.
You need not come to my chamber to greet me in the morning. Rest up.
Wait, Mother.
Why did you come all the way to the annex at this hour?
Knowing my mother-in-law, there is no way she came here voluntarily.
Sam Wol's mother must be the culprit.
I must make sure she would never egg Mother on again
to come here.
Well, the third solar term has begun.
We should change all the beddings, so I came to consult you.
However, you are not feeling well. Rest up for the next few days.
Just make sure you change all the beddings by the 20th.
Pardon me?
By the 20th of this month?
Get some rest.
The 20th?
That is in eight days.
Me and my mouth. I brought this upon myself.
From now on, only tell me what you know for certain.
You are home.
I need to speak with you in regard to Ye Jin's marriage.
Let us talk inside.
What a thrilling day.
It was a good call to stay up all night.
I should organize these now.
Oh, boy.
Chun Sam's father was not lying when he said he saw you near Unjongga.
Thank goodness it is you.
Ye Jin.
You should have made sure Mother would not come to the annex.
Sam Wol's mother kept going on about it, saying she was convinced.
I will come up with an excuse to scold Sam Wol's mother.
Do not scold her.
She probably did that to win points with Mother.
I will be more careful from now on.
Goodness.
You are too understanding when you do not even need to be.
Why must you work as a matchmaker when you always
have to be anxious about getting caught?
Well
Because it makes my heart flutter.
My heart will never flutter again for I am a widow.
I should not let it flutter.
But you see,
when I match a lovely couple,
I can picture the happy life they will build together.
It makes my heart flutter and gives me joy.
And most importantly, I can earn money this way.
There are so many talented seamstresses.
My sewing skills will not improve no matter how much I practice,
so it would be much wiser to earn money
and hire a good seamstress to do the job.
My gosh.
Do not act like you are here to help me. Just say it already.
Seriously, you are awfully quick-witted.
What?
You want me to make sure the marriage talks would fall through?
Yes. I heard he was the Deputy Minister's son,
but I cannot stand men like him.
The Deputy Minister's son?
I did hear you would always find him at courtesan houses.
But how did you know you would not like him?
Do not tell me you lurked around the Deputy Minister's house
to see his face.
Have you lost your mind?
If the word were to spread, you would really have to marry him.
I am not crazy.
I heard it from Gae Dong.
Are you telling me the truth?
Like Mother, I will go on to marry a first-rank officer.
Such a philanderer I do not wish to marry him.
My gosh.
But even so
How could I make the marriage talks fall through altogether?
Well
I do not know how you would do that,
but the master matchmaker, Lady Yeoju, would know.
What?
If you do not help me,
I will tell Mother all about your matchmaking gig.
Let me remind you that I am your sister-in-law after all.
That is truly scary.
Obscene books ridiculing noblemen such as "The Lady's Private Life"
are being widely circulated.
What is the Capital District Office doing? They should ban such books.
Yes!
This is how a married couple should be.
A novel written to bring disgrace on government officials
is widely circulating among women, so I am writing
to report the Capital District Office for dereliction of duty.
In addition, the peddler should also be punished for selling the book
So naturally, I am wondering
if you have fallen for me.
What is wrong with me?
I must report the Capital District Office for dereliction of duty.
In addition, the peddler should also
Have you fallen for me?
In addition, the peddler should also
My goodness.
Did you stay up all night trying to write another petition?
Goodness.
This chest pain I have never experienced before
kept me up all night.
Oh, dear.
(Physician's Office)
I have had chest pain all my life,
but I have never felt such pain with no one else around.
Did you notice anything else that was unusual?
Did I notice anything else?
Oh, yes.
Every time I think of what happened at 6pm yesterday,
the chest pain arises.
At 6pm? You were at the inn.
What happened there?
I do not even want to talk about it. It was despicable
and unfair.
This is different from the chest pain
you normally get. I believe it was caused by Suduraesu.
"Suduraesu?" I have never heard of such an ailment before.
Suduraesu.
"Su" as in "anxiety," "Du" as in "smallpox,"
"Rae" as in "cause," "Su" as in "head."
Living in this complicated world,
when your beliefs do not match what you have experienced,
your anxiety
manifests as physical symptoms and pain.
This newly recognized ailment
- is caused by your bad temper.
- My goodness.
See? This, right here.
Such chest pain and headaches are the most common symptoms.
I see.
So it is a psychogenic ailment caused by cognitive dissonance.
Then I think I know how to treat it.
O Bong, we will go to the inn now.
Yes, my lord.
Thank you.
Goodness.
("The Lady's Private Life")
Why? Do you not like it?
No, do not say it.
I will revise it and have you read it again.
Goodness. You need not revise it.
Volume One was good,
and Volume Two is even better.
You are a genius, are you not?
Oh, please. I am not a genius.
Well
What was your favourite part?
Well, I enjoyed every page but
Right. The part where she escapes from the Department of Justice
Oh, I see.
Lady Yeoju?
I do not know when she will be here.
Why are you looking
for Lady Yeoju?
What is with you?
Lower your voice.
My ears hurt.
Oh, my apologies.
I must talk to the peddler about something.
You can tell me.
I will be sure to relay your message to her.
This all began with a foolish misunderstanding,
so having someone relay my words could cause more misunderstanding.
Hence, I must
speak with her in person.
You wish to see her?
Why? Can I not see her?
It is not that.
I have never seen you picking fights with someone other than noblemen.
When did I pick fights with anyone?
In any case,
I will wait here until she comes back.
She might not be back today.
Sir.
Please excuse me, my lord.
Chief, let us talk.
It seems like you do not know who my lord is
since he always buys medical books.
If he does not meet the peddler today,
I shudder to think what will happen to you.
What will happen?
He will report to the officials
that there is an inn renting out novels
aimed at mocking the gentry.
That will get you 20 flogs to begin with.
It is the law.
So if the peddler is not coming,
you better get her right now.
He is way more obnoxious than I thought.
Do you know him?
I told you about him.
The petty fellow who wanted to report the book
for mocking nobles.
Does that mean he is here to report me?
Do not worry.
He would have gone to the officials if he wanted to.
Why would he come here for me, going as far to threaten Chief?
I see. But why is he here?
I think
My lord, this book is not worth the trouble.
I will have to finish reading the book to decide that myself.
What does that mean?
If what I have read so far turns out to be a foolish woman's dream,
I cannot report the author.
He must be curious about the ending of Volume One.
Everything will be settled if he gets that book.
("The Lady's Private Life")
- Really?
- Just count on me.
Meow.
Oh, my. Come to think of it,
Lady Yeoju will come here to return the books.
Yes, she is on her way.
I heard him too.
There she comes!
She is not there.
- Goodness!
- My gosh.
Are you looking for me?
Where did you come from?
I heard that you had something to tell me.
Please excuse us.
- Sorry?
- Please do.
O Bong, you too. Wait outside.
- Me too?
- Quick!
But I Goodness.
Please speak.
I have something for you too.
I
I
I have fallen for you.
My gosh.
That is nuts.
- Did he just confess?
- Yes.
("The Lady's Private Life")
What What did I just say?
You said you have fallen for me.
I misspoke because I am unwell. Forget it.
What I want to say is
I
have not fallen for you.
I see.
What is he saying?
What?
Why are you stating the obvious?
When we were here yesterday,
did you not suppose that I had fallen for you?
Pardon?
But you asked for my name and age
when I did not write this book.
So naturally, I am wondering if you have fallen for me.
Right.
You came all the way here just to rectify that?
Correcting that ridiculous misunderstanding
is extremely important for me.
I thought he was an obnoxious jerk. Turns out, he is a total freak.
I should not interact any further.
I need to be polite and apologize quickly.
That day, I was in a hurry and misunderstood.
I apologize for the inconvenience caused.
I shall set this straight and take that
you did not fall for me.
All right.
To make up for it,
I will make sure to stay out of your sight.
Excuse me, then.
Is that really necessary?
Does your chest still ache?
No.
I just fixed the misunderstanding.
It will not ache anymore.
- I do not think it is fixed.
- Why, you
Why are you
The traitor is here.
Arrest him!
Lords, there must be a misunderstanding
Why, you
Goodness. How insolent!
If you knew who I was,
you would realize how impudent
you were being.
My lord is in a foul mood right now.
Someone will lose their title today.
You must be an investigator from the Department of Justice.
Seeing how you only brought your henchmen,
it must be a secret mission.
Your failure to recognize people shows your incompetency.
What a shame.
While you were here wasting time with me,
your suspect would have fled already.
Your crime is
My lord!
Wake up!
You are not a lowly thug. How can an investigator
go against the manual?
How dare you act so impudently?
Do you know who I am?
Are you not Lord Gyeongunjae?
Despite knowing my identity, you acted rashly.
That is an act of contempt against the throne.
Who is the one belittling the throne?
And who are you? Look
Oh, Your Your Majesty.
Because you belittled the throne
and deceived me,
I ordered him to arrest you.
Your Majesty, that is absolutely illogical
Since the establishment of Joseon,
no son-in-law of the king has been allowed to remarry.
Yet, you blatantly wrote appeals.
Is that not contempt against the throne?
Well, that was an appropriate appeal
- Sim Jung Woo.
- Yes?
When you married my daughter,
you should have been ready for this.
Even wives keep their chastity easily.
How dare you write appeals about it?
Pardon my impudence, but that appeal
was not a request for permission to remarry.
As per the recommendation by the royal family,
I wanted you to annul my marriage to the princess.
Did you perhaps think they were the same thing
or was that not the case?
What?
I never realized.
You are the type that asks to be punished.
Bring it here.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Chief Royal Secretary
Your Majesty.
This is not the right sentence by law.
Please give me a fair sentence later and
Do not try to buy time.
I know you will rack your sly brain
and get away with a wonderful excuse again.
Just like how you stopped
the crown prince's marriage with the spinster-bachelor problem.
How did you know that?
I knew it. So you were the one who gave the left state councillor
an excuse to stop the crown prince's marriage.
Serve this traitor the poison at once!
Yes, Your Majesty.
(The Matchmakers)
(We thank actress Jang Hye Jin for her special appearance.)
They named you a traitor?
How can this be?
I am finally going into government.
Have you heard of the old ladies?
It is not that we cannot wed, but we refuse to.
What is wrong with that old fossil?
I will attempt to marry off Lord Maeng's three girls
in two months.
I will never accept matchmaking requests
from people like you.
Why is everyone doing this to me?
Can you pretend to be Lady Yeoju this once?
You will not leave easily today.
You will regret it.
Lady Bang only has her husband.
I miss you, my dear.