"Cineguru kidarient and lotte entertainment present"
"A taewon entertainment production”
"Produced by chung tae-won"
"this film is based on historical events recorded in annals of joseon dynasty."
"Year 1506. Yeonsan is dethroned by the opposing faction."
"Jung jong becomes the new king."
"The officials who put him in power soon turn against him,"
"undermining his authority and sending the nation into turmoil..."
"Kim myung-min"
"Kim in-Kwon"
"Lee hye-ri" it's okay, baby. Don't cry.
"Choi woo-shik" at least see if I have the plague before you kill me!
What are you waiting for?
"Lee kyung-young" they are ridden with the plague.
Kill them all!
You'll rot in hell!
"Park hee-soon"
look.
"Park sung-woong"
she's just a child. She's clean. You have to let her go! Please!
Mommy, mommy.
"Directed by huh jong-ho"
"Monstrum"
it is claimed that the ghoul has a form and even makes ghastly sound.
Awful rumors are running rampant.
- "June 25, year 22 of king jung jong" - One shall avoid such fantasies.
Uncover the truth once and for all.
There are testimonies of a creature
preying on humans in mt. Inwangsan.
A beast never before seen or heard of.
- "Monstrum" - They call it... monstrum.
Your majesty,
the masses stir even at the smallest sound.
We must eradicate the rumors before the public is further unsettled.
Prime minister, you would know.
You wish to hear that I did it?
Did you not also create monstrum
to rattle the public and push me out?
Do you...
Wish to see me gone?
Disasters plague a nation that lacks leadership.
Why do you think monstrum appeared?
I did not help you dethrone yeonsan
to see my country in turmoil.
If you are so innocent,
may I hire my own investigator for monstrum?
Your wish is my command.
Be quiet.
I can't help it. It just comes out.
Come on.
That wasn't me.
Not a single rabbit for days. I guess the rumors are true.
What rumor?
That a mysterious beast is preying on all the other animals.
Only bad hunters make up such stories.
Mysterious beast...
Go check the trap.
It's not the trap.
There's nothing wrong with my trap.
I'm a trap-setting expert.
See, set in an enclosed area.
The bait, perfectly placed. Textbook. Look...
What? Why?
You were right, sung han. The trap is fine.
Brother! Brother! Help!
Pathetic. A hunter hunted by his own trap.
Myung, help me down. Please.
Myung, help! Brother!
- Where, where? - No, this way! To your right!
That's not right. Over here!
For me, this is right. This is frustrating!
Myung, come here. Your uncle is useless. Come on.
This is stupid. I'd rather go dig for herbs.
Get down here.
No? Let's see you walk away now.
Father!
- I told you to come in. - Let's call it quits.
We're friends of 10 years and can't even agree on left or right.
What?
Father! A huge one! The size of my arm!
- Where, where! - There, over there. There!
Over there!
There's no fish like that here. Fools.
You little brat!
My tummy. I didn't even eat anything yet it hurts.
What are you doing?
Does it growl?
Yeah, it growls, and I feel nauseous.
The 'Yang' rising within is fighting the 'yin' going down.
Oh, yeah?
The book says you must take warm medicine to dilute it.
Tastes awful.
- Don't leave a single drop. - I have sensitive taste buds.
The fish porridge smells great.
More like grass porridge.
Where's the salt?
Father, there's no food in this mountain. Let's go to hanyang.
You think food just falls from the sky in hanyang?
At least here we have herbs, fruits...
And fresh fish.
Fish? Yeah, right.
Go dig up some radish from the garden.
Go on.
Drink up!
Don't move!
Why are you spying on my house?
I told you not to move!
Who are you? Why are you here?
I came to see the master of this house.
Master? There's no "master" here.
The former commander of the royal guard?
Royal guard? What is that?
The chosen few who protect his majesty.
An army of the most skilled and presentable men in joseon.
Liar. No one like that lives here.
Tell me why you're here.
What are you doing?
What's all this noise?
General!
I'm officer hur. I serve his majesty.
Hot!
It's just not my day...
Father, were you really a commander?
Uh huh. Me too.
Which makes it even more unbelievable.
No one could top him in martial arts.
- Yep, and I was a close second. - Stop lying.
Those two can't even slaughter a rabbit.
She's right. We're just hunters living day by day.
You should go back.
Your, your...
Is she the girl?
Do you still resent me?
You sent me away to hide this?
Is this truly your majesty's wish?
How dare you challenge the throne?
Ingrate!
Your majesty, that girl might be carrying the plague.
- We must rid of her this instant. - We implore you!
The plague is said to infect you even in its mere presence.
But look!
I saved this girl from the pit and carried her here. I'm fine.
Defense minister, you are drowning this nation in blood.
Is this not a ploy to drive out his majesty's loyal servants?
Silence!
Captain Jin, arrest this man. And kill that girl!
Stop.
Your majesty. Yun kyum has devoted his life to protecting the throne.
Please spare his life.
Leave.
And never set foot here again.
Your majesty! This is a mistake.
This man will one day wreak revenge on your throne.
What use is this sword
if it can't even save a child's life?
I planned with justice minister Cho
to rid the palace of corruption.
But they countered with the plague.
They used it to create unrest.
They cut my limbs.
Sealed my eyes and mouth shut.
If you stayed, you would have died.
I couldn't lose you as well.
This time they're using monstrum to upset my throne.
I wish to be the people's king. Not theirs.
This sword.
Will you take it back?
Brother, what are you doing?
Let's go to hanyang.
What?
Hanyang! Uncle, let's go pack! So excited!
Wait, hold on...
No, brother, no. This is crazy
you know it's too dangerous.
I know during sampo war you took an arrow for me.
I know I owe you my life.
It was a mistake. I turned the wrong way.
Dammit.
Why did I have to be born as your number two? Miserable fate.
I wish I wasn't so damn loyal.
Father! Uncle! Wait for me!
- Father! - Not good, not good.
Wait!
W ait for me!
Uncle.
- You're both crazy. - Father.
Lord monstrum of mt. Inwangsan, set aside your wrath.
Take pity on our souls.
It's raining now? Let's stop and get our things in order.
This isn't good.
On rainy days like this, I hear monstrum is sure to appear.
Han saw it.
He saw monstrum tearing a tiger to shreds.
Stop it.
Did you hear something?
Fools. Monstrum my ass.
If you're so scared, just stay home next time.
Protect the merchandise!
Put the cover on it!
This... is hanyang?
Poor baby's dead. What happened to the capital?
What's this?
This is just water soup. Who are you trying to fool?
Oh. You're pretty.
Have you been living in a cave?
This is still better than anywhere else in the country.
General. Thank you for making the trip.
Sorry to interrupt your rest, but something happened.
Shouldn't we at least eat?
Dammit.
Hon, heat it up for me later? Be right back.
What a butchering.
Of course they brought a shaman. Full of ghosts, this mountain.
- Lady myung! - Myung!
Don't touch that! You're a girl!
You call yourselves men?
Why eat if you're not going to work?
First herb diggers
now hunters seeking reward for monstrum.
All dead. Like moths in a flame.
We've roped off the paths, but...
Now a shaman.
Who discovered the scene?
Did you see something?
What was it?
Mon... strum.
Father! Look at this!
Someone cut it with a sword.
I need to check something. You see if there are other witnesses.
Yes, sir.
I'll be here.
Why did we follow her?
I didn't feel fear when she mentioned monstrum.
I did.
Who is he?
You follow that man. Hurry!
Huh...?
What is he...
Stop right there!
You!
Dammit.
Guys.
Let's eat.
Don't fight.
Here, for you.
Did you really see monstrum?
Answer me! Did you see it!
Why did you lie?
He promised to give me food if I said I saw it.
Who was it?
I don't know.
You lied because you were hungry?
I didn't see it, but monstrum exists.
There's no work because markets are empty.
No food because the mountains are off limits.
There were no other witnesses.
And the other bodies?
Same as the shaman's.
Rope marks on the wrists and ankles.
Just like the shaman.
Who was the man?
I almost had him but the bastard got on a horse.
Monstrum, monstrum!
Monstrum...
Help me.
Monstrum...
You saw monstrum?
Dead. All dead.
Monstrum.
Myung, don't.
He's dead.
See if there are other bodies like this.
Yes, sir.
- I will go with officer hur. - Don't be foolish.
I'm better at handling bodies.
More sick butchering.
Do you know a weapon that creates such wounds?
Are these claw marks? Look at the boils and blisters.
That smell.
What's this sticky goo?
Shit!
How'd he get up there?
Not even afraid of dead bodies. You're so fearless.
I bet you grew up without hardship.
With hands so white.
And so knowledgeable in medicine.
I was so bored in the mountain.
I read books until they were worn.
My dream is to become a lady-doctor here in haeminso.
Officer hur. Let's go catch a rat.
Rat?
Victims of monstrum.
So brutal. They say only monstrum could have done it.
What do you think?
This was done by a man.
A wound resembling a hawk's talons. Also called, "the crying arrow."
We looked at all the bodies.
Although they were severed, the parts were all intact.
You mean a man
shredded all these people so ruthlessly?
Not all of them.
What?
Before dying, this peddler said he saw monstrum.
As you see, the body is dismantled in unusual fashion.
Only two peddlers were found. The rest are missing.
You mean monstrum is real?
We used a needle to inject the peddler's blood.
It formed blisters in an hour and died in half a day.
This is more infectious than any known plague.
You mean monstrum is spreading the plague?
No. This is all a ploy to bring be down.
Monstrum isn't real.
No. Monstrum is real.
To fearful and desperate citizens, monstrum is real.
We will have to find the truth to quell their fears.
I plan to bring in troops from Southern provinces
to perform a search.
What are your thoughts?
Those troops are supposed to defend against Japanese pirates.
We might be exposed to further danger.
If we call in all the troops, it will cause more panic.
I'm trying to quell that fear.
Shall we do nothing then?
It will take time to bring in troops from the countryside.
I suggest we use the nearby tiger knights
to search mt. Inwangsan.
They specialize in hunting tigers so won't need training.
Tiger knights are like prime minister's private army.
How many are they?
700, including new recruits.
I object. The knights fall outside the defense ministry's jurisdiction.
We can't bring them into the capital.
Prime minister is right.
Bring in the tiger knights to search mt. Inwangsan.
One condition.
I limit the number to 100.
Your majesty, it will take four days to form a proper search unit...
Let the search commander in!
This is a big mission. You think 100 will suffice?
More will be detrimental.
I suggest we recruit civilians to supplement the unit. Your thoughts?
It's planting season. A draft will cause great strife.
That is true.
By including volunteers, we could also quiet the rumors on the streets.
Fine.
But make sure livelihoods aren't affected.
Hear the royal order! Lower yourselves!
Strange occurrences in mt. Inwangsan have threatened the nation's peace.
A search unit will be formed...
Please, sir. No!
Sir, this food is supposed to last us through fall. How will we live?
Just give them everything.
If monstrum infects you, we're all dead anyway.
If you don't have money, just enlist. Why all this grief!
- Come here. - Sir.
No! Let him go!
Just kill me now.
What's the difference if I die here or there?
We're supposed to catch monstrum with this?
Why are those kids here?
Hey!
What are you doing here?
I'm the only man in the family.
We've no crops to offer.
They're making you offer crops?
Give me some rice balls. You guys go home.
Eat this, and go home okay?
Go home and help with the farmwork. Go on, go!
Sir, you can go home too.
General, I've raised many animals in my life.
The conditions will be rough. Are you sure?
I won't slow you down.
The world is so unfair.
Huh?
Why is she here?
I can see you.
- I can see you, myung! - Uncle! Quiet!
What are you doing here?
Father!
You think the mission is a joke? Go home. Now!
Don't worry. I'm a better soldier than those two cowards.
Where'd you get this hair net?
- Officer hur's house... - Offi... huh?
[T's not, she must have taken...
- What? Why are you turning red? - Who, me?
- Go home this instant! - Make way for the prime minister!
You're alive.
You're like a pest that won't die.
You must hurry.
We pulled all the men from the city. If you fail...
People will lose trust in the throne.
You can't run away this time.
Commence the search!
Move it!
If you see claw marks or secretions, report immediately!
Old man!
Come on. You want to be eaten by monstrum?
The sun is setting.
Let's call it a day. The men are tired.
Monstrum is said to appear at night. We should continue.
There's nothing here. Search what?
We should stop.
- Are you scared? - Not at all!
Still the same coward.
Let's continue then. I don't care.
Father, it's strange that we haven't seen a single deer on our way up.
We resume the search.
I suggest we split up.
I'll go this way. You go left.
If we find monstrum, I'll shoot up a flare.
I'm just worried that some of our men might not make it back.
If monstrum is revealed to be a rumor,
I will forge ahead with all matters put on hold
and restore stability.
You still think monstrum is my creation?
Who knows what's in your mind?
I only trust the men out there.
Is he crazy?
Old man!
Where am 1? Did I see a ghost? Where did he go?
What is this place?
Father.
Have I been here before?
General!
You must look at this.
I've never seen a pawprint so big.
The prints all lead to this crevice.
I need to go down. Get the rope.
Yes, sir.
They're the ones with weapons. How come we have to lead?
Hurry up!
Attack!
What's happening? Aren't we here to catch monstrum?
Rotten bastards. I knew something was off.
Be careful.
You go to the prime minister's house.
Yes, sir!
Shoot the flare.
Mon... monstrum! It's monstrum!
Father!
Pull, pull!
- Father! - Brother!
Grab the rope!
Climb up! Come on!
Father.
Not bad.
Myung, are you okay? Are you hurt?
- I'm okay, father. - We'll hold them off.
You and myung go warn his majesty. Hurry!
Yes, sir.
Maybe it's a good thing.
We can finally teach that Jin yong a lesson.
I'm exhausted.
My back.
Sung han, sung han! Are you okay!
Jin yong.
You should have just stayed in the mountains.
This is your own fault.
Father! Father!
- Myung, myung! - Father!
Myung! Myung!
Monstrum never existed.
It was prime minister's ploy to bring his army into the city.
Please don't kill me.
You disobeyed his majesty.
You killed innocent people. You'll pay for this!
You still believe in the people?
They only believe what they want to believe.
Have you forgotten about the plague 13 years ago?
Stop! Stop this instant! You monster!
You remember now. I knew as soon as I saw you.
Father!
Myung!
You will die by my hands. Mark my words.
Lady myung!
Lady myung, wake up.
Wake up! Myung!
It's okay. You're okay. You're okay, calm down.
Brother.
Shoot up the flare and let the prime minister know...
That monstrum appeared and wiped out the search unit.
Yes, sir!
Since the entire search unit died, it would only make sense...
For the search commander to die as well.
Shoot the flare toward the palace.
Monstrum truly exists?
No! No, no!
Shoot it.
Shoot!
Stop it. Go stop it!
Sir, we must go!
Brother, I'm not dreaming, right?
Are you okay, sung han?
Not a dream, not a dream.
Myung. Let's go.
Help me.
Myung.
Myung!
Where are you?
Myung.
Myung. Myung!
Wake up, myung.
Wake up please.
Lady myung.
Father.
Yes, it's me. Are you okay?
I'm okay.
Thank goodness. I'm so glad.
Was that really... monstrum?
Whatever it is, we're not equipped to handle it.
Father, these corpses have
the same bloody boils as the peddlers.
Not just here. Everywhere.
I believe we're in monstrum's nest.
We must inform his majesty.
We can't let monstrum reach the city.
Let's go.
Who's there? Brother!
- Old man, it's you. - Monstrum is coming down.
Get the goo on your body, and you won't get the plague.
The goo! Put it on! Put it on!
Hide your scent. Hide your human smell.
The wall. Get on the wall.
Be quiet. He has bad eyesight, so his hearing is extra sensitive.
Run!
Quick!
Run! Move!
This way.
Come on.
Father!
- Father! Father! - Brother! This way!
What? No, no, no!
Monstrum is real. I saw it with my own eyes.
The great monster exists.
Monstrum is real? No, it's an illusion I created.
It's not an illusion. I saw clearly with these two eyes.
So it exists. Am I to fear?
We just use it to create more panic.
Quiet fear only silences the masses.
Foster the fear, and it breeds anger.
Where shall that anger go?
That anger will justify our end goal.
Tiger knights, take heed!
Ride to the city! Set the city on fire!
This is too risky.
Monstrum.
Monstrum will bring down the king.
Monstrum is real. Monstrum...
They're the knights who went to catch monstrum.
All dead.
The search unit is dead? What's going on?
Help.
Help me...
Everyone.
Move back.
Monstrum will strike you with the plague.
So it's true. Monstrum will give you the plague.
Is the king doing nothing?
We're all dead now. It's just like before.
The plague hit and the king killed all the villagers.
Are you okay? I thought you were dead.
We'll go to the palace gate. It'll be safer near the king.
Let's go to the palace!
Let's go!
We can't just sit here.
I hear they set fire to the mountain to kill monstrum.
Even if it exists, we can't burn the whole city to rid of it.
Send the capital guards to put out the fire.
The fire has spread to residences. They won't be enough.
Call the palace guards off duty. Have them help the capital guards.
Yes, your majesty.
Where are the cabinet members?
They are on their way.
Is everyone okay?
How far did we come?
This is connected to the palace's underdrain.
Underdrain?
The palace was built with an underground drain system.
It goes all the way to the palace pond.
Old man.
You know something, don't you?
Where are we?
Sir, please.
If you know something, tell us. I beg you.
This place...
Jojun hall.
Jojun hall?
The former king yeonsan loved beasts.
He built these cages
and named the room jojun hall.
He brought in exotic and violent beasts, even from the far west.
In the innermost part
we kept the rarest beasts.
Bred from various specimens.
I was in charge of feeding the beasts.
I first met monstrum here.
I called him "sparkles" because of his sparkly eyes.
The day yeonsan was dethroned, his enemies stormed the hall.
Yeonsan, you mad man.
A king with such sick hobbies.
What are you waiting for?
These beasts were used to threaten nobles and loyal cabinet members.
Exterminate them all!
Little sparkles ate plague-infested corpses
and turned into a monster.
We humans made him that way.
It's coming. Hurry!
- Where is the exit? - Up the ladder.
Go behind the dais.
Brother, this way!
Hurry!
Sparkles. Sparkles.
Sparkles.
You remember me.
I raised you. Come with me.
You were such a baby. How you've changed.
You were born here.
This way!
Which way?
Old man!
Make way for the prime minister!
Tiger knights, take heed.
Gather all plague-infested corpses.
Burn them all so the disease doesn't spread.
Share your rations with citizens in need.
And look out for the injured.
- Thank you, thank you. - Thank you! Thank you, sir!
Now the king has no allies inside city walls.
You're brilliant, prime minister.
Lady myung.
I thought I was going to die. That was close.
Myung, you okay?
This is...
Huh? That's geunjeong-jeon.
Jojun hall is connected to...
That means monstrum is right below us.
Let's go. We don't have time.
Your majesty, the search commander is here.
Let him in.
Thank you for everything. You can follow me.
What do you mean monstrum is below us?
Yeonsan built jojun hall and
created mutant beasts there.
That's where monstrum was born.
Monstrum is ridden with the plague. It could devastate the city.
We don't have time.
We must gather the troops to fight monstrum.
Is anyone out there?
Royal guard, report immediately!
Your majesty!
Your majesty.
The traitor shall show himself and kneel!
So you reveal your treasonous heart.
You think monstrum is what the people are afraid of?
A king who is unable to alleviate their strife.
A king who never hears their prayers.
To them, you are the real monstrum.
Damn you.
Kill all the royal guards in the palace!
Traitor! How dare you covet the throne!
You failed your mission yet brazenly came back.
You set fire to the city and caused widespread panic.
Not only did you let the plague run rampant,
you upheld an incompetent king worried only for himself.
That...
Is the nature of your crime.
Behead the traitors at once!
Your majesty! You must wake up!
Stay still, your majesty.
Kill it!
Itchy, so itchy. It itches.
He must've gotten the plague from monstrum!
I'm itchy too! I got it too!
- Uncle, uncle! - Myung!
No, myung. Not you too!
Myung! Myung...
Drop the act!
He's got nothing down there!
No!
Uncle!
Oh, no.
I'm okay, I'm fine.
Almost became a eunuch.
You know martial arts too?
I'm the daughter of joseon's best warrior. This ain't nothing.
They're all dead. Let's go.
Kill the king!
Kill the king or we die!
Shoot the fire arrows!
Regroup and shoot the fire arrows!
You are tiger knights!
Fear not! It is merely a beast.
Capture it!
General, we're the royal guard.
Escort his majesty out of the palace. Now.
What are you waiting for? Escort his majesty.
This way!
Father. Are you okay?
- Brother. Isn't that monstrum? - Stop!
We won't kill it now.
We unleash it on the streets.
Make the city shake in fear.
Then I will kill it myself. Then the throne...
That throne!
It will belong to the people's king. Me! Shimoon!
- Hail the king! - Hail the new king!
If monstrum gets out...
Don't let go! Hold on!
Don't back off!
- What do we do! - This is getting out of hand!
You can be the bait.
We need a trap.
We need an enclosed space. This place is completely open.
Jojun hall.
And the bait?
I'll take care of that. You two set up the explosives.
Myung, you go and close the palace gate.
We can't let it get out of the palace.
This is crazy. You can't capture it by yourself.
It killed all those knights. You can't do it alone.
- He's not alone. I'm here. - Me too.
You all have a death wish?
I'm a warrior.
People died because I didn't fulfill my duty.
Someone needs to do it.
Father.
Go on.
You must hurry.
Let's go.
Please help!
We have to close it.
You can't go in. We must close the gate.
Monstrum is inside.
What's she talking about? Monstrum isn't real.
- Monstrum! Monstrum! - We must close it. Help!
We have to close the gate! We don't have time.
If it comes out, we're all dead.
Didn't you see?
Even the officials are running. We can't do anything.
There are people inside fighting monstrum. Please help.
Please.
What are you all doing? There are people fighting inside!
Move out, move back!
Stop!
Stop this instant!
Who ordered you to close the gate?
If the nation is in peril,
the people shall band together and defend the land.
Move out of the way!
You rotten scoundrel!
Everyone, this is the man
who murdered the search unit
and put innocent lives in danger.
You're the one who sent us there to die?
You set fire to my house?
- Bring back my husband! - Bring back my son!
You burned the city down, and now you're running?
I don't think you hear us.
So many innocent lives.
You think you can run away by yourself?
I will lend you rice from my shed.
You can use my land to raise crops.
Come on!
Let's close the gate!
We won't just stand by anymore!
We will close the gate!
Stop. Stop this instant!
Open it. Open the gate!
Damn fools. Fools...
Look over there. I've brought all those people for you.
Good boy.
You can't kill me.
You're an illusion. I made you.
Run! Go away, now!
He has bad eyesight, so his hearing is extra sensitive.
Careful, careful.
This should be enough, right?
I'll set up downstairs. You go up.
Make sure you get all the columns. Hurry!
What now?
You ruined everything.
We don't have time. You set up the bombs.
I'll buy us time.
Get rid of him. We don't have time.
Well, that's not buying time.
Father.
Myung!
Run!
Help...
Hur!
Sung han is setting up the bombs.
You go and let me know as soon as it's done.
I'll lure monstrum there. Go!
I'm not leaving you here.
There's no time, myung, please.
Father.
I promise I won't die. You need to go. Now.
Diel
Officer hur, do you remember the day we first met?
How could I forget the moment I first saw you?
That's enough, lovebirds. Clean up the body!
Father, the setup is complete!
Father, father!
Father!!!
Hurry!
Sung han. Now!
Run!
Come on! Run! Hurry!
What do we do?
- What are you doing? - You go.
Open it. Brother, brother!
Open the door! Brother!
Go. Now!
Please take care, myung.
Brother.
It's an order.
Uncle, what about father?
- Uncle. - No time. Run!
Where's father?
- I said run! - Uncle. Uncle!
What about father!
Father! Father!
Father.
Father, father!
Uncle, uncle! Father!
Father! Uncle, uncle!
Brother. Brother!
Brother.
Father.
Father, wake up. Father!
Father, you promised you wouldn't die. Father!
Father, wake up! Father! Father!
Stop.
It hurts.
Father.
"Following the appearance of monstrum,"
"jung jong moved his residence from gyeongbok to changdeok palace."
"He would not return until 3 years later."
"July 16, year 25 -"
"the annals of king jung jong"
Why did you come? Must be busy at haeminso.
I packed some rice balls. Some medicinal herbs as well.
I put the directions in the bundle.
Thank you.
You should go back now. Go on.
Don't worry.
I will take good care of her.
I'm more worried about you.
Go on.
You go first.
All right.
If we stay, you're a lock for royal guard commander.
Why do we have to go back?
I want to go home. You need another reason?
Seriously though, how did you survive the explosion?
I told you, we wouldn't die so easily.
"Monstrum"