Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
The surrogate womb
- Oh oh - Madam!
Oh, oh It's so painful oh oh
Please, endure, madam
It's a kind of asceticism
for being pregnant
If you cauterize with the moxa
about 200~300 times
the whites in your womb will be gone
Do that way and you can have a boy
When people treat the deceased cordially
Kang Soo-Yeon
Directed by Im Kwon-Taek
Your grandson and his wife have been married
for the last 12 years She soon will be 30 years old
But they don't have a child
What a pity!
The late elder brother
only had one son, Sang-Kyu
Besides I have the only child, Sang-II
I can't let him be adopted into your family
Do this way
I'm worriyng that
there is no one to carry on a family line
My family is the class of Confucian scholars
It' humiliating to take a concubine
I am the wife of heir I honor the forefathers
If my family don't have an heir we can't honor the forefathers
I really don't know What I am supposed to do
I feel so oppressed
Mother!
I've been thinking about this
I have a plan
What is it?
Yon can take on a surrogate
A surrogate?
Many noble families If they don't have sons
They take on surrogats in secret
But those women are vulgar
They are unqualified
to be the mother of the heir
It's ridiculous
I know that
However some of them are aristocrats' illegitimates
We just use their wombs
for a little while
If Sang-Kyu's wife say OK
I'll have Chaek find a surrogate
in secret
Chaek?
He chose your father's grave site
Didn't he?
You're right And he's trustworthy
He learns many books
and is good at choosing women
Tell me about the physiognomy
There are several conditions for having a boy
First, the girl must have
nicely oval eyes, a high nose
and reddish palms
Her back is thick and she also has round shoulders
deep navel, well-rounded hips and large abdomen
And eyelids don't cover the pupils
as those of phoenix don't
How about the girl who can not have a boy
There're 30 different conditions
The girl who has yellow or red hair
deep eyes, pale tongue
longish face, hairy nostril and swollen lips
She can not have a boy
Women who live in this village only have given names
They don't have surnames
Surrogates' daughters will become surrogates
Just like female shamans
Please look at the valley
It looks like...
So this village is named jade gate valley
Oh!
My goodness! Catch the calf
Calf, the calf, right there Catch the calf
Catch the calf
Oh, my goodness!
You idiot!
You can't even catch a calf
How rude you are!
I'm vexing you
***
Oh! Sir...
Long time no see
It has been years
Please come in
You don't have to tell me about your family name
But before you choose please set the 'hou' price
What is it?
Money for taking clothes off
That means reward
You tell me
5 patches of field for boys 2 patches for girls
Giving birth to a girl?
Boys or girls... It's the business of Gods
I can't affirm it will be a boy
That's right
But I came here and take on a surrogate
It's for having a boy who can carry on a family line
not for having a girl She can't be an heir
You don't have to worry, sir
If she give birth to a girl she'll take care of her baby
I see
You calf! Are you going to your home?
Come on! I said come on
You idiot!
You lose the calf again
I ran after him and I catch him at snake village
Get into the cage
Or I'll break your legs
I said to you Treat him like your master
If Oh-Mok know this she must take the calf back
I don't care
We can live without the calf
Shut up!
We can't live without the calf
I don't think so
Watch your tongue
The first one is 28 years old
Her first child was a girl but the second one was a boy
According to physiognomy
she's perfect
The second one is 30 years old
she already had 3 boys and no girls
Fortuneteller said
she'll have 4 boys in future
The last one is 24 years old
She lost her husband and 2 sons two years ago
She is new here
But I recommend her
If you take on her you must pay double, sir
For what reason?
When she has intercourse
the colors of her skin and lips become purple
Besides her lips become solid
that means her upper muscle's solid
For those reasons she must have a boy
Please make a decision, sir
I have a few more girls for you
But they're not good
Some of them are over 30 and don't meet the conditions
The others are too young
I saw a girl outside
Where is she?
You mean...
A girl who was chasing a calf
I glanced at her
I think she's good enough
She is Pil-Lie's daughter
She's only 17 years old
She isn't a mature woman
She will come into full bloom
I pay double the price
Pil-Lie, Where is Oak-Nye?
Why?
She is chosen
What are you talking about? She's just a child
The customer is willing to pay double the price
It's too good for her
Double, treble! I'don't care!
I won't let her do that
I was hurt deep in my heart
I never forget
She must not tread in my steps
You are so considerate
But Oak-Nye is strong
She's not like you
Nobody wants to be a surrogate But money...
Don't you want to be rich?
I'll give my daughter away in marriage
She'll marry someone Just like normal people
Nobody loves surrogate's daughter
Shut up!
I'll find someone
who can make you happy
Face the truth We are so poor
Nobody wants to marry into our family
I said watch your tongue
Ouch...
Don't move!
To become a good surrogate
endure the pain
They are finished
Tomorrow
They are going to hold a rite
for having a boy
You don't have to feel cheap
You
You're going to give birth to an heir
Your back hurts
You can't work hard
I can take care of myself
I worry about you instead
In customer's house staying at your room all day
Can you do that?
For 10 patches of field
there's nothing I can't do
To have an easy delivery
take care about your health
Eat something fat
What are you going to eat?
How can I eat food by myself?
Suddenly you became a good girl
They just use your body
Never fall in love with anyone, anything
Here you are
Seventeen...
In those surrogates
I chose a ***
I washed myself
I said I washed myself
Ouch, It's burning, ouch
Ouch, it's burning
What are you doing?
Stand up and honor them
You!
You should honor them
after they take seats
Do it again
That's all right
She's Grandmother of this family
and her grandson-in-law
When did you have menarche?
***!
Fourteen
How precocious you were!
Within 28~29 hours following menstruations
you should have intercourse
It's the best time for pregnancy
Check dewdrops
with clean muslin
If the color is gold
odd number days are propitious
You must be careful
I'm hungry
I rode in a rocking palanquin for long time
I'm starving
Eat slowly
Mmmm...
Last night
the surrogate girl arrived
Why are you doing this? It's so silly
My dear
It's for having an heir
Don't hold her so cheap
Please obey your grandmother
There are many ladies
who had babies in their forties
You are 28 years old
Don't give up
I don't think so
I did everythig
everything I heard
We made love
on February 18th and 22nd
I went to propitious places
and prayed for 1000 days
But it didn't work
Keep trying
You pray with your whole heart
Gods will give you a son
I am unable to have a child It's a sin
Do you want me to be driven out?
My family can't drive you out
You and I held my parents' funeral
According to our manners
that is prohibited
Did she sleep well?
She suffered from diarrhea all night
I couldn't sleep either
What did she eat?
She's eaten inferior food
I think fat food made her sick
Ouch
You must stay in your room in the day time
Never try to find out where you are
Pretend to be deaf and blind
Mom!
Hey! Don't move! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Ha! Ha! Ha!
Come out
Look at the moon
Inhale the spirit and energy
of full moon
for strengthen 'yin' the power of bearing a boy
Take it deeply
While I count 8 breathings you shouldn't breathe
After I count 8 you can take a deep breath
Put your hands together
Take a deep breath
One breathing Two breathing
Three breathing Four breathing
Five breathing Six breathing
One breathing Two breathing
Three breathing Four breathing
Five breathing Six breathing
Seven breathing Eight breathing
Huh!
One breathing Two breathing
Three breathing Four breathing
Five breathing
It' a medicine
It's made of a stone Buddhist image's nose
It is a cordial for men
And it also strengthens women's 'yin'
On the 5th day at 5 AM
you should have intercourse with her
In intercourse to have a boy
female's 'yin' should go first
and then male's 'yang' follows
So you need to...
Uncle!
I can't...
It's wrong!
You listen!
We honor our forefathers
It's for requiting them
How undutiful you are!
You stupid!
I'm not asking you to lead a dissolute life
Just asking you to have an heir
After you should die
who will honor forefathers?
You should obey
It's 3 o'clock Please get ready
It soon will be 5 o'clock Please get into sleeping place
It's the time
You should emit *** at the right place
or it's going to be of no use
Please do it
It's the blood of deer It's from your uncle
It'll make you feel vigorous
Please drink it
The color of muslin It's gold
This time you should do it
on the 4th day of this month at 3 AM
He hid himself from me for a month
So I asked her...
Is it true?
Master met her in her room
I tried to stop him
Then he met her outside
You should watch her!
I did, madam! I pricked my thigh with an awl
but couldn't help falling asleep
It's all my fault, madam
You deserve to be killed
But this time You're whipped instead
Never do it again
Whip her!
Ah!
Many scholars say
a learned man must control his *** desire
You shouldn't do that
even with your wife
Shame on you!
What are you doing? What time is it?
A huge yellow snake appeared in my dream
It came into my skirt
I was startled
and then realized it was dream
If a dragon or a yellow snake appear in one's dream
she can have a boy
It's good for you
Today is madam's birthday
She gave you this How kind she is
Hey, you!
If you make her cry
I'll kill you
How dare you are!
You don't know men
Do you?
You know nothing
The nobilities regard reputation as of great importance
They observe the decorums even in beds
It's silly
Do you understand?
Ha! Ha!
And what happened?
In the end, he's expelled
It's not easy to honor forefathers
Ha! Ha! Ha!
During the war
some people always carried about
their ancestral tablets and utensils with them
even if they starved
How dutiful they were!
Anyway in burning houses
many dutiful daughters and virtuous wives
took the tablets out first
then give up their children
Where does the spirit live in?
In the other world? In the grave?
Or in the shrine?
It's really confusing
We call out the spirit
after someone die
Yeah
On the roof, with clothes of the deceased
call his name 3 times
To make the spirit stay
in his own body
That's right
And before we shroud
we put the soaked rice
into the deceased's mouth thrice
And we also put the coins thrice
The rice is food for
going to the other world
And the coins are road money
Maybe it's a long way
Anyway I still don't get it
The sipirit goes to the other world with his body?
Or without the body?
Anyway after the body's buried
in other words after the spirit's gone
We carry the tablet along with us
and bring the spirit back
then start to weep
If we do that
the body of the deceased is in the grave
and the spirit of the deceased is in the house
That's right
The spirit is in the house now
but we still hold a rite for the deceased
Does that mean the spirit's still wandering in woods?
Maybe it's because
we can't assure ourselves where the spirit is
But for whom do we hold a rite anyway?
We keep tablets and spirits
of our forefathers in the shrine
Even if there's no shrine
we still keep the spirits and tablets in the house
So you can say that
the spirits stay in the house
But if we don't keep the tablets
in the shrine or house either
Where are the spirits?
They must be in their graves
We honor all our relatives passed away
at their graves
So you can say
first, the spirits stay home
and then go back to graves where their bodies were buried
Nobody knows
Where the spirit goes to and the other world is
It's a pallbearers' song
First part of the lyrics
Even the pallbearers don't know where it is
Huh! Huh!
Let me tell you a story
There was a gentleman
one day he had to lodge at a respectable home
Wholly unexpected
the day he lodged was the worship day
So the host and his wife
went to the grave to bring the spirit back
They treated the deceased with respect
What are you doing? You haven't changed yet
Get up!
She's pregnant
Is that true?
I think she's 2 months pregnant
She's tried so hard so far
Congratulate you, madam
Thank you
You are pregnant
Go your room and take a rest
She loses her appetite It must be a boy
Shut your mouth up!
I said when you're preparing food for a rite
you shouldn't say a word
Don't you remember?
She wants to be served by you so badly
So here you are
The heir of our family is in her womb
So you must serve her with all your heart
Here's your mother
Let me see your face
Mom, try this one There're plenty of these
They seem to be live for honoring the dead
they hold rites even thrice in a month
How about your back?
It's OK
Keep it
Where did you get these
Master gave these to me
He really likes me
What did I say?
You shouldn't fall in love
Don't worry He's not here
His family sent him to a temple for separating him from me
Drink it It's red pepper soup
Red peppers in this soup are from the house that have a boy
stand up
Take your skirt off
I stole the knife that was used by a woman who bore sons
This trinket is made of that
All of these are for having a boy
Take it along with you Always!
What makes human noble is education
A pregnant woman must teach the baby in her womb
It's called prenatal care
You're illiterate
So draw pictures and have a clear mind
I don't know how to draw a picture, madam
Don't you understand?
You draw well or not That isn't important
It's for teaching the baby
Hold the brush!
What are you doing?
I met master in my dream
I was worrying that I might have a girl
He said he doesn't care
He also said the deceased they're only ghosts
He said the same before
Tomorrow is the worship day of his great grandfather
He must come home
Master! Master!
You always think about him
He's a aristocrat and we are not!
Baby moves, mom
It kicks so hard makes me startle
It is said that a hard kicker must be a boy
Let me feel it
Don't do that!
She's right It must be a boy
Ha! Ha! Ha!
Here you are
six eggs at the sixth month
Are they going to hatch?
Absolutely!
Oh, my goodness
Oh, master
Please don't... We will be punished
Leave us alone for a moment
Master
Leave us alone, mom
Did you study at a temple?
What?
I just went on a tour
What did you do there?
I was thinking about rites for the deceased
As the proverb goes This world where we live in
is better than the other world
So the deceased want to stay here
with us
Did you miss me?
Did you think about me?
Baby's kicking
Feel it
Sometimes I startle
Don't do that
We will be finished
No matter what happened you shouldn't let her do that
Drub her!
Oh! Oh!
Mom!
I'm sorry I'm sorry, mom
My back...
It's killing me
It's getting worse
Why was you beaten before?
Ouch...
I became a surrogate at 21 years old
I gave birth to a son
After I was paid for the boy I left the house
But I missed my son so much
When he was six years old I went to meet him
I broke the rule
Here! Right here!
Here!
Hey!
Come on
Come on
Oh, my boy
Ah!
Then I went to jade gate valley
I was hired again
But this time I bore a girl It was you
And then nobody wants to take on me as a surrogate
That's the story
No! No! It's wrong
Madam?
It's too large
Get rid of some
Yes, madam
Put your shoulders like this
and don't forget to move heavily
Yippee!
Madam knows this...
She must be crazy I don't know
My goodness!
Watch your steps
My goodness!
If someone watch a masked dance
He can't even hold a rite in this house
What is she thinking?
Ouch!
Hey! Look at yourself
How ugly you are!
Anyway
Your mother gave birth to you...
So ugly...
Hey!
Let me see...
There's a monk
What are you doing? ***!
What's this?
I shoo him away
There's a 500-year-old snake He's sticking out his head
How filthy!
Hey! Listen to me!
She is in labor May it be a boy!
Push!
- Oh! - What's wrong?
Oh! Give me a chamber pot!
I got it
Ouch!
The surrogate girl has labor pains
You should pretend to feel pains
Madam is in labor
Get ready for that
Turn over the laundry stone And make a fire
Hurry up!
Oh!
Madam, she seems to have a hard labor
Give wheat-flour paste to her
All right! Take one more push
Oh!
Eat the paste
No! I won't!
It's good for you
She's right
- Eat the paste - Eat this
Oh!
Because you are so young You have a hard labor
You're too young
May a boy come down from heaven
- Oh, Mom - It's alright
Stand up, yes Stand up
Sit on the corner
and you can gain strength
Make your feet hot
For an easy delivery
Stand up
Stand up on it
Mom! It's burning!
Go to your master and tell him
Make the girl hold his waistband
Yes, madam
Oh!
Master! She's dying
Yeah!
Oh! I want to run away
You are not going anywhere
Take one more push
Try one more time
Oh! Oh!
It's coming
It's coming
It's a boy
Mother! Congratulate you!
It's too good for us
Congratulate you!
Thank you
Mom, give him to me
This is the land register
It's 10 patches of paddy field
Live in there and never come back
You should leave tonight
You was in labor I know you don't feel well
But it's an order
You should leave
I want to see my son
Before I leave I want to see him again
Take me to him
Face the truth
They won't let you see him
He's my son
I have the right to see him
I have to see him
He's not your son
Let me go
Master will allow me to see him
Let me go! Let me go!
I don't need money I don't need field
I want to take my boy along with me
He's my son
I can't give him to them
I feel pain I feel sorrow
I'm human So are you!
No, we are not
Even if we look like human
We are not treated as human
Huh!
It's the last chance to see her face
Look at her!
One year later Oak-Nye killed herself
at the village where her son lives in
She was victimized by a notion of preferring sons to daughters