Study Korean Through Drama: Deep Rooted Tree ep05 작은 소원 a small wish

Background – It’s the rule of King Sejong (1418-1450) and the King is in the process of creating his new alphabet – hangul. But suddenly a scholar, who is working on the project, is murdered in the Institute of Learning. The Palace is in shock. Who could possibly be behind this? Chae Yoon, a royal guard, has just arrived from the north to work at the palace.  But he doesn’t want to protect the King. In fact he has come here to kill him …

At the beginning of episode 5, the guard Chae Yoon has been caught snooping around the crime scene in the Institute of Learning. This is the second time he has been found somewhere he shouldn’t be, so the King’s bodyguard, Mu Hyul, is getting suspicious of him. Chae Yoon is tied up and questioned over his reasons for being there. Everyone is more jumpy now that murders are taking place in the palace and is it just a coincidence that they are taking place just as Chae Yoon arrives at his post from the north?

Chae Yoon pretends that he is trying to solve the murder – that’s why he is in the Institute, but he is really snooping around because he wants to check out the layout of the Institute of Learning because he knows the King spends a lot of time there in the evenings. Since Chae Yoon is planning to murder the King, he wonders if the Institute would be a good place to do it. But just as Mu Hyul is interrogating him, the KING arrives. Chae Yoon sees an opportunity to make a request – if he solves the murder will the King pour him a drink? Mu Hyul is outraged at Chae Yoon’s rudeness. But the King calmly agrees to this. Chae Yoon, however, has a more sinister motive behind this request.

채윤: 조그만 공이라도 세운다면, 작은 소원이 있사 옵니다. 전하께서 내려주시는 술 한잔 받기를 청하옵니다.
Chae Yoon: If I can perform this small meritorious deed, then I have a small wish. I ask to receive a glass of liquor from the King.

notes: 옵니다=입니다
vocabulary: 공을 세우다 perform a meritorious deed;  작은 소원 a small wish; 술한잔 받기 receiving a cup of liquor; 청하다 ask

무훌: 무례하다. 이 놈! 감히.
Mu Hyul: How rude. You jerk! How dare you …  

채윤: 이 천한 놈이 어사주를 받는다면 돌아가신 우리 아버지가 얼마나 기뻐하시겠사옵니까?
Chae Yoon: If this humble fellow could receive this, how delighted would my father who passed away be? 

notes:  감히 How dare you! (we studied this here in ep02 too)
Vocabulary: 무례하다 to be rude/disrespectful,  놈 fellow, jerk (this is a derogatory way to address lower class men. More on how people addressed each other here); 천하다(賤) humble (BTW 천민 賤民 chonmin was the lowest class in the Joseon period. 노비 nobi, servants belonged to this class, so Chae Yoon and So Yi also come from the chonmin class. Read more about the social classes of the Joseon period here) 돌아가시다 (polite) pass away / die; 기뻐하다 be delighted

이도: 해결하거라. 허면 과인이 친히 네 술잔에 술을 따라주겠노라.
Yi Do:  Solve it. Then I will personally pour a drink into your cup. 

[The King walks out followed by a fuming Mu Hyul!]

채윤: 그래. 반드시 해결해주마. 하여 네 술잔에 채워지기 전에 죽게 될것이다. 이도.
Chae Yoon: [to himself]  That’s right. I’ll solve this for you. Then before you fill my cup with liquor, you will face death. Yi Do. 

notes: 하거라 old form. These days: 해라 another example here
Vocabulary: 친히 personally, in person; 따라주다 pour (for someone); 반드시 without fail, 해결하다 to solve; 채우다 fill; 죽게 되다 die.

So Chae Yoon is given the authority to start investigating the murder. He will put everything he has into solving the crime. Because if he does, he will get his chance to take revenge on the King …