If You're Gonna Do It, Do It Right—A Universal Principle
If you're going to do it, do it properly. That's a principle that applies everywhere. Half-assed madness can be dealt with somehow, but true, unhinged insanity? You can't even dream of facing it.
‘·················Supreme Sword of Goryeo?’
The mouths of the history grad students in the audience gaped wide open. That went beyond historical distortion—it was a whole other level.
- Supreme Sword of Goryeo······
- Yeah.
- Hold on, just one question. You're a swordsman—why do you carry arrows with feathers? ······Is it really for your father's glory?
- It is.
- Swinging a sword to make your name echo through heaven and earth—that's a warrior's joy. I can't understand, as a fellow warrior, why you'd abandon that yourself.
- Fellow warrior.
Beyond the screen, the conversation far exceeded their wildest expectations, and the grad students' faces grew paler by the second. Then, at one point—
Flash—!
“······Hup!”
“······Huh!”
“······Wha—!”
They let out involuntary gasps.
- I never expected understanding from Japanese pirates who pillage and plunder.
In that instant of flashing, intense gaze. Thump! Cold sweat broke out, chills raced up their spines—they knew it then. In this theater right now, they weren't the only ones sinking back into their seats as if the chairs might swallow them whole.
- Today, you die not by my hand, but by Yi Seong-gye's.
The piercing gaze poured into the audience. Everyone flinched at that blazing intensity unseen in everyday life, feeling a thrilling shiver. Then, Yi Bang-gwa, gripping his sword, unleashed his final burst of charisma.
Flash—!
Suddenly. Supreme Sword of Goryeo·········? Maybe······it fits? Just as such thoughts flickered through the history buffs' minds—
━━< strong>BOOM!
A massive clash echoed, and the scene faded out.
Thus, Hoshi-jeol's opening—lightly surpassing everyone's expectations from the start—swept through the theater like a tsunami.
Gulp······ Gulp······ Gulp······
Swallowing sounds echoed sporadically from the seats. They'd been so immersed in that scene they'd even forgotten to swallow properly.
Right away, the next scene transitioned.
- You caught Aji Baldo······?
- Yes.
- Our Bang-gwa did?
- Indeed, my lord.
- Kahahahaha!
Amid the armored generals, Yi Seong-gye burst into booming laughter.
- As expected, only Bang-gwa truly understands my heart!
Finally freed from the spell of that earlier gaze, the grad student slaves relaxed their postures.
“············”
“············”
“············”
Watching Hoshi-jeol boldly rewrite Yi Seong-gye's famous feat of shooting down pirate leader Aji Baldo with an arrow as "Actually, it was Yi Bang-gwa~," they thought, Fine, let's see how far this goes.
Bang!
At last, Hoshi-jeol's protagonist appeared.
- Now we just need to sweep away the remaining stragglers······
- Father!
Yi Bang-won, awkwardly clad in half-assembled armor, entered Yi Seong-gye's tent. His expression looked not just impulsive, but almost endearingly green.
- How are you here...?
- Give me a chance to chew up those pirate bastards too!
- Bang-won.
- Why am I always denied the chance to earn merit?! What reason is there I can't stand by Father's side?!
- Bang-won!
- Father!
- You are the one destined for the greatest deeds in our clan. Wait your turn.
- You always say that and······!
- You insolent brat! Can't you stop—!
Yi Seong-gye in his fierce middle years bellowed. Seeing Yi Bang-won puff up and stand his ground, the history students finally sighed in relief.
That's the guy we know— In actual records, Yi Bang-won—far from the "Kill Bang-won" nickname earned by slaughtering countless foes to seize power—wasn't particularly martial among Yi Seong-gye's sons. He'd started his career not as a warrior, but as a civil official.
「He passed the civil service exam with Kim Han-ro and others; our King Taejong placed 7th in the bing branch.」
Yi Bang-won, who passed the Goryeo civil exam at 17. Unlike Yi Bang-gwa, who roamed battlefields with his father, he wielded brilliant intellect and vast ambition as weapons.
- You're not ready to stand by my side yet.
- But!
- However!
- If your resolve is true, get your brother's permission. Then, I can let you ride beside him.
- Again with Brother Bang-gwa?!
- Bang-won.
That acting—failing to overpower Yi Seong-gye's monstrous presence—was utterly natural.
- I won't say it twice. Obey me.
The father and son's gazes locked in the air. Crackle. A lion with a lush mane, and a young lion just sprouting his. On Cheon Yoo-seong's fresh face as Yi Bang-won, ambition trembled visibly.
Hmm, that's about right······
The history students nodded. Not bad. No battlefield prowess to sweep enemies, but brimming with ambition and spirit—a cocky rookie. In one scene, Cheon Yoo-seong and Seol A-yoon had shown Hoshi-jeol's leads' chemistry, and they were starting to look forward to it.
The scene shifted.
Clip-clop!
At the mountain base, beyond the fence of the tent adorned with splendid flags, a mounted figure emerged.
Yi Bang-gwa. Armor and blade still bloodied, yet his face was utterly calm—like a hero who'd crossed the line of death dozens of times.
Clop, clop······ As he gripped the reins and urged his horse forward—
- Stop, Brother!
Yi Bang-won galloped up from the side. Flash. He swung his longsword dramatically in the sunlight, blocking his mounted brother's path.
- Take me with you! My blade's pretty decent too!
- ·········You serious?
A faint smile crossed Yi Bang-gwa's face as he eyed Yi Bang-won. As if his 10-years-younger brother's antics were endlessly adorable. But only for a moment.
- Yes! I bet I can claim greater feats than you! We can wager enemy heads!
- You little punk·········!
Yi Bang-gwa's eyes widened at Yi Bang-won's words. Flash—! He drew his waist sword in a single motion, and gasps erupted from the audience beyond the screen.
- You foolish kid, underestimating the battlefield! This blade's tally of vengeful spirits exceeds a thousand! Even I dare not speak lightly of war—are you truly unafraid?!
- I'm not······afraid.
- Good, then.
Yi Bang-gwa flashed his gaze again, pointing his blade at the Yi Bang-won struggling to stay composed.
“···············!”
“···············!”
“···············!”
Terror spread beyond the screen. The audience stirred with chills.
- What is this, Brother?!
- Take this sword.
Yi Bang-gwa continued to the terrified Yi Bang-won, who seemed more afraid than anyone.
- If you can parry my blade even once, I'll tell Father to make you my adjutant.
━━< em>Gulp!
Yi Bang-won's throat bobbed loudly, the dry swallow echoing like a shout.
- A-alright. I'll parry my brother's sword!
He raised his trembling blade pitifully, and Yi Bang-gwa sighed at the sorry sight. Clang. He tossed his sword to the ground, dismounted, and approached Yi Bang-won—right toward the tip aimed at him. Fearless, he walked slowly and spoke.
Step······ Step······
- Do you truly not understand what I'm saying, Bang-won?
- ·········
- What matters skill with a blade? You have bold ambition and sharp wits I lack.
- B-but···!
Yi Bang-gwa grasped the quivering sword tip with his hand, gently lowering the blade. Then, with a pitying look, he reached to pat Yi Bang-won's head—
- Eek!
Yi Bang-won flinched away in surprise. Question marks popped up on the history students' faces.
“?”
“?”
“?”
What was this? Yi Bang-won cowering like that? No media had ever portrayed King Taejong as such a scaredy-cat.
This is kinda······off?
As doubts arose in the grad students' minds—
- Urgh! No way!
Hurt pride from dodging his brother's hand on instinct, Yi Bang-won gritted his teeth and confronted Yi Bang-gwa again.
- I'm joining no matter what! I'll prove I can match your feats······
- Bang-won—!
The ensuing tiger-like roar······ Flash—!
·········Made sense.
Yes. Everyone in the theater, history students included, was hooked. On Lee Tae-gyu. On the magic of that mad tiger of an actor crafting every ounce of plausibility in Hoshi-jeol.
How else to describe their consciousness flickering like an old incandescent bulb the moment his eyes flashed beyond the screen, if not magic?
Before they knew it, the grad students had abandoned their critical faculties.
O······
Hmm······
Damn······
They were immersed. Accepting film as "the thrill of a rollercoaster," it felt freeing. Especially when that mad actor's face actually flashed—it hit just right.
Thus, they accepted it. Yi Bang-gwa, Supreme Sword of Goryeo, and the 10-years-younger Yi Bang-won burning with inferiority and jealousy toward him.
- Sniff.
Relief washed over them.
- Brother······ Someday, I'll surpass you······!
Now they could enjoy it. Even Yi Bang-won's frustrated face amid the thick dust behind mounted Yi Bang-gwa.
- ·········Serious?
- Choi Young doesn't jest lightly.
- Still, no.
- I'm getting on in years. Before it's too late, I want to test the limits of the martial arts I've honed.
- General, you're Goryeo's unrivaled top warrior. Who could test you?
- No need for humility.
- It's not humility.
- You know full well who's Supreme Sword of Goryeo now, yet you say this.
- Heh.
- Tell him. Choi Young wants a taste of the Supreme Sword's blade before he dies. Arrange a spar with my son.
Yi Seong-gye's face—troubled yet proud—at Choi Young's request for a duel with his son.
- Your Highness.
- Better secure his brother Yi Bang-gwa first, before Yi Bang-won.
- Agreed.
- Brave, steadfast, beloved by many with his benevolence. Many follow him.
King Gongmin's face upon hearing ministers urge him to win over Yi Bang-gwa.
All enjoyable. It was a kind of "let go and chill."
But.
As Hoshi-jeol's early act breezed through the creaky late Goryeo era—
- My lady, I'm off.
Right after the lead actress, Queen Won-gyeong Min—who'd drive the romance with Yi Bang-won—appeared.
- ━━, ━━━·········.
The history students' eyes widened again at her one line.
‘············!’
‘············!’
‘············!’
Even after declaring they'd toss historical accuracy to the dogs, this insane film pushed bolder still.
Suddenly, they exchanged glances—sharing the same look. The unique resentment and bitterness of broke grad student slaves.
This movie······
Gulp.
We gotta show it to the professor······