태극기 휘날리며
"One country, one family… divided by war."
Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War - Movie Quotes
Memorable Quotes
돌아와서 구두 완성한다고 했잖아요. 이러고 있으면 어떡해요. 내가 얼마나 기다렸는데... 돌아온다고 약속했잖아요. 왜 이러고 있어요. 뭐 말 좀 해요.
— Lee Jin-seok (as an old man)
Context:
This is the final scene of the film. The elderly Jin-seok has been brought to the excavation site where his brother's remains were found. He breaks down, speaking to the skeleton as if his brother were alive, finally releasing fifty years of grief.
Meaning:
"You promised you'd come back to finish the shoes. What are you doing lying here like this? I've waited so long... You promised you'd come back. Why are you like this? Say something to me." This quote, delivered at the site of his brother's excavated remains, encapsulates the entire film's emotional weight: a lifetime of waiting, the broken promises caused by war, and the enduring power of brotherly love.
우리 다시 만날 때 그때... 저... 꼭... 꼭 돌아와야 돼.
— Lee Jin-tae
Context:
During their final encounter on the battlefield, after Jin-tae has recognized Jin-seok, the North Korean forces are advancing. Jin-tae pushes his wounded brother to flee to safety while he stays behind to hold them off, promising they will meet again but knowing it's a lie.
Meaning:
"When we meet again... you have to... you have to come back." In this moment, Jin-tae's original motivation resurfaces. He is no longer a crazed soldier but an older brother making a final, desperate plea to ensure his younger brother's survival, accepting his own fate.