What was supposed to be achieved by cutting this film?

Next to the many small cuts, which were simply meant to accelerate the storyline, you can find the following systematic approaches:

1.) The General, who is fully overchallenged by his assignment, lost a lot of his on-screen time. A good decision on the one hand, as the constantly grim-faced actor is no match for his role. A crying shame on the other hand, as this aspect of the story is weakened up to a point where several scenes stop making sense, the General’s confession of cowardice towards the princess, for example, becomes completely unexpected.

2.) Many action scenes have been shortened to a collage of shots that don’t fit together; snapshots instead of a choreography.

3.) It might have happened accidentally while shortening the running time, but many of the subtle scenes, which are important for the secondary characters, were deleted. Like the elderly lady on the back of an unknown man, tenderly caressing his hair. While the tale unfolds she takes the role of the formerly absent mother. As the story has no real heroes in starring roles, anyway, this reduction of the secondary characters is twice as annoying. The slave remains too distant, the archer prefers fighting in the background and the General is a very ungrateful figure from the start.

Surprisingly, the HK version incorporates 3 more scenes than the Korean DVD does. Nothing important, but still interesting. You can read more about it at the end of the censorship report.

KOR: 276,989 frames (excluding closing credits) = 154.05 min
HK : 231,411 frames (excluding closing credits) = 128.45 min
Closing credits: 6,739 Frames each = 3.45 min

HK cuts (measured/rounded):
142 scenes counting 25.36 min

KOR cuts:
2 scenes counting 29 sec + re-edited scene

The censorship report timer starts after the ”CJ Entertainment” lettering first appears in both versions. To match the time data of the censorship report with a DVD timer, subtract approx. 5 sec.

Cuts shorter than half a second were not recorded.

3:01
The man wearing blue first bows to the Koreans before dashing on.
2.5 sec

3:38
When the General is about to ask what’s going on, the diplomats’ concerned faces are shown slightly longer.
6 sec

4:28
When the Chinese take up their arms and surround the delegation, the diplomat tells his slave to keep quiet.
4 sec

4:44
When the General drops his arms, his grim face can be seen slightly longer.
2 sec

8:57
The attackers ride away for a moment longer.
1 sec

9:14
The General receives a report concerning the loss after the attack; 12 Koreans died.
10 sec

10:55
A few people got lost in the sandstorm and the rest are digging themselves out of the desert.
10 sec

12:50
The officers take a moment longer to find the correct route to China.
7.5 sec

12:56
Same scene; the General can be seen slightly longer.
2 sec

13:22
The discussion at the camp fire continues
29 sec

13:59
The guy on the ground is helped to his feet.
11 sec

14:59
Two soldiers are caught while stealing and eating a part of the scarce ration. The General commands punishment by 20 cane strokes. One of the members of the Joojin brigades cannot accept that his pals get less to eat than the Yongho brigades, so he grabs some bread and sulkily waits for the General to punish him. Naturally, the General can’t let him get away with this impertinence and canes the guy like a madman.
103 sec

The dialogue between the General and the chief officer appears a bit later in the HK version. (41.5 sec)

17:00
A short moment is missing in which the slave is threatened by the soldiers.
2 sec

18:14
When the soldiers discover the settlement, they run towards it.
5 sec

19:22
The General, again.
2 sec

22:15
The General observes the princess.
2.5 sec

24:08
When the slave receives a piece of jewellery from the man in front of the camel, a shot of the slave is missing.
3.5 sec

24:14
The slave points at the man’s spear.
2.5 sec

25:47
Both soldiers observe the slave being captured.
4 sec

26:00
Our heroes go on observing what’s going on.
4 sec

26:37
Two soldiers praying.
13.5 sec

27:49
The General discusses the attack of the Mongolians with his men.
19 sec

The shot showing both groups at the end of this cut is shown slightly later in the HK version.

29:19
The people go on running towards the wagon.
2 sec

29:24
The slave picks up a weapon.
2 sec

29:29
A man is thrown from his horse with a spear.
2,5 sec

30:04
Two short duels, or rather brute punch-ups, are missing.
6 sec

31:18
The slave kicks away an opponent.
2 sec

31:28
A short fighting scene.
1 sec

31:33
A soldier is thrown over a shoulder. Start of a shot.
0.5 sec

31:36
More battling tumult.
2.5 sec

31:36
A man is pushed to the ground with a spear in his chest. His impalement is shown a scene later in the HK version.
2 sec

31:37
The soldier from the last cut sees a friend hitting the ground, jumps up and kicks the attacker aside.
6 sec

31:42
An opponent is kicked aside and further assaulted.
3 sec

31:57
More battling tumult.
2.5 sec

32:21
Close-up of the General, before he dashes off.
2 sec

32:37
When the princess attempts to flee, she encounters the Mongolian leader who drags her away. When he is attacked by a Korean, the princess escapes.
17.5 sec

32:46
Yeosol, the slave, runs after the princess.
2.5 sec

34:00
The princess scrutinizes her savior.
3 sec

34:21
The General arises only very slowly in front of the princess.
2.5 sec

34:53
The interpreter greets the princess.
11 sec

38:11
The Mongolian Leader reports the loss of the princess to his superiors.
21.5 sec

38:50
A moment of peace after the battle. An interpreter flirts with one of the girls, only to be interrupted by the monk.
65 sec

43:35
The chief officer keeps on talking insistently to the General.
2.5 sec

43:42
Selecting the volunteers, who are to conduct the diversionary tactic, takes slightly longer. Many appalled faces are shown.
39 sec

44:53
The volunteer has to be forced to his honorable task.
5 sec

45:17
Yeosol wants to give a present for his master’s family to the archer. The latter refuses and says: we will meet again.
18.5 sec

45:43
The carriage takes longer to depart. The interpreter gazes after his sweetheart (see 38:50) with concern.
3.5 sec

46:18
The soldiers look down at the Mongolians, who are following the carriage, for a slightly shorter period of time.
Some of the scenes are arranged in a different order.
2.5 sec

46:25
The soldiers talk about the people on the carriage for a slightly longer period of time.
11.5 sec

47:09
The archer gazes after the carriage.
6 sec

47:31
Yeosol tries to persuade the lady to help him with the wagon.
13.5 sec

48:05
A rider behind the wagon.
2 sec

49:18
The one who fled comes back and is hit to the ground by Yeosol. After the poor guy apologizes for having run away, the jouney continues. In the meantime one of the members of the Jojin brigades relates how he (re-)joined the army. He came home with empty pockets after 4 years of regular service, so he hit a superior and once again had the choise between prison or military service. Then he talks about his wife who looks like a fat bear, but to him, she is the most beautiful woman in the world.
99 sec

53:14
The monk and some other people can be seen shortly.
5.5 sec

54:30
The princess comes in and takes the General to task, because the journey has halted. A short discussion amongst the commanders ensues.
45 sec

The scenes of Yeonsols return are cut differently.

55:04
Yeonsol gives the scarf back to the princess. The General barges in between and throws the scarf into the fire, as it has been ”soiled” by the Yuan brigades. He then tells Yeosol that he is very happy to see him back; after all, he never would have granted him such a heroic death.
41.5 sec

55:17
One of the men complains about the princess wanting to be carried in a seat, whereupon the General commands it to be built.
18.5 sec

56:50
One of the men tells the monk about his worries for slightly longer.
27 sec

57:13
The Mongolians discover the Koreans’ fireplace.
13 sec

57:25
Yeonsol and a few others talk about their wives, girl friends or the absence of a female companion. The princess does listen, but she has a strange expression on her face.
33.5 sec

59:36
A shot of the forest and a pan over the brigade. An elderly lady, on the back of a man, tenderly caressing his head.
21 sec

61:00
The princess gazes after Yeonsol.
3 sec

62:17
One of the soldiers runs away.
1 sec

68:50
A Mongolian tries to bully the princess who is ”protected” by an old man.
6.5 sec

68:54
The victims of the Mongolian attack are shown. The old man tells Yeosol about the princess’ disappearance.
15 sec

70:38
The monk tends to a man’s wounds with a knife.
6 sec

73:23
After the battle, the General tells his men that they would never have reached this point alone, solely the hard decisions he had to take and took lead the way. Whilst boasting, he, however, appears to be quite desperate and maybe even a tear or two can be detected in his eyes. A shot of this can also been seen shortly afterwards, without sound (4 sec).
30.5 sec

73:30
The General leaves the group after the debacle and threatens to slit everyone’s throat who follows him. As he rides away, badly wounded, the others discuss if that was such a good idea. The princess even calls the General back. A part of the conversation between the monk and the archer can be seen at a later point in the HK version (26.5 sec).
72.5 sec

74:11
Yensol can be seen for a slightly shorter period of time.
1 sec

74:33
The archer and the chief officer talk about the General. The chief officer goes away to fetch back the General.
29.5 sec

75:12
The Mongolians have a longer discussion about what to do next.
9.5 sec

75:53
The brigade finds the General lying on the ground. His chief officer is already kneeling next to him. The monk wants to pick him up, but he is thrust back. The princess is also turned down.
54.5 sec

76:30
The fort’s gate is opened a bit earlier.
1.5 sec

76:44
The group walks through the fort for a longer period of time.
9 sec

77:56
The Mongolians appear on the horizon.
5 sec

78:35
A shot of the fort’s gate is missing.
5 sec

80:48
The wife of the man who has just been slain runs through the crowd, crying. The princess looks aghast and then grumbles at Yeonsol. Then you can see how the brigade sets up guards in the fort. (The shot of the Mongolian camp can be seen later in the HK version (4 sec)).
39 sec

81:06
Hustle and bustle at the fort. The translator tries to get rid of some kids he is entrusted with. Another one flirts with a woman. The well is reactivated and the General barricades the gate. The archer tries to talk him into leading the brigade again and even goes down on his knees. But the General goes on fighting for himself alone. In the meantime at the Mongolian camp: the leader is being patched up while he commands the men to pour out alcohol. Others insist on attacking immediately. The spear-building scene with Yeonsol appears later in the HK version (15.5 sec).
131.5 sec

81:45
A man hides ”his” old wife, who has had to act as a surrogate mother for quite some time already.
7 sec

83:15
The last part of a scene where a horse flips over is cut. What nonsense, as only the last 18 frames were ommited. The ugly beginning stays the same. Again nice to see: the hideous yellow tone of the HK version.
1 sec

83:36
A Mongolian tumbles with his horse.
3.5 sec

84:34
Yeonsol jumps at two Mongolians.
1.5 sec

84:36
The Mongolian is shown earlier.
0.5 sec

85:31
Short battling tumult.
2 sec

85:32
The General raises his sword (shortly before ramming it through the top of the opponent’s head).
1 sec

85:45
One more Mongolian is impaled with the spear.
1 sec

86:30
Cut number 87 seems to be the first one that is reducible to censorship. The bearded guy comes to the aid of a colleague and splits the Mongolian’s skull with an axe.
4.5 sec

87:21
Calm before the storm.
17 sec

87:51
The archer hits Yeonsol in the face for leaving his position, resulting in the death of many people.
9.5 sec

87:53
Scenes after the battle.
12 sec

88:05
The man who got an arrow shot into his eye brushes his ”medics” aside and yells at the monk, hoping the latter will stop pounding about and praying.
7 sec

89:14
A shortened shot of the General.
1 sec

90:26
The monk talks to one of the men entrusted with taking care of the children, who has kept away from the fighting grounds, so far. He doubts about his life and the meaning of his actions.
111 sec

101:00
10 minutes without a cut. The censors didn’t run out of stream towards the end, after all: the princess can be seen.
4 sec

101:36
The princess wants to surrender herself to the Mongolians. The General wants to prevent it, but he is stopped by the chief officer.
4 sec

105:19
The man runs toward his opponent before hitting him.
2.5 sec

105:52
Battling tumult.
4 sec

106:07
Battling tumult. The last part of this cut was already shown in the HK version at 105:52 (3 sec)
3 sec

106:16
Yeonsol is held back.
1 sec

106:17
The Mongolian lunges out with his whip a bit earlier.
0.5 sec

107:27
The General inquires about his chief officer. Daejung tells him the chief officer is dead.
21 sec

107:35
The General pulls himself together.
6 sec

108:31
The conversation between the General and the princess is edited completely different in both versions and also uses different camera positions. The conversation’s contents, however, are almost identical. The HK version is slightly shorter. Interesting to see: the longer Korean version only uses 4 cuts, while the HK version changes the perspective 9 times. This ”diverting variation” is symptomatical for the aim behind most of the cuts in this film.
6 sec

111,57
The General talks shortly longer to Daejung.
9 sec

11:59
The conversation between the General and his men is shortened at the beginning.
5.5 sec

113:02
Camp fire romanticism: a man snuggles up close to his surrogate mother.
13.5 sec

113:26
Daejung notices Yeonsol’s absence from the stake.
4 sec

116:37
Daejung, one second before the attack.
2 sec

117:24
Reflecting before battle.
7 sec

118:04
Daejung fires an arrow at a Mongolian.
1.5 sec

118:06
The angry one-eyed man for a bit longer.
1 sec

118:16
The Mongolian attacks the old man slightly longer.
3 sec

118:43
Battling tumult in the children’s house.
1 sec

119:02
At the beginning of this shot, the man takes a little more time to save one of his children.
1 sec

119:47
Yeonsol goes out of the tent for a longer period of time.
2 sec

119:54
The Mongolian leader is also on screen longer for a longer period of time.
1 sec

120:05
The monk swings the pole for a moment longer and the girl is shown from a different angle than in the HK version. The HK shot can be seen later in the Korean version.
2.5 sec

120:13
Short end of a shot in front of the fire.
0.5 sec

120:38
The angry one-eyed man with hachet for a longer period of time. One of the monk’s victims falls against a wall of fire.
2 sec

120:41
The one-eyed man takes longer to be thrown to the ground by an opponent.
1 sec

121:28
Then she sees a peasant woman attacking a Mongolian with a pitchfork. The scene depicting the princess dropping her sword comes later (2.5 sec).
2 sec

121:38
The princess can be seen slightly later (121:47).
no difference in time

121:45
The one-eyed man’s slit-up face is on screen for slightly longer.
1 sec

121:50
The meanwhile blind one-eyed man screams in pain and anger.
4 sec

121:53
Yeonsol rides on shortly longer.
1 sec

122:10
The beginning of this shot was shortened.
2.5 sec

122:15
The end, too: a rider throws himself with spear and horse onto an opponent.
4 sec

122:18
A shot of the princess is missing.
5 sec

Now everthing goes wrong
The following scenes, in which many of the important characters die and Yeonsol returns, were completely re-edited and also shortened. All shortened parts of singular shots are mentioned in the position they probably should have been in the HK version. I will not comment on the order in which the scenes appear.

Time of the debacle:
HK: 122:18 - 123:08

122:30
The Mongolian leader comes along, mounted on horse.
2.5 sec

122:30
The monk is pushed against the wall. Beginning of the shot.
1 sec

122:32
ditto. End of the shot: swords are thrust into a stomach.
1.5 sec

122:33
The man shows up at his surrogate mother’s place a moment earlier.
1.5 sec

122:48
After the Mongolians have pulled the swords out of the monk’s stomache, they take longer to depart.
1 sec

122:50
Yeonsol can be seen with his spear for shortly longer at the beginning.
0,5 sec

122:58
The center piece of the faltering man who is caught by his surrogate mother is missing.
3 sec

122:58
The monk takes less time to collapse.
1 sec

Now the chronologic order is resumed.

124:41
They just couldn’t keep their hands off it. Even Yeonson’s heroic death was manipulated. How can anyone be so presumptuous and fiddle around with such a perfectly arranged scene. Especially as it ends up in a minimally erroneous storyline.
2 sec

126:27
Now the shot of the girl should be shown that is to be seen earlier in the HK version (120:05).
no time difference

126:30
The shot of the Mongolian lying on the ground, which belongs here, was also shown earlier (126:25).
no time difference

126:30
Yeonsol kneels on the ground.
3 sec

127:55
The couple near the fire can be seen slightly shorter at the end.
1 sec

128:38
Daejung can be seen for a moment less in the boat. The boat is also shown for a shorter period of time in the water.
7.5 sec

THE MISSING SCENES IN THE KOREAN VERSION

90:20
The princess goes for a walk at night and her watchdog Yeonsol accompanies her for a few more meters. She offers him a coat as it’s very cold, but he doesn’t react and just looks aghast.
27.5 sec

92:34
short scene with Yeonsol.
1,5 sec

Here a couple of the pictures missing in the HK version of the dialogue between General and princess

131:33
no evaluation

Strikingly, the images of the HK version not only have to bear with a wrong format, but also had to go through futher manipulation.
The pictures were brightened and alienated with a color sceen, the effect is sometimes hideous. The original roughness is lost and the film is not as gloomy. Besides all of that, the Korean version is distinctly sharper than the HK version.