I. Synopsis
In Korea, AD 668. Kim Beob-min (Hwang Jung-min) is the king of the small southern Korean state of Shilla and makes a deal with China's Tang dynasty officials to have a combined strike against the larger northern Korean state of Goguryeo. The conditions of the agreement involve Shilla being given back the Korean state of Baekje. The combined troops march to Pyongyang Castle, where Goguryeo's Yeon Gaesomun (Lee Won-jong) dies and hands over command of the army to his second son Yeon Nam-geon (Ryu Seung-ryong). This action upsets his first son, Yeon Namsaeng (Yoon Je-moon) who is not as war-hungry as Nam-geon.
The Goguryeo soldiers defending the castle succeed in fighting off the Allied Army's first assault by catapulting honey and bees onto the Shilla soldiers. Meanwhile, the Shilla grand general Kim Yushin (Jung Jin-young) holds back sending his main force to join the advanced Allied Army, preferring to deal directly with Yeon Gaesomun's sons than the Chinese. Yeon Namsaeng is expelled from the castle by his elder brother. The Chinese commander Yi launches a full-scale attack on the castle but is beaten back by the Goguryeo secret weapon. An allied soldier, Thingamajig (Lee Moon-sik) from Baekje, is captured. Thingamajig, who has suffered under Chinese rule, broadcasts a demoralizing message to the Allied Army. Thingamajig is rewarded by being allowed to marry the brave Goguryeo female warrior, Gap-sun (Sunwoo Sun), against her will.
