Here’s a collection of quotes from the Korean series, Dear Hongrang (2025):
Episode 1
“No creation of man can be entirely without flaw.” – Grand Prince Hanpyeong
“A true mother would never fall apart so helplessly.” – Madame Gwigokja
“The longer his absence, the sturdier the place of return must be. How could you lose yourself like this when you need to be prepared at all times?” – Madame Gwigokja
“You may cover yourself so but my eyes will never fail to discern you.” – Mujin
“You are no brother of mine.” – Jae Yi
“I may have no memories but I can still feel it. That you were nothing like this, at least.” – Hongrang
“If you wander without a family or a home, such scars are inevitable.” – Hongrang
“Do I seem that easy to you? In 12 years, even a stake can take root.” – Mujin
Episode 2
“The days we lost weigh on my heart. Even if only for a moment, I long to keep you in my sight.” – Madam Min
“An empty stomach leads to an empty heart.” – Jae Yi
“Everyone wanted me dead. They all clawed at me, seeking my death, but not Hongrang. That child could even revive a dying heart.” – Jae Yi
“Even a mere clump of grass will toughen and grow thorns if it spends years facing the biting wind.” – Servant
“He is no ordinary man of combat. He is not human. We call him the Soul Reaper as he tears out the hearts of men.”
“You dare lay a finger upon my sister?” – Hongrang
Episode 3
“That is how it goes. A sprained ankle will falter again, just as deep wounds tend to fester. No wound ever heals completely.” – Hongrang
“If you will not take my hand, hold my sleeve.” – Hongrang
“One creates his own fate.” – Grand Prince Hanpyeong
“He may do everything in his power to emulate greatness, but he shall never duplicate a single stroke of my brush. Indeed not.” – Grand Prince Hanpyeong
“Articulating the essence of the spirit is a rare gift, you see.” – Grand Prince Hanpyeong
“Everyone is something from the moment they are born. Someone’s son, someone’s baby brother. Someone’s cousin or friend. Simply someone’s neighbor, even. But I was never something to anyone. I was always alone. As if I was dropped from the sky.” – Hongrang
“Whether you are an imposter or not, I hope you are no longer in pain.” – Jae Yi
Episode 4
“A brother of yours, is in a way, a brother of mine.” – Mujin
“Is this not the nature of little brothers? Unruly, unthinking, and unsound?” – Hongrang
“Fear often stems from one’s childhood experiences.” – Great uncle
“What I feared more than the hunger, cold, and darkness was being utterly alone.” – Hongrang
“Nothing could rival the fear born of such despair and solitude. I shall never know a greater fear.” – Hongrang
“Is it not the existence of the real that gives rise to the fake?” – Madame Gwigokja
“Never forget that the spilling of innocent blood always has its consequences.” – Great uncle
“I thought I lost you again.” – Jae Yi
“What makes a fake a fake is the existence of an authentic.” – Madam Min
“Strange, is it not? I am the one who is injured, so why is she in pain? Perhaps we are alike.” – Hongrang
Episode 5
“What if my eyes are failing to recognize him yet my heart somehow knows it is him?” – Jae Yi
“Is there a reason I must not be your brother? Or do you simply wish I were not him, since I am not the brother you hoped for?” – Hongrang
“The more you know, the more unfamiliar I will appear.” – Hongrang
“A person’s true nature can never change. No matter how harsh a storm one weathers, one’s innate character does not change.”
“Whether you are my brother or not, I do not wish to lose you.” – Jae Yi
“They are my brothers. They are my family. I grew up with them. This is the life I led. This is the Soul Reaper you sought. This is what I am.” – Hongrang
Episodes 6-7
“All that about my pitying her was an excuse. I just want to protect her. Otherwise, I do not think I could bear it.” – Soul Reaper
“I’m in pain now. If I lose her, you will lose me.” – Soul Reaper
“I seek nothing from her, so there is nothing to betray. All I wish is for her safety, nothing more.” – Soul Reaper
“He is me. I see myself in him. He shares the life I have lived and bears my scars.” – Jae Yi
“I feel anxious whenever you are out of sight. It scares me, and I miss you, so I seek you out. I cannot let go of you. Now I constantly yearn for you.” – Jae Yi
“I would rather lose everything than lose her.” – Mujin
Episodes 8-9
“The more I see him, the more refined he seems. It is as if I am looking at a waterfall frozen in the snowy winter. Fair and pure. Strong and sharp, yet graceful.” – Grand Prince Hanpyeong
“Everything in the guild appeared to be a sword or a spear ready to pierce me at any moment. Except one thing. Except you.” – Mujin
“I could not tell you what I was. I am hideous and hateful. Disgusting, even in my own eyes.” – Soul Reaper
“I love you. It is love that I feel for you. Nothing else could explain what I feel for you.” – Jae Yi
“What I truly could not bear anymore was that in that place, I could not love you.” – Jae Yi
“No matter how tough the road ahead or how hopeless everything feels, should I come to regret my choices, I know I can endure it.” – Jae Yi
“I am okay so as long as you are by my side.” – Jae Yi
“I am not trying to protect her. I intend to claim her.” – Mujin
“I will never leave you feeling my absence. I will never leave you waiting. Even if we are separated, I will always return to be with you.” – Soul Reaper
“Never in my life have I gazed at the stars so leisurely.” – Soul Reaper
Episode 10
“Was Hongrang ever truly my son?” – Chief Merchant Sim
“Even the most sought-after steed becomes nothing more than a useless and harmful creature when left untamed.” – Chief Merchant Sim
“You may sharpen your sword but do not dare swing it before me.” – Chief Merchant Sim
“The one who seeks to take me, now lost of all use and purpose.” – Soul Reaper
“I deserve to die in your hands so how can you love me?” – Jae Yi
“I want to free her from the constant longing and from a life of endless waiting and pain.” – Soul Reaper
Episode 11
“They do not have to fade from sight or memory. They just need to be seen, acknowledged, and embraced, as I will do for you.” – Jae Yi
“Even if you are telling the truth, you have nothing to look forward to. Whatever happens, I will never leave him.” – Jae Yi
“My search for greatness is not driven by selfish aspirations or avarice. Rather, it is my fervent zeal for all people. I must become a deity. Only then will this country and the entire world achieve serenity.” – Grand Prince Hanpyeong
“You saved me. After everything ended, I had planned to end myself, too. I knew I had to burn or tear this filth off me to finally break free. I had to die to become human again. But not anymore. None of that matters now. Because you made me human. You made me a man.” – Soul Reaper
“This night feels unusually long. I wonder when morning will come.” – Soul Reaper
“Now that all I see is darkness, you are the only one who remains.” – Soul Reaper
“Just because you cannot see something does not mean it has disappeared. Just as you cannot see the stars on a rainy day. That does not mean they are not there.” – Jae Yi
“My place is next to you as your place is next to me. Just as we are now.” – Jae Yi
Genre: Historical, Mystery, Romance
Synopsis: When a long-missing heir returns with lost memories, love and suspicion entwine. Is he truly Hongrang, or a stranger disturbing hearts and family ties?
Based on: the novel, “Tangeum: Swallowing Gold” by Jang Da-hye
No. of episodes: 11
Cast: Lee Jae-wook, Jo Boah
Writer: Kim Jin-A
Director: Kim Hong-sun
Network: Netflix
Date: May 16, 2025
English subtitle translation / Images: Netflix
KORB 