The Kite Fighters

Young-sup continues to sever the lines of his next two opponents. After his third win, the judges call him up to the royal platform and ask him about his technique. He tells him about his special line, and after a close inspection, the judges allow him to continue. During his fourth match, it takes much longer for him to cut his opponent’s line, until a strong gust of wind finally knocks the kite free.

Kee-sup runs over to him after the match, and they inspect the line and realize their pottery mixture has been rubbed away. Luckily, in his next match, the few spots that still have the mixture make contact with his opponent’s line and Young-sup wins easily. However, the brothers see that Young-sup’s own line is beginning to fray.

Young-sup is adamant about keeping the line for his final round with Hee-nam, but Kee-sup insists that they need to cut the frayed section out so that his brother can fly with a strong line. Young-sup reluctantly trusts his brother and helps him re-tie everything. While they work, their father approaches them. He acknowledges that “so far [the kite] has been well flown,” and reminds Young-Sup to “honor [their] name” (116).

Young-sup feels his mind “go to sleep” during the final match against Hee-nam, while his body successfully executes his well-practiced maneuvers. The match is immediately intense, with Hee-nam trying to knock Young-sup’s kite to the ground. As the match goes on, Young-sup starts feeling exhausted. When he spots Kee-sup on the edge of the crowd, he imagines his reassuring voice urging him to cut Hee-nam’s line.

On his 12^th attempt at cutting the line, Young-sup loses his balance and falls out of his designated circle at the same time Hee-nam’s kite is cut free. There is confusion and chaos in the crowd while the judges confer to determine the winner. The crowd starts to chant Kim’s name, but soon Young-sup hears his father start chanting “Lee” until others catch on and soon everyone is chanting both names. Young-sup watches Hee-nam approach the judges and talk to them, and when he returns, he bows to Young-sup, indicating that Young-sup is the winner.

Hee-nam admits that he felt his line break right before he saw Young-sup fall. Hee-nam finally introduces himself, compliments Young-sup on his skill, and invites him to fly together sometime. The Lee family then watches the men’s match together, enjoying their picnic. After the final round, the King announces the winners to the crowd. Before Young-sup joins the King and the men’s winner on the platform, he respectfully thanks his brother for all his help.

In another break with tradition, the King invites the kite makers of the winning kites, Kee-sup and Kite Seller Chung to join everyone on stage. The King goes on to tell the legend of General Kim Yu-sin, who flew a lantern in the sky to inspire and motivate his soldiers to win an important battle. Starting a new closing tradition, soldiers hand the King and the two pairs on stage a kite with a lantern. Once they light and launch these lantern kites, the soldiers launch hundreds more, creating a beautiful spectacle in the sky for the crowd to enjoy.