The Painter of the WindEpisodes Guide

Kim Hong Do tells the story of the one who was his student, master, friend, and lover. In 1777, the first year of King Jeongjo's reign, Yoon Bok and Hyo Won enter a painting contest at Dohwaseo and wage psychological warfare. Not long after, Shin Yoon Bok secretly paints a woman near the stone wall of a lord's home, which Queen Jung Soon discovers as she comes out of the home.

In the Dohwaseo courtyard, Kim Hong Do heads toward the student hall. At that moment, the painters there recognize Hong Do and greet him. Yoon Bok looks surprised. Hong Do tells the students to copy the folding screen Yoon Bok brought, when Jang Hyo Won says they had a copying lesson in their previous class. Hong Do approaches the students and tells them to define painting. Hyo Won says it is displaying the authority of the royal family, and Yoon Bok answers that painting is longing.

People are mingling in the Dohwaseo courtyard, when the Minister of Culture and Education presses Kim Hong Do to tell which student painted a particular painting. Hong Do says he cannot say and closes his eyes, at which the minister asks whether he is willing to have his hand cut off instead of the student's. Hong Do's hand is put into the punishing rack. Just then, Yoon Bok appears, riding a horse, and anxious Young Bok suddenly steps forward saying he painted the painting.

The exam for Dohwaseo students begins. Jang Byeok Su, who aims to bring down Hong Do, sets a condition that Hong Do must leave if Yoon Bok fails the exam. Yoon Bok must paint the women playing by the stream on May Day, but is restricted when he tries to enter because he is a man. Yoon Bok steals the clothing of one of the women and enters the stream.

Yoon Bok asks Jeong Hyang to pose for her drawing, and Jeong Hyang, at Yoon Bok's direction, removes her clothing piece by piece. Kim Jo Nyeon, passing through the corridor of Gyewolok, sees Jeong Hyang's lovely figure and stares engrossed, and runs into Gyewolok. Yoon Bok, coming out of Gyewolok after painting, passes by a well and someone pushes her in. The painting is stolen.

In the Dohwaseo courtyard, Hong Do watches the incense clock anxiously. The moment the ashes fall, Yoon Bok finishes the painting by dotting the two monk's eyes. Later, in the lecture hall, Jang Byeok Su, with the Minister of Culture and officials, harshly criticize Yoon Bok's painting before the elder painters, saying the drawing technique better suits street paintings. At that moment, Kim Hong Do shouts that to properly appraise a painting, naturalism and vividness must be felt.

In Jeong Hyang's room, just as Yoon Bok is about to explain why he cannot hold her, Jang Byeok Su opens the door. Kim Hong Do, though surprised, stands in front of a startled Yoon Bok and Jeong Hyang. He harshly scolds Yoon Bok. Yoon Bok, saying it is his last time meeting Jeong Hyang, asks for forgiveness just once. Because of this incident, Shin Han Pyeong immediately grounds Yoon Bok. But he soon goes free, thanks to the one who is watching out for him.

The painters receive the royal command to return to Dohwaseo and a competition for the royal portrait, the portrait of King Jeongjo, considered the highest honour, is carried out. Young Bok, hearing the portrait can differ according to the colouring powder used, tells Heo Shim he wishes to make the best colouring powder. He asks him to teach him, but Heo Shim becomes angry and chases him out. Heo Ok, while trying to drag Young Bok out, trips and a jar of colouring powder falls.

The competition for the royal portrait begins, and King Jeongjo gives a topic different from the one already given. Hong Do, having dropped his glasses while bickering with Lee Myeong Ki, tries to pick them up, but Lee Myeong Ki steps on them and breaks the lenses, which are now useless. Hong Do, without his glasses, cannot see the drawn lines, and in the end, instructs Yoon Bok to paint.

Kim Jo Nyeon says if someone doesn't properly handle the precious colouring powder and ruins it, the colouring process may not proceed and the painters cannot complete the royal portrait. Jang Byeok Su's face brightens on hearing this. Young Bok, enduring the danger of breathing toxic gas for Yoon Bok's sake, makes colouring powder. Watching this, a disgruntled worker asks why Young Bok isn't doing wood painting and assigns him the work that has gotten behind.

Seeing the ruined colouring powder, Hong Do breaks the rule, which restricts leaving the palace during the painting of the royal portrait, and goes outside to retrieve the colouring powder.

King Jeongjo asks Hong Do to trust him and to do as he says, though they cannot know what the ministers may attack when the royal portrait is complete. King Jeongjo gazes warmly at Yoon Bok mixing the coloring powder when Yoon Bok says his older brother, who was sent to Dancheongseo, made it.

Hong Do looks for King Jeongjo. When asked about his injured hand, he tells him it happened because he wanted to save Yoon Bok's life. The incident arose when Yoon Bok's brother Young Bok was making the powder for coloring the king's robe. Explaining why Yoon Bok had no other choice but to tear the royal portrait, he earnestly asks him to show mercy to Yoon Bok. At this, King Jeongjo is deep in thought.

The following day arrives, and following the Vice Premier Jo Young Seung's lead, the ministers step on the torn portrait to deny its legitimacy. King Jeongjo's expression changes, witnessing this. In a cold tone, he lays down the verdict that if the painting is not a royal portrait, Yoon Bok, who is condemned to execution by beheading, is not guilty of any wrongdoing.

Hong Do and Yoon Bok, at Lord Kim Myeong Ryun's request, paint a picture to make Lord Kim's son smile. Hong Do, having heard Yoon Bok's whisper, paints the painting, "Boy Dancer." While looking at the painting, a smile spreads across the boy's face. Lord Kim Myeong Ryun, moved by this, according to his promise, offers his portrait. Hong Do and Yoon Bok, unfurl the portrait and gaze at it, startled. Later, the two seek out each of the lords according to what they heard from Gong.

Hong Do and Yoon Bok show King Jeongjo the portraits of the members of the Five Bamboos Guild painted by the master painter 10 years ago, excluding one that was lost. Hong Do brings out one more painting, saying it is the portrait of the man who killed the master painter and shows him the portrait by Seo Jing without a face. Yoon Bok recognizes the painting her father painted and is shocked by Hong Do's words that he was his best friend.

Hong Do and Yoon Bok, to solve the secret behind the thick paper, go to a paper factory. There, the two hear about the paper's quality from an elderly man. At that moment, Yoon Bok remembers her father Seo Jing turning his compressing machine and explaining it long ago. She puts the paper into the water and the paper dissolves, and a hidden face appears, startling Yoon Bok.

Yoon Bok, having learned who killed her father, tries to immediately run to the police bureau and petition to reinvestigate the incident. Hong Do, asking if Yoon Bok really doesn't know his father's will, stops him, telling him not to rush to seek revenge and do anything rash. Yoon Bok paints Jeong Hyang wearing a mourning dress and smiling in the painting, "Vulgar Wife's Spring Viewing."

Hong Do tells Yoon Bok to beat him at all costs in this painting competition, and what is more, that beating each other will be their survival. Yoon Bok, not understanding, is perplexed. Meanwhile, Kim Jo Nyeon, at Jeong Hyang's words that she will bet on Hyewon, hints that it must be because he is her lover. At this, Jeong Hyang advises that while he excels at increasing his wealth, he does not know how to win people's hearts.

Kim Jo Nyeon gets into trouble as a result of the painting competition. Yoon Bok resolves her father's revenge, and Hong Do, his best friend's grudge. King Jeongjo bestows the title of king on Crown Prince Sado.