The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea

As Mina descends into the sea with the dragon, she experiences an unexpected peace which suggests that the dragon’s magic is at work, sparing her from drowning. She feels a kinship with the previous brides who survived this journey, realizing that they too must have been protected. Surrounded by the dragon’s coils, she finds herself in the Spirit Realm, a place that her grandmother often described as being filled with deities and other wondrous beings. In this new realm, Mina awakens on dry land, noticing a red silk ribbon emanating from her palm and guiding her path. This Red String of Fate, as described in her grandmother’s stories, connects a person to their destiny or to the one they desire most. Despite her confusion and fear, she grasps her knife and follows the ribbon through the misty, deserted streets of a ghostly city.

She finds herself drawn away from the Sea God’s palace by the melancholy sound of a wind chime that she recognizes as one she made for her deceased niece. This leads her to a shop filled with chimes and a realization that spirits are near. Mina then reaches the Sea God’s palace, where she finds the god slumped on his throne, appearing as a tearful boy. Angered at the thought of the suffering that her village has endured because of the Sea God, she contemplates killing him, but as she observes his sorrow, her rage gives way to empathy. Recalling her grandmother’s teachings, she sings a song from her childhood, expressing her heart to the Sea God. As the Sea God shows signs of awakening, a stern voice interrupts, halting Mina’s heartfelt moment and leaving her future and the fate of her people uncertain.

Three masked figures confront Mina as she stands by the Sea God’s throne. One, whose name is Namgi, mockingly wonders whether she is another bride or just a lost magpie. Another figure, Kirin, is carrying a birdcage and doubts her status as the chosen bride, noting that such roles are not meant for those who are common or rash. Mina asserts that she chose herself, despite being ordinary. The figures then speak of a magpie that becomes a bride, saves a dragon, and restores peace—a story that Mina believes might hold some truth.

The Sea God’s distress interrupts the exchange, and Mina feels a strong pull from the Red String of Fate. As she reaches for the Sea God, she experiences his nightmare—a vision of calamities and a dragon holding a pearl. When the third figure releases her from the vision, Mina realizes that the images were the Sea God’s recurring nightmare. She speculates that the Sea God’s brides may have a connection to lifting his curse. The third figure, which is later revealed to be Lord Shin of Lotus House, dismisses the idea of the Sea God’s neglect. Instead, he attributes human suffering to their own violent actions rather than to divine will. Despite his grim prophecy of her inevitable failure, Mina defiantly claims her fate as her own. As she insists on her identity and purpose, Shin cuts the Red String of Fate with his sword. The string transforms into a magpie with red wing tips. Cradled in Shin’s palm, it symbolizes the severance of Mina’s imposed fate and perhaps the start of her true journey.

When Shin cuts the Red String of Fate, which also contains her soul, and transforms it into a magpie with red-tipped wings, Mina is left voiceless. Kirin places the magpie in a cage, and Shin nonchalantly informs Mina that she can retrieve her soul at the south gate of Lotus House after one month. Mina is confused and distressed to realize that her voice is gone, and although she can still feel emotions, she is told that her human body is too weak to sustain life in the Spirit Realm for long. If she does not reclaim her soul, she will become a spirit and will essentially die.

Shin explains that he severed her connection to the Sea God in order to protect him, for her death would also endanger the god himself. Mina fiercely argues that she wants to save her world from destruction, but Shin seems resigned to the idea that nothing can change the Sea God’s slumber or the dark fate of the human world. As he departs, leaving her alone, Mina is thrust outside the palace by an invisible force. The fog lifts, revealing the stunning city of the gods, a sight that both captivates and terrifies her, cementing the reality of her journey into a new and dangerous world.

Mina hides in an alley behind a fish shop, feeling vulnerable, frustrated, and soulless after Shin severed her Red String of Fate and rendered her voiceless. She recalls a past incident from the paper boat festival during which she felt abandoned as her brother Joon followed Shim Cheong, marking a change in their relationship. Her grandfather consoled her then, assuring her of Joon’s lifelong love.

Now, however, her solitude is interrupted by two spirits, Mask and Dai, and an infant spirit named Miki. Mask wears a wooden mask with changing expressions, while Dai carries Miki on his back. Despite Mina’s inability to speak, they deduce her predicament and offer help. They explain that she is not dead like them; instead, she is a living human who has entered the Spirit Realm as the Sea God’s bride. Mask and Dai propose to sneak Mina into Lotus House to retrieve her soul. They assume that she is seeking employment, and they joke that if her human identity is discovered, she might be in danger. Trusting her instincts despite her reservations, Mina decides to follow the spirits, hoping that they can assist her in reclaiming her voice.

Overwhelmed by the bustling, vibrant city, Mina follows Mask, Dai, and Miki through the streets, which are filled with lively spirits that resemble living people. They pass various food carts, and Mina savors a delicious dumpling, feeling a mix of awe and apprehension in this unfamiliar environment. They also encounter a procession for the bride of Shiki, a death god. The bride’s name is Hyeri, and Minan recognizes her as a former Sea God’s bride from her village. Mina recalls helping Hyeri to prepare for her sacrifice; at the time, their conversation focused on the different reasons that girls become brides for the Sea God. Hyeri expressed a desire to escape her painful life, revealing a complex perspective on the role of the brides.

Now, Mask and Dai discuss the celebrated wedding of Shiki and his bride, hinting at a feud involving Lord Shin. Mask believes that love is at the heart of the conflict. Mina is determined to retrieve her soul from Lotus House despite the daunting task ahead. Dai helps her approach a side entrance, where a girl named Nari, whom Mina recognizes, answers the door.

Mina reminisces about a girl from her village named Nari, whom she both admired and feared. Nari protected Mina’s brother Joon from bullies and was known for her bright, fearless nature. Mina believed that Nari had been lost to the sea a year ago, and she is now surprised to encounter Nari alive in the Spirit Realm. Nari, mistakenly thinking that Mina is dead, is shocked to see her and learns Mina is actually a Sea God’s bride. Dai intervenes to clarify Mina’s situation.

Nari is now a servant in Lotus House, and she agrees to help Mina retrieve her soul. She recalls their past interactions and expresses a newfound respect for Mina, acknowledging Joon’s love for his sister. Mina follows Nari through Lotus House until they reach the pavilion where Mina’s soul is likely kept. As they approach their destination, Mina is spotted by Namgi, one of the individuals involved in her current predicament.