FRAMEX

EPISODE 001

A Zero on Dictation—and the Vanishing Page

Eleven-year-old Seoyul, terrified of reading aloud, falls into Joseon just before Hangul is unveiled.

C001 · chirp…#1
chirp…
C002 · Today’s Korean Class: Dictation Test tick…#2
Today’s Korean Class: Dictation Test
tick…
C003 · scrape · rustle#3
scrape · rustle
C004 · drip#4
drip
C005 · Hey, are you okay? You’re pale as a sheet.#5
Hey, are you okay? You’re pale as a sheet.
C006 · …Could I just spike a fever
and go home early today?#6
…Could I just spike a fever and go home early today?
C007 · All right. Write down exactly what I read.
Number one.#7
All right. Write down exactly what I read. Number one.
C008 · She ate yukgaejang,
tears streaming down her face.#8
She ate yukgaejang, tears streaming down her face.
C009 · scratch scratch#9
scratch scratch
C010 · My hand… won’t move.#10
My hand… won’t move.
C011 · Yuk… gae-jang. How was it spelled?
Yukgae-jjang? Yukki-jang?#11
Yuk… gae-jang. How was it spelled? Yukgae-jjang? Yukki-jang?
C012 · Now, come up one at a time
and read what you wrote.#12
Now, come up one at a time and read what you wrote.
C013 · Give it back.#13
Give it back.
C014 · Pfft. What was that? Ha! ROAR OF LAUGHTER#14
Pfft.
What was that? Ha!
ROAR OF LAUGHTER
C015 · Last one, number ten.#15
Last one, number ten.
C016 · Once you’re done, come up one at a time again
and read what you wrote.#16
Once you’re done, come up one at a time again and read what you wrote.
C017 · Red Xs multiplied across a notebook full of blanks.#17
Red Xs multiplied across a notebook full of blanks.
C018 · Min Seoyul.#18
Min Seoyul.
C019 · tick#19
tick
C020 · swish#20
swish
C021 · After school, only Seoyul remained in the classroom.#21
After school, only Seoyul remained in the classroom.
C022 · Mom My meeting is running late.
Wait in after-school care. Okay, I’ll practice. 4:17 PM#22
Mom
My meeting is running late. Wait in after-school care.
Okay, I’ll practice.
4:17 PM
C023 · For our dear Seoyul
It is all right to read slowly.
With love, Grandma#23
For our dear Seoyul It is all right to read slowly. With love, Grandma
C024 · Grandma… I got a zero on dictation again today.
All because of yukgaejang.#24
Grandma… I got a zero on dictation again today. All because of yukgaejang.
C025 · This was the last thing Grandma gave me…
What is wrong with me?#25
This was the last thing Grandma gave me… What is wrong with me?
C026 · The back of the dictionary was strangely thin.#26
The back of the dictionary was strangely thin.
C027 · glow…#27
glow…
C028 · Huh…?#28
Huh…?
C029 · FLAP-FLAP#29
FLAP-FLAP
C030 · FSSSH#30
FSSSH
C031 · What…? No! Grandma gave me this…#31
What…? No! Grandma gave me this…
C032 · 4:17 PM — Time stopped.#32
4:17 PM — Time stopped.
C033 · THUD!#33
THUD!
C034 · Ow… What is this place… a gym?#34
Ow… What is this place… a gym?
C035 · Wet laundry and the sting of lye. This was no film set.#35
Wet laundry and the sting of lye. This was no film set.
C036 · …A historical-drama set?
Would they really make it this realistic?#36
…A historical-drama set? Would they really make it this realistic?
C037 · The two palace workers froze at the same instant.#37
The two palace workers froze at the same instant.
C038 · W-what in the world is she wearing?!#38
W-what in the world is she wearing?!
C039 · I’m just an extra!
Don’t mind me!#39
I’m just an extra! Don’t mind me!
C040 · STAGGER!#40
STAGGER!
C041 · Whoa! SLIP!#41
Whoa!
SLIP!
C042 · Who goes there?!#42
Who goes there?!
C043 · DASH!#43
DASH!
C044 · She ran blindly between clotheslines and narrow corridors.#44
She ran blindly between clotheslines and narrow corridors.
C045 · TAP-TAP#45
TAP-TAP
C046 · RAT-A-TAT#46
RAT-A-TAT
C047 · If they catch me here…
am I going to a Joseon prison?!#47
If they catch me here… am I going to a Joseon prison?!
C048 · A dead end…!#48
A dead end…!
C049 · BANG!#49
BANG!
C050 · The two children’s eyes met in the dark.#50
The two children’s eyes met in the dark.
C051 · …What are you? A goblin or a ghost?#51
…What are you? A goblin or a ghost?
C052 · I-I’m not a ghost!
I’m a person, a real person!#52
I-I’m not a ghost! I’m a person, a real person!
C053 · tap-tap-tap… phew—#53
tap-tap-tap…
phew—
C054 · What country makes straw shoes like these?#54
What country makes straw shoes like these?
C055 · They’re not straw shoes, they’re Nike—
No, how am I supposed to explain this?#55
They’re not straw shoes, they’re Nike— No, how am I supposed to explain this?
C056 · Never mind. I’m Mumyeongi.
What should I call you?#56
Never mind. I’m Mumyeongi. What should I call you?
C057 · …Mumyeongi? Is that your real name?#57
…Mumyeongi? Is that your real name?
C058 · They call me Mumyeongi because I have no name.
Why would someone like me have a proper one?
No document would ever record it.#58
They call me Mumyeongi because I have no name. Why would someone like me have a proper one? No document would ever record it.
C059 · …Today, I felt like I was being scolded
because I couldn’t even read aloud what I wrote.#59
…Today, I felt like I was being scolded because I couldn’t even read aloud what I wrote.
C060 · Anyway, never go over there.
They call it the Eonmun Office. If you’re caught snooping,
ten lives wouldn’t be enough.#60
Anyway, never go over there. They call it the Eonmun Office. If you’re caught snooping, ten lives wouldn’t be enough.
C061 · rustle#61
rustle
C062 · Beyond the half-open door were candlelight and stacks of paper.#62
Beyond the half-open door were candlelight and stacks of paper.
C063 · A man wrote a letter, erased it, and wrote again.#63
A man wrote a letter, erased it, and wrote again.
C064 · …Not this. Nor this… CRUMPLE#64
…Not this. Nor this…
CRUMPLE
C065 · Huh? I feel like I’ve seen that before… ㅇ#65
Huh? I feel like I’ve seen that before…
C066 · Huh? Isn’t that ieung?#66
Huh? Isn’t that ieung?
C067 · WHOOSH#67
WHOOSH
C068 · BANG#68
BANG
C069 · Y-YOUR MAJESTY!!#69
Y-YOUR MAJESTY!!
C070 · …“Your Majesty”? What does that mean?#70
…“Your Majesty”? What does that mean?
C071 · Sejong’s hand stopped. His eyes fixed on Seoyul’s old dictionary.#71
Sejong’s hand stopped. His eyes fixed on Seoyul’s old dictionary.
C072 · Close the door. I will question this child.#72
Close the door. I will question this child.
C073 · What country do the letters in that book belong to? 가 나 0/10#73
What country do the letters in that book belong to?
0/10
C074 · …What manner of child is this,
to carry such things?#74
…What manner of child is this, to carry such things?
C075 · …How do you read this?
Speak it aloud. 가 나#75
…How do you read this? Speak it aloud.
C076 · Um… “ga”? Or maybe “gya”?#76
Um… “ga”? Or maybe “gya”?
C077 · 갸#77
C078 · …No one could have taught you this.
Where in the world did you learn these letters?#78
…No one could have taught you this. Where in the world did you learn these letters?
C079 · From this day on,
you are my first tester. Your Majesty, It’s Dictation Time!#79
From this day on, you are my first tester.
Your Majesty, It’s Dictation Time!
C080 · Your Majesty, at this late hour…
with whom are you keeping company?#80
Your Majesty, at this late hour… with whom are you keeping company?

End of Episode 1

Episode 2 · Dictation Time

“At this late hour… with whom are you keeping company?” A king who must hide his identity, a girl from the future who cannot, and danger just beyond one door.