Jewel In The Palace

From hkadb.net

Introduction

Your fate will be decided by three women. The first one, you killed her but she didnt die. The second one, you will save her, but she will die because of you. The third one, she will kill you, but because of this, will be the saviour of many...''

MBC’s major television production Dae Jang Geum stars Korean actress Lee Young Ae of One Fine Spring Day and JSA fame. During its run in Korea the show received over 50% of the ratings share, the highest in Korean television history. The show tells the story of the first female royal doctor Jang Geum(Chang Jin), who worked in the royal court in 16th century Korea. With her extraordinary determination and wisdom, she managed to achieve the impossible in a time where women have no place in society: becoming the most outstanding royal chef, then became the first woman royal doctor for the Emperor. Based on a true story, the series ensure that accuracy is observed for the historical period it is presenting. The audience can enjoy the extravagance in its production design, the delicacy of the royal cuisine, and the wisdom of traditional Korean medical remedies. Casting for the main characters: Soo Jang-Geum played by Lee Young Ae(from JSA,One Fine Spring Day,Fireworks) Min Jeong-Ho played by Ji Jin Hee (from Miss Kim's Million Dollar project, Love Letter) Choi Geum-Young played by Hong Li Na King Jung-Jong played by Im Ho Court Lady Han played by Yang Mi-Gyeong (from Fireworks) Court Lady Choi played by Kyun Mi-Ri (from One Million Roses)

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Fact File:

In actual history, the King did fall in love with Jang Geum(Chang Jin), but he can't do anything to save Jang Geum after his death...

(Nothing much is written about Jang Geum in history, so the above statement is FALSE!)!

King Jung Jong's Wife-Queen, Queen Munjeong was a major historical figure in Korean History. She ruled Korea from behind the veil with absolute power for 8 years. Thus, Jang-geum was not the only woman who broke through barrier of gender inequality and sexual discrimination. A touch of this was mentioned in the series.(Gerry Tan)

During the reign of Jungjong (the 11th Joseon King) there was a major conflict between two Confucian factions. One is the Yanban, to which the Right Minister Oh belongs. These Yanban were descendants of the group responsible for King Sejong's (4th Joseon King) accession to the throne, and as a result of this service, accumulated a great deal of power and wealth ever since. The other faction is the Shilin to which the Left Minister Pak and Min jung-ho belongs to. They(Shilin) believe that a person should be suited for a position based on merit and not on breeding and connections,thus in direct opposition to the Yanban code.This is truly the Shilin philosophy and the King took it a step further by appointing Jang-geum as his Personal physician and bestowed her the title of Dae Jang Geum.(Gerry Tan)

Dae Jang Geum is the one and only female to be a King's Personal physician. Until today even the Presidential Personal physician is still a male. (Gerry Tan)

The King tried to push for reforms by appointing Jo Gwangjo to his administration who tried but failed and suffered tremendous setbacks.He was subsequently exiled. In 1521, an event occured when the Yanban pressed for Jo's execution rather than exile. This served as a historical basis for the Sulfur Duck incident where Lady Court Han was accused to be in league with Jo. (although the character of Jo is not seen but references to him were made throughout the story, I think it is common knowledge that the Koreans know this historical incident but we are oblivios to Korean Joseon History are keep in a limbo on who Jo was. (Gerry Tan)

There was a person named Min Jung-Ho, but he had no romantic relationship with Jang-Geum at all.

Geum Young(Jing Ying) and Court Lady Choi existed in actual history. However,the historical Court Lady Choi was 10 times worse than the one portrayed in the show.Apart from making Jang-geum's life miserable,she allegedly even forced Geum Young into being one of the King's concubines.

There was supposed to be a kissing scene of Lee Young Ae and Ji Jin Hee,but Lee Young Ae thought it was not appropriate, hence they did not.

Court Lady Han's character(played by Yang Mi-Gyeong) was supposed to die earlier.However, due to the fans' protest, the director 'delayed' her death scene.

Park Eun-Hye was originally cast to take the role of 'Suh Jang-Geum', but later on when it was confirmed that Lee Young Ae acting in the show as well, Park Eun-Hye was re-cast again to take over the role of 'Yeon-Sheng'.

Kyun Mi-Ri was supposed to play the role of Court Lady Han(Han sang goon), but later on Yang Mi-Gyeong took over the role.

The word sook-won used below is not really spelled that way but soo gweon /soo-gwon/ in han geul, 수권.

On sunday, (May 1st 2005) TVB (Hong Kong television network) has finally finished airing this series in Hong Kong, and the last episode broke the golden record by achieving 44 average rating as well as 49 at the highest point. This series beat 'Nan Chan Lui Aui'/War of Genders acted by Dodo Cheng and Davo Wong in year 2000 by only one point.

A different version, apparently, of the series was aired in Japan in 2004 and 2005. This is being mentioned because readers of the summaries based on the version aired in Hong Kong below should realize that some scenes may have been trimmed slightly or events within arranged in different sequence, depending on which version of series they are viewing.

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Theme Song

Hope: Jewel In The Palace main theme song (Cantonese) sung by Kelly Chen (mp3 song)

陈慧翳 - 希望 Lyric:

看風筿飛多�?� 未断线看一生 �?�里路路有漫漫看牺牲的脚步尽化温暖暖的心爱追忆你的微笑

滔滔風雨浪心�?�相碰撞信将濥能力创心中的冀望终於都鿠岸未曾绿望

看風筿飛高了未断线看天空雾散迚是谿定下看艰辛丿忴步步忑温暖暖的心爱翿惜我的微笑

分开的眼泪伤心相挂累盼将釿逢鿇上心中忪有梦一天终冿迚未濥在望

Jewel In The Palace original (Korean) main theme song (mp3 song)

Songwriter 诿：林世贤(Im Se-Yeon) Composer 曲：林世贤(Im Se-Yeon)

wu da da wu da da ju o na 伊人欲濥何时归濥 ka da la ka da la a ju ga na 伊人欲去何时离去 na na ni da lyeo do mok no na ni 我欲乘风飞翔忴鿿寻丿获伊人踪影 a ni li a ni li a ni no ne 伊人何在留我独自失追 he I ya di i ya he I ya na la ni no 哎哟这该如何是好 o ni do mok ha na da lyeo ga ma 伊人你若丿归请带我一起离 o na la o na la a ju o na 伊人欲濥何时归濥 ka da la ka da la a ju ga na 伊人欲去何时离去 na na ni da lyeo do mok no na ni 我欲乘风飞翔忴鿿寻丿获伊人踪影 a ni li a ni li a ni no ne 伊人何在留我独自失追 o na la o na la a ju o na 伊人欲濥何时归濥 ka da la ka da la a ju ga na 伊人欲去何时离去 na na ni da lyeo do mok no na ni 我欲乘风飞翔忴鿿寻丿获伊人踪影 a ni li a ni li a ni no ne 伊人何在留我独自失追 he I ya di I ya he I ya na la ni no 哎哟这该如何是好 o ji do mok ha na da lyeo ga ma 伊人你若丿归请带我一起离去 he I ya di I ya he I ya na la ni no 哎哟这该如何是好 o ji do mok ha na da lyeo ga ma 伊人你若丿归请带我一起离去

Jewel In The Palace in Chinese version themesong sung by Tang (WMA song) (http://myplanet.homeip.net/jewelinthepalace/audio/Dae(Tang).wma)

汤翿 - 呼唤 Lyric:

天多高路多长心有多大心江水心江月何处是家朿为露暮为雨若忳若离冷的风暖的风付之潮汿伊人丿相觿明月空浿连长相守长相怿伊人丿在时春光为谿痴姗姗濥迟天多高路多长心有多大心江水心江月何处是家朿为露暮为雨若忳若离冷的风暖的风付之潮汿天多高路多长心就多大天之涯海之角处处是家朿为丿暮为雪迚散便便喜的泪悲的泪呼唤晨曦伊人丿相觿明月空浿连长相守长相怿伊人丿在时春光为谿痴姗姗濥迟伊人丿相觿明月空浿连长相守长相怿伊人丿在时春光为谿痴姗姗濥迟

Zhang Shaohan’s version of Jewel in the Palace themesong (wma song) (http://myplanet.homeip.net/jewelinthepalace/audio/Dae(Zhang).wma)

张韶涵 - 娃娃 Lyric:

雾濥啦雾濥啦娃娃哭啦想爸爸想妈妈想覿回家雾濥啦雾濥啦天色暗啦星忑光心忑慌没有方忑嘿咿呀嘿咿呀谿能给我力釿路漫长爱漫长带我回家

丿覿怕丿覿怕我的娃娃一朵花一粒砂就是天涯丿覿怕丿覿怕赶快长大等太阳的光芒带濥希望

雾散啦雾散啦娃娃笑啦忬爸爸忬妈妈唱歌说诿雾散啦雾散啦天色亮啦看阳光的方忑就有希望

嘿咿呀嘿咿呀谿能给我力釿路漫长爱漫长带我回家嘿咿呀嘿咿呀爱能给我力釿路漫长爱漫长我们回家

Pangarap na Bituin - Faith Cuneta

Saang sulok ng langit ko matatagpuan? kapalarang 'di natitikman, sa pangarap lang namasdan

isang lingon sa langit at isang ngiting wagas may talang kikislap gabay patungo sa tamang landas

unti-unting mararating kalangitan at bituin unti-unting kinabukasan ko'y magniningning hawak ngayo'y tibay ng damdamin bukas naman sa aking paggising kapiling ko'y pangarap na bituin

isang sulok ng lupa may kubling nalulumbay mga sanay sa isang kahig, isang tukang pamumuhay isang lingon sa langit nais magbagong buhay sa ating mga palad nakasalalay ang ating bukas

unti-unting mararating kalangitan at bituin unti-unting kinabukasan ko'y magniningning hawak ngayo'y tibay ng damdamin bukas naman sa aking paggising kapiling ko'y pangarap na bituin (repeat)

'Bold text== Summaries ==

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Summary for the first Five Episodes:

My attempt to illustrate further Dramaok's narration of the episode (Gerry Tan)

The backdrop story is set during the reign of King Seongjong (1200-1494). The King has deposed Queen Yiun, probably due to her involvement in some political intrigue. Yet initially, the King did not execute her as she was mother to the Crown Prince (Yeonsangun) who would later became the worst tyrant king in Korean history. I assume that Queen Yiun was a tyrant as well as bad apples do not fall far from a bad tree. However, the King was under enormous pressure from the Confusian Yanban to execute her.So our story starts...

The Royal Military Guards were having a competition to show their skills. Seo Chun Soo (Jang-Geum's father) was competing in an archery (target practice) competition. As he was retrieving his arrows, the arrows suddenly broke off from the target, and he found that his hand was bleeding and that his bow string was broken.This signalled a bad omen.

Shortly after, orders came down from the palace to execute the deposed Queen by poisoning her. The military commander given the task but was reluctant to carry out the order himself. He deliberately injured his horse, thus throwing himself off the saddle and hurting his leg. It then fell to Seo Chun Soo to administer the poison. Before the Queen suucumbed to the poison, she cursed everyone who was involved, and handed her personal Court lady a handkerchief stained with her vomitted blood. She instructed the court lady to pass it to her son to exact revenge in the future. This would be shown later to her son, Yeonsangun, when he grew up and became king. (This coincided with the Gap Ja Sa Hwa - a political massacre during which Jang Geum's father was persecuted. Yeonsangun was noted for suppressing the Confucians, in a similar way to Shih Huang Ti. He challenged and persecuted the Confucians whom he blamed for his mother's death.)

Guilt ridden, Seo Chun Soo turned to wine to get over the incident. On his way home, in a state of drunkenness, the last words of the deposed Queen haunted him which caused him to slip and fall into a deep ravine.

When he regained conciousness, he found his injured arm attended to. A hermit was sitting in front of him. The hermit was probably a soothsayer. He asked the hermit the reasons behind his misfortunes. The hermit then told him of his fate. His destiny will be closely linked with three women. The first woman, "you killed her though you did not want to" (refering to the deposed Queen Yiun), the second, "you will save her but she will die because of you", and the third woman "will get you killed but because of this many will be saved."

Seo asked how he can avoid meeting them. The hermit told him that he has already met the first woman and that is why he is suffering now. Seo Chun Soo asked him to elaborate further on how not to meet the third woman who is going to kill him. The hermit replies that in order not meet the third woman would mean he should not meet the second as well. The hermit then writes three Chinese characters and flung them to him. The 1st character is "jin" ( I will have to give the words in Chinese Pinyin as I have no idea what how is it read in Hangul), the second is "xun" the third is "hao". After throwing the characters at Seo, the hermit mysteriously disappears. Seo Chun Soo takes the papers to a Buddhist abbot to find out the meaning of the characters. After analyzing the characters,the abbot says the the characters are the virtues of a woman. Since the characters do not stand for anything, he tries to analyze them by breaking the characters up individually. Chinese characters are pictograms.

The abbot explains that the first part of the prophecy referred to a royal family who have the characters "Mu" & "zi" in their name, which when combined become the surname Lee, referring to the present Joseon Dynasty. The abbot continued to break up the character up individually. The character "jin" on the The first sheet is made up of the characters "nu" (lady) & "jin" (today). The abbot informs Seo that since these characters were given to him the previous day, he would have already met this woman.Seo Chun Soo's face turns pale, and the Abbot believed that he had in fact met the woman. The second character is "Shun" which is a combination of Shun (flow) and "dao" (head). The third is "hao" a combination of "Nu"(lady) and "zi (son)" which looked to mean son or daughter.

Fourteen years after the execution, Seo Chun Soo is still haunted by the execution. He eventually resigns from his commission as he fears that the present day King might find out about his involvement in the assassination and also because of his guilty conscience.

Yeonsangun has become King. The royal kitchen busily prepares for the queen dowager's birthday ceremony. Yeonsanggun's reign is full of feasting - wining & dining. Court lady Pak Meong Yi Royal Court Maid (Na In) or rather Jang Geum's mother sees her friend, Choi Cheng Qing (Court Lady Choi)secretly putting something (monkshood - poisonous mushroom)into the dish which would be presented to the Queen Mother. She immediately reports this matter to the Court Lady not knowing that the Court Lady is in league with Lady Choi's Aunt who was the Head of the Royal Kitchen.

The Choi family has served as royal kitchen heads for five generations. In the process, they have used the royal kitchen to maintain their family fortune. The Choi family controls all purchases to the palace and use their position to help any political faction that may bring them further power and wealth. In essence, the past five generations of Lady Choi's family have used food as a tool for political and material gains.

As a ploy to remove evidence of their sinister plot, Lady Park was falsely accused of having an affair with a Palace Guard (A serious violation of the code of conduct for court women as all women in the palace belong exclusively to the King).The Palace Gaurd gave Lady Park some cosmetic after she treated him for gastroenteritis.(A foreshadowing of Jang-geum here in the use of food as a medical commodity.)The young Lady Choi falsely reports that Lady Park was seen with the guard alone in a room. For this, she was put to death by poisoning.Lady Han,who was ordered to bring the poison,added a form of antidote to neutralize the poison and fed it to Lady Park and at the same time,inserted a letter in her hanbok (petticoat). Lady Park was then left behind for the Court ladies heard some noise in the forest wherre they admister the poison to Lady Park.

Seo Chun Soo,retired from his commission and now helping out at the temple, as he was walking along the river and saw Lady Park's head face down in the water and Seo rushed to save her from drowning.Thus the hermit's prediction about the second woman was fulfilled He brought her back to the temple and asked the abbot to save her.The abbot then asked Seo to boil green bean soup so as to neutralize the poison while he goes out to look for herbs. Later,the Abbot reminds Seo that if he hadn't found her, she would have died and that he has saved this woman's life. The words of the hermit echo back to him concerning the 2nd woman,as he did discover Lady Park's head immersed under flowing water. Deciding that he cannot escape his destiny,he nurses Lady Park back to health.Lady Park recovers and read Lady Han's letter that has fallen from her hanbok.In the letter Lady Han expresses disbelief that Lady Park is guilty of the crime that she has been accused of and so suspected that Lady Park's life was in danger. To give her a fighting chance,she had given Lady Park some green bean soup earlier to counteract the poisonous monkshood.In the letter, she pleads with Lady Park(that if she survives)to remain outside the palace and expresses her hope to meet her friend again someday.

After regaining her strength,Lady Park decides to leave and thanks Seo.But Seo remains worried as well as fully mindful of the hermit's prediction,so he secretly follows her by taking care of her food and lodging.He also ensures that her journey is a safe one. She comes upon a village with a wine tavern where she is able to find employment.While busy in her work, a few drunks starts harassing her. Seo,who has been secretly following her appears and fights off the drunkards.He requests that Lady Park not to work in the tavern anymore as she is not suited to the job.Lady Park relents and decides to follow Seo. Seo then tells Lady Park, that a soothsayer once said if Lady Park stays with him;it will be the death of her.Lady Park replies by saying that her life is no longer hers.

Seo and Lady Park start over as a couple in a bakjeong village. Bakjeong consists of residents of the peasant class and thus are of very low rank.Oftentimes, people in this class are butchers or skilled in some form of manual labour such as farming.They are not even allowed to learn how to read or write.(Even to this day, no mother in Korea will allow their daughters to marry a butcher.)It was the perfect place to hide their previous identities but it also meant that their higher education were practically worthless in such a "labor"-oriented community(Seo who is a Royal Military Guard come from the Middle class society and Lady Park is from the upper class yanban,her grandfather was a court official but lost favor in the court.)Seo is now a ironmonger/silversmith.

Jang-Geum is now 8 years old,a very curious and very bright girl. (Later Lady Han will tell Jang-geum that her mother Lady Park was exactly the same.)In one instance,Jang-geum went up the mountains to catch rabbits She wonders why rabbits cannot walk on 2 feet and was being canned by Mrs Park as she was afraid that Jang-Geum might get into trouble with their past identities. In another instance, Lady Park scolds her for being constantly missing, only to find out that she has secretly been going to the village school and playing with the official's children. Jang-geum asks her mother why she can't read and write like other children.Lady Park tells her that it is because they are peasants,to which Jang-geumm responds by saying that she knows that her father was in the army and was a Royal Palace Guard.This surprises Lady Park and Seo later admits telling their daughter their real identities in order to give her some hope for the future.Jang-geum promises never to reveal their identities without their permission. One day, a court lady comes to ask if Seo can make a knife for her as she has heard that his workmanship is very good.Lady Park was very uneasy around the Court Lady fearing that she may be recognized.

In the meantime, all is not well at the palace.King Yeonsangun (considered to be the most violent King recorded in the Korean Ancient History)finds out that his mother was assassinated and is shown the bloody handkerchief.This enrages him and he orders his men to execute everybody involved with his mother's death.This became the famous Gap Ja Sa Hwa incident-a political massacre of Confucian intellects and an outright witch hunt.

Seo gave Jang-geum a silver knife-a small handy pocket knife that can help her in cutting vegetables as well as a self-defense weapon or an instrument to end her life should her virtue be attacked.Seo also gives her a small writing brush and an ink pad.

While going to the town village,Seo and Jang-geum sees people wrestling,Jang-geum pesters Seo to participate since there is a prize for the winner.Seo succeeds in subduing his opponent but is falsely accused of cheating as his opponent feigned a knife cut injury.The crowd agrees and wanted to report this to the authorities.Jang-Geum fearing for her father accidentally reveals that his father was an ex-Royal Military Guard.The authorities recognize him from the wanted posters and because of this he is arrested.Thus the prediction that 3rd woman will be the cause of his death comes to pass.Jang-geum is the third woman.

Jang Geum and her mother wanting to find out about Seo's whereabouts go to Hanyang to seek information.By now Seo is presumed dead(probably executed.)Lady Park has Jang-geum dress as a boy to avoid being recognized.Failing to find any information, Lady Park meets with Gam Duk Goo and his wife. Gam Duk Goo is a part-time chef(Sook So)in the palace,who also runs a wine shop that supplies wine to the palace and customers in the capital.

Lady Park writes to Lady Han who was now a Sang goon(a court Lady.)The letter is passed to Lady Han and she meets Lady Park in a tearful reunion as she recounts the events of 8 years ago.Lady Han also tells Lady Park that all the news coming out from the palace is true.Kitchen supplies are running out as King Yeonsangun has taken to much feasting and was taking many concubines daily.Lady Park tells Lady Han that Seo has been arrested and asks Lady Han to help find information on his whereabouts.

Meanwhile the Choi family discovers that Lady Park is still alive and seeks to kill her again.Master Choi Pan Su, the brother of Lady Choi(a sang goon),the merchant who monopolizes all the business to the palace through the intervention of his sister.(Later to be referred to as the "Choi Corporation" which handles all supply procurements to the palace as their only client - a cash rich cow)captures Lady Park and Jang-geum and locks them up temporarily in the Choi's house.Upon seeing them being led away, Lady Han sang goon informs the local judicial officer about Lady Park, a task made easier because of the ongoing "witch hunt".The judicial guard came to Choi house and takes Lady Park and Jang-geum away in the process of saving them.

Master Choi sets up an ambush,mortally wounding Lady Park when an arrow hits her while she's trying to protect Jang-Geum.One of the assassins tries to complete the task but was thwarted by a guard. Knowing she was about to die soon,the prediction of the hermit came back to her and she realizes that the third woman was her daughter,she writes 2 letters while Jang-Geum is out looking for food.When Jang-Geum returns, she relates her own story as a Court Lady.She asks Jang-geum to become the Head of the Royal Kitchen (Su-ran-kan-jae-jo-sang goon) and writes her grievances in the journal.But the choice was hers.If she does not want to be a Court lady or the head of the Royal Kitchen,then she must not read the 2 letters nor should she show or tell others about it.A tall order for an 8 years old child.Lady Park then gives her the 2 letters - One to open once she becomes a Court Lady(Na In)the other when she becomes the Head.Jang-Geum decides to find a way to get into Palace to fulfill her mother's wishes.Jang-Geum then goes to Gam Duk goo's house and stay at their house.Mr Gam takes a liking to Jang-geum and subsequently adopts her.Mrs Gam is willing as long as Jang-geum proves to be a conscientious, helpful child around the home.

The reign of Yeonsangun is getting worse and unrest is brewing. The confucian intellects,under Official Park,Elder Oh are planning a revolt to install Prince Jinsung as King.As Prince Jinsung is closely guarded,Official Park sends a message under the pretext of a birthday gift.The task was given to young Jang-geum as she usually delivers wine to the officials and therefore will not arouse suspicion.She is asked to deliver four bottles of wine,to be given in their proper order and was asked to memorize the names of the wines.

A man servant,comes to Prince Jinsung's residence and brings in the delivered wine.Prince Jinsung was attended by Lady Kim who was the personal Court Lady to Prince Jinsung's mother.She was reporting on Prince Jinsung mother's welfare. Prince Jinsung asked who delivered the wine and the man servant told it was a child and the prince asked for the child to enter.Jang-geum saw Lady Kim,who was a Court Lady,immediately paid respects to her, not knowing that she owed more respect to Prince Jinsung as he was next in line for the throne.

Prince Jinsung was silently displeased with Jang-geum who only showed his displeasure until later.Lady Kim told the rude Jang-geum to pay her respects to Prince Jinsung. She pleaded with Lady Kim to let her enter the palace to be a Court Lady.Prince Jinsung on seeing the child who risks her life to bring him the wine.He asked Jang-geum is the wine given by Official Park,Jang-geum replied the wine indeed was from Official Park and that he should drink the wine in correct order.Prince Jinsung asked if the the wine was in the correct order,Jang-geum said: No,they were not in order, rearranged them and introduced the name of each wine and told him that she needed to bring back a reply message to Official Park.After correctly arranging the wine,Prince Jinsung realized with surprise at the implications of the arranged wine names.

This has some historical precedence.This is made to reference of a rebellion called the yellow scarves or turban rebellion. During the late 2nd century (AD184) in China, peasants revoke a rebellion wore yellow turban and had a slogan loosely translated as "It is the Heaven wish, that the Yellow turban will be enthroned and all under the heaven shall be auspicious" The rebellion was crushed but it was the start of the spiral downfall of the Han Dynasty which was already weak and frail and eventually led to the Three Kingdom period and more fighting. On this pretext,as Prince Jinsung who should know his classics well,knew that the Confucian officials have planned to rebel and will make him King.Jang-geum was seeing Prince Jinsung reaction told him she will sent a message that he accepts in good faith but had his worries.Prince Jinsung observing jang-geum's natural intelligence said to pass the message she mentioned.Jang-geum left and Prince Jinsung told Lady Kim if it is possible to grant Jang-geum wish to be a Royal Maid.Lady Kim said she will see to it and said that Jang-geum was right that he did look worried.Jang-geum replied to Official Park,Prince Jinsung message. The next day Prince Jinsung became King Jungjong. As you may know the Confucian played a strong influence on the reign of King Jungjong.It is a backlash to King Jungjong as he is rendered powerless.This is seen when he tried to bestow Jang-geum a Official rank and made her his royal physician King Jungjong is a benevolent king.Though he is weak in his position,However the people loved him and his policies as he brought benefits to the country in other aspects (was to mentioned by Jang-geum when she tried to consoled the King who was ridden by guilt). Lady Kim sent some one to take Jang-geum to the palace.That is how Jang-Geum successfully entered the Palace and away from the hands of Master Choi and his hench-man.Jang-geum became Saeng Gak Si-This is a probation period of Court Lady who eventually becomes Na In -junior Court Lady.First they are taught the rules and regulations of the palacefor the first 6 months. She met Yeon Sheng, Young Ro. Yeon Sheng became her friend. Most of the girls who are sent here are official daughter's who have lost favor with the courts and thir way out was to become Court Lady where they are being look after by the palace and received rank and salary One night jang-geum and Yeon-sheng sneak out to Inner palace,there she met her best friend,Geum Young(they used to be very close)who is saying goodbye outside of Min jung-ho's room because she has to be a palace woman from that day on which means she will be a woman of the king and no other man can she marry.Later Jang-geum and Yeon-sheng accidently ruin the emperor's supper.In order to sit for the exam she was being canned and banned from entering the classroom.With determination to sit for the exam she had to hold a big bowl of water from noon till the next day when everyone had finished their exam.Jang-Geum passed through the exams set by Head of the Royal Kitchen(Su-ran-kan-jae-jo-sang goon),and was taught by Court Lady Han Sang goon,which is her mother's best friend in the Palace. Unfortunately Court Lady Han sang goon had no clue at all about Jang-Geum being her best friend's daughter.

Under the strict supervision,the talented Jang-Geum showed her determination and hard-work in learning the basic cooking skills from Court Lady Han sang goon. Later, Court Lady Zheng sang goon, has became the temporally Highest Person In-Charged of the Kitchen,due to Lady Choi's sickness,thus breaking the tradition of Family Choi inheriting the same position for generations and generations.There is where all the rivalry starts,because the Choi Family and their supporters had under-estimated Court Lady Zheng sang goon's determination and will,to break Choi Family's tradition.In fact, Court Lady Zheng sang goon was hoping that Court Lady Han sang goon to inherit her place after her death.Soon,Jang-Geum and her fellow friends became adults.

[edit]

ep. 5-6:

They've all grown up.Jang-Geum is becoming an excellent cook but she still retains her wild nature - disobedient and energetic. The princess is sick and doesn't eat for many days so the kitchen staff are stressed out trying to figure out something for her to eat.She refuses to eat anything they bring to her after a bite or two.

Geum-Young(Hong Ri Na)goes to talk to Jang-Geum(Lee Young Ae)who is making fermented soybean pastes.Geum-Young tastes one of the samples and comments on how it doesn't stink like it usually does.Jang-Geum tells her it's because she used charcoal to get rid of the smell.Geum-Young then goes back to the kitchen and asks her aunt if she can make the next meal for the princess.She makes something plain and the princess eats the whole thing because she added the same ingredient Jang-Geum had used to kill the smell-Charcoal,revealing that the princess was turned off by the smell of the food.The whole kitchen department gets rewarded and all the supervisors are praising Geum-Young,but Geum-Young mentions she was inspired by Jang-Geum's method.

There is a big celebration in the palace:The king's birthday.A precious gold bird from China was shipped to be used for the party and Geum-Young is told to guard the bird for a couple of days.She puts it in the cage but the cage door got loose and the bird is gone the next morning.Geum-Young begins to panic and decides to sneak outside of the palace to ask her relative if he can find another gold bird for her(it's against the palace rules for the girls to leave without permission.)On her way out,she runs into Jang-Geum who offers her help, so the two girls sneak out together.They go out and arrive at the relative's house but unfortunately he's gone for a business appoinment so Jang-Geum offers to make a trip to her uncle's house to see if he can help since he's well-versed in imported goods.Therefore,they parted ways and decide to meet the next morning at the same place.Jang-Geum finds a bird after a lot of trouble but on her way to the relative's house to meet up with Geum-Young she runs into a group of people fighting.She decides to save a personMaster Min Jung-ho a.k.a Ji Jin Hee)who was shot by a poison dart during the fight. By the time she gets to the relatives place it was really too late and Geum-Young has already gone,not because she wanted to but her aunt found out about the incident and forced her to leave.They had also found a gold bird.Jang-Geum has to sneak back in the palace all by herself but the route that she used to escape was sealed off therefore she is stuck outside the palace and gets caught by the guards who took her to the kitchen department.

[edit]

ep. 6-7:

Jang-geum is told to leave the palace for breaking the palace rule by sneaking out without permission.All the superiors beg on her behalf but to no avail.She starts packing.Her boss, supervisor Lady Han sang goon,begs and gives up her promotion privileges for the next 3 years in exchange for jang-geum to stay in the palace.Finally jang-geum gets to stay in the palace,But not in the 'soo rah gan'(kitchen),she gets sent to'dae jae hun'(herbal field dept)instead.That's usually the place where all the demoted people go because that dept hasn't had much luck for the past few years.As they failed to cultivate the precious medicines needed.On her way she runs into Master Min jung-ho but they don't recognize each other.Upon arriving Jang-geum Jang-geum sees that all the people in 'dae jae hun' don't work but drink and sleep all day long instead.She does not like the way they lived,hence she started to read the farm journals and successfully cultivates a very hard-to-grow herb(bai ben).Unfortunately the Choi Corporation is also involve in this trade send someone to ruin the crop,so as to continue to earn loads of money as the middle man by getting the herbs from china and doesn't lose the income.The 'dae jae hun'(herbal field dept) boss is usually is a drunk figure but on seeing that Jang-geum had put in so much effort and the crop was ruin by someone,he decide to find out who the bad guy was therefore he wait for the bad guy to turn up and bring him to the magistrate unfortunely the magistrate had been bribe by the Choi's Corporation.But that does not stop Jang-geum she starts to cultivate all over again,This time the boss decide to sell the remaining crop at rock bottom prices so as to get the attention of the highest judge's attention and the judge dept gets involved to investigate the situation.The judge dept is shocked that the farm dept had already figured out how to grow the rare crop even the judge wants to know how they did it.Jang-geum gets praised and she gets sent back to the kitchen dept as her reward.

The field dept boss gives her a letter to carry with her to drop off at the library on her way back to the kitchen.At the library jang-geum can't find anyone so she begins to read the books instead.Min jung-ho arrives and explains the meaning of a word to that jang-geum ask and tells her that palace women are prohibited in the library.But jang-geum gives the letter to him.He opens the letter which says that to let the one who delivered the letter be given the privilege to read whatever book she wants to read, because she will help the people with her talents.The letter was actually written to someone who no longer works at the library so Master Min jung-ho tells jang-geum to let him know whenever she wants to read a book and he'll get it for her.

[edit]

ep. 8

Jang-Geum returns.Everyone's happy to see her back except a couple of troublemakers. The 'soo-rah-gan'(kitchen dept.)is busy preparing for the food exam.The exam consists of 2 parts.In the first part the girls are supposed to be quizzed on their scholarship. In the second part the girls need to show off their cooking skills but the ingredients are limited.Therefore the ones who do well in the first part of the exam get to pick the ingredients first while the rest that don't do well will have to cook with the remaining less-desirable ingredients.

During the two-part exam, the supervising palace lady asks a question using a poem that reads "clothes but not clothes, head but not head, human but not human" and the cook girls are supposed to figure out what food dish the proverb is referring to Geum-young (hong ri-na) gets the answer right away, and then other girls get it, but Jang-Geum and a few others didn't get it before the time is up. The answer is "dumplings" (because it looks like a head, wears clothes, but it's not a person)The reason Jang-Geum didn't get it is because she was gone while one of the superiors(Lady Han sang goon)explained the metaphor to the kitchen girls.

So the girls take turns picking out ingredients that will be used next day for the cooking exam. A bunch of new girls with lower ranking come to help to make new clothes for them if they pass the exam.Jang-Geum is assigned a really young girl.Who happens(secretively)to be the daughter of one of the Queen assistant.Jang-Geum finds out that her flour is stolen by someone when she went to check the ingredients during the night.It's devastating because everyone is supposed to make dumplings the next day and without flour you can't make the dumpling skin.So Jang-Geum went to looks for her flour and tells her boss that her portion has been stolen and asks for more but she's told that's not allowed. And she has to make do with what she has left.When jang-geum finds out the one who stole her flour is the new young girl.Jang-geum goes to the kitchen and sees the girl making dumpling soup.The two girls start arguing.When the guards hear them they go into the kitchen and ask what's going on.Master Min jung-ho is one of the guards since he is one of the supervising guards. The girl confesses that she stole the flour because her mother will be sent away after the exam(forced retirement due to old age)and she will never get to see her again and her mother's favorite food was dumpling soup so she's making the farewell supper for her mother.The guard leader is shocked that a palace girl has a mother inside the palace(Which is not allowed; Geum-Young's maternal identity is also kept a secret.)They decide to hush matter up since the mother has been a good worker.And so Jang-Geum is left without flour the next morning.She spends all night trying to figure out how to make dumplings without flour.During the exam she makes dumpling with steamed cabbage as skin. One of the judges really likes her creativity but the rest of the judges think it's not worth passing especially since she has lost her ingredient.

The kitchen supervisor announces names of the girls who passed the exam.The ones that didn't pass have to pack their bags right away to leave the palace.They're cutting down the staff so as to trim all unnecessary palace girls.One by one the names are called.Geum-Young got the highest marks but the supervisor starts to read a list of people who DIDN'T pass and she reads the name "Seo Jang-Geum".

[edit]

ep. 9

Jang-geum's name is on the list of people who didn't pass the exam.Suddenly the queen arrives and she begins to taste the samples and is enchanted by jang-geum's sample both in taste and creativity.The queen's assistant(mother of the young girl who stole the flour)tells the queen it was actually her fault that jang-geum lost her ingredient which resulted in her failing the test.The queen orders her subordinates to allow jang-geum to stay in the palace.

The palace girls that passed the test,including jang-geum are officially recognized as palace cooks.Jang-geum go see her adoptive family.On the way back she stops by her mother's gravesite and tells her deceased mom about her success and weeps.She remembers her mom's words and her mom telling jang-geum to be the best palace cook.And to look for her secret recipe book that she hide in one of the kitchens inside the palace.

Master min jung-ho learns from the captured foreign woman that the one who saved him was a woman who had a gold bird with her.So Master Min-Jung-ho goes around town looking for information on the woman.And he arrives at jang-geum's adoptive mom and father's home(the wine makers)and asks about the woman.The wife stops the husband from telling Master Min-Jung-ho about jang-geum for fear of getting her into trouble.

The palace kitchen women are ordered to accompany the king on his hunting trip and to prepare food for the king and the generals up on the mountain.Someone makes a mistake in preparing the ingredients causing food poisoning to herself, another maid,and supervisor Han sang goon Therefore supervisor Han sang goon asks geum-young to take charge and orders jang-geum to help.The king sends a messenger to let the girls know the king wants to change the menu to cold noodles.Geum-young and jang-geum panic because there is very little time to prepare all the food and supervisor Han sang goon is asleep resting from the illness.Geum-young prepares the soup but the taste is plain due to lack of ingredients and time.Jang-geum thinks of an idea and starts running toward the spring water with a bucket.She fetches the fresh mountain water but hurt her ankle on the way back.Geum-young and jang-geum make cold noodle soup with the spring water which gives the soup base a refreshing taste.The king and his generals return and the cooks bring food to them.

[edit]

ep. 10

The king and his generals taste the cold noodle and they love it.Geum-young and jang-geum are praised for their quick thinking and skills.Jang-geum sees Master Min Jung-ho looking at her.Later, when jang-geum practices her writing,Master Min Jung-ho sees that her brush is too think so he went back to looks for the little brush chain that the woman who saved him had accidentally left by his side.

Geum-young and Master Min Jung-ho exchanged looks and a few words.It turns out he is the one she has secretly admired since she was young.

Flashback to when geum-young was young.She is saying goodbye outside of Master Min Jung-ho's room because she has to be a palace woman from that day on which means she will be a woman of the king and no other man can she marry.

Geum-young realizes jang-geum and Master Min-jung-ho know each other.She asks her about it and jang-geum tells her that he was the one she ran into on her way back from the'herbal field dept' to the 'kitchen dept' while delivering a letter. Master Min-Jung-ho asks jang-geum if she has finished reading all the books he sent her.She says yes and he offers to give her new books to read in a few days.

Jang-geum and yeon-sheng are sent to a subdivision of the kitchen dept temporarily because they need help.Actually jang-geum has been dreaming of going there because that's where her mom's recipe book is hidden.Jang-geum goes out at night looking for the book in the kitchen.yeon-sheng who rooms with jang-geum realizes something is amiss with jang-geum.

Geum-young's aunt gives geum-young a silk pouch and tells geum-young to hide it in the kitchen.The pouch contains an evil spell against the queen who is pregnant.(the spell will change her fetus from a boy to a girl)geum-young tries to get out of doing such an evil thing but she succumbs to it and goes to the kitchen at night to hide it.

Yeon-sheng watches geum-young go in the kitchen to hide the pouch and leaves.Then she sees jang-geum coming to the kitchen looking for something.Yeon-sheng confronts jang-geum and shows her where geum-young had hide the pouch.But at the same time jang-geum's mom's book falls from the ceiling rod and jang-geum grabs it and runs outside.

The kitchen supervisor finds the silk pouch in the kitchen(it wasn't well hidden anymore after yeon-sheng had mess with it)and finds out that jang-geum was in the kitchen the night before from geum-young.Jang-geum is confronted but she can't say why she was there because her mother told her never tell anyone,and last time she told a secret her father got killed as a result.So jang-geum says nothing and she is jailed inside a room until she will talk.

The kitchen supervisor finds out what the curse is about.Meanwhile yeon-sheng tells the superiors that she saw geum-young hide something.And jang-geum was looking for something not the other way round. So the supervisors ask geum-young what she was hiding and what jang-geum was looking for geum-young denies hiding anything and jang-geum refuses to say anything so both girls are locked inside the room.Supervisor Jung sang goon tells them that by tomorrow she will send them to the punishment dept if they don't speak up by then. When the two are alone, jang-geum asks geum-young if she did it and geum-young says :"no you did it".The next day, the supervisor gets ready to take them to be punished.

[edit]

ep. 11

Supervisor Jung Sang Goon is about to take Jang-Geum and Geum-Young to the punishment dept. Jung Sang Goon's boss (Jae Jo Sang Goon) stops her and orders her to forget the incident. Jung Sang Goon gets suspicious something strange is going on. Elder Oh tries to fix things quiety. Supervisor Han Sang Goon (Jang-Geum's master) goes to Jang-Geum's room to look for the item that Jang-Geum found. Supervisor Jung Sang Goon asks Yeon-Sheng to show her the place where Jang-Geum goes to practice cooking. The King asks Supervisor Jung Sang Goon what's going on since everyone seems too look very gloomy. Supervisor Han Sang Goon asks Jang-Geum to tell her the truth about her being in the kitchen that night, but Jang-Geum weeps telling Supervisor Han Sang Goon that the last time she told a secret her parents died therefore she vowed that she will not say a thing. Supervisor Han Sang Goon then weeps with her. Supervisor Han Sang Goon remembers the past about her best friend who got poisioned and left to die as a scapegoat, she worries that Jang-Geum will die too. Supervisor Jung Sang Goon (Han's boss) decides to let go of the events in order to to save the girls. Choi Sang Goon tells Geum-Young no matter what never ever tell anyone about the curse sachet.

Gam (the wine-maker/chef Jang-Geum's adopted father) tries to con palace guards with herbal medicine balls. He gets caught but for a different reason, the Head Guard tells Gam that the Prince became extremely ill after eating medicine cooked by Gam. Gam is blamed for poisioning the prince causing the child's arms and legs to become immobile. The Royal Doctors cannot find the source of poisioning and are unable to cure the Prince. The King becomes extremely worried and Gam is doomed to die. Jang-Geum works day and night trying to figure out the cause of the Prince's numbness and unconsciousness...

[edit]

ep. 12

Jang-Geum figures out the Prince's illness is due to the combination of medication given by the Royal Physician which contain nugmet oil (taken with high dosage can caused numbness) and a combination of ginseng with soybean porridge which acted as an enhancer that caused the Prince's numbness. Jang-Geum discovers the reason by experimenting the combination herself. Thus the Royal Physician was able to find the antidote for the Prince after finding out what the cause was. The King orders his subordinates to reward Jang-Geum. Gam is let go, thanks to Jang-Geum's rescue. Jung Sang Goon suffers from a weak health so she may have to step down from her post. It's Jae Jo Sang Goon's birthday and traditionally the subordinate's Sang Goon has to cook feast for her. Choi Sang Goon brings food and presents to Jae Jo Sang Goon to please her. Han Sang Goon cooks up birthday feast with help from Jang-Geum since Jung Sang Goon is weak and losing her taste palate. Jae Jo Sang Goon yells at Jung Sang Goon after tasting the food saying it's horrible and disrespectful. Jung Sang Goon tells Jang-Geum the problem doesn't lie in the food. Jang-Geum then discovers she can't taste saltiness in food. Choi Sang Goon asks the medicine lady about Jung Sang Goon's health and finds out Jung Sang Goon suffers from weak legs which will eventually worsen her health. Choi Sang Goon tells her brother to help her push Jung Sang Goon out so she can be the next kitchen supervisor.

Jang-geum asks the medicine lady about her inability to taste saltiness and the medicine that she had been taking,The medicine lady tells jang-geum to wait since she might still be under the influence of the food poison.Jang-geum borrows more books about medicine from Master Min jung-ho. Choi sang goon bribes jae jo sang goon's servant to help persuade jae jo sang goon to make choi sang goon the successor of jung sang goon.

Jung sang goon tells the king it's time for her to retire since she's getting old and ill.Jung sang goon asks the king if it's okay to set up a cooking contest between han sang goon and choi sang goon to determine who should be the next supervisor.Jae jo sang goon and choi sang goon become very angry that jung sang goon went about the matter on her own. Jung sang goon tells han sang goon that she has done everything she could and tells han to trust her own skills and have no fear.Han sang goon tells jang-geum that jung sang goon risked her life to give han the opportunity because jung sang goon does not want the palace where food is prepared to ever become a place for anything else. Han sang goon tells jang-geum she intends to stir up courage from within to win the contest and asks Jang-geum to be her assistant. Jang-geum tells han sang goon that she can't because she lost her taste in food, since she ate the ginseng combination.Han sang goon tells jang-geum to wait like what the medicine lady had said but jang-geum says it's been over 10 days and still there is no sign of recovery.Han sang goon takes jang-geum to seek medical advice outside of the palace.The doctor tells them there isn't much they can do and it may take 10 years or 20 years for the taste buds to get its taste back.Han sang goon takes jang-geum to a second doctor who also gives them the same answer.Jang-geum then tells han sang goon to give up on her.Han sang goon tells jang-geum she needs her.On their way back they stop by to buy fresh fish in the market place.The fish merchant, who is blind, recognizes Han sang goon by her voice and picks out the freshest fish for Han sang goon by touch.Day and night jang-geum tastes as much food as she can think of to see if her taste buds have recovered.Jang-geum cries out aloud at her loss.Han sang goon watches and weeps as well.Han sang goon remembers how the fish merchant picked out the freshest fish and realizes something.Jung sang goon tells choi sang goon and han sang goon to each pick out an assistant.Choi sang goon picks geum-young and han sang goon picks jang-geum.

[edit]

ep. 13

The older kitchen maids are upset that the superiors picked jang-geum and geum-young as their assistants.Yeon-Sheng defends jang-geum.Jang-geum begs Han sang goon to pick someone else since she can't deciper tastes.Han sang goon tells jang-geum the reason she can't pick anyone else is because jang-geum has culinary talent and understanding of food that neither han sang goon,choi sang goon nor geum-young has. Han sang goon orders jang-geum to show up to practice the next day.Jang-geum remembers her childhood days when her mother explained to her the ways of food preparation and food-pairing.Han sang goon tells jang-geum to make 'dae-ha-jjim'(harmony stew) even though she's never done it and she can't taste a thing. Jang-geum makes royal dishes while han sang goon watches.Han sang goon tells jang-geum not to taste her own food,rather cook with confidence in her knowledge. Choi sang goon tells geum-young about the secret recipes that their family has acquired from the previous palace supervisors.Choi sang goon wants geum-young to practice with the secrets. Choi sang goon walks in to the girls room while Young-Ro and chan-ee are playing majong.Choi talks to young-Ro privately. Choi sang goon gives young-Ro money and ask her to move in with jang-geum and Yeon-Sheng and spy on jang-geum's every movement.

There is a crisis in the royal kitchen dept.All the jars of bean paste have an off taste even though the same salt and same water were used like before.(it's a serious matter because when the taste of bean paste is changed it signifies a bad omen to the nation) Jung sang goon tells han and choi sang goon to figure out what happened and find a way to solve the crisis.This will be marked as their first competition.Choi sang goon takes geum-young to see her brother for help.Choi sang goon finds out from her brother that the salt was switched by Elder Oh. Brother Choi is worried by the news since han sang goon is investigating the matter so he orders his men to hurry and get rid of the salt that is in the store. Han sang goon brings jang-geum to town to trace the origin of all the materials that are involved in the palace paste making. Han sang goon and jang-geum run into Mr.and Mrs Gam as they're on their way to the palace to bring previous wine to jang-geum.Jang-geum tells Mr.Gam about the bean taste. Geum-young tells choi sang goon she doesn't think salt is the reason why the taste changed. Chan-ee asks jung sang goon about the difference salt tastes when stored moist vs.dry and this gives jung sang goon a clue.

Master Min jung-ho and his men are guarding the palace at night when they see a shadow running by.Gam sneaks into the place where the bean pastes are kept inside the palace.Master Min jung-ho and the guards find gam praying in front of the jars.Master Min orders Gam's capture.Master Min jung-ho orders gam to confess his offense.Gam begs for Master Min to listen to his explanation.Gam drops the name of 'jang-geum' to get Master Min's attention.Master Min brings gam to jung sang goon. Gam states that he was there to help jang-geum to switch the taste back.Master Min lets gam off. Master Min apologizes to gam about being harsh earlier and asks gam if jang-geum is his daughter. Gam says people comment how her intelligence reminds them of her father's wit.Master Min states he sees no resemblance.(Gam duk-goo is hilarious)

Han sang goon and jang-geum arrive at a village where the people have gathered all the jars of bean paste under one tree.They learn that the villagers believe that spot under the tree cultivates the best taste in bean paste.The villager also tells jang-geum about a couple of other spots which the villagers recognize as the best places to ferment the beans. Han sang goon and jang-geum visit the house the villagers told them about and they ask to taste the paste.They realize that the paste tastes is indeed better.

Jae jo sang goon scolds Jung sang goon for the bean paste incident and worries about the meal next day.Choi sang goon states she found a good paste they can use for the time being. Elder oh informs the king of trouble at sa-san (four mountain place.)Jae jo sang goon wonders if it's because of the bad taste in this year's paste.The king says that can't be true.Han sang goon and jang-geum tell jung sang goon they found out why the taste is different and jang-geum is about to tell the kitchen supervisors the reason.

[edit]

ep. 14

Jang-geum figured out how to get the pastes to the desired taste. Han sang goon tells jang-geum to cook bean paste stew for the king.Jae-jo-sang goon asks the king if the soup tastes different.The king says its the same.The king then asks how they got the taste back.It was because jang-geum found out that the secret is adding ggot-ga-roo(flour).The king tells the cabinet to inform the citizens about the benefits of using ggot-ga-roo. Jang-geum asks han sang goon if she could go to the herbal farm.To receive treatment from the manager there.Choi and geum-young are upset by jang-geum's success.

Jang-geum travels to the herbal field dept to meet the dae-ri (ju bo is a sixth rank physician)who is investigating a way of curing illnesses-using the bee's sting.He told jang-geum that a soldier was stung by a bee came to find him.After checking the soldier, dae-ri found out surprisingly that many of the soldier's past pains had been cured after being stung by the bee.Jang-geum begs the dae-ri to help cure her disability using the bee sting.Master Min jung-ho and his guards arrive.Master Min asks dae-ri what did he tell his soldiers because recently, every time someone is not feeling well, they will go looking for bees and as a result, a few men end up getting badly stung. Master Min jung-ho finds out the reason and comes to understand that dae-ri was looking into the medicinal properties of the bee's sting.Dae-ri states he will try new and better treamtment methods.Master Min apologizes for the misunderstanding.Jang-geum begs dae-ri to use her as a guinea pig but dae-ri refuses.He states that he will think of a way to help her get back her sense of taste.Jang-geum and Master min jung-ho walk back together.Master Min tells jang-geum of a story of one who lost his hearing but became a doctor to cheer her up.If i tell you everything will be okay then it would be obnoxious.If i say i'm sorry then it sounds like there's no hope in life."

Jang-geum tells Master min that she had already found comfort with his words and smiles.Master Min gets more books for jang-geum.Geum-young sees the interaction as she walks in the direction of the library.Jang-geum opens the book to read.She finds a proverb/poem that Master min wrote for her:To bring up a small tree in this world is already a hard work,the loneliness of a mature tree.It is only temporary because when the sun comes up the world will once again be filled with warmth."

Young-Ro spies on jang-geum and shows geum-young the medical books jang-geum is reading.han sang goon tells jang-geum to make ddok-bok-gi(fry rice cake).Young-Ro tells geum-young that Han sang goon has been ordering jang-geum to make food without tasting it.

The medicine lady checks jung sang goon's health.Choi sang goon and Han sang goon ask jung sang goon to supervise the next big cooking event.Jung sang goon tells choi sang goon and han sang goon to be in charge of the preparation this time.This will be their second challenge.

Medicine lady asks jang-geum if she got her palate back.Jang-geum sees choi sang goon approaching so she lies by saying 'yes' and runs off.Choi sang goon asks medicine lady what she asked jang-geum and the lady tells choi sang goon that jang-geum had lost her taste buds earlier.

Geum-young practices cooking using the method Han sang goon tells jang-geum, which is to cook without tasting.Choi sang goon comes and asks geum-young what she is doing.Geum-young asks choi sang goon if she could get medical books to read like jang-geum does.Choi sang goon asks yun-noh privately since when jang-geum has been reading medical books.Choi remembers what the medicine lady told her and becomes suspicious about jang-geum's palate.Choi sang goon asks yeon-sheng about jang-geum reading medical journals.Yeon-sheng tells Choi sang goon she started reading after the incident with the prince.

Han sang goon and Choi sang goon sample the dishes prepared by the kitchen maids.The maids taken turn presenting their dishes to the two sang goons.Jang-geum presents 'dae-na-moo-bap' (tree rice).Rice steamed in bamboo trunks.Choi sang goon tells the maids to taste each other's food.(she wants to show jang-geum her inability to decipher taste).The maids trade with each other.Choi sang goon asks young-Ro, then yeon-sheng, then geum-young to state aloud what they tasted. Choi sang goon calls for jang-geum next.Jang-geum makes up a response based on what she knows about the ingredients.Choi sang goon lets her pass and calls chan-ee next.Jung sang goon asks Choi sang goon and Han sang goon about the preparation results.Han sang goon states she can't decide whether geum-young or jang-geum's was the best. Choi sang goon states she thought jang-geum's was the best but it seems jang-geum can't decipher tastes anymore.(Actually the dish that jang-geum sampled was supposed to be extremely salty but jang-geum didn't say that). Jung-sang goon calls jang-geum into her chamber.Jang-geum is presented with 3 bowls of water each with a different condiment dissolved in.she tastes the first one and says it's sugar water.She tastes the second and states it's salt water. Jung sang goon then states all the bowls were plain water.(it was a trick test) Han sang goon pleads jang-geum's case to jung sang goon saying though she can't taste anything she has the skill and wisdom to cook great dishes.Choi sang goon insists a kitchen maid who can no longer decipher food taste does not belong in the kitchen.Han sang goon pleads that jang-geum can cook anything.Choi sang goon asks for jang-geum to prove that she can really cook anything.If so,then she will stay but if she fails, then Han sang goon must take the blame as well.Jung sang goon scolds Han sang goon for not telling her earlier.Jang-geum tells Han sang goon that she will try choi sang goon's test.Choi sang goon tells geum-young to stop copying jang-geum and stand on her own skills.

Jang-geum travels to the herbal field dept to beg the dae-ri to test his own treatment on her.He refuses as he is afraid something might go wrong.Jang-geum tells him it's urgent and asks dae-ri to uses acupunture on jang-geum's arms so as to calm her spirit,he then uses the bee's sting to poke her tongue to try whether the treatment worked.It is uncertain as of yet.Dae-ri gives jang-geum medicine to eat if her body becomes too cold or painful.Jang-geum asks if it's true that the medicine will counter the effects of the treatment.

Gam goes on an errand for the king. His wife follows him and asks him how much money he will receive for this trip.

Jang-geum begins to feel her body swollen but she decides not to take the medicine for fear that her treatment will be nullified.Jang-geum goes to the kitchen to see if her palate has returned.Choi sang goon tells jang-geum her trial is today.A maid arrives with the materials to be delivered to Mr Gam.Jang-geum volunteers to make the delivery.Gam cultivates honey, then uses it to make porridge for the king. Jang-geum delivers the ingredient.Gam shows jang-geum his latest creation.Jang-geum sniffs it and says it's strong.Jang-geum asks Gam if he knows what go-rae-go-gi tastes like. (it's the sea creature meat she will have to cook for her trial). Gam goes on and on about how it tastes like seafood but not really, how it resembles beef but not really eventually he's interrupted by head guard who tells him to go back to his work.Jang-geum runs off to the courtyard to read her mother's recipe booklet. Master choi's brother gives geum-young a recipe for cooking go-rae-go-gi.

Jung sang goon tells han sang goon and jang-geum , choi sang goon and geum-young to cook side by side the newly arrived go-rae-meat.Each team cooks different dishes using the meat as main ingredient. Jung sang goon tastes the creations before they are brought to the king.She approves the dishes made by choi sang goon and geum-young.Jung sang goon tastes jang-geum's dish a couple of times then says it's okay to give to the king. Choi sang goon protests.

[edit]

ep. 15

Jung sang goon, Han sang goon, Choi sang goon deliver the seafood dishes to the king.Jang-geum, who is left behind in the kitchen, tastes her own food and realizes her taste palate is back.The king is presented with the creations of choi-sang goon with geum-young and han-sang goon with jang-geum.The king praises food made by jang-geum and praises the royal palace for its skills. Jang-geum tells han-sang goon her taste buds have returned thanks to the herbal dept.Dae-ri who used the poison of insects to be use as medicine for human.

Choi sang goon is angry at jang-geum's success and scolds geum-young who thinks jang-geum has talent unsurpassed by none.Jung-sang goon gathers the kitchen maids to try 'go-rae'meat(whale)so they know what it tastes like for future reference. Choi tells Jung that she admits she has lost but states in public that Jang-geum has lost her taste buds.Choi sang goon tells jung sang goon that a kitchen maid has to know how to taste food so that she can teach the younger maids in the future.Jung sang goon states jang-geum can just focus on making great dishes.Choi sang goon insists a royal kitchen maid must have her palate intact.Jung sang goon stops Choi sang goon from going on and on and orders all kitchen maids to gather in the kitchen storage yard for food-tasting.Privately,Han sang goon tells jung sang goon about jang-geum's taste palate returning. Jung sang goon tells Han sang goon to be careful and pretend that she doesn't know about jang-geum's condition in front of Choi sang goon.

Jang-geum is put to test in front of everyone. Jang-geum correctly states the ingredients in a food jar by tasting the samples.Jang-geum amazes her fellow maids by her skills.Choi sang goon looks confused.Finally Jang-geum and Han sang goon tell everyone that jang-geum has recovered her taste buds.Jung sang goon tells everyone jang-geum's recovery is a happy event for all kitchen maids and everyone must learn a lesson in this. Choi sang goon is really pissed off. Young-Ro tells geum-young that Choi sang goon had embarassed herself today. Yeon-Sheng,Chan-ee,Jung sang goon, and Han sang goon prepare food and wait for jang-geum to celebrate together. Jang-geum runs off to the herbal dept to inform the na-eu-ri about her recovery.Na-eu-ri asks if his treatment really worked but teases Jang-geum why she had came empty-handed since she knows that he loves wine,Jang-geum apologizes and runs off to get him some food and wine.

Jang-geum asks Yeon-Sheng what she should give to the person whom she is grateful(Min jung-ho).Yeon-Sheng replies that Jung sang goon said :One can show gratefulness through food that she cooked with love.Jang-geum goes to the kitchen and prepares treats for Master Min jung-ho.Geum-young walks in as jang-geum is about to wrap up all the food she made.Jang-geum says the food is for someone who has done her favors.Geum-young says it must be nice to have someone who looks after you in the palace.Geum-young tells Jang-geum she is disappointed that jang-geum has got her palate back now they're rivals,and leaves.

Master Min jung-ho tells jang-geum about a medicine man she might want to see for treatment.Jang-geum tells him about her recovery, returns the books she borrowed and hands him the food she made for him as a token of her gratitude. Maaster Min jung-ho goes back and begins to enjoy the food when a subordinate tells him someone has come to see him. Geum-young came by with a gift she brought from her uncle's they've known each other for a long time due to their families).Master Min asks her how she's doing and geum-young tells him lately she has lost confidence in herself and finds life difficult.Master Min encourages geum-young to have confidence since her job brings happiness to people.

The king suggests that Choi sang goon and Han sang goon compete by cooking for the prince's birthday,with the menu to be determined by the queen dowager.Choi sang goon asks jae-jae-sang goon to help her become the next head of the kitchen, In return,Choi sang goon promises it would benefit her as well. Choi sang goon asks her brother to find her the best ingredients for the next cook-off. Jang-geum tells Han sang goon that she thinks the ingredients that come from their regular source may not be as fresh as the ingredients that Choi sang goon might use. Han sang goon states that is out of their control, but Jang-geum goes to see gam with a grocery list and gives it to Mrs.gam since her husband isn't around.The royal family wants Choi sang goon and Han sang goon to make dishes using food that the citizens throw away.Geum-young wanders around the town to see,what kind of food the citizens would throw away.Mrs.Gam suggests jang-geum to use the left-over rice from wine-making as the ingredient.Geum-young brings the throw-away meat parts from the market to choi sang goon and they decide to make suhl-ruhng-tang (slow-cooked meat broth). Jang-geum and Han sang goon decide they will use the left-over rice curds to make suhl-ruhng-tang as well.Jang-geum goes around town to look for fresh meat. The queen dowager is presented with food prepared by the two teams.Each team has cooked a simple meal that resembles what the citizens normally eat. The queen dowager tastes the food and learns about the recipe, then announces the one cooked by Choi sang goon is the better one.The head guard asks the queen why, and Han sang goon states she knows why she had lost.

[edit]

ep. 16

Han sang goon believes it is because jang-geum took too long to get the fresh shoulder meat for the broth thus there wasn't enough time for the soup to develop its rich flavor.Choi sang goon and Geum-young are elated they won and regains confidence in their skills.Han sang goon scolds Jang-geum because jang-geum focused only on winning against Geum-young which have blinded her that she did not abide to the convictions and principle that Lady Court Supervisor Han sang goon taught her.

An old retired Lady Court who have been in long service for the Queen is ill. Retired Court Ladies retires in a temple where they die and their souls will be taken care of by the monks who will pray for their departed souls.She is receiving treatment outside of the palace and needs someone from the royal kitchen for a limited duration and Han sang goon tells Jang-geum to go.Jang-geum begs Han sang goon to allow her to stay since the competition with Choi sang goon isn't over yet but Han sang goon tells her to leave.Jung finds out about it and tells Han sang goon that it's too harsh of a punishment but Han sang goon insists on her decision.

Jang-geum packs to leave.On her way out, she stops by Han sang goon's room and apologizes to Han sang goon outside her room.Jang-geum goes to see wine-maker gam's wife.Jang-geum tells Mrs.Gam about her mistake which caused Han sang goon to lose.Mrs.Gam is surprised at Han sang goon's harsh decision.

Geum-young goes to the kitchen with a joyful sigh and prepares food for Master min jung-ho.Geum-young goes to the investigation dept to deliver the food but she's told Master Min left for an assignment.Geum-young gets permission from Choi sang goon to go outside of the palace for a trip.

The kitchen maids wonder who Han sang goon will pick as her new assistant.Young-Ro goes to Han sang goon and asks Han sang goon to pick her.Han sang goon tells young-Ro to fetch water,again and again, like the way she asked Jang-geum when jang-geum was a child.Chan-ee goes to see Han sang goon and asks Han sang goon to pick her. Han sang goon asks her to bring back 100 different kinds of vegetables in 3 days the way she asked Jang-geum.Yeon-sheng goes to see Han sang goon and states she can take Jang-geum's place in Jang-geum's absence.Han sang goon tells her to make 'sam-ha-jang'(triple paste).In the end the three girls complain about Han sang goon's harsh requests.Geum-young tells them that Jang-geum did all three when she was only a child.Han sang goon arrives and the girls state they can't fulfil the tasks. Han sang goon tells them that,this is why Jang-geum is irreplaceable.The girls then ask why Han sang goon did she sent Jang-geum away.Han sang goon remembers the days of young jang-geum.

Jang-geum arrives at the new appointment.Mr.Gam is there as well.He tells Jang-geum jo-sang goon became ill after she realized her brother had died.The ill sang-goon is dying and before she dies she wishes to eat the kind of rice that she ate with her brother when they were young.No one knows what kind of rice she is talking about so jo-sang goon remains sad in bed.

Master min jung-ho who is on his way back to the palace comes across Jang-geum who seems sad. He is about to approach her but is interrupted by gam who asks why Master min didn't get him any wines(Gam asked him earlier when he saw that min was going to oo-ham city).Later,Jang-geum walks by a temple and sees a man paying his respects to Min jung-ho.

Choi sang goon reports to jae-jo-sang goon that Jung sang goon and Han sang goon haven't been speaking to each other.The two agree that they should make sure nothing goes wrong in their plan of making Choi sang goon the next kitchen leader.Mr Gam shows Jang-geum the beach.Seeing the beauty of the water and the shore,Jang-geum becomes happy again as she runs on water.Jang-geum, who is playing in the water, runs into Master Min jung-ho and the two play together.Jang-geum tells Master Min that this was her first time on the beach.Master Min and Jang-geum chat, then jang-geum remembers her mother and gets teary.

Master min asks how she became an orphan.Jang-geum says it was her fault that her parents died.Jang-geum says her father was once a palace investigator too.Jang-geum tells Master min if she had kept her mouth shut her father and mother would have been alive today.Master min is saddened by her story.Jang-geum apologizes for embarassing herself in front of him.He says he should be the one to apologize.

Jang-geum gets the prescription for the ill sang-goon.Master min asks if Jang-geum is going toward the medicine house and says he's going toward that direction as well.Master min shows Jang-geum where the medicine house is and tells her to meet again in 1 hour's time. Their trails are being followed by unknown identities.Master min and Jang-geum are attacked by the men who followed them.Master min fights with them, then takes Jang-geum and ran.The two hide while the attackers search for them.The attackers find Mr Gam and the doctor, and ask if they've seen a woman with a man.Mr Gam is about to say something when another man from the medicine dept comes to send the men away by stating that there are no woman inside.

Jang-geum and Master min jung-ho were offered some food by the man who saved them.Jang-geum tastes a new flavor and begs the medicine man to teach her how to make that flavor.The man doesn't see why it's so important and declines. Jang-geum persists until the man finally gives in.Master min sees jang-geum's enthusiasm and smiles.Han sang goon tells Jung sang goon she will go through the competition by herself.

Jang-geum figures out what kind of rice jo-sang goon(the sick sang goon) is wishing for and gets it for her. Jang-geum hastily prepared the rice and ignored the man who tells her to dry it for a couple hours more.She presented the rice that she had prepared but still the flavor is not the same.The next day, the man presented the rice that has been dried up for a couple more hours and upon tasting the rice flavor, jo-sang goon begins to weep as she remembers her childhood happiness with her brother.

Jang-geum tells Master min that she had learned some important lessons through her failure.She learned that she will fail if she only focuses on winning and getting results,instead of putting her energy into the food and focus on the one who will eat it.Master Min tells jang-geum,he believes that even if she makes a mistake once, she is a person who will bring smiles to the faces of those who taste her food.Geum-young sees the two together as she walks in their direction.

[edit]

ep. 17

Jang-geum tells Master Min how she resented her mentor at first but now she understands why she treated her so harsh for her mistake. Geum-Young walks in the courtyard and sees Jang-Geum talking to Min. Mr Gam comes with the paper and pen brush that Jang-Geum left behind. Mr Gam drags Master Min to go drink with him. Geum-Young looks at Jang-Geum with hate and leaves. Geum-Young weeps alone in her room, remembering her love towards Master Min.

Next day, Geum-Young goes to the market and sees Master Min looking for a thin pen to purchase(for Jang-Geum). Geum-Young remembers Master Min asking Jang-Geum if she still uses thick pen brush when she arrived the day before and realizes he's buying it for Jang-Geum and leaves. Geum-Young walks off in her sadness to the river. Master Min finds Jang-Geum who is busy chasing after the medicine man in getting recipes from him. Master Min gives the small pen brush to Jang-Geum saying it's something he had but it's too small for him so she should have it. Jang-Geum accepts with thanks and goes back to her recipe-gathering.

The Queen Dowager has set the last competition. This time she wants the teams to cook san saeng-sun (mountain-side fresh seafood). It's a difficult task because it's hard to get fresh seafood at this time of the year. Choi Sang Goon knows she can get the ingredient from her brother so tells Geum-Young the Queen Dowager is on their side. Jung Sang Goon worries that without Jang-Geum, Han Sang Goon may lose. Han Sang Goon says she might be gone for a while (to look for fresh seafood). Jang-Geum watches as the ill Jo-Sang Goon passes away. Jang-Geum gets ready to go back to the royal kitchen. The medicine man stops her to tell her to add dried anchovy, dried shiitake, mixed with salt and powdered stem vegetable to soybean stew next time for rich flavor. Jang-Geum, Master Min and Gam leave together. Master Min asks Jang-Geum if she's sad about Jo-Sang Goon and she says yes. He says that he too feels sad. Mr Gam states he's sad too because now he has to go back home to do all kinds of chores for his wife.

Choi Sang Goon and Geum-Young watch as Choi's brother orders his men to gather the precious ingredients. Han Sang Goon goes to the market in town and looks around, not finding the ingredients she wants. A captured offender has fled and may be hiding in the royal kitchen dept. Young-Ro and Yeon-sheng run into palace guards as they walk outside their room at night. The Investigation Dept. Na-eu-ri informs Jung Sang Goon that they're looking for a runaway who might be in the Kitchen Dept. hiding. The Na-eu-ri finds the offender in Choi Sang Goon's room; the offender says he's innocent but he's taken away and the guards leave. Jung Sang Goon tells the girls to clean up the room before Choi Sang Goon comes back. The girls giggle over all the accessories that Choi Sang Goon has. Jung Sang Goon finds the recipe book that should've been given to the royal kitchen head (Jung) in Choi Sang Goon's room and becomes angry at Jae-Jo-Sang goon and Choi Sang Goon.

Investigater Naeuri informs Min about the captured offender. Master Min reports about his findings from his trip. Jang-Geum returns to the royal kitchen. Yeon-Sheng tells Jang-Geum what's been going on in the kitchen. Han Sang Goon returns from her shopping trip and sees Jang-Geum. Her cold response makes Yeon-Sheng wonder if Han Sang Goon is still angry at Jang-Geum. Choi Sang Goon and Geum-Young return from their trip as well. Young-Ro asks Choi Sang Goon if she found the ingredients. Choi sang goon tells her to go back to work. Jang-geum sends a smile to Geum-young but Geum-young avoids eye contact with Jang-geum. Choi sang goon asks Han sang goon if she found the desired ingredients. Han sang goon replies no. Jang-geum tells Geum-Young she's worried that Han sang goon may never forgive her. Geum-young says to Jang-Geum even if Han Sang Goon doesn't forgive her Jang-Geum already has too many things in life. Geum-young states silently that what Jang-Geum has is what she wished to cherish for life.

Choi sang goon realizes the recipe book is gone and asks around about what happened in her room and finds out Jung sang goon was in her room when all the books fell out of the closet after they captured the runaway. Jung sang goon pretends like she doesn't know anything about Choi sang goon and the recipe book. Choi sang goon goes to see jae-jo sang goon about her concern that Jung sang goon knows about the recipe book but is waiting till the competition day to tell everyone about it. Choi sang goon ask geum-young practices cooking with the recipes she learned while she was away. Yeon-sheng and Jang-geum peek at the ingredients Han sang goon brought from the market and realizes it's not fresh. Jang-geum gets all worried and runs to see Mr gam to see if they know how to find fresh seafood in the winter.Mr gam finds out from the guards what Min likes and presents a fortune to Min. (Mr Gam is trying to get on Min's good books so he can ask him for favors). Min jung-ho tells him to take it back and never bring anything to him.(Min doesn't like people to bribe him.) Mr Gam goes to dig for some root that is supposed to bring good fortune in the workplace to whoever eats it. Min tells him to get rid of it again. Gam then cries out his troubles (he wants Min to get wine from him). Jang-geum arrives and Min softens up to gang by offering the wine at his house.Min leaves. Gam asks where Min's house is but Jang-geum drags him away. Han gives Jang-geum a special plum to taste. Han tells Jang-geum its benefits to health. Han shows Jang-geum she's been forgiven. Jang-geum tells han she is just like her deceased mother.

Choi sang goon pleads for her mistake infront of Jung and Jae-jo-sang goon. Jung tells them to leave since she's not feeling well. Jang-geum and Han prepare for the upcoming competition and Jang-geum is cheerful like before. Choi's brother tells Geum-young the bad news that his men weren't able to get live seafood. Geum-young tells the uncle that Jung knows about the book Jae-jo-sg passed to Choi behind Jung's back. Jae-jo-sang goon and Choi sang goon scheme for a way to prevent Jung sang goon from appearing at the competition tomorrow for fear that she will tell everyone about the recipe book. An infectious virus has struck the palace and General Oh orders the palace workers to vacate their dormitories. Jae-jo-sang goon and choi use this opportunity to get rid of Jung sang goon . Jung sang goon gets escorted away by Choi's man who tells Jung sang goon that everyone must leave for preventive reasons. Jae-jo-sang goon tells the Queen that Jung sang goon has been struck by the illness and thus escorted out of the royal kitchen overnight. Jae-jo-sang goon calls Han sang goon and Jang-geum to her chambers and infront of Choi sang goon and Geum-young, Jae-jo-sang goon states Jung sang goon has the disease that can be spread through food. Yeon-Sheng tells Han sang goon that it's strange that Jung sang goon has the disease since she didn't show any signs like fever and vomit like other people with the disease have.

[edit]

ep. 18

Yeon-Sheng tells Court Lady Han sang goon that Court Lady Jung sang goon didn't display any symptoms of the illness like Court Lady Min sang goon had (Court Lady Min sang goon is the other Court Lady that nags Jang-geum a lot and has the philosphy that moderation is the key to survival). Court Lady Min sang goon asks Lady Court Jung sang goon why she was sent to the quarantine house if she's not sick by the illness (a suspected influenza was looming the palace). Court Lady Jung sang goon who is seemingly healthy, ponders why she was sent.

The rest of the palace workers try to determine the cause of the epidemic by sanitzing the area to avoid any outbreaks.Geum-young suggests to Court Lady Choi sang goon to seek the shi-geh (food doctor) advice on the matter and reason for the outbreak.Jae-jo-sang goon pushes General Oh to elect the new kitchen leader since Lady Court Jung is gone. But the Head of the Royal Household minister Shang Shen - a enunch insists they should wait until Lady Court Jung returns first since she is still Head of the Royal Kitchen and that she has not reliquished her position.Jae-jo-sang goon then chose Lady Court Choi sang goon as Acting Head of Royal Kitchen while Lady Court Jung sang goon is away.

The first instruction as the Acting Head of Royal Kitchen Lady Court Choi orders Lady Court Han and Jang-geum to go to ' Tae Pyung Guan '(The Peace palace it's where they house the Chinese dignitaries as Korea was then seen as a Ming Dynasty-Chinese protectorate at this period, hence the Korean King have to ask the approval of the Chinese Ambassador for his heir apparent which the task was given to General Oh to succeed after much delay).

Tae Pyung Guan is seen as a task that no one apparently wants to take on and also seen as a place of cold storage and exile as the Ming dynasty dignitaries are seen often with outrageous demanding behaviours and attitude that can be hard to please and in no position to disagree or refuse.The story was given by the Old Court Lady in the service of the Queen Dowager who was retiring was given a privilege to become an examiner for the Kitchen Court Lady where her daughter who was from the tailor department came to roomate with jang-geum and stole jang-geum's ratio of flour to made dumpling for her mother as a farewell gift. She was posted to Tae Pyung Guan where she was young, and was raped by the Chinese dignitaries and had his child. Since the child was innocent, she raised her up under the shroud of the Court Ladies's loyalties oath.

Lady Court Han and Jang-geum leaves for 'Tae Pyung Guan' posting. Yeon Sheng seen that Lady Court Choi sang goon have gained the upper hand plead to Lady Court Han sang goon to tag along as she is a lamb among the wolves.She refused Yeon-sheng's plead as they're not going for fun but Yeon-sheng worries that they'll never return. Lady Court Han sang goon assured Yeon-Sheng that it is not so.

Master Min carries out the task of screening the people who may show any symptoms of illness at the entrance of the palace. Palace Cook Gam and Mrs. gam arrive at the entrance of the palace and met Lady Court Han and Jang-geum enroute to 'Tae Pyung Gan posting.They ask Palace cook gam if he could go see Lady Court Jung sang goon at the quarantine house to check if she's really ill with influenza and the severity of her illness.Palace cook gam tries to get out of it for fear of catching the illness but Mrs.Gam says he can do it for a fee.Lady Court Han sang goon agrees on the payment.

Master Min sees jang-geum and while Lady Court Han sang goon steps aside to talk with the gam's to give them some instructions, meanwhile Master Min asks Jang-geum where she's going seeing her packed for travel.Jang-geum tells him that she is off on their posting to 'Tae Pyung Guan' for the time being to prepare for the arrival of the Chinese dignitaries.Master Min says she will face a difficult task ahead of her and shows empathy for her.Geum-young walks by as she goes to gather cooking materials.Geum-young is upset seeing Jang-geum talking to Master Min so candidly.

Later,Master Min coincidentally bump into geum-young.Master Min asks geum-young on the happenings on royal kitchen but geum-young rebuked that he only to ask when crisis occured and shows she's angry that he didn't apply the same caring concern to her as he did for jang-geum.Master Min was surprised at her outburst and apologizes but geum-young walks away.

Right Minister Oh tells Choi pan-su that he didn't expect the Lady Court Jung sang goon's matter to be resolved so easily and tells choi pan-su he may have to go jeju-island to run some errands for him.Choi states he was planning on going there anyway to work on new money-making deals.Right Minister Oh shows his satisfaction in choi's quick thinking.

Mrs.gam forces palace cook gam to visit Lady Court Jung sang goon at the quarantine house. Palace cook Gam fearing that he will catch the illness could only manage to stand outside and shout to Lady Court Jung sang goon that he was sent by Lady Court Han sang goon on her status of her health.Lady Court Jung sang goon tells him to enter her room to talk, but Palace cook Gam says he prefer to stay outside but Lady Court Jung sang goon ordered him in.Gam then asks the nurse for a mask for some protection and goes inside.Gam informs jung sang goon the news of Lady Court Han sang goon and jang-geum have been transferred to 'Grand peace Palace'.

Lady Court Jung sang goon passed a letter to gam for Lady Court Han sang goon .After gam leaves Lady Court Jung sang goon brings out the Head of the Royal Kitchen secret historical journal.The journal which have references to the diet and recipes favoured by the Royal Household recorded down by past Head of the Royal Kitchen Ladies. It was secretly handed down from Lady Court Choi's Aunt to Lady Court Choi sang goon . Lady Court Jung sang goon never had the journal in her possession and only had it when the guards ransacked Lady Court Choi sang goon's room when a prowler hide in her room closet and Lady Court Jung sang goon accidentally found it while tidying up her room.

Palace Cook Gam passes the letter to Lady Court Han sang goon .In the letter, Lady Court Jung sang goon wrote that she is not stricken by the illness but she wants Han sang goon and jang-geum not to do anything for the time being and act as normal.

Right Minister Oh is entertaining the visiting Ming Dynasty (Chinese) Ambassador in the 'grand peace palace'.The King has asked Right Minister Oh to have the Chinese Ambassador for the approval to the King heir apparent.Court Lady Han sang goon cooks up a light greaseless healthy food when she knew that the Chinese Ambassador was suffering from diabietes when the Royal Physician brought a prescription for the Chinese Ambassador who by now would have suffered from fatigue by the long journey from China which will add more weight to his diabietes.The Chinese Ambassador and Right Minister Oh were shocked by the presentation of the simple food and rebuke the food and asked to have it changed.The food was taken away but returned the same for the Chinese Ambassador.

Court Lady Han sang goon came to explain why she presented such food to the Chinese Ambassador stating his illness and after a long tiring journey and he cannot consume such rich food.The Chinese Ambassador was unimpressed with the explanation and Right Minister Oh gets the guards to drag Lady Court Han sang goon away.On seeing Lady court Han sang goon being dragged away from abiding to her conviction and principles,jang-geum comes in to plead to the Chinese Ambassador that the food served to him is good for his current health condition and Lady Court Han sang goon has forsaken her great culinary skills to make the food that will bring benefit to his health.And she asked them a chance of 5 days to present these simple food, and it will bring changes to the Ambassador's health. On hearing this, Right Minister Oh was more furious that a mere maid is telling the ranked officials what to eat or not to eat.The Chinese Ambassador somewhat relented but at the same time was upset as no one never told him off about his eating habits, asks jang-geum to prove her theory correct.Jang-geum says that Lady Court Han sang goon will serve delicious beneficial food but the the Chinese Ambassador demand that jang-geum should be the one to cook since it was her suggestion and will be the one to prove it. The Ambassador gave jang-geum 5 days to prove her theory and if she can't she will lose her life. He will eat everything she serve to him even grass but it must be delicious as he is a very picky eater, and if she failed in the 5 days to bring any results to his health he will punish her under the Chinese law for contempt.Which is a death sentence Jang-geum had no choice but to prove it.

Meanwhile Lady Court Han sang goon is placed under house arrest. The Head of the Royal Household Minister Shang Shen came to ask why Lady Court Han sang goon served such food to the Ambassador. She said if the King has the same illness, she will serve the same food as would Lady Court Jung sang goon will, if she was here to cook. Shang Shen then tell Lady Court Han sang goon about Jang-geum's pact with the Chinese Ambassador and at stake was her own life.Lady Court Han sang goon was shocked at the remarks.

Words of the outburst from Tae Pyung Guan came to the ears of the Queen Dowager and orders Jae jo sang goon to settle this matter quickly and that a lot of decision where riding on the Ambassador approval and the need to make him happy.Lady Court Choi sang goon says she will go there and prepare a feast for the Ambassador.That night, jang-geum ponders and remembers her mother's last words pleading her to find a way to survive even without the guidance of her father and mother.

The next day she picks up her confidence and jang-geum starts cooking for the Ambassador. Lady Court Choi sang goon came to 'Tae Pyung Guan' to take over the cooking duties herself and told jang-geum to give up the kitchen for them but jang-geum tells Lady Court Choi sang goon to leave instead, saying that the Chinese Ambassador have agreed to eat what she serve for 5 days. Lady Court Choi sang goon was offended by Jang-geum's remark but geum-young persuades Lady Court Choi sang goon to leave as jang-geum have staked her life on it.They will wait patiently for her to serve the 5-day meals and they will then take over the kitchen and left.

Lady Court Choi sang goon tells Right Minister Oh not to worry about the Ambassador because she will cook up a feast of three days the 'mahn han jung sung' served in the royal palace of the chinese emperor. (This reference is not accurate, Mahn han jung sung was only serve during the Qing Dynasty under the reign of Kangxi. It was a feast of three days of both Manchu and Chinese (Han)cusine serve for Kangxi to thanked his cabinet.It was recorded in his annals and serve as a bible to Chinese cusine later.I assume that the scripwriter wanted to add flavouring to the story or Lady Court Choi sang goon was the inventor of it).

Jang-geum started using the flavouring seasoning receipe she learned from the temple keeper during her stint at the temple looking after the Queen old Court Lady Nanny. The flavouring contain the compound of sun-dried fried anchovies, sun-dried mushroom, sundried vegetable and salt. The stint teaches jang-geum that there are no secret recipes but through perseverance of preparation of food will bring out the true flavour of the ingredient. Jang-geum tried to artificially dry the rice and unsucessfully could not bring out the flavour the Old court lady nanny yearn for but the temple keeper patiently sun-dried the rice until it is ripe to consume and yielded result and the the Old Court Lady nanny died in peace.

The Chinese Ambassador started to eat but has shown dissatisfaction when eating it which worries Jang-geum. Still she persists to the principles of Lady Court Han sang goon and served him the 5 meals as per agreement. On the 6 day Lady Court Choi sang goon came to take over the kitchen and lay the dishes on the table which delighted the Ambassador. The Ambassador tried the dishes and marvelled on the taste. Right Minister Oh asks the Ambassador what should the verdict on jang-geum who was rude and contempt. (revised by Gerry Tan (10/8/05)

[edit]

ep. 19

The Chinese Ambassador, after taking several bites of the feast, turns to Jang-geum and apologises for his weakness in eating the tempting dishes in front of him. He tells her that he will do it only once. Right Minister Oh is shocked as the feast lasts yet another 2 days. The Ambassador thanks him, but says that he will not partake in the feast any further. When Oh asks why, he points to Jang-geum and says that it is because of Jang-geum's rudeness and contempt. Jang-geum is surprised at the comment.

The Chinese Ambassador asks Jang-geum why she was so insistent on cooking this simple food, even at the risk of her life, as he was not Korean and would not be staying long. It would have been much simpler if she had served the food he wanted.

Jang-geum replies that she was following the principles set by her mentor Court Lady Han sang goon, which is "under any circumstances a cook must never prepare food that will bring harm to the one who will eat the food."

The Ambassador asks her if she had been afraid, Jang-geum says she was when she saw how Lady Court Han sang goon was dragged away and placed under house arrest, and when she herself made a pact with the Ambassador at the expense of her life.The Ambassador laughs at the stubborness of the teacher and the pupil in preserving their principle and says that since they abide by their convinction to serve food that is good for his health, he as the recipient must also abide by such rules to look after his own health. For many years he abused his health, causing himself to suffer from diabetes because of his eating habits, although he knew full well the harm of consuming such food. He then mentions that whilst eating the food that jang-geum had been serving for the past the 5 days, he could taste the same pleasant flavour that he has never tasted before(Initially, he hadn't shown that he could taste the flavour, which worried Jang-geum.)It was delicious.He then says that Court Lady Han sang goon and jang-geum will be in charge of all his meals until he leaves for China.Jang-geum has proven that the simple food she served for 5 days did make the Ambassador healthier; he had been grumpy when he first arrived, but now he was more well-tempered.Jang-geum is relieved and happy. much to the displeasure of Court Lady Choi sang goon,geum-young, and Right Minister Oh.

Lady Court Han sang goon is freed. The head of the Royal Household, Minster Shang Shen, says that Jang-geum has won the Ambassador over with her persistence. Court Lady Han sang goon tells Jang-geum that Jang-geum's actions will shorten her (Lady Court Han sang goon's) lifespan by a few years due to worry. Jang-geum jokes that Lady Court Han sang goon is beginning to sound more like Lady Court Jung sang goon and laughs.

Court Lady Han sang goon tells Minister Shang Shen that Court Lady Jung sang goon is not suffering from any contagious illness. Shang Shen says that he has been away, entertaining the Chinese dignitaries, thus he does not know the happenings at the palace. He will find out what's going on.

To save some face, Court Lady Choi sang goon goes to see Lady Court Han sang goon and sarcastically says that she had been worried about the Chinese dignitaries, who in the past had been difficult. She says that since the Chinese Ambassador prefer Court Lady Han sang goon's cooking, she will leave it up to Lady Court Han sang goon.

Court Lady Choi sang goon report to Jae-jo-sang goon all is well at 'Tae Pyung Guan', leaving out that it was Lady Court Han sang goon and Jang-geum who made things go smoothly.

Yeon-sheng trains the newly arrived child maids to bow and orders the older children to each pair up with a younger child.

Young-ro interrupts and tries to take away 2 children to be her students. Court Lady Choi sang goon arrives and stops Young-ro and Yeon-sheng from arguing. Lady Court Choi sang goon puts Young-ro in charge of the training of the young maids.Yeon-sheng complains to Chan-ee about Choi sang goon and asks if Jung sang goon will return soon.Chan-ee wonders if they need to be nice to Young-ro from now on since Choi sang goon is in charge, and she favours Young-ro.

Jae-jo-sang goon and Choi-sang goon report to the Queen Dowager. Jae-jo-sang goon tells her Court Lady Choi sang goon took care of the Ambassador. The Queen Dowager praises them for doing a good job at Tae-Pyung-Guan. Jae-jo-sang goon is about to bring up the issue of promoting Choi-sang goon again when they are interrupted by the arrival of the Queen. The Queen arrives to greet the Queen Dowager and apologizes for her grief over her nanny. Now she has come to terms with her grief after hearing all had been done for her. The Queen asks what they're discussing about.The Queen Dowager excuses Lady Court Choi and Jae-jo-sang goon as the Queen hints that they should speak privately. The Queen Dowager tells the Queen that she was just praising Lady Court Choi on a job well done with the Chinese dignitaries.The Queen tells the Queen Dowager that she had heard a different version of the story.

Lady Court Jung sang goon is given a medical examination by the Doctor brought by Gam. The doctor says that she shouldn't have been kept together with those who suffered from the disease.Gam visits Han sang goon to tell her Jung sang goon is weaker than before.

A palace guard comes and asked for the Court lady who took care of the Old Court Lady nanny. Lady Court Han sang goon tells the guard that it was Jang-geum. The guard says that the Queen asked for her presence at her chambers. Shang Shen accompanies Jang-geum to see the Queen. The Queen meets with jang-geum.(Historically this is Queen Munjeong. She is a major figure in Korean History. Driven by political ambitions, she will destroy political adversaries and take control of state affairs from behind the veil for 8 years. This was in a time when gender inequality and sexual discrimination prevailed in the Joseon dynasty. So Jang-geum was not the only woman to break the glass ceiling. A scene between jang-geum and the Queen over why women cannot be like men in term of education and occupation was mentioned in later episodes.)

Back to the story: The Old Court Lady nanny was the nanny of the Queen. She was not only a nanny but also the only maternal person the Queen had known. The Queen lost her mother when she was very young and the nanny looked after her. She wants to know from Jang-geum about her nanny's last days of life, and whether she had passed away peacefully. Jang-geum tells her that the nanny died peacefully and happy and her ashes are in the temple and she can visit her there if she wishes. Shang shen then interupts that Jang-geum certainly took care of the Old nanny well and she has shown the same care in looking after the Chinese Ambassdor's well-being and health.Shang Shen tells the Queen of the happenings in Tae Pyung Guan.The Queen is amused.

Jae-jo-sang goon tells the head guard that they probably shouldn't let Jung sang goon back in the royal kitchen since she is so ill and they should hurry and make a new kitchen head. But the head guard states that is not an urgent matter.

Jung sang goon sends Min-sang goon on a errand to find out what it is that the medical staff has been giving her as medication. Min sang goon finds out the medicine Jung sang goon has been taking contains harmful liquids that are slowly harming her body. Jung sang goon writes a letter to Jae-jo-sang goon asking for a meeting. Jae-jo-sang goon reluctantly visits Jung.

Jung asks Jae-jo-sang goon to allow her to return to the palace kitchen with the rest of the people who are scheduled to return to the palace in 2 days. Jae-jo-sang goon states that's not a good idea since Jung is so sick and too weak to cook.Jung sang goon confronts Jae-jo sang goon,telling her that she knows about the medicine Jae-jo-sang goon has ordered for her and about the recipe book that was supposed to be given to her but was passed on to Choi sang goon.Jung sang goon asks if Jae-jo-sang goon wants her to send the harmful medicine and the book to the investigation dept. Jae-jo-sang goon denies everything but it is clear she feels threatened.

The queen calls Jae-jo-sang goon and Choi sang goon into her chamber. In front of Lady Ja-soon, the queen scolds the two sang goons for not telling her about what Han sang goon and Jang-geum did in Tae-Pyung-Guan. And also about Jung sang goon's illness.

Right Ministr Oh sends off the visiting Ambassador,who is content with his stay and thus offers friendship from his nation of Myung (China) to Joseon (Korea).The head guard asks Han sang goon if she will be returning to kitchen since she did a good deed for the nation.Jung sang goon returns to the royal kitchen. Han sang goon is so overjoyed that she cries.

The queen orders everyone to be present for a meeting.

The queen tells Jung sang goon as far as she is concerned,Han sang goon won the second competition since she presented beneficial food to the visiting Ambassador, thus giving him a great impression of the Korean dynasty. Jung sang goon meets with Choi sang goon , Han sang goon , Geum-young and Jang-geum. Jung sang goon brings out the revered recipe book and states that since Choi sang goon already saw it, it's only fair that Han sang goon sees the content as well.However, Han sang goon declines,saying she will only read it if she becomes the next kitchen head.

The Gam arrive outside the village where Master Min is staying to deliver wines.Min meets with his informants who tell him that the suspects they're after may be hiding in the local bar/inn. Min comes outside to meet with Gam. Min asks Gam to take him to the bar/inn he frequents. Min gathers information about the inn's guests from the hostess.The hostess says she can't give out information about the guests and their conversations for no reason and leaves. Mr Gam tells Min that he knows how to do business with the bar hostesses,therefore Min should leave it to him but for a price. Min offers a thousand yang(monetary unit)to Gam for his assistance.

The queen gathers Jae-jo-sang goon, Jung sang goon, Choi sang goon and Han sang goon into her chamber to announce that the theme for the final competition between Han sang goon and Choi sang goon is 'nothing'. It means that queen just wants the two sang goons to prepare their best dishes for her upcoming birthday feast. Chan-ee tells the kitchen maids why the queen met with the supervisors.

Right Minister Oh meets with Jae-jo-sang goon.Right Minister Oh tells Jae-jo-sang goon there's no shortcuts anymore. From now on it depends on Choi sang goon's skills.Jung sang goon tells Han sang goon that she has done what she could and whatever happens will a fate destined by the heavens, so Han sang goon should try to cook with a peaceful heart.

Han sang goon meets with Jang-geum, who sees that Han sang goon is trembling. Jang-geum tells Han sang goon she looks cute when she's trembling nervously. Han sang goon scolds her lovingly. Jang-geum tells Han sang goon that she believes in Han sang goon's skills. Han sang goon begins to tell Jang-geum about her past, of being born into a humble family, of meeting another child who gave Han sang goon her first praise for her cooking skills,of following that child into the palace to become a kitchen maid Later, Han sang goon goes outside and calls out her friend's name: "Myung-ee"(Jang geum's mother's name).

Meanwhile, Jang-geum goes to read her mother's booklet and learns about a secret ingredient that requires juice from the tree.

Han sang goon digs out a small jar buried under the soil of a secret spot as she remembers her friend Myung-ee who buried the jar with her. As she leaves, she remembers Myung-ee telling her that the best food for the king should be "pal-gua-tang" (eight fruit soup).

[edit]

ep. 20

Jang-geum runs to the place where her mother wrote that she had buried the jar with her fellow-cook. Jang-geum sees that the soil had been touched recently. She wonders if her mother's friend was there. Han sang goon has already left the area. Later, Han sang goon tells Jang-geum that she plans to make 'eight-fruit-soup' for the feast competition.

Choi sang goon and Geum-young go see Choi's brother.Choi sang goon tells her brother that she has confidence that they will win.Master Choi meets with a palace messenger whom he bribed to be on his side at the town inn to discuss a new scheme.The hostess listens as they talk. The messenger goes to see Young-ro and whispers something in her ear.

Young-ro and Yeon-sheng try to find out from each other what Choi sang goon and Han sang goon are cooking.They exchange papers with the dish name, but Young-ro gets a blank piece of paper from Yeon-sheng, whilst Yeon-sheng gets a fake dish name from Young-ro.They argue again. Young-Ro tries to get Chan-ee's help.Chan-ee tells Young-Ro that she should go find out from Yueon-sheng while she's talking in her sleep.

Young-ro goes into Yeon-sheng's room at night and tries to ask her about the dish as she sleeps but Yeon-sheng starts to blabber about all the food she's craving for. Young-ro gets annoyed and stuffs a green onion into Yeon-sheng's mouth.

Mrs Gam tells her husband to deliver a precious wine to Han sang goon.The wine is a special wine that only Mrs. Gam knows how to make. She wants Han sang goon to present the wine to the king during the feast so that everyone will know about her special wine,thus helping the Gams' business. Mr Gam delivers the wine to Jang-geum and gives her instructions on what to do with the wine.

Choi sang goon and Geum-young prepare the ingredients for next day's cook-off. Han sang goon and Jang-geum prepare their ingredients as well. That night, the Choi's messenger meets with Young-ro to give her some intructions.Yeon-sheng runs into Jang-geum's room to tell her that Young-ro did something to their ingredients. Yeon-sheng, Jang-geum, and Han sang goon quickly run to the kitchen to discover that all the ingredients have been ruined and messed up. Han sang goon instructs Jang-geum to hold the fort down in the morning while she goes out to get more ingredients.Young-ro watches and reports to the messenger. Han sang goon leaves the palace at night to see the market merchant and Gam. The merchant says that the fresh ingredients will be in the market by daylight. Gam says he doesn't have any more of the dong-chong-chow (vegetable worms) she got from him yesterday. Gam takes Han sang goon around town to look for more but one by one all the shops say they have run out of stock.

At daylight, Han sang goon gets what she needs and Gam sends her off in a boat.As he turns around to tell her that she had forgotten to leave money for the additional ingredients that he had to buy for her, he realises that Han sang goon is being kidnapped by 2 men on the boat.Gam runs all the way home to tell his wife and ask her whether they should report to Master Min to ask for his help in getting the police involved. Min learns about the fate of Han sang goon from Gam and goes off with his assistant on horse after Han sang goon's trail.

Back at the palace, Yeon-sheng worries about Han sang goon who has not yet return while Jang-geum tries to stay calm. Young-ro continues to spy on them.Yeon-sheng tells Jang-geum that Jae-jo sang goon and everyone else have gathered for the competition. Young-ro goes after Choi sang goon and whispers something in her ears. Choi sang goon is surprised about what happened to Han sang goon.Young-ro tells Choi sang goon that master Choi will keep Han sang goon from attending the cook-off. Choi sang goon is not happy by her brother's gesture which shows that he doesn't trust her skills.

Jae-jo-sang goon calls for a meeting and asks why Han sang goon is absent. Jang-geum informs them Han sang goon had gone out to get the ingredients she needs.Jung sang goon asks what happened to the ingredients she already prepared. Jang-geum replies, saying that animals came in overnight and ruined the ingredients. Jae-jo sang goon says it's the cook's responsibility to protect their ingredients. Failure in doing so is Han sang goon's fault. Jang-geum says it's her fault and asks if she could take her place until she comes back. Jae-jo sang goon reluctantly agrees after Geum-young's persuasion. Jung sang goon tells Jang-geum that it was not her place to butt in. Choi sang goon scolds Geum-young for butting in. Geum-young thinks to herself that she wishes to see Jang-geum suffer the way she made her suffer.

Outside the palace door, Mrs. Gam runs into the blind merchant who asks her to deliver the fresh seafood to Han sang goon. The seafood is delivered to Jang-geum and Jang-geum is told that Han sang goon was kidnapped on her way back to the palace.

Min-sang goon gives shiitake mushrooms to Jang-geum to encourage her. Chan-ee also gives Jang-geum the beef which she stole from the royal kitchen. Jang-geum looks at Yeon-sheng seriously and tells her that she is the only one who can help her at this moment. Yeon-sheng says she's shaking nervously but pulls herself together to help Jang-geum fetch what she needs.

At the mother Queen's birthday feast, the royal family and the ranking generals have gathered. Jang-geum and Geum-young present their first course to the Queen and the king. The Queen asks what she's eating. Jang-geum replies she made a "jung-bo" porridge. Geum-young states her porridge is a "oh-ja' porridge using 5 complimentary fresh ingredients. The royal family seems to like Geum-young's porridge better.

Jang-geum and Choi present their next course. Jang-geum goes on about how she prepared the vermicelli wrap. Next the royal family enjoys Choi's spring rolls made from seafood wrap.The king, the Queen dowager and the Queen express their delight at Choi's food.

Yeon-sheng is worried that Jang-geum is losing. Jang-geum silently asks for her mother to help her. The next course is a salad. The royal family is once again impressed by Choi's innovation of using bean water as the dressing.Jang-geum again asks her mother to help her.The royal family tastes her veggie dip made from garlic and aged vinegar preserved underground for decades.The king states both are excellent but Jang-geum wins this round.

The Queen Dowager asks why Han sang goon is missing.Jae-jo-sang goon says that Han sang goon had left the palace and has yet to return. Everyone is startled by the news.

[edit]

ep. 21

The Queen Dowager wonders why Han sang goon is missing and why a maid has been presenting the food instead.Jae-jo-sang goon tells the Queen Dowager that Han sang goon hasn't returned since she left yesterday. Jung states that Han sang goon had to leave to get fresh ingredients. The king asks who then has been preparing the food that they're eating. The sang goons say Han's maid Jang-geum is the cook. The Queen Dowager says there's no need to continue with the competition in that case.The Queen and the king ask the Queen Dowager to allow Jang-geum to continue. The Queen Dowager agrees.Jang-geum's next dish is tender ribs. Choi sang goon presents triple-cooked shrimp. Min sang goon ,the other maids, the child maids, and master Choi and his messenger watch on.

Han sang goon escapes when Master Min and his soldiers arrive. The soldiers escort Han sang goon back to the palace while Min investigates.Jang-geum prepares the main course.Yeon-sheng expresses her concern at their lack of ingredients to make the 'pal-ga-tang' (8 fruit soup) that Han sang goon wanted. Jang-geum tells Yeon-sheng to give her space alone and takes out her mother's recipe book for strength.

Choi sang goon and Jang-geum present their course. Choi sang goon presents a stew of soft-pork meat combined with ginseng. Jang-geum presents her dish and the royal family seems disappointed at the sight of the chicken soup.But the Queen shows interest after a bite and asks what she used.Jang-geum states that she used cabbage, garlic, chicken, etc. The king interrupts and wants to know what is the ingredient that gives the dish such an aromatic spicy flavor.Jang-geum replies the secret ingredient is tiger liver.

Han sang goon arrives.The maids tell her Jang-geum is losing.Gam asks if Han sang goon is okay. The Queen and King agree that Jang-geum should win this round.The onlookers cheer.Gam urges Han sang goon to hurry and take over the competition but Han sang goon says the competition belongs to Jang-geum.

For the second course,Choi sang goon presents bone marrow rice. Jang-geum presents a special bone marrow rice that gives out a cool feeling after eating,getting rid of the greasy aftertaste of the previous course.The royal family praises Jang-geum for making such a thoughtful dish. The on-lookers cheer for Jang-geum again.

Choi sang goon is becoming angry but Geum-young says she will surely win the next round.Jang-geum sees that Han sang goon is back. Han sang goon gives a smile and motions to Jang-geum, telling her to continue.

The final course is dessert. The Queen Mother's tastes the fruits and asks Choi sang goon and Jang-geum what they each consider as their best dish today.Jang-geum states she was unable to cook the best dish of 'pal-ga-tang' that Han sang goon wanted; however she made a dish that she considers her own best.Jang-geum states it's wild berry dessert and presents the dish. The Queen asks why. Jang-geum states that wild berry is the last food that she had washed and fed to her dying mother.Her mother,upon eating the berries,left the world with a soft smile on her face.Jang-geum states she prepared the food with the love she has for her mother.

The king and the Queen Dowager are touched by Jang-geum's words.The king tries the dessert and states that it's delicious and he will not forget her love toward her mother.The king states wild berries are his favorite food and that Jang-geum is the best cook of soo-rak-gan (knife/fork dept.= royal kitchen).The Queen Dowager is surprised by her son's enthusiasm. The king interrupts and states the results are still in the Queen dowager's hands.He is merely expressing how impressed he is by this mere servant.

The Queen wishes to meet the mentor of such a skilled maid.The king concurs he too wants to see Han sang goon.Han sang goon is brought before the royal family. The Queen dowager states she will honor her son's joy and states that Han sang goon is the new head of the royal kitchen.Geum-young and Choi sang goon are pissed.

Jang-geum goes back to the kitchen and weeps (in reminiscence of her deceased mother).Han sang goon walks in and embraces Jang-geum with teary smile. Meanwhile,Choi sang goon and Geum-young weep with anger and at their loss. Jung sang goon goes back to her chamb