Dae Jang Geum

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Dae Jang Geum
Hangul:
대장금
Hanja:
大長今
Revised Romanization: Dae Jang-geum
McCune-Reischauer: Tae Chang-gǔm
Dae Jang Geum
The Great Jang Geum /
Jewel In The Palace /
　大長今 /
　チャングムの誓い

Dae Jang Geum opening sequence title
Genre Soap opera, Drama, Historical
Camera setup Multi-camera
Picture format 1080i HDTV
Running time Approximately 1 hour
Creator(s) Yeong-hyeon Kim
Executive producer(s) Byoung-hoon Lee
Starring Lee Young-ae
Ji Jin-hee
Park Eun-hye
Hong Ri-na
Im Ho
Lim Hyeon-sik
Geum Bo-ra
Yang Mi-kyeong
Kyeon Mi-ri

Jo Kyeong-hwan
Lee Hee-do
Yeo Oon-ke
Park Jeong-soo
Opening theme Cang Long
Ending theme Onara
Country of origin South Korea
Original channel MBC (South Korea)
Original run September 15, 2003–March 30, 2004
No. of episodes 54
Official website
IMDb profile

Dae Jang Geum (hangul:대장금), sometimes known as The Great Jang Geum, or Jewel In The Palace, is a 2003 TV Series produced by Korean TV channel MBC.

Based loosely on the historical figure depicted in the Annals of Joseon Dynasty, the show focuses on Jang-geum (played by Lee Young Ae), the first female royal physician of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea. The main theme is her perseverance, as well as the portrayal of traditional Korean culture, including Korean royal court cuisine and medicine.

Contents

[edit] Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The story is set in Korea under the Joseon Dynasty, during the reigns of King Seongjong, King Yeonsan-gun (1494-1506) and King Jungjong (1506-1544). The story begins with the mother of young Yeonsan-gun (the Crown Prince at the time) being poisoned by a group of imperial guards under the order of the king.

After the incident, an imperial guard, Suh Cheon-su, who accompanied the group, returns to his home but suffers an accident on his way back. He is rescued by a Taoist hermit, who tells him that his life will revolve around three women: that he shall cause the death of the first woman, that he will save the life of the second woman but will also cause her to die, and a third woman who, finally, will cause his death, but who will be the savior of many lives. (It does not become clear until much later that the three women are Yeonsangun's mother, Jang-geum's mother, and lastly, Jang-geum herself.) The inner stress from the incident eventually causes him to resign. On the other hand, Lady Park, a royal kitchen apprentice, witnesses a conspiracy against the Queen Mother by Lady Choi (Lady Choi had mixed wolfsbane with other things in food to create dizziness to those who ate it) and is in turn indicted on false charges by the inner circle of senior kitchen staff, and ordered secretly executed per their internal procedures. She is saved by Lady Han, who secretly leaves a letter during the execution for her best friend in the palace, and later again saved inadvertently by the now retired Suh. The two depart to live in secret in a remote village, posing as lower class peasants; they marry, and raise a very bright young daughter, Suh Jang-geum.

In the year 1504, King Yeonsangun orders a massive investigation into his mother's murder, and eventually finds Suh and his family, partly because of a mistake on the part of his child, Jang-geum, in which Jang-geum had blurted out that her parents were not low-class citizens, that Suh was a military official in the palace. This is when people realize Jang-geum's father partook of the incident of the poisoning of the King's mother. Suh is arrested, and presumably later executed. Jang-geum and her mother flee, but Jang-geum's mother is severely wounded by her enemies, and before her death she tells Jang-geum her last wish, should she choose to do so, is for her to become the Top Lady (head chef in the royal palace kitchen) and record her case in the kitchen ladies' secret historical records book (to redress the wrong done to her honor).

Jang-geum goes through some adventures and manages to enter the palace. Through her courage, curiosity, talent, kind-heartedness and hard work, she helps Lady Han (her mother's best friend, which she does not discover until much later) to become the Top Lady. During her years in the palace, she is put under many ordeals and shunned because she is smarter than the other apprentices. Jang-geum, however, does not become discouraged and continues cooking with the mindset that no matter what, the goal of cooking is to bring good health and happiness to the person who eats the food. Unfortunately, a conspiracy headed by Lady Choi and her niece Geum-yeong, as well as high-rank officials and merchants who wanted the import market to remain a monopoly, results in the exile of Lady Han and Jang-geum to Jeju-do Island, in being accused for poisoning King Junjong with sulphur-laced ducks. On the way to Jeju-do, an exhausted Lady Han dies of a fever. Back in the palace, Lady Choi is chosen as Top Lady.

While Jang-geum is in the Jeju Island, she meets Jang-deok, whom she initially believed was a fellow slave. However she soon discovers that Jang-deok is a famous physician lady. Jang-deok's frank and pragmatic nature initally offends her, but she soon learns that she is truly dedicated to her profession of saving lives.

Jang-geum learns that competent medical women can be selected to through a test, and then can proceed to be trained as medical ladies in the palace. She realizes that only way to return the palace and avenge her mother and Lady Han, is to become a medical lady. Under Jang-deok, she learns medicine, and her hardworking and tenacious nature makes her extremely competent.

However, in her quest to become a medical lady, she has to learn to rid herself of the hatred that has welled up in her heart, in order to truly embrace the virtues of being a medical practioner. This she does, and eventually successfully re-enters the palace.

Soon, she comes face to face with Geum-yeong, who has now become the Top Lady. Her predecessor, the ruthless Lady Choi, has become Chief Lady (head of palace ladies) after ousting the previous one. As they plot to rid themselves of her once and for all, Jang Geum's relationship with Lt. Min Jeung-ho intensifies, and the love story between them develops. Eventually, through a dramatic interrogation process, the past plots of Lady Choi and her subordinates are revealed, resulting in the destruction of the Choi family (with Geum-yeong as the family's last descendent) and high-ranking officials.

Through her selfless dedication to the royal family, her perseverance, and her talent and skill, she becomes recognised as the best medical personnel in the palace. Jang-Geum correctly diagnosed the Queen as having a stillborn foetus in her womb and saved her life as a result. With her daring wits, she managed to convince the Queen Mother to undergo treatment for her illness. She further earns the gratitude of the Queen, when she cured her son of smallpox, which was a fatal disease back in those days. Jang-Geum rooted out the correct causes of the King's chronic illness, which had been misdiagosed all this while by other royal physicians. With a strange turn of events, the King falls in love with Jang-Geum, but refrains from making her one of his royal concubines because he understood Jang-Geum's loves lie in Jeung-ho and in medicine. In order to see more of her, the King decides to make her his personal royal physician and confers on her the title of Dae Jang-Geum.

The King's wishes are met with much controversy and outcry from the scholars and male ministers, since having a woman placed at a postition of such prestige was recognised as an open defiance of their patriachal society and confucianist beliefs. Jang-Geum, understanding that she would liberate the rights of Korean women by accepting the post, is reluctanly convinced and agrees. Min Jeung-ho, in his support of her, is recognised to be going against his scholar's teachings and is ordered to be exiled. They are then separated.

The King became critically-ill and there was little Jang-geum could do, despite her comprehensive understanding of his medical condition and attentive care. Jang-Geum knew that the King could no longer be treated with acupuncture or medicine. As a last resort, she carefully suggested a revolutionary approach, surgery. The court officials were horrified at her bold suggestion, as cutting up a person was totally unheard of and moreover, the King was considered too sacred to be allowed to bleed. Though the King believed in her, he was concerned that should the surgery fail, Jang-Geum would surely be put to death. With his condition deteriorating without undergoing Jang-Geum's proposed surgery, the King knew his end was near, but he was more worried about Jang-geum's fate when he passes on. To protect her, the King sent her away against her wishes. Under the King's arrangements, she reunites with Jeong-ho and they live together for eight years - married and with a daughter. All this while, Jang-Geum and Jeong-ho are compelled to lead vagrant lives, as their detractors have been searching for them since the King passed away. However, Jang-Geum continues to practise and help patients wherever she goes.

As a result, they were finally traced and ordered to return to the palace. Instead of being punished, they are both reinstated by the Queen Mother - formerly the Queen who favoured Jang-geum when she was a medical lady, and has now come into total power. Jang-geum is then ranked as an officer of the palace, and is reconferred the title of Dae Jang-Geum, while Jeung-ho also regains his previous post. She continues serving the royal family, and gains much-deserved respect and admiration from everyone. However, she and Jeung-ho were wary of the politics in the palace and decided to move on. The story ends as Jang-Geum successfully performs the first Caesarean surgery ever for a pregnant peasant-woman.

[edit] Historical connection

Main article: Jang Geum

Dae Jang-Geum was a real person documented in the Annals of Joseon Dynasty, as well as a medical document of the time. However, descriptions and references of her were scarce and mostly brief. Many assert that Dae Jang-geum was the first female royal physician of the king in Korean history. Nevertheless, there were (and still are, to this day) some who continue to believe that Dae Jang-Geum is merely a fictional figure drawn from various references of female doctors in the Annals.

[edit] Commercial success

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Please help improve this article by introducing appropriate citations. (help, get involved!) This article has been tagged since November 2006.

Dae Jang-geum has experienced massive success across Asia, specially in countries like Japan, mainland China & Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines and Thailand. Also has been nicely welcomed in the Americas, including Canada and the U.S (Chicago), further continuing the South Korean cultural fever that has gripped Asia since the early 2000s. The sets built by MBC for the shooting of this TV series have been purchased by the South Korean government and has been turned into a tourist attraction. The set is located near Yangju, South Korea and is frequently visited by tourists from all over Asia.

"Jewel in The Palace" was shown by GMA Network in the Philippines and is rated as the highest rating Korean novela in primetime from November 2005 to March 2006, only beaten by My Name is Kim Sam Soon, which also aired on GMA. During April, "Jewel", the more popular term for the show in the Philippines, the show bounced back to the leading spot as the latter show ends. Due to its massive popularity, the show is on a re-run and still enjoys high ratings.

In China, Dae Jang Geum is known as "Da Chang Jin" (大长今), and many variations of the Chinese version of the theme song were sung by various artists. Examples are the CETV version, the Hunan Satellite TV Station version and the version sung by the winners of the Hunan Singing Competition (similar to American Idol, except in the end there are 3 winners).

In Japan, Dae Jang Geum is introduced by the Japan's biggest TV station,NHK.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Major Characters

Screenshot of Dae Jang Geum where Lee Young-ae stars as Suh Jang-geum.
Enlarge
Screenshot of Dae Jang Geum where Lee Young-ae stars as Suh Jang-geum.
  • Lee Young-ae (이영애 (李英愛)) as Suh Jang-geum (서장금 (徐長今))
    • Suh na-in (서나인 (徐內人))
    • Nurse Suh (徐醫女)
    • Suh sang-gung(Lady Suh) (서상궁 (徐尙宮)) of the Royal Kitchen ("su-ra-kkan")(←水剌間) (御膳廚房) (Top Lady (最高尙宮)) (for a short while before electing Lady Min)
    • Dae Jang-geum (대장금 (大長今))
  • Ji Jin-hee (지진희 (池珍熙)) as Min Jeong-ho (민정호 (閔政浩)) [1]
  • Im Ho (임호 (任豪)) as Jung-jong (중종 (中宗))
    • King Jung-jong (중종왕 (中宗王))
    • Prince Jin-seong (진성대군 (晉城大君))
  • Hong Ri-na (홍리나 (洪莉娜)) as Choi Geum-yeong (최금영 (崔今英))
    • Choi na-in (최나인 (崔內人))
    • Choi sang-gung(Lady Choi) (최상궁 (崔尙宮)) of su-ra-kkan (Choi-go sang-gung (最高尙宮))(replacing her aunt, also Lady Choi, as the Top Lady)
  • Park Jung-sook (박정숙) as Queen Munjeong

[edit] Early life

  • Jo Jung-eun as Suh Jang-Geum (child)
  • Park Chan-hwan (박찬환 (朴贊煥)) as Suh Cheon-Suh (서천수 (徐天壽))
  • Im Hyeon-sik (임현식 (林玄植)) as Kang Deok-Gu (강덕구 (姜德九), Jang-geum's adoptive father)
    • Kang sook-soo (강숙수 (姜熟手))
  • Geum Bo-ra (금보라 (琴寶羅)) as Na Joo-daek (나주댁 (羅州宅), Dook-goo's wife and Jang-geum's adoptive mother) [2]

[edit] Palace Chef Period

  • Yang Mi-gyeong (양미경 (梁美京)) as Han Baek-young (한백영 (韓白榮))(also known as 韓愛鍾 (Han Ai-zong in Mandarin version)
    • Han na-in (한나인 (韓內人))
    • Han sang-goong (Lady Han) (한상궁 (韓尙宮))
    • Han sang-goong (한상궁) of soo-rak-gan (Top Lady)(最高尙宮)
  • Kyeon Mi-ri (견미리 (甄美莉)) as Choi Seong-geum (최성금 (崔成琴)) (also known as Cui Cheng-qing in the Mandarin version)
    • Choi na-in (최나인 (崔內人))
    • Choi sang-goong(Lady Choi) (최상궁 (崔尙宮))
    • Choi sang-goong (최상궁) of Royal Kitchen (Top Lady)(最高尙宮)
    • Jae-jo sang-goong (Chief Lady 재조상궁 提調尙宮) (after ousting the previous Chief Lady)
  • Park Eun-hye (박은혜 (朴恩惠)) as Lee Yeon-saeng (이연생 (李連生))
    • Lee na-in (이나인 (李內人))
    • Lee sang-goong (이상궁(李尙宮)) (特别尙宮)
    • Lee Sook-won (이숙원 (李淑媛))
  • Kim Hye-seon (김혜선 (金慧渲)) as Park Myeong-hee (박명이 (朴明伊))
    • Park na-in (박나인 (朴內人))
    • Chief Lady
  • Jo Gyeong-hwan (조경환 (趙卿煥)) as Oh Gyeom-ho (오겸호 (吳兼護))
    • Right Premier Oh (右相)
  • Lee Hee-do (이희도 (李熙道)) as Choi Pan-sul (최판술 (崔判述))(Lady Choi's brother)
  • Na Seong-gyun (나성균 (羅成均)) as Yun Mak-gae (윤막개 (尹莫介), Young-roh's uncle)
  • Yeo Woon-gye (여운계 (呂韵季)) as Jeong Mal-geum (정말금 (鄭末今))
    • Jeong na-in (정나인 (鄭內人)) (presumably, before being Jeong Sang-goong)
    • Jeong sang-goong(Lady Jeong) (정상궁 (鄭尙宮))
    • Jeong sang-goong (정상궁) of soo-rak-gan (Top Lady)(最高尙宮)
  • Park Jeong-soo (박정수 (朴貞洙)) as Park Yong-shin (박용신 (朴容信))(박상궁).
    • Park na-in (박나인 (朴內人)) (presumably, before being Park Sang-goong)
    • Park sang-goong(Lady Park) (박상궁 (朴尙宮)) (presumably, before being elected into...)
    • Jae-jo sang-goong (재조상궁 (提調尙宮 Chief Lady)) (before being ousted by Lady Choi)
  • Kim So-ih (김소이 (金素怡)) as Min Mae-geum (민매금 (閔美琴))
    • Min na-in (민나인 (閔內人))
    • Min sang-goong (Lady Min) (민상궁 (閔尙宮))
    • Min sang-goong (민상궁) Top Lady (Choi-go sang-goong)(最高尙宮)
  • Choi Ja-hye (최자혜 (崔慈慧)) as Chang-ee (창이 (昌伊))[3]
    • Chang-ee na in (창이나인 (昌伊內人))
    • Chang-ee sang-goong (창이상궁 (昌伊尙宮)) (when Jang-geum returned to the palace after King Jungjong's death)
  • Lee Ip-sae (이잎새 (李玲詩)) as Yoon Yeong-roh (윤영로 (尹令路))
    • Yoon na-in (윤나인 (尹內人))
    • Yoon sang-goong (Lady Yoon) (윤상궁 (尹尙宮)) (presumably Lady Attendant to Jae-jo sang-goong (Choi Seong-geum))
  • Choi Seong-geum's aunt who was the "soo-rak-gan Choi-go sang-goong" at Park Myeong-yi, Choi Seong-geum, and Han Baek-young's time. Also the prime motivator and witness of Park Myeong-yi's secret "death sentence" administered to all palace ladies committing moral errors.

[edit] Nurse Life

  • Jeon In-taek (전인택 (全仁澤)) as Doc. Jeong Yoon-soo (정윤수 (鄭允壽))
  • Maeng Sang-hun (맹상훈 (孟相勳)) as Prof. Jeong Woon-baek (정원벅 (鄭雲白))
  • Kim Yeo-jin (김여진 (金汝眞)) as Jang-deok (장덕 (張德))
  • Han Ji-min (한지민 (韓智敏)) as Shin-bi (신비 (信非))
    • Nurse Shin-bi (信非醫女)
  • Lee Se-eun (이세은 (李世恩)) as Park Yeol-lee (열이 (朴阿烈)) (Her "adoptive" mother was the previous Chief Lady Park Yong-shin)
    • Nurse Yeol-lee (阿烈醫女)

[edit] Theme Song

The theme song ,Onara , is in Ancient Korean. Consequently, in South Korea, there had been a lot of arguments about what the lyrics of this song were and how they should be interpreted. As a result, a lot of different interpretations had been rampant. Eventually the song writer, Se-Hyeon Im, revealed the lyrics.

[edit] Parody

Following that came the spread of a new Internet phenomena, the online parody, created by a person who used the alias Breadbed. Like the 2channel cats parody of "Dragostea din tei", it featured a series of puns derived from the song, telling a humorous story in Chinese.

[edit] Famous quotes

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.
  • Your fate will be destined by three women. You killed the first woman, though you didn't want to. You will save the second one, but she will die because of you. The third one will kill you, but save thousands.

-A Confucian monk said this to Suh Cheon-su, Jang-Geum's father, in a cave where Cheon-su was recovering from his injuries from a fall. The three women mentioned in the quote are Yeonsangun's mother, Jang-geum's mother, and Jang-geum herself

  • I will teach you when we return to the palace

-Last words by Lady Han, before she died on her exile to Jeju island over trumped up charges made by Lady Choi. Jang Geum was asking Lady Han how to make Steamed Prawns when Lady Han died.

  • ...Let us return to the palace...
-Lady Han's request before dying.
  • ...I will now return to the palace...I will wait for your return...Forgive me for my surrender...Farewell, Jang-geum...
-Lady Han's final words/thoughts to Jang-geum, before passing away en route to Jeju Island.
  • "I will teach you how to make it when we return to the palace."
Variation of Lady Han's last words. Lady Han was asked by Jang Geum how to make prawns.
  • What did I do wrong? Why must everyone treat me this way? I will not start over. My mother and now you have left me. No matter what, I will never follow your orders again.

-Jang Geum, when Lady Han died on their way to Jeju Island, after they were framed by Lady Choi.

  • ...Why did you leave me? Why do all the people whom I love must leave me? What are my faults? What have I done wrong? I don't want to continue, I also want to rest. It was all much better for my mom; before she died I swept away her hunger. But you, you never even gave me a chance to serve you even for the last time. I'm very tired, I don't want (to continue). I will never hear your voice ever again, Lady Han...
-Variation.
  • I use my (acupuncture) needles to kill people.

-Female Physician Jang-Dook, Jang Geum's mentor in the field of medicine, on why she is a Female Physician. She actually wanted to exact revenge on an imperial court officer who forced her mother to commit suicide during the reign of Yeonsangun. The court officer, now exiled to Jeju, tried to draft Jang-Deok's mother into the palace and become the Emperor's concubine.

  • As a maid for Imperial Officers, you must learn to give up!

-Female Physician Jang-Duk, after she fooled Jang Geum into an escape plan that was destined for failure.

  • I'll tell you this: No one can ever persuade me to give up! I will never give up!

-Jang Geum, in her response to the above quote. Considered to be the most famous quote in the entire series.

  • I would have never guessed that your talent would also become your poison.

-Lady Han, during a cooking competition against Geum-yeong and Lady Choi, when Jang Geum made the mistake of not boiling the water in the right amount of time after seeking to find the best bones.

  • I love Jang-Geum. Do you, too?

-King Jungjong, to Lord Min Jeong-ho, during the archery contest where they were contesting for the silver trinket consisting of a brush and an ink holder given to Jang-Geum by her father.

  • Are you sad? I am happy. Are you happy? I am sad. Are you scared? My heart flutters like a butterfly. Are you brave? I am scared.

-Min Jeong-Ho and Jang Geum, upon running away from the palace.

  • They say the patient will get better if the people around him believe he can get better!

-Lady Min to the queen when her child, the Crown Prince had a disease. It was a quote Jang Guem once said.

  • This woman isn't meant for this era. When will women have their place?

-The last line in the entire series, said by Lord Min Jeong-Ho

  • She is like wild grass. No matter how you pull it, that plant will return and return.

-Geum-young (as Top Lady of the Royal Kitchen), referring to Jang-geum, when they and Lady Choi were discussing about Jang-geum's surprising return.

  • To regret is to take responsibilities for one's own deeds. It is to repent, to make up for, and never to repeat such deeds again. How can you hope for forgiveness, not giving up anything and refusing to reveal any misdeeds?

-Jang-Geum to Lady Choi, when she pleads for forgiveness at Jang-Geum's mother's grave. (Allegedly carrying strong connotation to Korea's stance on the apologies of Japanese politicians for the imperialist occupation. (See Korea under Japanese rule)

  • How dare she?! For five generations our family has been ruling the (royal) kitchens, and I'll not agree that it (the position) be placed to anyone...Using our talents and (political) powers or anything else that is needed, we'll be her downfall!!!

-Lady Choi to Geum-young, after Madam Jung said "I'll pass the position to someone who really deserves it...".

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ In the Philippines, he is known as Kapitan or the Captain.
  2. ^ In the Philippines, she was known as Aling Shon-bi (손비).
  3. ^ In the Philippines, she was No-chang (노창).

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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