Seo Cheon-Soo
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Seo Cheon-soo is a major character in Dae Jang Geum. He is the father of Seo Jang Geum and a military guard from the middle class(chungjin). He is the first of all major characters to appear in the series. The series begins as he is practicing for an archery tournament. Then a military officer in the Royal Guards, he is forced by King Seongjong to administer poison to Queen Yun, deposed mother of the next king, King Yeonsangun. Queen Yun dies cursing Seo and the other guards and begs that her son become king and take revenge for her. This is proved when she vomits blood onto a handkerchief and asks her lady-in-waiting to give it to Yeonsangun when he becomes King. While depressed from this, Seo falls down a gorge and his saved by a Taoist hermit, who tells him three women control his fate. He shall kill the first woman, save the second woman who will die for him, and die due to a mistake of the third woman who will save many lives. Seo is given three Chinese characters that will guide him in finding out if he has met one of the women. The first word is "jin" made by combining "nu"(lady) and "jin"(today). This means he met the first woman that day. The second word is "shun", made by combining "shun"(flow) and "dao"(head). This means the second woman Seo will find her with her head submerged in flowing water. The third word is "hao"(good), which is made by combining "nu"(lady) and "zhi"(son). This means the third woman will be the daughter Seo has by the second woman.
Seo immediately knows the first woman is Queen Yun. Fourteen years later, Seo comes across Park Myeong-yi just after she was executed by the Royal Kitchen. Her head is under water like she is drowning. Without remembering the hermit's words, Seo saves her and takes care of her journey as she leaves. Finally, he remembers the word "shun". The clue of Myeong-yi's head bg under flowing water gives her away. Park Myeong-yi is the second woman. Feeling she owesher life to Seo for saving her, Myeong-yi follows and marries Seo. For eight tears they live in hiding as cheonmin, raising their bright daughter Seo Jang Geum.
When Jang Geum is eight, she immaturely blurts out the truth that her father was a milatary guard. Seo is discovered to be the guard who poisoned the mother of Yeonsangun, who is now a treacherous king. Seo is executed and the third woman is discovered, Jang Geum.
