About Opentopia
Opentopia Directory Encyclopedia Tools

Dae Jang Geum

Encyclopedia : D : DA : DAE : Dae Jang Geum

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

Synopsis

The story is set in Korea under the Joseon (or Chosun) 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, Seo 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 who ever eats 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 Seo. 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, Seo Jang-geum.

In the year 1504, King Yeonsangun orders a massive investigation into his mother's murder, and eventually finds Seo 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 Seo 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. Seo 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, 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, 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 girls 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 Lord Min Jeon-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 perserverence, and her talent and skill, she becomes recognised as the best medical personnel in the palace. In addition, the King falls in love with her, and decides to make her his personal royal physician.

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, after much painful thought, agrees to take the post. Min Jeon-ho, in his support of her, is recognised to be going against his scholar's teachings and is ordered to be exiled. They are separated.

When the King eventually dies, Jang-geum is compelled to escape for fear of the backlash from her detractors. She reunites with Jeon-ho and they live together for eight years - married and with a daughter.

They are then ordered to return to the palace, where they are both reinstated by the Queen Mother - formerly the Queen who favoured Jang-geum when she was a medical lady. Jang-geum is then ranked as an officer of the palace, and is conferred the title of Dae Jang-Geum. She continues serving the royal family, and gains much-deserved respect and admiration from everyone.

Historical connection

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.

Commercial success

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 theme song for this drama is called Onara (오나라), meaning "Is (he/it/she/they) coming?" (Korean sentences do not always have clear subjects and must be deduced based on the context in which it's used). Also, long-time singer Kelly Chen sang the Chinese version of the theme song "希望" (hope). In the Philippines, the theme song of the series is "Pangarap na Bituin" (My Dream Star) performed by Faith Cuneta, originally sung by her aunt Sharon. Currently "Jewel in The Palace" is shown by GMA Network in the Philippines and is rated as the highest rating Koreanovela in primetime from November 2005 to March 2006, only beaten by My Name is Kim Sam-Soon, also on GMA Network. 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. Jewel in the Palace ended on June 13, 2006.

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 Satterlite 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).

Cast

Major Characters

Screenshot of Dae Jang Geum where Lee Young-ae stars as Seo Jang-geum.
Enlarge
Screenshot of Dae Jang Geum where Lee Young-ae stars as Seo Jang-geum.

Early Life

Palace Chef Period

Nurse Life

Theme Song

The theme song is not in Modern 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].

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 humourous story in Chinese.

Famous quotes

-A Confucian Monk said this to Seo 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

-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.

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

-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 Yeongsangun. The court officer, now exiled to Jeju, tried to draft Jang-Deok's mother into the palace and become the Emperor's concubine.

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

-Jang Geum, in her response to the above quote.

-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.

-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.

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

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

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

-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.

-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)

Notes

See also

External links

 

From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.

Search Titles
0123456789
ABCDEFGHIJ
KLMNOPQRST
UVWXYZ?

E-mail this article to:

Personal Message: