Acasa
Major
Lee Young-ae as Seo Jang Geum (서장금 徐長今)
Seo Na-in (서나인 徐內人), Palace Maid Seo
Uinyeo Jang Geum (의녀장금 醫女長今), Physician Lady Jang-geum
Choi-go Sanggung (최고상궁 最高尙宮), Highest Lady of the Royal Kitchen.[2] (for a short period of time)
Dae Jang-geum (대장금 大長今), The Great Jang-geum. (Third-ranked Official of a 9-rank system)
Ji Jin-hee (지진희 池珍熙) as Min Jung-ho (민정호 (閔政浩)[3]
Im Ho (임호 任豪) as King Jungjong (중종 中宗)
Jinseong Daegun (진성대군 晉城大君), Prince Jin-seong
King Jungjong (중종 中宗)
Hong Ri-na (홍리나 洪莉娜) as Choi Geum-young (최금영 (崔今英)
Choi Na-in (최나인 崔內人), Palace maid Choi
Choi-go Sang-gung (최고상궁 最高尙宮), Highest Lady of the Royal Kitchen. (succeeding her aunt, also Lady Choi)
[edit]
Early life
Jo Jung-eun as Seo Jang-Geum (child)
Park Chan-hwan (박찬환 朴贊煥) as Seo Cheon-Soo (서천수 徐天壽). (Jang-geum's father)
Kim Hye-seon (김혜선 金慧渲) as Park Myeong-yi (박명이 朴明伊). (Jang-geum's mother)
Im Hyeon-sik (임현식 林玄植) as Kang Duk-gu (강덕구 姜德九). (Jang-geum's adoptive father)
Kang sook-soo (강숙수 姜熟手) One of the Head Chef of the Royal Kitchen(most-skilled chef in the palace)
Geum Bo-ra (금보라 琴寶羅) as Na Joo-daek (나주댁 羅州宅). (Deok-gu's wife and Jang-geum's adoptive mother)[4]
[edit]
Time as a Palace Chef
Yang Mi-gyeong (양미경 梁美京) as Han Baek-young (한백영 (韓白榮)[5]
Han Sanggung (한상궁 韓尙宮), Lady Han
Choi-go Sang-gung (최고상궁 最高尙宮), Highest Lady of the Royal Kitchen.
Kyeon Mi-ri (견미리 甄美莉) as Choi Seong-geum (최성금 (崔成琴)
Choi Sang-gung (최상궁 崔尙宮), Lady Choi
Choi-go Sang-gung (최고상궁 最高尙宮), Highest Lady of the Royal Kitchen
Jae-jo Sang-gung (재조상궁 提調尙宮), Head Lady (after ousting the previous Head Lady, Lady Park)
Park Eun-hye (박은혜 朴恩惠) as Lee Yeon-saeng (이연생 (李連生)
Lee Na-in (이나인 李內人), Palace maid Lee
Lee Sang-gung (이상궁 李尙宮), Her Grace, Lady Lee (특별상궁 特别尙宮)[6]
Lee Suk-won (이숙원 李淑媛)[7]
Lee Ip-sae (이잎새 李玲詩) as Yoon Young-roh (윤영로 尹令路)
Yoon Na-in (윤나인 尹內人), Palace maid Yoon
Yoon Sang-gung (윤상궁 尹尙宮), Lady Yoon. (Servant to the Chief Lady (Jae-jo sang-gung), upon Geum-young's promotion to the Highest Lady of the Royal Kitchen)
Kim So-ih (김소이 金素怡) as Min Mee-geum (민미금 閔美琴)
Min sang-gung (Lady Min) (민상궁 閔尙宮)
Choi-go Sang-gung (최고상궁 最高尙宮), Highest Lady of the Royal Kitchen (elected after the conviction of the Choi family and the replacement of an ailing Highest Lady of the Royal Kitchen).
Yeo Woon-kay (여운계 呂運計) as Jung Mal-geum (정말금 (鄭末今)
Jeong Sang-gung (정상궁 鄭尙宮), Lady Jeong
Choi-go Sang-gung (최고상궁 最高尙宮) Highest Lady of the Royal Kitchen
Park Jeong-soo (박정수 朴貞洙) as Park Yong-shin (박용신 (朴容信).
Choi-go Sang-gung, Head Lady (before being ousted by Lady Choi).
Choi Ja-hye (최자혜 崔慈慧) as Chang-ee (창이 (昌伊)[8]
Chang-ee Na-in (창이나인 (昌伊內人)
Chang-ee Sang-gung (창이상궁 (昌伊尙宮) (upon Jang-geum's return to the Palace after King Jungjong's death eight years later)
Jo Gyeong-hwan (조경환 趙卿煥) as Oh Gyeom-ho (오겸호 吳兼護)
Right Minister Oh (우의정 右議政)
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
Choi Seong-geum's aunt was the Top Lady during Park Myeong-yi, Choi Seong-geum, and Han Baek-young's time as palace maids. She was the executor of Myeong-yi's secret "death sentence" administered to all palace maids committing moral errors.
[edit]
Time as a Medical Woman
Jeon In-taek (전인택 全仁澤) as Doctor Jeong Yoon-soo (정윤수 鄭允壽)
Maeng Sang-hun (맹상훈 孟相勳) as Prof. (and Doctor) Jeong Woon-baek (정운백 鄭雲白)
Kim Yeo-jin (김여진 金汝眞) as Jang-deok (장덕 (張德)[9]
Han Ji-min (한지민 韓智敏) as Shin-bi (신비 信非)
Uinyo Shinbi(醫女信非), Physician Lady Shinbi
Lee Se-eun (이세은 李世恩) as Park Yeol-i (열이 朴阿烈) (Her "adoptive" mother was the previous Head Lady Park Yong-shin)
Ui-nyo Yeol-i (의녀열이 醫女阿烈), Physician Lady Yeol-lee
The story is set in Korea during the reigns of King Seongjong, King Yeonsan-gun (1494-1506) and King Jungjong (1506-1544). The story begins with Queen Yun, mother of King 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-Soo, who accompanied the group, suffers an accident on his way home. He is rescued by an enigmatic hermit, who tells him that his life will revolve around three women; one whom he doesn't want to kill but still dies because of him, another woman that he will save the life of but will die because of him, and a third woman who will kill him, but who will be the savior of many lives. It does not become clear until much later that the three women are Lady Yun (Yeonsan-gun's mother), Park Myeong-I (Jang-Geum's mother), and lastly, Jang-Geum herself. Psychological distress from the incident eventually caused him to resign. Palace cook Park, an apprentice at the Royal Kitchen, witnesses a conspiracy against the Queen Mother by Lady Choi. Park Myeong-I is in turn indicted on false charges by the inner circle of senior kitchen staff, and secretly executed by their internal procedures (forced to drink poison). She is first saved by Palace cook Han, her best friend in the palace, who mixes antidote with the poison and slips her a letter, and was later saved inadvertently by the retired Seo. The two married and secretly lived in a remote village as low class people, called cheonmin, raising a very bright young daughter, Seo Jang-Geum.
In the year 1504, King Yeonsan-gun orders a massive investigation into his mother's murder, and eventually finds Seo Cheon-Soo and his family, partly because Jang-Geum blurted out the truth that her parents were not low-class people, that Seo was a military officer of the palace. This leads to the arrest of Seo and the scattering of their family. Jang-Geum and her mother fled, but her mother was fatally wounded by their enemies. Before her death, she tells Jang-Geum her last wish, that she to become the Head Lady of the Royal Kitchen and record the injustice done to her, in the Head Kitchen Ladies' journal or record book. This was fulfilled during the later episodes of the series, wherein Jang-Geum was crying while writing this.
Jang-Geum manages to enter the palace. Through her courage, curiosity, talent, kind-heartedness and determination, she helps Lady Han Baek-Young (her mother's best friend, which she does not discover until much later) to become the Highest Kitchen Lady. She undergoes many ordeals and is shunned because she is smarter than the other apprentices. Jang-Geum continues cooking with the philosophy that the goal of cooking is to bring good health and happiness to the person who eats the food. While on the palace, she befriends a young officer named Min Jung-ho, who is in love with her; they become very good and close friends. A conspiracy headed by Lady Choi and her niece Geum-Yeong (who has an unrequited love with Min Jung-ho), as well as high-rank officials and merchant Pan-sul Choi (Lady Choi's brother) to retain monopoly over Royal Kitchen supplies, results in the exile of Lady Han and Jang-geum to Jeju Island as slaves, on false accusations of treason. On the way to Jeju Island, an exhausted Lady Han dies. Back in the palace, Lady Choi replaces her as the Highest Kitchen Lady (called choigosanggung in Korean).
Min Jung-ho is able to track and locate Jang-Geum on Jeju Island. Initially intending to save her from the exile, she refuses, because such action would ruin Jang-Geum's chance to return to the palace to uncover the truth behind the conspiracy and worthlessly risk Jung-ho's military career. Before leaving, he vows to await for her at the palace, confident in that she will find a way to re-enter the court.
While Jang-Geum is on Jeju Island, she meets Jang-Deok, whom she believed was a fellow slave. She soon discovers that Jang-Deok is a famous medical woman. Jang-Deok's frank and pragmatic nature initially offends her, but she learns that she is dedicated to saving lives. Jang-Geum learns that competent medical women can work in the Palace through a vigorous selection process. She realizes that is the only way she can return to the palace to avenge her mother and Lady Han. Under Jang-Deok, she learns medicine, and her hard work and tenacity makes her a competent medical woman. In her quest to become a medical woman, she must rid herself of the hatred in her heart to truly embrace the virtues of being a medical practitioner. This she does, and after being graduated from the Medicine Academy, re-enters the palace.
She comes face to face with Geum-Yeong, who has now become the Head Kitchen Lady. Her predecessor, the ruthless Lady Choi, has become Head Lady (called jaejosanggung in Korean)[1] — after kicking out the previous Lady Park. As they plot to rid themselves of her once and for all, Jang-Geum's relationship with Lt. Min Jung-ho (who is now part of the King's royal cabinet) intensifies. Jang-geum's best friend, Yeon-Sang, has become King Jungjong's concubine while Jang-Geum has been away and becomes the eighth Queen. Jang-Geum correctly diagnosed that the King was suffering from Behçet's disease and not from typhoid fever. Through a dramatic interrogation process, the past plots of Lady Choi and her subordinates are revealed, resulting in the destruction of the Choi family and high-ranking officials (example is Prime Minister Oh). Lady Choi died while trying to grab a scarf from a cliff, and in her childhood memories the same incident happened. Seeming impossible and hopeless to climb up, she lets go of the tree branch, falling to her death. Geum-Yeong was expelled from the palace, thus losing her position as the Highest Kitchen Lady. Lady Min, shortly after Geum-Yeung was expelled won the postion of Highest Kitchen Lady by a contest. She still was the chef of know Lee Suk-won (Yeon-Sang). Through her dedication to the royal family, perseverance and skill, Jang-Geum was recognized as the best medical person in the palace. Jang-Geum had correctly diagnosed the Queen as having a second stillborn fetus in her womb, thus saving her life. She convinced the Queen Mother to undergo medical treatment and discovered the root cause of the King's chronic illness. She earns the gratitude of the Queen, when she cures the prince of small pox.
Eventually, King Jungjong falls in love with Jang-Geum, but refrains from making her a royal concubine because he understands that Jang-Geum loves medicine. In recognition of her achievements and to keep her by his side, the King makes her his personal physician, conferring on her the use of "Dae" (meaning "The Great") and the position of a third rank official in a 9-rank system (where the lowest-ranking official is the ninth-rank official).
The King's decision is met with much outcry from scholars and ministers, since having a woman in the elite bureaucracy was an open defiance of the country's precedent and having a medical woman as the King's personal physician was unheard of. Jang-Geum, understanding that she could assert the rights and capability of women by accepting the post, reluctantly does so. Jung-ho, in his staunch support of her promotion, is indicted for going against scholarly teachings and exiled. They are thus separated.
The King became critically ill and there was little Jang-Geum could do, despite her comprehensive understanding of his condition and attentive care. He could no longer be treated with acupuncture or medicine. As a last resort, she suggested surgery (because she already discovered an anesthesia). The court officials were horrified at her revolutionary approach, which was 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, the King knew his end was near, but he was more worried about Jang-Geum's fate. To protect her, the King sent her away against her wishes, allowing her to reunite with Jung-ho and escape the palace. They married and lived together for eight years with their daughter. All this while, Jang-Geum and Jung-ho are compelled to lead vagrant lives, as their detractors have been searching for them since King Junjong's death. However, Jang-Geum continues to treat patients wherever she goes.
As a result, they were finally traced down and returned to the palace. Instead of being punished, both were reinstated by the Queen Dowager - formerly Queen Munjeong, who favoured Jang-Geum when she was a medical woman and now wields enormous power. Jang-geum finds that all her friends have high ranks in the palace, making the palace much more peaceful than under Choi rule. Jang-Geum and Jung-ho are wary of palace politics and decide to move on, still retaining the titles and ranks conceded to them by the queen. The story ends as Jang-Geum performs the first caesarean surgery in Korea.
Lee Young-ae as Seo Jang Geum (서장금 徐長今)
Seo Na-in (서나인 徐內人), Palace Maid Seo
Uinyeo Jang Geum (의녀장금 醫女長今), Physician Lady Jang-geum
Choi-go Sanggung (최고상궁 最高尙宮), Highest Lady of the Royal Kitchen.[2] (for a short period of time)
Dae Jang-geum (대장금 大長今), The Great Jang-geum. (Third-ranked Official of a 9-rank system)
Ji Jin-hee (지진희 池珍熙) as Min Jung-ho (민정호 (閔政浩)[3]
Im Ho (임호 任豪) as King Jungjong (중종 中宗)
Jinseong Daegun (진성대군 晉城大君), Prince Jin-seong
King Jungjong (중종 中宗)
Hong Ri-na (홍리나 洪莉娜) as Choi Geum-young (최금영 (崔今英)
Choi Na-in (최나인 崔內人), Palace maid Choi
Choi-go Sang-gung (최고상궁 最高尙宮), Highest Lady of the Royal Kitchen. (succeeding her aunt, also Lady Choi)
[edit]
Early life
Jo Jung-eun as Seo Jang-Geum (child)
Park Chan-hwan (박찬환 朴贊煥) as Seo Cheon-Soo (서천수 徐天壽). (Jang-geum's father)
Kim Hye-seon (김혜선 金慧渲) as Park Myeong-yi (박명이 朴明伊). (Jang-geum's mother)
Im Hyeon-sik (임현식 林玄植) as Kang Duk-gu (강덕구 姜德九). (Jang-geum's adoptive father)
Kang sook-soo (강숙수 姜熟手) One of the Head Chef of the Royal Kitchen(most-skilled chef in the palace)
Geum Bo-ra (금보라 琴寶羅) as Na Joo-daek (나주댁 羅州宅). (Deok-gu's wife and Jang-geum's adoptive mother)[4]
[edit]
Time as a Palace Chef
Yang Mi-gyeong (양미경 梁美京) as Han Baek-young (한백영 (韓白榮)[5]
Han Sanggung (한상궁 韓尙宮), Lady Han
Choi-go Sang-gung (최고상궁 最高尙宮), Highest Lady of the Royal Kitchen.
Kyeon Mi-ri (견미리 甄美莉) as Choi Seong-geum (최성금 (崔成琴)
Choi Sang-gung (최상궁 崔尙宮), Lady Choi
Choi-go Sang-gung (최고상궁 最高尙宮), Highest Lady of the Royal Kitchen
Jae-jo Sang-gung (재조상궁 提調尙宮), Head Lady (after ousting the previous Head Lady, Lady Park)
Park Eun-hye (박은혜 朴恩惠) as Lee Yeon-saeng (이연생 (李連生)
Lee Na-in (이나인 李內人), Palace maid Lee
Lee Sang-gung (이상궁 李尙宮), Her Grace, Lady Lee (특별상궁 特别尙宮)[6]
Lee Suk-won (이숙원 李淑媛)[7]
Lee Ip-sae (이잎새 李玲詩) as Yoon Young-roh (윤영로 尹令路)
Yoon Na-in (윤나인 尹內人), Palace maid Yoon
Yoon Sang-gung (윤상궁 尹尙宮), Lady Yoon. (Servant to the Chief Lady (Jae-jo sang-gung), upon Geum-young's promotion to the Highest Lady of the Royal Kitchen)
Kim So-ih (김소이 金素怡) as Min Mee-geum (민미금 閔美琴)
Min sang-gung (Lady Min) (민상궁 閔尙宮)
Choi-go Sang-gung (최고상궁 最高尙宮), Highest Lady of the Royal Kitchen (elected after the conviction of the Choi family and the replacement of an ailing Highest Lady of the Royal Kitchen).
Yeo Woon-kay (여운계 呂運計) as Jung Mal-geum (정말금 (鄭末今)
Jeong Sang-gung (정상궁 鄭尙宮), Lady Jeong
Choi-go Sang-gung (최고상궁 最高尙宮) Highest Lady of the Royal Kitchen
Park Jeong-soo (박정수 朴貞洙) as Park Yong-shin (박용신 (朴容信).
Choi-go Sang-gung, Head Lady (before being ousted by Lady Choi).
Choi Ja-hye (최자혜 崔慈慧) as Chang-ee (창이 (昌伊)[8]
Chang-ee Na-in (창이나인 (昌伊內人)
Chang-ee Sang-gung (창이상궁 (昌伊尙宮) (upon Jang-geum's return to the Palace after King Jungjong's death eight years later)
Jo Gyeong-hwan (조경환 趙卿煥) as Oh Gyeom-ho (오겸호 吳兼護)
Right Minister Oh (우의정 右議政)
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
Choi Seong-geum's aunt was the Top Lady during Park Myeong-yi, Choi Seong-geum, and Han Baek-young's time as palace maids. She was the executor of Myeong-yi's secret "death sentence" administered to all palace maids committing moral errors.
[edit]
Time as a Medical Woman
Jeon In-taek (전인택 全仁澤) as Doctor Jeong Yoon-soo (정윤수 鄭允壽)
Maeng Sang-hun (맹상훈 孟相勳) as Prof. (and Doctor) Jeong Woon-baek (정운백 鄭雲白)
Kim Yeo-jin (김여진 金汝眞) as Jang-deok (장덕 (張德)[9]
Han Ji-min (한지민 韓智敏) as Shin-bi (신비 信非)
Uinyo Shinbi(醫女信非), Physician Lady Shinbi
Lee Se-eun (이세은 李世恩) as Park Yeol-i (열이 朴阿烈) (Her "adoptive" mother was the previous Head Lady Park Yong-shin)
Ui-nyo Yeol-i (의녀열이 醫女阿烈), Physician Lady Yeol-lee
The story is set in Korea during the reigns of King Seongjong, King Yeonsan-gun (1494-1506) and King Jungjong (1506-1544). The story begins with Queen Yun, mother of King 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-Soo, who accompanied the group, suffers an accident on his way home. He is rescued by an enigmatic hermit, who tells him that his life will revolve around three women; one whom he doesn't want to kill but still dies because of him, another woman that he will save the life of but will die because of him, and a third woman who will kill him, but who will be the savior of many lives. It does not become clear until much later that the three women are Lady Yun (Yeonsan-gun's mother), Park Myeong-I (Jang-Geum's mother), and lastly, Jang-Geum herself. Psychological distress from the incident eventually caused him to resign. Palace cook Park, an apprentice at the Royal Kitchen, witnesses a conspiracy against the Queen Mother by Lady Choi. Park Myeong-I is in turn indicted on false charges by the inner circle of senior kitchen staff, and secretly executed by their internal procedures (forced to drink poison). She is first saved by Palace cook Han, her best friend in the palace, who mixes antidote with the poison and slips her a letter, and was later saved inadvertently by the retired Seo. The two married and secretly lived in a remote village as low class people, called cheonmin, raising a very bright young daughter, Seo Jang-Geum.
In the year 1504, King Yeonsan-gun orders a massive investigation into his mother's murder, and eventually finds Seo Cheon-Soo and his family, partly because Jang-Geum blurted out the truth that her parents were not low-class people, that Seo was a military officer of the palace. This leads to the arrest of Seo and the scattering of their family. Jang-Geum and her mother fled, but her mother was fatally wounded by their enemies. Before her death, she tells Jang-Geum her last wish, that she to become the Head Lady of the Royal Kitchen and record the injustice done to her, in the Head Kitchen Ladies' journal or record book. This was fulfilled during the later episodes of the series, wherein Jang-Geum was crying while writing this.
Jang-Geum manages to enter the palace. Through her courage, curiosity, talent, kind-heartedness and determination, she helps Lady Han Baek-Young (her mother's best friend, which she does not discover until much later) to become the Highest Kitchen Lady. She undergoes many ordeals and is shunned because she is smarter than the other apprentices. Jang-Geum continues cooking with the philosophy that the goal of cooking is to bring good health and happiness to the person who eats the food. While on the palace, she befriends a young officer named Min Jung-ho, who is in love with her; they become very good and close friends. A conspiracy headed by Lady Choi and her niece Geum-Yeong (who has an unrequited love with Min Jung-ho), as well as high-rank officials and merchant Pan-sul Choi (Lady Choi's brother) to retain monopoly over Royal Kitchen supplies, results in the exile of Lady Han and Jang-geum to Jeju Island as slaves, on false accusations of treason. On the way to Jeju Island, an exhausted Lady Han dies. Back in the palace, Lady Choi replaces her as the Highest Kitchen Lady (called choigosanggung in Korean).
Min Jung-ho is able to track and locate Jang-Geum on Jeju Island. Initially intending to save her from the exile, she refuses, because such action would ruin Jang-Geum's chance to return to the palace to uncover the truth behind the conspiracy and worthlessly risk Jung-ho's military career. Before leaving, he vows to await for her at the palace, confident in that she will find a way to re-enter the court.
While Jang-Geum is on Jeju Island, she meets Jang-Deok, whom she believed was a fellow slave. She soon discovers that Jang-Deok is a famous medical woman. Jang-Deok's frank and pragmatic nature initially offends her, but she learns that she is dedicated to saving lives. Jang-Geum learns that competent medical women can work in the Palace through a vigorous selection process. She realizes that is the only way she can return to the palace to avenge her mother and Lady Han. Under Jang-Deok, she learns medicine, and her hard work and tenacity makes her a competent medical woman. In her quest to become a medical woman, she must rid herself of the hatred in her heart to truly embrace the virtues of being a medical practitioner. This she does, and after being graduated from the Medicine Academy, re-enters the palace.
She comes face to face with Geum-Yeong, who has now become the Head Kitchen Lady. Her predecessor, the ruthless Lady Choi, has become Head Lady (called jaejosanggung in Korean)[1] — after kicking out the previous Lady Park. As they plot to rid themselves of her once and for all, Jang-Geum's relationship with Lt. Min Jung-ho (who is now part of the King's royal cabinet) intensifies. Jang-geum's best friend, Yeon-Sang, has become King Jungjong's concubine while Jang-Geum has been away and becomes the eighth Queen. Jang-Geum correctly diagnosed that the King was suffering from Behçet's disease and not from typhoid fever. Through a dramatic interrogation process, the past plots of Lady Choi and her subordinates are revealed, resulting in the destruction of the Choi family and high-ranking officials (example is Prime Minister Oh). Lady Choi died while trying to grab a scarf from a cliff, and in her childhood memories the same incident happened. Seeming impossible and hopeless to climb up, she lets go of the tree branch, falling to her death. Geum-Yeong was expelled from the palace, thus losing her position as the Highest Kitchen Lady. Lady Min, shortly after Geum-Yeung was expelled won the postion of Highest Kitchen Lady by a contest. She still was the chef of know Lee Suk-won (Yeon-Sang). Through her dedication to the royal family, perseverance and skill, Jang-Geum was recognized as the best medical person in the palace. Jang-Geum had correctly diagnosed the Queen as having a second stillborn fetus in her womb, thus saving her life. She convinced the Queen Mother to undergo medical treatment and discovered the root cause of the King's chronic illness. She earns the gratitude of the Queen, when she cures the prince of small pox.
Eventually, King Jungjong falls in love with Jang-Geum, but refrains from making her a royal concubine because he understands that Jang-Geum loves medicine. In recognition of her achievements and to keep her by his side, the King makes her his personal physician, conferring on her the use of "Dae" (meaning "The Great") and the position of a third rank official in a 9-rank system (where the lowest-ranking official is the ninth-rank official).
The King's decision is met with much outcry from scholars and ministers, since having a woman in the elite bureaucracy was an open defiance of the country's precedent and having a medical woman as the King's personal physician was unheard of. Jang-Geum, understanding that she could assert the rights and capability of women by accepting the post, reluctantly does so. Jung-ho, in his staunch support of her promotion, is indicted for going against scholarly teachings and exiled. They are thus separated.
The King became critically ill and there was little Jang-Geum could do, despite her comprehensive understanding of his condition and attentive care. He could no longer be treated with acupuncture or medicine. As a last resort, she suggested surgery (because she already discovered an anesthesia). The court officials were horrified at her revolutionary approach, which was 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, the King knew his end was near, but he was more worried about Jang-Geum's fate. To protect her, the King sent her away against her wishes, allowing her to reunite with Jung-ho and escape the palace. They married and lived together for eight years with their daughter. All this while, Jang-Geum and Jung-ho are compelled to lead vagrant lives, as their detractors have been searching for them since King Junjong's death. However, Jang-Geum continues to treat patients wherever she goes.
As a result, they were finally traced down and returned to the palace. Instead of being punished, both were reinstated by the Queen Dowager - formerly Queen Munjeong, who favoured Jang-Geum when she was a medical woman and now wields enormous power. Jang-geum finds that all her friends have high ranks in the palace, making the palace much more peaceful than under Choi rule. Jang-Geum and Jung-ho are wary of palace politics and decide to move on, still retaining the titles and ranks conceded to them by the queen. The story ends as Jang-Geum performs the first caesarean surgery in Korea.
