JEWEL IN THE PALACE EPISODE GUIDE

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 have deposed Queen Yiun, probably due to her involvement in some political intrigue. Yet the King did not execute her as she was the 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 happily retrieving his arrows, the arrows suddenly fell from the target, found his hand bleeding and that his bow string was broken. It was a bad omen.

Shortly after, orders came down from the palace to execute the deposed Queen by poisoning. The military commander given the task was reluctant to carry out the order himself. He deliberately injured his horse, thus throwing him off the saddle and hurting his leg. It then It 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 seek revenge. 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 which Jang Geum's father was persecuted. Yeonsangun was noted for suppressing the Confucians, similar 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 will kill 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. 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 to not meet the third women would mean he should not meet the second as well. The hermit then writes three Chinese hanja. 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 analysis of 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 analyse by braking the characters up individually. Chinese characters are a form of pictogram.

He gave a example that was a prediction that a family who have the character "Mu" & "zi" will be King, which when combined become the surname Lee, referring to the present Joseon Dynasty. So the Abbot broke the character individually. The first character "jin" have a combination of "nu" (lady) & "jin" (today). Since the characters was given to you yesterday, you would have meet this woman. Seo Chun soo face turn pale, and the Abbot knew he has met the woman. The second is "xun" has a combination of Xuan (flow) and "dao" (head). The third is "hao" a combination of "Nu"(lady) and "zi (son)" which intially mean daughther.
Fourteen years after the execution, Jang-Geum father was still haunted by the execution. He eventually resigned from his commission as he feared the King might find out and also because of his guilt conscience.

Meanwhile Yeonsangun becomes King. The royal kitchen busily prepares for the queen dowager's birthday ceremony. Yeonsanggun's reign was full of feasting - dinning & wining. Court lady Pak Meong Yi Royal Court Maid (Na In)or rather Jang Geum's mother sees her friend, Choi Cheng Qing( a.k.a Court Lady Choi) secretly putting something (monkshood - poisonious mushroom) into the dish which would be presented to the Queen Mother. She immediately reports this matter to Court lady not knowing that the Court Lady was 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 used the royal kitchen to maintain the family fortunes. The Choi family controls all procurement to the palace and used their position to help any political faction that may brings them further power and wealth. In essence, the past five generations of Lady Choi's family have used food as a weapon for political and material gains.

As a ploy to remove evidence of their sinister plot, Lady Park was flasely accused of having an affair with a Palace Guard (A violation of the code of ethics for court women as all women in the palace belongs only to the King). The Palace guard gave Lady Park some cosmetic after healing him from gastroenteristis. (A shadow of Jang-geum is seen here by using food as a medication comodity.) The young Lady Choi (the infamous) falsely told 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 the antidote to nutralize the poison and fed to Lady Park and at the same time inserted a letter in her hanbook (petticoat). Lady Park was then left for dead.
Seo Chun Soo, retired from his commisson and now helping out at the temple, was walking at the river and saw Lady Park's head face down at 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 abbott to save her. The abbott then asked Seo to boil green bean soup to nutralize the poison while he goes out to look for herbs. The Abbott said that without he finding her, she would have died and that he has saved her. The words of the hermit echoed back to him concerning the 2nd woman as he did find Lady Park's head immersed under flowing water. Deciding that he cannot escape his destiny, he nursed Lady Park back to health. Lady Park recovers and read Lady Han's letter as it fell from her hanbook. The letter told her that Lady Han refused to believe the crime she has been accused and she have put the antidote. She pleaded that Lady Park remain outside the palace and hope to meet again someday.
After regaining her strength back, Lady Park decided to leave and thanked Seo. But Seo remained worried as he was fully aware of the hermit's prediction, secretly follow her by taking care of her food and lodging. He also make sure her path was safe.
She came upon a village with a wine tavern where she was able to find employment. While busy in her work, a few drunks started harrassing her. Seo, who was secretly following her came out and fought the drunkards. He requested Lady Park not to work in the tavern anymore as she was not suited to the job. Lady Park relented and decided to follow Seo. Seo then told Lady Park, that a soothsayer once said if Lady Park stays with him, it will be the death of her. Lady Park replied that her life is no longer hers.

Seo and Lady Park started over in a bakjeong village. Bakjeong is a pheasant class and very low in rank. Oftentimes, people in this class were butchers or skilled only in manual work such as farmers. They are not even allowed to learn how to read or write. (Even until today, no mother will allow their daughters to marry a butcher.) It was the perfect place to hide their previous identities but also meant that their higher education were practicaly 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 favour in the court.). Seo is now a ironmonger/silversmith.

Jang-Geum is now 8 years old, an always 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 mountain to catch rabbits. She wondered why rabbits cannot walk on 2 feet. In another instance, Lady Park scolded her for being constantly missing, only to find out that she have secretly been going to the village school and playing with the official's children. Jang-geum asked her mother why she can't read and write like other children. Lady Park told her because they were pheasants, to which Jang-geumm said her father was in the army and was a Royal Palace Guard. This surprised Lady park as Seo later admitted telling their daughter their real indentities to raise hope to Jang-geum. Jang-geum promised never to reveal their identities without their permission.

One court lady came to asked 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 she may be recognised.

In the meantine, 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's death was because of poinson and was shown the bloody handkerchief. This enraged him and ordered 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 a 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 gave her a small writing brush and an ink pad.

While going to the town village, Seo and Jang-geum saw people westling, Jang-geum asked Seo to participate since there was a prize award. Seo succeded in subduing his opponent but was falsely accused of cheating as his opponent feigned a knife cut injury. The crowd agreed and and wanted to report this to the authorities. Jang-Geum fearing for her father, accidentally revealed that his father was an ex-Royal Military Guard. The authories recognised him from the wanted posters and hence he was arrested. Thus the prediction that 3rd woman will be the cause of his death came to pass. Jang-geum was the third woman.

Jang Geum and her mother wanting to find out about Seo's whereabout goes to Hanyang to seek information. By now Seo would be presumed excuted. Lady Park had Jang-geum dress as a boy to avoid recognition. Failing to find any information, Lady Park met with Gang Duk Goo and his wife. Gang Duk Goo is a part-time chef (Sook So) in the palace. and 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 Sanggung (a court Lady). The letter was passed to Lady Han and she met Lady Park in a tearful reunion as she recounted the events of 8 years ago. Lady Han also told Lady Park that all the news coming out from the palace were true. Kitchen supplies were running out as King Yeonsangun was having to much feasting and taking many concubines daily. Lady Park told Lady Han tthat Seo have been arrested and asked Lady Han to help find information.

Meanwhile the Choi family finds out that Lady Park was still alive and sought to kill her again. Pan Su, the brother of Lady Choi, merchant who monopolises the all the business to the palace through the intervention of her 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 let away, Lady Han informs the local judical officer of Lady Park, a task made easier because of the ongoing "witch hunt". The judical guard came to Choi house and took Lady park & Jang-geum away in the process saving them.

Choi sets up an ambush, mortally wounding Lady Park when an aroow hit her while trying to protect Jang-Geum. One of the assasins tried 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 realizes the third woman as being her daughter. She writes 2 letters while Jang-Geum was out looking for food. When Jang-Geum comes back, she relates her own story as a Court Lady. She asked Jang-geum to become the Head of the Royal Kitchen (Su-ran-kan-jae-jo-sanggung)and write her grievances in the journal. But it was her own choice t make. 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. Lady park then gave her the 2 letter - 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 went to Gang Duk goo's house and stayed at their house. Gang took a liking to Jang-geum as he has lost his only son to a plague, and subseuntly adopted her. Mrs Gang was willing as Jang-geumm did all the housework.

The reign of Yeonsangun was getting worse and unrest was brewing. The confucian intellects, under Official Park, started planning a revolt to install Prince Jinsung as King. As Prince Jinsung was closely guarded, Official Park sent a message hidden under the pretext of 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 was asked to deliver four bottles of wine, to be given in proper order and was asked to memorise the names of the wines.

A man servant, came to Prince Jinsung residence and showed the delivered wine. Prince Jinsung was in attendance of Lady Kim who was the personal court Lady to Prince Jinsung's mother. She was reporting on Prince Jinsung mothers welfare. Prince Jinsung asked who delivered the wine and the manservant told it was a child and asked the child to enter. Jang-geum saw Lady Kim who was a Court Lady, paid respect to her not knowing she owed more respect to Prince Jinsungas he was the current Crown Prince.

Prince Jinsung was silently displeased with Jang-geum who only showed his displeasure until later. Lady Kim told the rude Jang-geum to pay respect 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 risk 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 him that they were not, 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 suprise the implications of the arranged wine names.

This has some historical precedence. (I will tried to explained, all my boring Chinese Classic classes are returning back to me. I used to hate the lessons as I was force to take them to retain some knowledge about my Chinese heritage). This is made to reference of a rebellion called the yellow scarves or turban rebellion. During the late 2nd century (circa 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 sprial downfall of the Han Dynasty who was already weak and frail and eventually led to the Three Kingdom period and more fighting. On the 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 seeing jang-geum intelligence said to pass her 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 reinstate that Jang-geum was right that he 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 Park sent some one to take Jang-geum to the palce. That is how Jang-Geum successfully entered the Palace and away from the hands of Choi pan su and his hench man. Jang-geum became Saeng Gak Si - This is a probation period of Court Lady who eventually become Na In - junior Court Lady. First they are taught the rules and regulations of the palace. They she met Yeon Sheng, Young Ro. Yeon Sheng became her friend. Most of the girls who are sent here the official daughther who lost favour with the courts and they way out was to become Court Lady where they are look after by the palace and received rank and salary One night jang-geum and Yeon-sheng sneak out to In the palace, she met her best friend, Yeon-Sheng and also Geum Yeung(they used to be very close). With determination, Jang-Geum passed through the exams, and she was taught by Court Lady Han, which is her mother's best friend in the Palace. Court Lady Han 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.. And later, Court Lady Zheng, has became the temporally Highest Person In-Charged of the Kitchen,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's determination and will, to break Choi Family's tradition. In fact, Court Lady Zheng was hoping that Court Lady Han to inherit her place after her death.
Soon, Jang-Geum and her fellow friends became adults

credits to http://hkadb.net/index.php/Jewel_in_the_palace

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JEWEL IN THE PALACE

Ever since I watched the pilot episode of this, I've been addicted to this series. It entertains its viewers by the good story plot and also informative in terms of the foods being cooked in the series. Because of this series, I've been craving for korean dishes, especially kimchi.
Back to the series, I am amazed at the lead character, SOO JANG GEUM. I really, really like her. I like her attitude, philosophy in cooking and everthing else. As for this series, I'll post some episode of this very beautiful series.

BLUE MOON MOVIE THEME SONG

Blue Moon

Orange & Lemons

Blue moon

You saw me standing alone

Without a dream in my heart

Without a love on my own...

Blue moon

You saw me standing alone

Without a dream in my heart

Without a love on my own...

Blue moon

You knew just what i was there for

You heard me saying a prayer

For someone i really could care for.

And suddenly there appeared before me

The only one my arms could ever hold

I heard someone whisper, "please, adore me"

And when i looked my moon had turned to gold.

Blue moon,

Now i'm no longer alone

Without a dream in my heart,

Without a love of my own

Without a love of my own...