Dae Jang-geum

This is a good drama recommended for ladies and young people as the show is about a persistent person who never give up, despite one obstacles after another. I have recommended to my son and daughter to watch. The plot revolves around how a common girl could work in a palace as a palace girl, be bullied and because she was determined to learn, she overcame all odds to be the top of her palace girl career, but was derailed by many political opponents. Although framed, she came back via a different career path as a female doctor. All throughout her struggles, it was her reminders from her mentors that made her succeed, and on the verge of giving up, motivated her to try harder. As I watch the drama, it reminded me of the way corporate world works where competition will prevent you from moving up. This story has many plots and subplots, love and romance, and sacrifices. There are also funny moments acted out by Jang-Geum's foster parents. As the story unfurled, I learned many things about taking care of one's health and traditional Chinese (in this case, Korean) medicine, and about healthy cooking. It also gave me insight into how medicine works. Recommend that you watch the Korean dialog version,with English subtitles, or Chinese subtitles, as it gives you the emotions from the Korean dialog and insinuations.

I can't believe how captivating it is to watch people cook or how people diagnose sick people.

Unlike Hollywood where they seem to overdramatise these simple actions. In korean TV shows...they don't do this. But somehow it turns out more captivating and enthralling than any Hollywood show available.

Its still an mystery to me. But I can tell you I was glued to this show for days on end.

The storyline seems good. The story of the only ever korean royal physician. You can imagine how Hollywood would have protayed this.(Dr quinn medicine woman anyone?)

But when you watch the show..this story fades quickly into the background. Instead you are taken into life of young Jang Geum at the korean royal court and the daily workings of the kitchen and later medical/hospitalside.

This show has more a feel of a reallife documentary than that of a movie. I guess thats why this show and all other korean show is so good. They know how to make this show as realistic as possible....that you aren't exactly an audience anymore. But it's like you are watching someones real life. It has a feel of watching something like big brother show...but than with a (good) script. :) I

This is a popular Korean historical drama based loosely on a real-life woman who became the King's personal physician. This was during a time when Confucian rules were extremely strict and patriarchal, so it was very unusual for a woman to attain such a high position. The show's writers used the bare historical framework available and heavily embellished it to construct a wonderful drama.

Jang-geum is the daughter of fugitives; she is orphaned at an early age. She enters the royal palace as a palace maid, and begins training to be come a court lady under the tutelage of Lady Han. However, the palace is rife with the machinations of the evil Lady Choi, until Jang-geum and her mentor are finally sent into exile. Jang-geum finds another career path and is able to re-enter the palace as a physician lady. Of course, there is a love interest: the handsome and noble Sir Min who unconditionally supports Jang-geum's career ambitions at his own expense. Women figure prominently both as plotting against Jang-geum and helping her. There are a few touches that remind one of a Gothic novel, such as the occasional vision of those who have passed away.

This is a wonderfully compelling show full of lovely costumes, sets, scenery, cinematography. The makers obviously set out to show Korea in all its beauty and miss no opportunity to place a mountain in the background. I believe real palaces were used in some of the shots, and these are beautiful as well.

The show is also rather wholesome, and I mean that in the best sense possible. The virtuous heroine is eventually rewarded for her good character - her courage, loyalty, strong work ethic, desire to help others. There are absolutely no sex scenes or revealing clothes - a bare foot seen for one second is as suggestive as it gets. In this day and age it's refreshing to see a TV drama that can be wholesome without being sappy. Somehow, Jang-geum and Sir Min's long romance is the more beautiful because they aren't allowed to Be Together.

Anyone who has enjoyed Jane Austen adaptations, Gothic novels, and other story lines with a long-suffering heroine struggling with class prejudice, sexism and the plots of other women will certainly enjoy this. As long as you don't mind subtitles and can find a subtitled version, you'll be fine. The Chicago Korean TV station aired this with subtitles, and Yesasia is promising to release an English-subtitled DVD set later on this year. Google "Jang-geum forum" to find English-speaking forums that will answer a lot of your questions regarding the show.

Seek this out, it's a hidden treasure.

Jang-geum's story is engrossing, as other comments have noted, for all sorts of people. Very inspiring for its central moral drama, it is also full of great incidental historical and cultural information. The lead, Yeong-ae Lee, as Jang-geum, is a fine, subtle actress; here's hoping she will appear in more films. Since she apparently was part of the jury at 2006 Berlin Film Festival she should have a wider world cinema audience. Also, the English subtitles are exceptionally well done, but I regret that they don't give English language production information. Those writers, directors, producers and actors deserve to be honored. It is good that IMDb lets us fans research this, though. Thanks IMDb and commenters, too!

it was the first historical Koreean series who I saw. and this first contact remains, after more a decade after it, real significant. because it was the best introduction to an exotic universe. because the simple story about the success of a poor young lady has the flavor of spices and food and medicine and lovely costumes and dramatic events.Lee Young-ae is the best choice for the leading role and the explanation remains very simple - more than a nice girl , she gives to her character a subtle and delicate, impressive and fascinating force , remembering the heroes from legends. or, maybe, Soviet Unions good guys. a series about the small things in soft and charming manner. so, a n aesthetic gift and a beautiful story.