Jewel in the Palace

September 15, 2003

In 1482, during King Seongjong's reign, an official is sent to deliver a death sentence of poison to the deposed Queen Yoon.

September 16, 2003

Eight years later, in March 1504, Cheon-su and Myeong-yi have settled in a rural village as a blacksmith and homemaker, hiding from those pursuing them.

September 22, 2003

Jang-geum begs for food at a brewery and is falsely accused of theft, but the owner's wife takes pity on her and takes her in.

September 23, 2003

Court Lady Han prepares a new midnight dish for the king using exceptional skill, and the incident goes unnoticed thanks to her talent.

September 29, 2003

When the Highest Court Lady of the Royal Kitchen falls ill, a search begins for her successor.

September 30, 2003

The ailing princess refuses to eat, while the entire kitchen scrambles to prepare for King Jungjong's birthday.

October 6, 2003

Jang-geum is exiled from the palace for leaving without permission and sent to a farm, where she studies medical texts and deepens her knowledge of natural ingredients.

October 7, 2003

Jang-geum returns to the palace to sit the Royal Cooking Examination, knowing failure means exile.

October 13, 2003

Unable to find flour for her dumplings, Jang-geum fails the exam — until the real culprit behind the missing flour is uncovered.

October 14, 2003

Court Lady Choi orders Geum-young to hide a cursed silk in the kitchen, while Jang-geum discovers her late mother's hidden notebook.

October 20, 2003

The court's search for the hidden silk continues as Jang-geum keeps the discovery of her mother's book to herself.

October 21, 2003

A cooking contest is held to determine the next Highest Court Lady — but Jang-geum is devastated to discover she's lost her sense of taste.

October 27, 2003

Jang-geum and Lady Han search for a cure for her lost sense of taste, as the kitchen descends into chaos over a change in the soy sauce.

October 28, 2003

Jang-geum trains herself to cook without relying on taste, while Min Jung-ho takes growing interest in her progress and lends her books.

November 3, 2003

With her taste restored, Jang-geum joins Lady Han and Lady Choi in preparing a birthday feast for the king using leftover ingredients from the people.

November 4, 2003

Lady Han and Jang-geum lose the cooking competition, and Jang-geum is punished with expulsion from the palace.

November 10, 2003

Jang-geum attempts to recreate a dish from her childhood for an ailing court lady, while Lady Han presses on with the competition without a new assistant.

November 11, 2003

Geum-young's jealousy over Jang-geum's closeness with Min Jung-ho grows as the final round between Lady Han and Lady Choi is set, and Jang-geum returns to the palace.

November 17, 2003

A visiting Ming general puts the final round of the competition to the test, as Lady Choi and Lady Han each prepare a feast for the honored guest.

November 18, 2003

Lady Han is kidnapped while gathering fresh ingredients, leaving Jang-geum to single-handedly prepare the birthday feast for the king's mother.

November 24, 2003

Jang-geum successfully completes the birthday feast, even as Lady Han remains missing and Lady Jung prepares to step down.

November 25, 2003

Lady Han is named the new head of the Royal Kitchen, while the retired Lady Jung falls gravely ill and Jang-geum tries to save her.

December 1, 2003

Facing protests over Lady Han's promotion, another contest is called, as Jang-geum leaves a letter for her mother's old friend within the Royal Kitchen.

December 2, 2003

Lady Choi discovers the notebook kept by Jang-geum's mother, while Min Jung-ho aggressively pursues whoever has been stealing from the king.

December 8, 2003

Jang-geum and Lady Han finally learn each other's true identities, and their emotional reunion sets them on the path to unraveling the mystery of her mother's death.

December 9, 2003

As the royal staff struggle to diagnose the king's mysterious illness, Lady Han is accused of poisoning him.

December 15, 2003

Jang-geum and Lady Han are arrested, and Lady Han begs Lady Choi to spare Jang-geum from punishment.

December 16, 2003

Lady Han dies, and Jang-geum is condemned to slavery on Jeju Island; she attempts to escape as Min Jung-ho searches for her.

December 22, 2003

Jang-geum puts her knowledge of food's medicinal properties to use assisting the island's Medicine Lady, while Lady Choi takes control of the Royal Kitchen.

December 23, 2003

Determined to avenge her mother, Jang-geum resolves to become a royal physician so she can return to the palace.

January 5, 2004

When Japanese forces invade Jeju Island, Jang-geum must heal a sick Japanese general to save her own life.

January 6, 2004

Back on the mainland, Jang-geum treats a sick boy, using the opportunity to further develop her medical knowledge.

January 12, 2004

Jang-geum begins training as a medicine maid within the palace, while Min Jung-ho assembles a team to fight political corruption among the royal family.

January 13, 2004

Jang-geum is assigned to the palace's most prestigious medical department, the Internal Medicine House.

January 19, 2004

Jang-geum continues her training within the Internal Medicine House as tensions inside the palace quietly build.

January 20, 2004

The Internal Medicine House deliberates over the Queen's diagnosis, as Geum-young begins suffering stomach pain and turns to Jang-geum for help.

January 26, 2004

The Queen Mother refuses to take her medicine, until Jang-geum finds a clever way to convince her by turning it into a challenge.

January 27, 2004

Jang-geum successfully revives the ailing Queen Mother, drawing praise from the royal family that leaves Lady Choi resentful.

February 2, 2004

Tensions rise within the palace as new political pressures test Jang-geum's position.

February 3, 2004

Falsely accused of a crime, a discouraged Jang-geum begins losing hope, as she and Min-ho face public anger over inadequate care for the people.

February 9, 2004

Jang-geum navigates growing danger within the palace as suspicion continues to close in around her.

February 10, 2004

Jang-geum investigates the mystery behind the king's fainting spells, only to find herself in trouble again — this time accused of stealing a record book.

February 16, 2004

As the Internal Medicine House debates how to treat the king, Jang-geum is lured into the forest and poisoned.

February 17, 2004

A recovered Jang-geum heals the king and helps restore order, while Lady Choi comes under investigation for the poisoning.

February 23, 2004

Jang-geum saves Lady Choi and Geum-young from execution, even as her continued efforts to treat the king accidentally cause him to lose his sight.

February 24, 2004

The blinded king recovers his vision, and Jang-geum earns praise from the royal family for succeeding at an extraordinarily difficult task.

March 1, 2004

Lady Choi begs Jang-geum for forgiveness, and Jang-geum urges her to confess her crimes before the royal court.

March 2, 2004

The Head Doctor, believed dead, returns to resolve the conflicting testimonies of Lady Choi and Lady Oh, as Lady Choi attempts to flee before confronting her own guilt.

March 8, 2004

Palace staff speculate over who will next lead the Royal Kitchen, as the queen makes a request that leaves Jang-geum deeply conflicted.

March 9, 2004

Jang-geum is named the king's next physician; she and Min Jung-ho both resign from their positions, hoping to start a new life together.

March 15, 2004

Jang-geum discovers a contagious illness spreading among the villagers, as the Queen grieves over her ailing son.

March 16, 2004

In a controversial move, the king names Jang-geum his chief physician and medicine general, and his growing closeness with her worries Min Jung-ho.

March 22, 2004

Min Jung-ho explains to the king Jang-geum's unwavering devotion to medicine, just as she is summoned to be inaugurated as a royal concubine.

March 23, 2004

Jang-geum makes the startling proposal to perform surgery on the king; she reunites with Min Jung-ho before ultimately being sent away from the palace.