Original subtitles

Sure, I don't need your life. But if there isn't any improvement in 5 days

I'm going to severely punish you in my country's way

I can tolerate vegetables but I won't tolerate it

if I find them tasteless Will you be able to do that?

You don't have to worry Lady Han can...

You do it!

Excuse me?

You're the one who has brought it to this point, so you do it!

How could such a thing happen?!

I'm sorry, Your Majesty

The King is already worried over the designation of the Crown Prince

so what's up with this rash behavior?!

Don't worry, I'll go there and prepare the food myself

Get out. I'm going to prepare the food from now on

You go out, please, Madam

How dare you?!

He has promised to eat my food for 5 days

So I will be in charge of this kitchen for 5 days

During those 5 days, I'm going to fulfill my duty wholeheartedly

So please go out

Let's see in 5 days I'll ask my uncle...

to get the ingredients normally served to the emperor

to prepare feasts for the Chinese Imperial House

For the Chinese Imperial House?

(Episode 19)

Sir, today is the day to take care of that shameful thing

so punish as you'd like and eat to your heart's content

That was really good

Sir, she's the one who humiliated you

What shall we do with her?

This shall be the end of the dishes of the Chinese Imperial House

Would you forgive me for eating this much?

The feast dishes were excellent

Yes. The feast will continue for two more days

Thanks for the offer, but I have to decline

Sir, what do you mean? We prepared this specially for you

because we felt sorry for having you eat what you didn't like

because of her brazen actions Why do you decline?

It's because of that brazen one

What do you mean?

I've only sought after tasty and oily food till now

So even though I had diabetes, as human beings are weak

I couldn't stop eating it although I knew it was bad for me

I'm not a Chosun person nor am I going to stay here long

You could've just given me what I wanted and sent me away

Why were you so stubborn?

Tell him quickly

I only acted according to Lady Han's intentions

What are her intentions?

Not to prepare any food that is harmful to the eater...

no matter what the situation

She said that was the duty of a cook

Even if you have to risk your life?

Lady Han demonstrated it herself when she was dragged away

You two are truly stubborn indeed

OK, just as the person who prepares the food has principles

the person who eats the food has principles to follow

When the person who's preparing the food is trying to protect my body

it makes no sense to be careless about my own body...

and eat what is harmful to me

The person who eats the food has principles to follow as well

And the first dish you served me tasted like grass

but the more I ate, the true taste started to come out and they were tasty

You took the taste to a higher level

Though you live in small Chosun, your breadth of thinking and

intentions are bigger than the whole country

I'll have your stubborn teacher and you prepare my food until I leave

I have a message for you, ma'am

Please come out

You have been ordered to make the food for the Ming envoy again

Madam!

The envoy has recognized your intentions

Your teaching was right Your conviction was right

Then...

Yes, he has declined the great dishes of the Chinese Imperial House

and he wants you to cook for him until he leaves

Bad girl, I was so worried because of you

You sound just like Lady Jung

Yes, you're right

Sir, I sent Mr. Gang to Lady Jung not too long ago

Yes. How is she doing?

She wrote that she doesn't think she has caught the disease

Really?

So what's going on?

Sometimes, doctors send out people with other types of illnesses

along with the infected as they're not sure if they're affected

Yes, that's true...

As I was busy welcoming the envoys

I haven't been able to go back inside the palace

I was wondering whether it was being brought under control myself

So if she doesn't have it

I guess she'd be coming in with others soon

I made a good decision by sending you to the Guesthouse

I prepared the feast dishes because I had to do something as

the Highest Lady, but your intentions deserve to be acknowledged by him

I was always a little nervous whenever an envoy came from China

but now I can relax

I hope you'll continue to take good care of that

Madam, how about if we sent Duk-Gu to Lady Jung once more?

Yes. We should ask him to take a civilian doctor to check...

how she's doing and send some medicinal food to her as well

Sure

I was wondering how it was going

Did things go smoothly at the Guesthouse?

Yes. It all ended smoothly I've spoken sternly

to Lady Han so there won't be any major problems from now on

Good

This is the training place where you'll be trained

And I'm Lady Yeun-Seng who will be teaching you along with the Trainer

What's my name?

Yeun-Seng!

And they are my assistant new brides, Gae-Geum and Mal-Geum

Who are they?

Gae-Geum and Mal-Geum!

Everyone, stand up

You have to give your obeisance since I'll be your trainer

1, 2, 3

OK

OK, now you'll be paired up with your partners

Those who are over ten have to take a younger one

You, come here. You, there You, over there...

You take two, OK?

The reason I've done this is since you're older

you must help the younger ones and work together

Don't boss them around just because they're younger, OK?

Now we'll go to the workplace Everyone follow me

This is the kitchen where you will be working

Everyone, sit down

You two, come over here

Hey, what are you doing right now?

You two will be friends and share a room together

Let's make a dried seaweed dish today

Hey, why are you giving them easier jobs?

Let's go

You two, stop right there!

Go back to the designated place

No, do as I say!

I'm in charge here. Listen to me

It's alright. You only have to listen to my words. Let's go

No, you can't take them

No way!

What do you think you're doing in front of the new brides?!

I was delegating work as the one in charge, but Young-Ro came in and...

Yeun-Seng was pairing up a girl who came in through the Head Lady

with a girl who came in through the Prime Minister

That's enough. Whatever the reason, how can you be arguing...

in front of the new brides when you're their trainer?!

What can you teach them that way?

But Young-Ro was...

Young-Ro will be in charge of training the new brides from now on

Sure, Madam

Yeun-Seng, that's called a kite without a string

That string will come back

Yeah, right

What's wrong?

Lady Jung is coming back, right? She is coming back, isn't she?

Why? Did you hear something?

No, Young-Ro was the one who did wrong, but she only scolded me

Really? Does that mean we have to kiss up to Young-Ro?

I can't do that type of thing

I just wish I could eat more

The Head Eunuch saw what happened with Lady Han's table

and the envoy's diabetes and your feast dishes

Won't the King's Mother hear about it?

He isn't someone to report trivial matters of court ladies

And didn't I order everything? As the Highest Lady, I sent Lady Han

to the Guesthouse and the envoy didn't hesitate to compliment...

Lady Han's food and my dishes, so everything went well

And I did fulfill my duty

I'm so happy to hear that you have decided that, sir

It was going to turn out like this anyway

Thank you so very much Would you like to take a vacation...

while we wrap up the work here?

No, thanks. I'm enjoying the tables that court ladies bring me

Even though she's a mere court lady she tells me food stories

from the Analects of Confucius and I have to say, I'm very impressed

Maybe the reason it was easy for me to make the decision was 'cause of them

Now that my body and mind feel good, I feel more open-minded and

I don't feel so fussy anymore

By any chance, have you ordered them to do such things as a strategy?

Sir, that's utterly unreasonable!

I'm just kidding

Then is the designation of the Crown Prince settled for good now?

Yes, Your Majesty

I surely made a good decision when I picked you for the job

You're too kind, Your Majesty I think Ming couldn't do much

seeing Your Majesty when you took care of the Jurchen issue so well and

made a bold request to Ming last time

I think it was already decided before the envoy arrived here

Even so, didn't all envoys find faults?

Yes, that's true...

This is really good

It's because of your work and it's a blessing to me

Your grace is immeasurable, Your Majesty

You did very well

Please don't mention it

I was very worried that he might find faults with the food

and make the King anxious, but Lady Choi took good care of it, eh?

Yes, Your Majesty. Without Lady Choi, it couldn't have gone this smoothly

Yes, good work... good work

So, as I've suggested earlier, Lady Choi should be the Highest...

Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Queen is here to greet you

Let her come in

So are you at ease now?

I'm sorry for making you worry

I would've been just like you How could you be normal...

when you lost your nursemaid who practically raised you...

after your mother died?

I was greatly comforted by a letter she wrote to me before her death

Is that so?

What were you talking about?

You can leave now

Yes, Your Majesty

I was praising the kitchen lady who served the envoy

because the issue with the Crown Prince is settled now

Yes, I heard about it, too But I heard something strange

Something strange?

I was thinking it would be too early to tell her today anyway

Yes

Madam, Physician Jung Yoon-Su is here

I invited him. Let him in

Is the disease coming under control?

It doesn't seem too scary People seem to be recovering

after symptoms of cold, nausea, and then jaundice

Really?

Then when can the court ladies come back to the palace?

I think in about ten days

You're being reported of the condition of Lady Jung by the nurses, right?

Yes, Madam

How come you're with infected people when your kidneys are this bad?

Why? Is my condition that bad?

Yes. This disease has something to do with the liver since people show

symptoms of jaundice You're in bad condition

Is that why her condition is worse now?

She has gotten much worse now We're all recovering now

but she can't even walk and her face is turning darker

and she sweats a lot

Even so, she doesn't have the disease so I don't see any reason...

why her condition would get worse all of a sudden

Should I prepare medicine for her?

She has already been receiving medicine from the Royal Doctor

Is that so?

Could he have prescribed it properly while taking care of all the others?

Lady Jung, why don't you use the good medicine...

that Lady Han bought with her own money?

But even so, how can royal medicine be worse than civilian medicine?

Is royal medicine better?

Yes, they use the best medicine in the palace, actually

Madam, a Mr. Gang Duk-Gu wants to see you for a moment

OK

What brings you here?

I... I was

I asked him to find out how Lady Jung is doing

Really? So did you find out?

Yes

How is she doing?

She seemed to be doing worse than when she was here

Worse? How much worse?

She has turned very skinny and she...

has a hard time moving around

What?

The doctor asked why she's with the infected patients

when she doesn't have the disease and he also said he couldn't

understand why her condition has gotten worse...

when she doesn't have the disease

You should've told the doctor to prepare medicine for her

A nurse told us that the Royal Doctor was already giving her

the medicine, so we just left

What brings you here?

Is His Majesty looking for me?

No. Her Majesty the Queen is

The Queen is?

Yes. She's looking for one kitchen lady

but they told me she was here at the Guesthouse

A kitchen lady? Which kitchen lady?

She's urgently looking for the lady who served her nursemaid lady

The lady who served the nursemaid...

It's Jang-Geum

Is that so?

Have a seat

Your Majesty, she's Lady Suh who served the nursemaid

What is the occasion?

I miss my nursemaid and I thought I would just see...

the lady who served her

Sure, Your Majesty

So, did my nursemaid leave in peace?

Yes, Your Majesty. She said she was grateful and comfortable

living with such a benevolent queen

Was the mortuary tablet put in a shrine at Un-Ahm Temple?

Yes, the head priest there has done it with all his heart

Visit there sometime, Your Majesty

I was much more closer to her than my mother

I'm still worried because I let someone else do the things...

that I should've done for her

Your Majesty, she probably served her without any mistakes and

the nursemaid probably left in peace

I'm seeing her in a different light because...

of what happened at the Guesthouse

What happened at the Guesthouse?

She prepared a table full of fish and vegetables for the envoy

insisting she couldn't prepare greasy dishes for the diabetic envoy

so the Guesthouse was in chaos, but she prepared

the food wholeheartedly and convinced the envoy

Eventually the envoy was struck with admiration

Is that so?

She's that kind of person, so she probably did her best

with the nursemaid as well

Madam, don't get up

You'll have to go somewhere

What do you mean? They said we shouldn't go outside yet

since they aren't sure whether the disease has been contained

And the soldiers are standing guard outside, too

But where do you want me to go?

Go to a civilian doctor and find out what kind of medicine I'm taking

It's something good for your...

Why, Madam? Is something wrong?

I'm trying to confirm what I'm thinking, so go find out

Sure. This is related to your health, so how could I ignore it?

I'll come back without getting caught

Thanks

Madam, can I look around the marketplace on the way back?

While you were gone, the doctors reported that...

the disease has been contained now

I think they'll be back in a few days But I've just received a report

that Lady Jung can't even move because her chronic illness

has gotten worse

Really?

Then wouldn't it be difficult to accept Lady Jung back to the palace?

If she's that sick, it means she'll have to leave the palace

So I'll talk to the King's Mother and try to get closure on

this Highest Kitchen Lady issue Is that OK with you?

Why does that need to be hurried? The substitute...

is carrying out the work already

We're talking about the kitchen of all places

You idiot!

What's wrong?

Madam, this medicine...

the doctor said this is made up of ingredients that aren't good

for your illness! He said it only makes your kidneys worse!

What's going on here? Just how did you diagnose her

that the pharmacist prescribed such medicine?

I'm sorry, I was trying to do my best

So you were trying your best to worsen my illness?

Oh, no! I'm speaking the truth! Why would I do such a thing?

It's better to hurry to place Lady Choi in that position

Of course. If the superiors make a decision, what can Lady Jung do

outside the palace? And besides, illnesses make people groggy

Madam, a nurse has come to deliver a letter

A letter? Let her in

I'm a nurse from the recuperation center for the court ladies

Lady Jung has sent this letter to you

I'm sorry for having you come like this

It's all right

Madam, in 2 days, all the court ladies here will be going back to the palace

I'll have to go back, too

How are you going to prepare the King's food in your condition?

It's disrespectful to go back in your condition

I know it's disrespectful, but I must see the competition

Please let me go back

You know very well that a court lady can't die in the palace

and if she has a serious illness she must leave the palace immediately

Then would you like to leave the palace instead?

What?

Decide right now Are you going to let me go back...

or should I send the medicine you've been sending me

to the Head Eunuch?

I found out that my medicine was specially ordered by you

What are you talking about?

What do you mean, I made a special order?

Plus, the medicine is very detrimental to my health

Even the civilian doctor said he couldn't understand it

That's impossible

Madam, should I send the Kitchen Diary you should've given me to him as well?

He knows my handwriting very well So he'll recognize that the writing

of the last ten years is not mine

That's the book of the court ladies How could you give that to him...?

It's clear that once these things are revealed

your standing as a lady of authority and moral will go down

And I trust that the Head Eunuch will make sure of that

Would you let me go back?

Madam, the King's Mother has been looking for you

What for?

I'm not sure Lady Choi was called in, too

I heard that you prepared dishes of the...

Chinese Imperial House to the diabetic envoy

Sit down

Did you know about this, too?

I'm not sure what you mean

You dare to do that even though the envoy has an illness?

And you credited yourself without mentioning a single word about it

If the Queen hadn't told me about it, I wouldn't have ever known

So how's Lady Jung's condition?

It's not clear yet

Oh! You should've told me about it already

Now, there's no choice There's no choice

It's a long trip. Have a safe trip

I feel much better now I owe it all to you

We're grateful for your generosity

I'm not sure if I'll be back, but if you happen to come to China

then make sure to look for me I'd like to show you...

the dishes of China

We're so grateful

It has been a very pleasant stay Please give my thanks to...

His Majesty once again

Yes, sir

So would you be coming back to the kitchen as well?

I'm not sure

What do you mean? Weren't you dispatched for a while

because it was such an important visit?

Madam! Madam! Madam!

What are you doing here?

The Highest Lady substitute has asked you

to come to her after the envoy leaves

Madam! Madam!

Madam! Are you OK? Madam...

Did a dead person come back alive? Why are you so silent?

Madam, I heard you couldn't even move

We were very worried

I gathered up my strength because there are things I still need to do

Madam

She hasn't fully recovered yet She has to go inside now

I'm sorry

Sir

Madam!

Have you been doing well?

Of course, Madam

I heard that you've been working hard for me

You didn't have to come out and greet me like this

It's not that. Soon...

Her Majesty the King's Mother is entering!

So you're back

Yes, Your Majesty

That's good

It's because of your gracious consideration

There's a reason why I asked all the kitchen ladies...

to gather like this

I didn't think the competition was a good idea

for choosing the Highest Lady

I was even more convinced after the first round

of the competition

But I realized I've been wrong through the Queen

You risked much to prepare good food for the diabetic envoy, huh?

Yes, Your Majesty. Actually, it was Jang-Geum, my apprentice

Yes, I heard about that, too

I didn't think much of it when the Queen was telling me about it

But I started to think differently after hearing the Queen's words

She asked how good cooking could be the only character of

the Highest Lady and that at times she also needs to have

such convictions and breadth of thinking to change the King's will

And that's how the King's health can be maintained

I didn't have that much foresight

So although I didn't order this as an assignment

since Lady Han moved the envoy with her vegetable dishes and

Lady Choi with her feast dishes, I'm going to let this be

the second round of the competition

And Lady Han has won the second round

And after one last round, we'll choose the Highest Court Lady

You probably know about this book It's a book that has been

passed down only by the Highest Kitchen Ladies

Although I should've kept it, I couldn't

I'm showing this to you to make the competition fair

What do you mean?

You read everything in this book, didn't you, Lady Choi?

Keum-Young, did you read it, too?

Therefore, it's only fair for Lady Han to read it as well

Would you read it?

I won't read it

As you said it's for the Highest Lady, I will read it only if I become one

If that's what you wish, then that's fine

Become the Highest Kitchen Lady of the Royal Palace, Jang-Geum

and write down my grievances in the secret document that's passed down

I hid my grievances in your Chinese character book

But it is your choice to make If you don't want to be a court lady

or you don't become the Highest Kitchen Lady

you must not read it, or show or tell others about this

But even so, how could we just bring these like this?

You told me he said OK That's enough, isn't it?

What are you going to do just by waiting? Huh?

But... OK

What is it?

We'll be supplying the drinks from today

I haven't heard anything about it

Sir Min Jung-Ho clearly told us to provide the drinks

So please let him know

Please wait

Have some drinks

Did you meet the field manager at Sung-Kyun College?

Yes, but it was even more strange

I told him about someone smuggling the ginseng

but he didn't seem to care It was same with the police

Then could it be related to someone in a higher position

than Choi Pan-Sul?

There's a rumor that the dancer bar run by Yoon Mak-Ke

is owned by Choi Pan-Sul They say he meets court officials there

Sir, a couple from a brewery wants to see you insisting that

you have ordered for the drinks

I'm sorry, we brought our drinks late, didn't we?

This won't ever happen again

And would you like the delivery once a week or in five days?

Once a week is fine

Sure! Thank you

If possible, please make sure to pay me the money directly upon delivery

Put the drinks inside Yes, sir

Let me see you for a moment

Yes, sir

Is the dancer bar you told me about...

run by Yoon Mak-Ke?

If you're talking about dancer bars

are you talking about Hyang-Sun?

Yes

She's one of the girls who works for me And she says she keeps all men

in the city around her finger, but she obeys me at all times

Please lead me there

Huh?

Sir, over here

Come here

So is it you?

It's not your delivery date, so what are you doing here?

You want free drinks again?

Be quiet

I have come with an official to have drinks with Hyang-Sun

Hyang-Sun? Are you out of your mind? Even the wealthy ones don't want her

You want me to call her or you want to play with her?

Bring her quickly

Follow me

Sir, this way please

Sir, you're still a scholar-official and yet you have to drink with me

and with Hyang-Keum, not Hyang-Sun

I'm sorry for this. I'll just leave

It's alright I'm only a lower official

Yes. This dancer bar serves so many important people

the only room available was this

I saw Choi Pan-Sul coming in Does he come here often?

Of course, he does

Who does he meet most frequently?

Why do you ask?

Why? Why would a lower official come here, except to make connections

and maybe get promoted to a higher position

I didn't know you had such great aspiration

Tell him quickly!

Even though many come here for such reasons

they only lose money, get in trouble and go back

So you can help me Tell me who's meeting whom

...and what they talk about

What's in it for me?

What do you want?

Don't worry. I'll train her right...

and when you come back next time she'll surely tell you everything

OK. Please do that for me

In order to do that, I'd need some money

How much?

Would 1,000 nyang do?

Thou... thousand?!

Go ahead

Sir, you're only joking about a thousand, right?

Hey, did you hear about it?

What? What is it?

It finally happened

What?

The King's Mother has summoned Lady Jung, Lady Han, Lady Choi

and all the other head ladies

What? Why all of a sudden?

It's probably to announce big news

I'll give you the last assignment that will determine the Highest Lady

There is...

no last assignment

There's no assignment Just decide on your dishes and

make them for the King and myself with the best of your ability

Taste and health... prepare something that will

express your heart fully

It will be held on my birthday

I know the King has told you to prepare a big feast for me

but how could I possibly allow such a thing as his mother

when he and his son had plain birthday feasts due to famine?

I'll only invite a small number of royal relatives

so Lady Jung can take care of that and the tables will be prepared by you two

Do you understand?

Yes, Your Majesty

What? Did you find out?

Yes, Madam. The new assignment is...

It's to prepare the best dishes of their choice for the King

The best dishes of their choice? What could those be?

They'll have to make the decision themselves

The best dish obviously means the best-tasting dish

She said it's the best dish that has taste, health and devotion

That means the same thing

Although my wife tried to put in good words for

Lady Choi to the King's Mother, I heard she didn't let her speak

I think she made a big mistake at the Guesthouse

That's what I think, too

There's no other way now

There's no other way now You have to find your way

to win with your skills

Winning is the only way

Yes, Madam. Winning is the only way and we will win

Of course

Anyway, we've come this far Although we didn't think

we could come this far, we have

I only thought of having a fair competition as my duty

I have no regrets. Now it depends on you and Lady Choi

Whatever the outcome, I will...

consider it as the will of the heavens

Try not to be overzealous

Yes, Madam

Jang-Geum

Madam, your hand is shaking

You look so cute when you shake like that

You mean thing...

Madam

I trust you not in winning or losing, but that you will

keep the way to the end

Although your hand may shake, I trust that your heart isn't shaking

You're that kind of person

I was born from a worker lady in the dancer bar

But one day when I was about to be disgraced by a scholar-official

a girl my age appeared

I didn't know how she did it, but she harshly scolded the grown-up

That scholar-official left without a word

and I followed her

Even though she was of the scholar-official class

she was eating worse than a mere laborer like me

Then and now my only skill has been cooking so I cooked for her

She told me, "You cook very well!" I think that was the first praise...

I heard in my entire life

And then one day, with her leading me, I met a court lady who picked out

new court ladies and came to the palace together to cook and read

If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here

I really want to keep the promise I made to her

Myeong

My friend and I made persimmon vinegar and buried it

We decided to give it to one of us who would become the Highest Lady

in many decades from now as a sign of faith

We decided to give this to whoever becomes the Highest Lady

but I'll have to use it It's OK, right, Myeong?

You permit this, don't you?

Under the tree in the back yard Under the tree in the back yard?

My mother's persimmon vinegar!

Baek-Young! Baek-Young!

Prepare turtle stew as your best dish for the King

Myeong, Myeong

Turtle stew...

Whenever I see the caterpillar mushroom in the turtle stew

I'm reminded of how much it's like you

They say it becomes an insect during the winter

and a mushroom during the summer

What about it?

I don't know. It's just sad Even though its life is sad

it's very beneficial to the person who eats it. It's like you