"Dae Jang-geum" (2003) TV series 2003-2004

User Rating:

9.0/10   

Director:

Byoung-hoon Lee

Writer:

Yeong-hyeon Kim (writer)

Release Date:

15 September 2003 (South Korea)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History

Plot:

A series based on a real person in Korean history, Suh, Jang-geum.

Plot Keywords:

Doctor | Emperor | King | Cook | Empire

Cast

Yeong-ae Lee	...	Jang-Geum Seo
Jin-hee Ji	...	Jeong-ho Min
Ri-na Hong	...	Choi Keum-young
Mi-ri Gyeon	...	Court Lady Choi
Mi-kyeong Yang	...	Attendant court lady Han
Ho Lim	...	King Jungjong
Jeong Un Cho	...	Young Jang-Geum
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bo-ra Geum	...	NaJudaek
Ji-min Han	...	Shinbi
Jeon-geun Jo	...	Young Jang-geum Seo
Kyeong-hwan Jo	...	Prime Minister, Gyeom-Ho Oh
Hye-seon Kim	...	Myeong-Hee Park, Jang-Geum's Mother
Yeo-jin Kim	...	Woman Dr. Jang-Deok
Hie-do Lee	...	Pan-Sul Choi
Se-eun Lee	...	Yeol-I
Se-yeong Lee	...	Young Geum-yeong Choi
Hyeon-shik Lim	...	Deok-Gu Kang
Sang-hun Maeng	...	Dr. Woon-Baek Jeong
Chan-hwan Park	...	Cheon-Soo Seo, Jang-Geum's Father
Eun-hye Park	...	Yeon-Saeng Lee
Eun-su Park	...	Dr. Ik-Phil Shin
Jeong-su Park	...	Queen Munjeong
Woon-gye Yeo	...	Court Lady Jeong

Also Known As:

A Jewel in the Palace (International: English title) (USA) (cable TV title)
The Great Jang-Geum (USA)

Runtime:

South Korea:60 min (episodes 1-54) | USA:60 min

Country:

South Korea

Language:

Korean

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

South Korea:12

Filming Locations:

Changdeokgung, Waryong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Company:

MBC-TV Korea

Quotes:

Woman Dr. Jang-Deok: As a maid for Imperial Officers, you must learn to give up!
Jang-Geum Seo: I'll tell you this: no-one can ever persuade me to give up! I will never give up!

A Grand Epic told in loving detail

This is the best thing I have ever seen for the big screen or small screen. It is a semi-historical costume drama depicting the life of Jang Geum, a Korean girl/woman/lady of the 15th century. If you are partial to long, involving stories, I think you will like it too. Although it is episodic in nature, it is important to see it sequentially from the beginning to appreciate the story to the fullest. This story is shamelessly sentimental at times, but pulls it off very well. There are no special effects worth mentioning, no sex, no graphic violence and no snappy dialog. In short, this would never be made for U.S.A. viewing. In spite of this, I am sure that it will find a loyal audience. With so many movies and television shows being made according to formula, it is refreshing to see something that is counter-formula and done so well.