Jewel in the Palace

"After poisoning the deposed queen on the King's order, royal guard Seo receives a prophecy about his life, involving three women. Meanwhile, Myeong-yi, who works in the royal kitchen, witnesses something she shouldn't have.

Unbeknownst to Myeong-yi, First Court Lady Choi frames her and orders her poisoning. Saved by her friend's trick to dilute the poison, former royal guard Seo finds the unconscious Myeong-yi and nurses her back to health.

Over eight years, ex-royal guard Seo and Myeong-yi rebuild their lives as butchers with daughter Jang-geum. Wanted by the Crown Prince for poisoning his mother, Seo is arrested at a village fair when Jang-geum blurts out his past identity.

To save her husband, Myeong-yi contacts her friend, Court Lady Baek-yeong. But when Court Lady Choi sees Myeong-yi alive, she conspires to kill her, fearing she might expose the poisoning attempt and put the Choi clan in danger.

Jang-geum wanders into royal cook Deok-gu's home and is mistaken for a wine thief. With a turn of fate, she begins living with them while ferrying wine to the palace. An encounter with the prince brings an opportunity to become a palace apprentice.

Punished for sneaking out at night, Jang-geum is barred from the exam for apprentices and forced to stand overnight balancing a bowl of water. Finally given a chance, she finds a mentor in Court Lady Han.

To prove her skills to other apprentices, Geum-young proposes a test to Court Lady Choi. When Jang-geum matches Geum-young closely, she is awarded three days off and selflessly gives them to Yeon-saeng instead.

First Court Lady Choi lands in trouble for summoning a male doctor at night. As news of her declining health spreads, Court Lady Jung is promoted to head the royal kitchen, much to the Choi clan's dismay.

Geum-young panics after losing the golden pheasant prepared for the King's birthday. In desperation, she tries to sneak out of the palace to find a replacement, and Jang-geum helps her by showing a hidden way out.

Jang-geum searches for the golden pheasant with Deok-gu's help. Meanwhile, Court Lady Choi is permitted to bring Geum-young and Jang-geum back to the palace; however, Jang-geum loses track of time while tending to an injured official.

Instead of expulsion, Jang-geum is reassigned to the royal herbal medicine department. Mistaking Officer Jung for a servant, she laments her lack of duties. Unsure what to do next, Jang-geum resolves to cultivate milk-vetch plants.

Jang-geum's efforts bear fruit, motivating others to work together. But someone keeps destroying the rare milk-vetch crops, prompting Officer Jung to investigate. With higher authorities pulling strings, Jung faces threats to halt cultivation.

After a successful stint growing rare milk-vetch plants, Jang-geum is summoned back to the royal kitchen. Alongside others, she prepares for the court lady exam, but struggles with it, having missed key lessons.

Jang-geum finishes last in the written exam and picks the ingredients for the next round late. Confident in her cooking, she rises to the challenge - but her ingredients go missing, forcing a last-minute improvisation.

Though disqualified for losing her ingredient, Jang-geum's luck turns when Queen Dowager commends her improvised dish, earning her the title of court lady. Soon, she starts mastering the ways of the royal kitchen, as her late mother intended.

Min Jung-ho searches for his mysterious lifesaver, unaware it's Jang-geum. Meanwhile, on a royal hunt with the King, Geum-young and Jang-geum are put in charge of cooking when Court Lady Han suddenly falls ill.

Transferred to the royal kitchen, Jang-geum seizes the chance to look for her mother's notebook. Geum-young faces a dilemma when told to lead the Choi clan's scheme to jeopardize the Queen's pregnancy.

Interrogated over a talisman hidden in the royal kitchen, Geum-young pins the blame on Jang-geum. First Court Lady Jung locks her in the storage shed for days, until Yeon-saeng confesses to seeing Geum-young hide something.

A former palace cook offers Jang-geum secret lessons in medicinal broths and preserved foods. Jang-geum studies herbs and the logic of balance in recipes.

Jealous peers sabotage a banquet dish and place blame on Jang-geum; she faces humiliation but keeps quiet dignity, planning to redeem herself with better technique.

During a spring festival, Jang-geum crafts sweets to lift spirits. Her small successes bring smiles and remind her why she pursues knowledge of food and care.

An ingredient disappears before a royal banquet. Jang-geum improvises a substitute, combining tastes in an unexpected way that satisfies the guest and avoids scandal.

Praise from a senior lady translates into a promotion for one maid - but rivals conspire to twist the favor into an accusation of favoritism against Jang-geum.

Falsified evidence lands Jang-geum in the spotlight; she must navigate a hearing where rank and rumor can decide her fate despite little proof.