Madam, you still have to pick one
Then I should eat it with rice and stew just as common people do
I've decided
Lady Choi's is better
Why do you think so, Madam?
You tell me yourselves
I know the reason
Really?
You see? They started all this only to fall in their own traps
What is food? It's tradition
How dare they underestimate our family!
But why do you think that happened?
The difference was probably the stew
since she decided after trying that How could their taste...
compete with our stew when we used milk?
But I didn't use milk...
You didn't? How come?
How could the common folks use precious milk?
So I didn't use it on purpose
That's great. Superb
So you're so good, you can win without using milk, eh?
Why did she decide with the stew instead of the side dish?
She said she couldn't decide only by tasting the side dishes
Jang-Geum said she had a great idea
And her ideas never failed
Great ideas... Yeah right
Could Jang-Geum have lost her sense of taste again?
Could it be? Is that why Lady Han said she knew the reason?
That's right. That must be it
You know that it takes a long time to boil the beef stew
but why were you so late?
I wanted to get good bones and meat
Why?
Since Keum-Young was going to get good ones and I wanted to win
What was this assignment?
To make a new dish that common folks can eat
Can common folks get good bones and meat for stew?
And can common folks use milk as a "secret ingredient?"
The reason why common folks eat beef stew with rice
is because they don't have much to eat
That's why they boil cheap bones for their health and taste
But you put aside all the basic attitudes about cooking
and you were running here and there just so you could...
come up with some shortcut with your smart brain just to win
I let you know about your talent for drawing up tastes...
after you thought of using charcoal...
using spring water for cold noodles and cabbage dumplings
But that talent has become poison to you instead
Do you just look for shortcuts all the time?
Madam...
The nursemaid lady of the Queen is recuperating because of her bad health
The Queen said she needs to be served so you can go
Madam!
Madam, I'm sorry. Please forgive me!
Get out
Madam, I won't ever do it again I won't do it again!
The competition will go on soon and didn't you say...
that we need to carry on Lady Jung's will?
That's why I'm telling you this
But, Madam...!
Get out
Madam...! Madam...! Madam!
Actually I was going to cancel the competition because...
you seemed to have infringed upon the Head Lady's authority
I let it go on because it seemed like part of the King's motive
to change the exams and hopefully it would help him
But it seems, the two competitors have a great difference in skills
Stews are the basic dish of cooking Do you think...
someone who tries to replace the devotion with milk...
deserves to be in charge of the Royal Kitchen?
Though it seems rather meaningless, since we decided to do it
I'll try to wrap it up quickly So tell them to work harder
You started the whole thing and got humiliated, eh?
Madam... Madam...
Lady Han told Jang-Geum to go to the nursemaid lady of the Queen
Though it turned out this way, she was only trying to get better ingredients
How could she tell her to go there?
And the use of plums was Jang-Geum's idea
It was because she was overzealous You don't need to be that harsh
No
But wasn't it a competition?
That's why I'm doing this to her
If she can change that easily according to situation
wouldn't she be more willing to change in other situations?
Don't you think you're overdoing it?
No. A competition is one of the least serious situations
in the palace and I don't need someone who changes that easily
The palace is a place where many people will use power
One can be threatened, or persuaded or get a promise of wealth
If one can't keep the same attitude at all times
then I'd rather go to the sauce pantry like you
Madam, I'm sorry I'll never do such thing again. Please
It was my mistake. I will never forget what you've taught me
and be diligent, remembering the basics
And if I leave, what are you going to do about the next round?
It'll be the end if you lose
Are you trying to disappoint me even more?
Madam...
Leave...
Since it's serving the nursemaid lady of the Queen
it shouldn't be hard, so don't worry
OK...
Once Lady Han feels better, she'll probably call you back
Madam, I'm leaving now
Madam, I'm sorry...
Madam, I'm sorry
I'm sorry, Madam
Jang-Geum
What brings you here?
What's with that bundle?
Have you turned mute or something? Hey, Jang-Geum
I'm on the way to serve the nursemaid lady of the Queen
Lucky you! I couldn't live a day in the palace
It's so stressful there
You're going on a trip!
But how come you look down?
Ma'am, is that so wrong?
What? What did you do wrong?
Lady Han lost in the competition because of me
She lost?
Then of course you did wrong When I see someone...
who gets defeated or doesn't receive proper payment
I feel like taking that person to the Han River and... I mean...
I didn't know Lady Han could be that harsh...
We all make mistakes in life...
She told you to go there 'cause of that?
Should I go and argue with her for you?
What? You're leaving already?
Jang-Geum
She's so unlike herself when she's depressed like that
What brings you here?
I came to meet Sir Min Jung-Ho
Lt. Gen. Min isn't here right now
He went to Un-Ahm Temple by the order of the King
Un-Ahm Temple? Then when will he be back?
I'm not sure
Don't you think Lady Han will pick a new apprentice?
Yes, it'll be hard without one
Jang-Geum should be back soon, though
That'll be unlikely, since she can come back
if the nursemaid lady's health gets better
You're right. She does need someone
since it's a competition to pick the Highest Lady
Who else is qualified besides Jang-Geum and Keum-Young?
Are you saying it's you?
Don't think so?
No way
How come?
If you can be one then I can be one too
Anyhow, she'll pick one of us for sure Isn't that right, Madam?
I don't know about that, but she does need to pick someone
And whoever that may be it'll be a ladder of success for her
Then, maybe I can wreak Jang-Geum's vengeance
What is it?
Madam, since you don't have Jang-Geum
you need someone to help you
Actually, though you shared your room with Jang-Geum
from when she was very young, people have been saying...
that you picked her because you shows favoritism to her
So in order to show them that it wasn't so
you need to pick someone else
Come to think of it, what you said is true
I'll help you, Madam! I'll work hard to help you!
Do you really want to do it?
Yes, Madam!
OK, then will you learn like how Jang-Geum did?
Yes, Madam! Just give me the orders
Bring me a bowl of water
Excuse me?
Bring me a bowl of water
Yes, ma'am
Bring it again
Excuse me?
Bring it again
Yes, ma'am
Bring it again tomorrow morning
Excuse me?
Yes, ma'am
Bring it again
Didn't you ask for water for washing?
Bring it again
What is it?
Madam, I'll help you
Really?
I can do it
You can really do it?
Yes, I'll try hard, Madam
Then find 100 herbs in three days
What?! 100 herbs?!
Do you think you can do it?
Ye... yes, I can do it
Isn't this enough?
How many do we have now?
We have about 10
We still have a long way to go How can we find 100?!
I wonder if there are 100 herbs in Chosun?
If you're going to leave in a few days, then forget it
No, I can do it for real
Are you sure?
Yes, I'll fill in for Jang-Geum while she's not here
I learned a lot from Jang-Geum so I'm pretty good
Then draw up a taste
What? Draw what?
Bring me ingredients that go with Sam-Haup-Jang-Gwa
Sam-Haup... Jang-Gwa? (abalone, trepang, mussel boiled in soy)
Why? You don't want to do it?
Oh, no, not at all!
You should've stayed quiet...
I can do it. Jang-Geum did it, so I can do it too
I'm going to do this for Jang-Geum
What a drama queen...
Trepang, abalone, sea mussel...
the seasoning is done by soy sauce... or salt?
Or is it by garlic? Or ginger? Or both?
Jang-Geum isn't here so I can't even ask...
Good luck...
I have to do this
So no one can do it?
Maybe Jang-Geum is a genius
How did she do it?
Genius? She just didn't want to pick any one of us
It's obvious We can't do such crazy things
That's right She only favors Jang-Geum...
Why else would she do such a thing?
Jang-Geum did it all
She brought the water?
100 different herbs?
She knows how to draw up a taste?
Yes
How come none of you brought the things I asked for?
I can't do it
Me neither
Jang-Geum has endured my unique training
since she was young
Though you say I'm showing favoritism
weren't you trained by your trainer ladies?
I picked her because she knew my way of doing things
better than anyone else and there are no other motives
Then why did you send her away?
Why do you keep asking for water? I can't bring warm nor cold water
nor water with leaves
You already know
Would you bring me water?
Is your lower stomach aching?
No
Did you go to the bathroom today?
I did
Is your throat sore?
It gets sore very often
I put a little salt in warm water Don't drink it at once
but drink it slowly like tea
Madam, I'd like to go home with the days I get off...
from winning the last new dish competition
What for?
Just to take a break...
At a good time like this? Do you have a special reason?
No...
Then just stay here It's not a good time to relax
We must prepare for the next round of the competition
We should try to get things wrapped up
as soon as possible by the next round
That's why I want to go
There are some things I want to check...
Last time, I realized how much I didn't know
because I've been inside the palace all the time
It's something that will help me
If you really want to go, then go ahead
Why you...!
Why did you push me off when I was sleeping?!
You shouldn't have slept under the sun
But even so, you push off a sleeping person?!
What if this was a high cliff?!
It would've been big trouble!
You spread them when the clouds go and take them away when they're back
When it's sunny, you spread them Take them away, when it's not
You're so slow... Now I understand how my wife feels...
I miss my wife
She looks exactly like Jang-Geum
Duk-Gu
Jang-Geum! I'm sure you're not here to offer a mass
Did you come to serve the lady here?
Yeah yeah. That's great. I was bored
as I had no one to play with here
I thought I was going to become a bald monk here
Isn't anyone outside? Someone come inside!
The lady must've fainted
Please hold her...
OK
You're good
I don't think she can live long I think that's why...
she keeps on asking for the rice that her brother had given her
I think she became an orphan and begged for food with her brother
when she was young One day, her brother gave her...
a handful of rice when she was hungry She just devoured it
and when she looked at her brother he was sleeping like this
But actually he wasn't sleeping He was dead
It's a sad story
It has probably stayed in her heart all her life...
Now that her end is near, she keeps on thinking about her brother
and she keeps on saying she wants to eat that rice her brother gave her
It wasn't just regular rice She said it tasted chewy and savory
She said it wasn't cooked, nor was it made into rice cakes
How can raw rice be like that?
There isn't any rice like that?
No... I got all kinds of rice to cook for her...
But she keeps on saying no
Surely, it was because she was so hungry back then
How could you find such rice?
Now that you're here, I can relax now. Serve her well
I'm sorry, but would you be able to do that for a while?
What's wrong? You love cooking
I just feel a little tired...
Could it be because of the long walk coming here?
Jang-Geum, go and get some rest
I'm sorry
What happened?
It's just as you said
They say they never had a bad harvest of ginseng recently
What should we do?
If we don't act carefully we could lose track of them
so keep a low profile and wait until the criminal appears
Yes, sir
Sir! Sir!
Were you able to get it?
You're here empty-handed when I asked you for it
I begged you to buy me some drinks... You're so heartless...
I'm sorry... I forgot
By the way, did Lady Suh come to serve the lady here?
Did you see her?
Yes. But she seemed troubled Is there something wrong?
She didn't seem to be doing good either
Oh, I think...
no, that's probably not it...
I let you know about your talent for drawing up tastes...
after you thought of using charcoal...
using spring water for cold noodles and cabbage dumplings
But that talent has become poison to you instead
Good!
It was the obvious result
Good... good
Since it turned out this way, please talk to Sir Oh
so we can hurry the next round of the competition
I'll ask the Head Lady
Yes, it's better to finish this off quickly
I was going to meet him today anyway...
Who do they think they are?
Hello. How is Lady Jung?
There's a fight amongst themselves
What do you mean?
Lady Han sent away her apprentice
and Lady Jung and Lady Han aren't speaking to each other
As she was humiliated in front of the King's Mother
Madam, please tell her to hurry the competition
as we need more people in the kitchen
I think she's planning to do so
Really?
She might even cancel it, and have you be the Highest Lady
No, Madam I want to beat them for sure
That way, no court lady can go against you from now on
Yes. You ought to make sure it won't happen again
There were appeals that the yield of Sung-Kyun Col. Fields decreased sharply
There was an order to go and find out the reason
Isn't the district governor your subordinate?
Yes
The ginseng from deep mountains is considered the best
But even the lower quality ginseng is hard to get
And it takes over 10 years to get the common type
So there won't be a problem for the governor to give a report
Still... Just in case... You go meet the governor
Yes, sir... and please ask the King's Mother to speed things up
OK
Jang-Geum!
Jang-Geum
Hey, look. I got it, I got it
I hadn't had drinks and meat for a long time
so I thought I would die
Jang-Geum, shall we go someplace?
Where?
You're weird these days
You were always so cheerful and now you look so down
Jang-Geum, come with me
Where?
Just follow me. Let's go!
Duk-Gu, the ocean...
Yes...
Did he go somewhere?
He said he had a stomach problem
He did seem to be drinking a little too much
Duk-Gu has to secretly drink at home
and that's why he drinks so much when he's not home
He drinks secretly at home?
His wife is very strict
I've seen the ocean for the first time
It's been a long time for myself as well
I felt like I was a child again
When I was young, I caught rabbits even when my mother would hit me for it
Your mother must've been strict
How... did they pass away?
I heard it from Mr. Gang
It was because of me
My father was a military officer in the Royal Protectorate
The Royal Protectorate I work for?
Then what happened?
My father was there when...
the deposed Queen Yoon was poisoned
If I only didn't shout at that time... then my father would've been fine...
and because of that, even my mother...
I'm sorry...
Oh, no, I'm sorry for asking...
I'll be able to tell you more someday...
I put the prescription here so you just need to show it to him
Yes, sir
Even if he doesn't have it, you must get those on the list
because I need all of those to make the medicine
Yes, sir
Then have a safe trip
Yes, sir
Are you going to the marketplace?
I'm out of ingredients for medicine...
Good... I was headed to the marketplace myself
The pharmacy is that way
OK
Let's meet here two hours later
Sure
So did you find out?
Yes
Where is the rest of the ginseng going?
To the merchant Choi Pan-Sul
Merchant Choi Pan-Sul?
Yes. What should we do?
That's enough. Finding out what's going on was our mission
so you can go back
Yes, sir
Who are you?
You'll have to come with us
Are you OK?
We're almost there
Sir, what's going on?
We'll hide here for a while, please make sure they go elsewhere
Quickly... come this way
Even if they look through the house... this part is hard to notice
Search through the house!
Yes, sir!
What's going on?
They aren't here?
No!
There's a sick woman, these two here...
and praying monks
I'm a relative of a monk here... so you tell me and I'll take care of...
Is there a scholar-official and woman here?
Hmmm...
No such people are staying here! I'm a retired scholar at this temple
and only a sick woman and two people...
who are taking care of her are here
What brings you here?
Looking for some people
I've never seen such people around here
I think they escaped to some other place
Let's go!
Yes, sir!
You're leaving already?
Have a safe trip
You just let go of those gangsters?!
Just what have you been doing?!
What's going on?
I tried to find out something with my subordinates
and I think they've been tracking us down
They're gone
Why don't you eat with me in my room before you go?
Go ahead and sit down Go ahead. Go ahead
There are no side dishes because it's temple food...
Oh, no, it's a big feast
They're only herbs Go ahead and help yourselves
Lady Suh, you try some too It's very delicious
This is something you can't even make in the palace
How did you do it?
Of course... how can you compare it with the food in the palace?
I mean it. Please tell me the method
There isn't any
Please tell me. There's a secret method that only you know, right?
I said, there isn't any
Sir, please tell me
He's so slow and all he does is dry herbs and leaves...
Sir...
Why are you doing this? I really don't know anything
It's clearly different from the food in the palace
Of course whatever the King eats must taste better
No... the food you prepared last night was better...
Huh? Sir...
Then teach me how to dry them at least
It's the sun that dries them, not me!
Then where do you get the herbs?
They are abundant in the mountains, where else?
If you put in too much it will bloat and blow up
If it's too little, the rice will burn
Please teach me... Huh?
The second round has been ordered to be in a week
She'll give you different assignments, so prepare thoroughly
Do you understand?
Yes, ma'am
Are you really going to do it without Jang-Geum?
Yes
Keum-Young went home yesterday
Yes, Madam
On your way home, visit my brother's and tell her to come back
Sure
Jang-Geum, what happened?
He says she passed a crisis
That's a relief Anyhow, she should eat something
so the medicine can be more effective for her
You can't find the rice that she's asking for?
Unless it's steamed or rice for making wine
how can raw rice be chewy and savory? There's no such rice in this world
Rice for making wine... or steamed?
It's not completely dried yet
Does it become harder than white rice when it's dried?
Yep
Does it taste chewy and savory when you chew on it for a long time?
You know, eh?
This must be it. This must be the rice that the lady is asking for
The Lady is looking for Ol-gae rice?
What's Ol-gae rice?
You know that the harvest is a little late
for the rice fields on the hills
So it's hard to offer the ancestors new rice
When you cook the rice that's not fully ripe
the rice tastes really good
She was asking for that?
Yes... her brother passed away after giving her a handful of this rice
She said it tasted so good that she wants...
to take it with her when she dies
That's sad...
Give me some of this rice
Oh, no, not this!
Why not? We don't know when she'll pass away...
We must let her taste this before she dies
I understand, but the taste isn't perfect yet
Sir...
Only eat this after drying and grinding it completely
I'll use a quicker method to dry it
The taste comes only after over four days of good sunshine
Hey! It's not ready yet...
What should I do?
We don't have time to wait for 3 more days
please bring me more wood
That's right. This is so much faster, but that guy always...
puts it out and brings it back, again and again
Ow! That's hot! You told me to bring the wood, huh?
Try them. They're the ones you've been asking for
Why? They aren't?
I think they're the one
And?
It's not that taste... not good enough to give to my brother...
but thanks anyway
Sure
Good work. I tasted it and it was the taste...
that Lady Jo had been talking about
Yes, Jang-Geum. She probably wasn't able to taste it properly
because she's sick
But I want to make her wish come true
Can I come in?
Sure, come in
Ol-gae rice is ready now, so...
Madam...
It's hard, so chew it carefully
This is it... this is it
Now I can die in peace
Please put this rice in my coffin when I die
I must give some to my brother
There was no secret to this
Sir, there was no secret after all
Those herbs, the rice... your hard work and time...
of putting them out on sunny days and in, going back and forth
That was it!
That's right. My mother told me since you can't get your fill eating
you should get your fill with devotion put into the food
So you shouldn't feed someone with food...
that's been made quickly in a hurry
OK
Actually, I resented my instructor... As the results were bad...
I thought she didn't evaluate my talent...
which she always complimented me for After all, I did my best
But that wasn't it. My effort was to beat someone else
And even here, I was only trying to find out people's secret methods
But there were no secret methods The only secret...
was the sweat and devotion put into making it
For the rice, I thought I should use...
whatever technique available to fulfill her wish...
before she dies, but I couldn't move her heart
but the honest man's rice moved her heart
That's why Lady Han said my talents were poison to me
Because she was afraid I would be dependent on that only
I envy you for having such a great instructor
She was probably afraid that you might live that way
with the excuse that you have to accomplish your goals
But I trust you Though you may have made a mistake
you wouldn't give up the hope of putting a smile...
on the face of the person who eats the dish you prepare