Dae Jang Geum

“Madam, you fight so hard to become Highest Court Lady just to write this on this recipe book?”

(The recipe book just contained name of Highest Court Lady read it before). According to legends, it’s recipe book that passed thru generations of Highest Court Lady, so it’s the most sacred books among all the sacred books. But when Geum Young looked at it….. no wonder even after Lady Choi read it, she still cannot overtook Lady Han’s cooking skills.

“Lian Sheng, lately my tongue inflated, and I can’t talked properly…”

Jang Geum saved uncle Duk Gu life by tasting the poison herself, but she herself lost her sense of taste, to recover, she stimulated her tongue with various scary methods. Finally, she recovered after treating with bee acupuncture, but there was a side effect…

“I know you’re bad person even on first sight, even the supper I hide you also want to steal!”

After monitored Jang Geum for a long time, Ling Ro finally found that Jang Geum hide some letters in the garden. Today, she wanted to take it out to get praise from Lady Choi, but idiot remembered the wrong place, and took out other’s things instead.

(more…)

The culture of excellence inherent in Korea yet latent for over 2,000 years is coming out of its long seclusion at the turn of the 21st century, on the strength of the country’s political and economic stability, triggering Hallyu in its progress across Asia, Latin America and Europe.

That was the gist of what Kang Chul-keun, dean of the Hallyu Academy at Seoul’s Chung-Ang University, expressed at a symposium on Daejanggeum at the University of Hawaii’s Center for Korean Studies held on Nov. 11 at its Manoa campus.

Hallyu, or the Korean Wave, is a socio-cultural phenomenon that is taking place across Asia – in countries such as China, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines and Vietnam – resulting in those countries having a growing interest in and favorable disposition toward Korean popular culture in the areas of music, television, and cinema.

Currently, the preference for Korean culture has expanded from merely popular culture to Korean lifestyles in general, including gastronomy, fashion and sports. And the rage for the historical drama Daejanggeum, or The Great Janggeum (Jewel in the Palace), constitutes a part of Hallyu.

Analyzing the sensation brought about by Daejanggeum, Kang emphasized that the phenomenon was the result of priceless cultural software handed down from Korean ancestors being grafted onto the hardware capitalizing 21st century science.

The drama, an MBC soap opera series, which set ratings records in Korea in 2003 and 2004, is centered on a woman, Janggeum, who served as head physician to the king during the Joseon Dynasty. In the process of broadcasting, the series provoked new interest in traditional clothing, herbal medicine and Korean court cuisine.

Apparently reflecting the heat of the drama, there was an intense discussion lasting nine hours among the academics invited from Korea, Japan and Taiwan about a variety of interpretations of it. Also on hand at the symposium were actor Im Ho, who played the king, the costume designer and producers of the drama.
Ho-min Sohn, director of the Center for Korean Studies, said in the panel discussion that when he arrived in the University of Hawaii back in 1965, Korea was a strange land, so unfamiliar to the residents here, adding the Hallyu phenomenon has emerged as a stunning revolution indeed.

Hirata Yukie from Japan said that when Winter Sonata, another Korean TV drama series, was aired in Japan, it was predominantly women who viewed it, but Daejanggeum attracted a significant male viewership. She said Daejanggeum has brought about diversification of Korean dramas in her country.

Source: Korea.net 17th November 2005

The Center for Korean Studies held a symposium on Nov. 11 to examine “Korean wave,” the phenomenal popularity of South Korean T.V. dramas and films in Hawai’i and Asia, exemplifying the popular T.V. drama “Daejanggeum.”

“Daejanggeum,” which translates to “Jewel in the Palace,” is a historical drama that set new highs in television ratings in South Korea in 2003-2004. It airs in Hawai’i, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and China.

“Daejanggeum” is based on a historical figure, Janggeum, who was the only woman to serve as head physician to the king in the Joseon Dynasty of the 16th century.

Yukie Hirata, from Yonsei University in Korea, is studying the “Daejanggeum” craze in Japan. “‘Daejanggeum’ made the Japanese get interested in Korean culture more deeply,” Hirata said. “First, this drama achieves the diversification of audience for a Korean drama in Japan. Second, various networks via the Internet, which discuss ‘Daejanggeum,’ are forming in Asia.”

Phyllis Chiao, a University of Hawai’i at Manoa graduate student, studied the “Daejanggeum” craze in Taiwan. “Korea’s Confucianism has similarity with Taiwanese culture, but there is dissimilarity, such as different food,” she said.

Chiao pointed out that this drama intensified “Korean wave” in Taiwan. According to Chiao, Taiwanese watch the drama because it has a good storyline, human relationships, attractive actors and cultural diversity. When the show aired in Taiwan in May 2004, it was the most viewed program of the season.

Tom Larsen, president of YA Entertainment, produced the English DVD version of “Daejanggeum.” Larsen said Korean dramas are successful in the United States.

“Korean dramas are a different kind of entertainment for a U.S. audience,” he said. “The U.S. audience is tired of what the major networks are putting on the T.V., such as violence.”

Fans at the symposium were able to meet actor Im Ho, who plays the king in “Daejanggeum.” Also featured were Korean cooking demonstrations and a performance by the Chung-Ang University Culture Band.

Nora Muramoto, one of the founders of Hawai’i Korean Drama Fan Club, said, “I felt more related to the drama after attending this symposium. I learned its clothing, food, music and even subtitling.” She said she believes “Korean wave” in Hawai’i will continue as long as Korean dramas are brought here.

“I learned there is ‘Korean wave’ beyond Asia,” Daniel Tung, a fan of “Daejanggeum” who came from Toronto to attend the symposium, said.

Theodore Jun Yoo, UHM history professor and one of the symposium organizers, said, “These events are to help introduce Korean culture, such as clothing and food, via Korean dramas for the public.”

Source: Ka Leo O Hawaii 15th November 2005