Dae Jang Geum frenzy in Japan has been driving up the popularity of Korean food in Japan.

A “2005 Korean Cuisine Special Promotion” held at the NHK’s central hall in Tokyo yesterday demonstrated how a drama could bring two countries closer.


As many as 3,000 Japanese who sent in applications and were invited to the event as a result of a drawing, appreciated the unique taste of Korean dishes such as samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup), tteokbokki (a broiled dish of sliced rice cake, meat, eggs and seasoning), jabchae (a mixed dish of vegetables and sliced beef), kimchi, and traditional teas such as citron tea and ginseng tea.


The event, which offered Japanese fans a chance to meet the stars of the popular drama and enjoy Korean food, was co-hosted by NHK, a Japanese public broadcasting company, and the Korea Agro-Trade Corporation in commemoration of the 2005 Korea-Japan Friendship Year.


Yang Mi-gyeong and Jo Jung-eun, actresses who played Court Lady Han and young Jang Geum, respectively in Dae Jang Geum, were inundated with requests for autographs from Japanese housewives.


Dae Jang Geum, which began its run on an NHK terrestrial channel on October 8 with the title “Promise of Jang Geum” is enjoying a high viewer rating of more than 20%, more than double the viewer rating of “Winter Sonata,” a smash hit Korean drama which triggered Hallyu, better known as the “Korean Wave,” in Japan.


Unlike Winter Sonata, which was mostly watched by middle-aged housewives, Dae Jang Geum has a broader fan base, attracting Japanese men who are not traditionally big fans of dramas. And its fan base is getting bigger.

This is the story of my life. The life that was given to me by my loving mother and father. Although now I have achieved greater future, being an icon and set my name in the history, but sadly my success couldn't be shared with both of my parents. They have passed away when I was still hunger for their love and protection.

My story began during the reign of King Jujong. My father then was the royal soldier who was given a mission to escort a minister to poison the Queen as ordered by the King. As he faithfully fulfilling his duty, the death of the Queen greatly affected my father. One night after heavy drinking and grieving about the Queen's death, my father felt down from a cliff and fainted while he was on the way home.

When he was awaken, he found himself in a cave, where his injury already treated by a mysterious old man. The mysterious and wise old man told my father that he is such a kind hearted person but got a pair of hands full of bloodshed smell. The old man told my father that he will lead a sad life and his fate was held by 3 women.

The old man then mysteriously disappeared after giving my father a sets of clue of his fate as a propercy of his fate. The clue were misconduct, loyal and good. Confiused with the clues, my father then bring the clues to a monk where the monk explained of how to understand the letter.

It was seem that the first clue already fulfilled and that was shown that the first woman was the dead queen. The monk explained that the woman in the first clue is the woman my father wanted to kill but wasn't dead. The 2nd woman are to be saved by my father but she will eventually will die because of him. And the 3rd one is a kind and good woman, and she will cause my father's death but she will saves alots of peoples' lives. The monk then telling him to avoid his sad fate, he must avoid to meet the 3rd lady but to avoid the 3rd lady he must avoid the 2nd lady.

10 years later, King SeoJong was enthown. A tyrant, the king never hesitate to punished anyone who disrespected him. Corruption was all over the goverment. He held big parties everyday. My father who was still haunted by the former Queen's death, resigned his post and leave the palace. He also never married as to avoid his sad fate.

On the day of my father resignation, the palace was busy in preparation for a big parties that already held for 4 days straight. The royal kitchen was in hectic condition, everyone was tired, but they still had to make sure that the dishes will be splendid. A palace girl by the name of Pu Ming Yi was busy preparing her dishes when she spotted her colluege, Choi, was putting some herb into a dishes prepared for the Queen. When everything ready, and on the break, Ming Yi went to see a lady who was incharge of fragrance department. The lady shocked as Ming Yi explained that the herbs was definiately not for medical purposes and could cause major problem for whoever consumed it. The lady then asked Ming Yi who else know about the matter and Ming Yi said none.

On the way back from the head of fragrance department's quarter, she stumble across her best friend Han Ba Ge. Ming Yi told Han of what she had done. But when Han asked why she didn't tell the lady of anybody else knew about choi's behaviour, Ming Yi said she don't know what would happened in the future.

On the way to prepare for the parties, Ming Yi was stopped by a junior soldier by a tree. The junior soldier then handed to her a gift where he said that it was to repay for her help when he was fainted few nights before because of stomach ache. Ming Yi refused to received his gives and treated him that if he keep on harrassing her, who is much more senior position, that she will report his misconduct to his superior. He explained that he could rest easily if he couldn't repay her kindness and promise would not bother her again.

As she finally accepted his gift, as to avoid him much further, 3 of her friends approached her. They saw what happened and wanted to see the gift, an expensive facial powder from China. They also gossiped about how come for a man to give expensive present just to repay for a simple help. While they were talking, Lady Choi, the Kitchen Head Lady and the fragrance department head passing by and stopped to asked them why they still wasting time where the party are about to start.

The party went well. The king is very pleasent with the food their prepared. Choi was the most happiest since the king seem to like her dishes more. It was already night when the party is over, and everybody tired and Han Ga Be was stopped by 2 palace girls as she walked to her quarters. The girls asked Han to follows them to see The Kitchen Head Lady because of an emergency meeting.

Meanwhile, Pu Ming Yi was already in her quarters, ready to retire for the night, while tidy up her room, wondering where her friends go, when the party supposed to be over. She heard footsteps noices and suddently her rooms opened and 3 palace girls caught her, gagged her mouth and put her in a with cloth sack. They then carried her quickly to a forest where then the Kitchen Head Lady, Lady Choi came along with several other palace girls including Choi and Han Ga Be. Lady Choi then accused Ming Yi to be having secret affair with the junior soldier she met on that day. When Ming Yi trying to explained for what happened, Lady Choi didn't want to accepted the excuse and Choi frame Ming Yi further by telling Lady Choi that she saw Ming Yi to enter a hut together with the soldier late at night and spend some time with that soldier.

Lady Choi then told Ming Yi that she had broken the Palace Girls' rules where as a Palace Girl they are suppose to guard their dignity as their are also the King's women. As Ming Yi was find guilty, framed by Choi, she was orderred to commit suicide by drinking the poison prepared which Choi handed to Han Ga Be earlier.

Han Ga Be, who know the truth, secretly mixed the monkhood poison with a remedy for the poison effect. She suspected that Ming Yi will be punished dearly after the meeting she attended ealier and decided to prepare the remedy. She also composed a letter asking for Ming Yi's forgiveness.

She hesitated to forced Ming Yi to drink the mixed poison. But when Choi want to take the poison from Han, she quickly went to Ming Yi and let Ming Yi drink the poison and secretly put her letter into Ming Yi's pocket.

Ming Yi drank the poison and lost her conciousness. All the girls thought that that's the end of Ming Yi, Lady Choi remind all the girls that Ming Yi will become an example of any girls try to break the Palace Girl's rules. Then they heard some noise around the blackened forest, The Head Kitchen asked Ming Yi's body to be hidden and hurried back to palace.

At the Lady Choi's quarters, Choi cried as Ming Yi also her best friend and told Lady Choi that they don't have to do that way. Lady Choi told her that Choi is her favourite niece, but she had a soft heart. She also told her that their family had held the Kitchen Head position for 5 generations and told her how their great aunt could achieved to be the highest ranking Lady in shortest time. She also reminded Choi that they had to be cruel to make sure that their family's reputation will uphold.

Meanwhile, Han Ga Be still grieving for her best friend's life. She also became too afraid of what would happened in the future and hoped that her best friend could forgive her.

In the darkness of the night, Ming Yi recovered from the poison effect. Still weaken, she tried to crawl out of the place the palace girls put her in.

The morning came. My father, reached a stream to washed his face in the cold water when he found a body in the water. He rushed to help and found a girl who had her face in the water fainted. He then carried the girl to a nearest monastery to ask the monk to help her. The monk then told him what to do to save her lives whilst the monk went to search for herbs that could help fight the poison.

When my father tried to make the girl to drink the medicine, he remembered about the propercy. At last the girl recover her conciousness. When she trying to get up, a letter felt down from her belt. She read it and found out that the letter was from Han Ga Be, Her best friend, asking for her forgiveness if she had survived. Letter also asked Ming Yi to forget the life in the palace and run away to stay alived.

After few days, Ming Yi finally fully recovered and ready to leave. She introduced herself to her saviour and thank him. Later, she gives her final respect to the Palace from afar, and made her way.

My father, who still concerned about her safety, followed Ming Yi secretly, ahead of her. He placed rocks across the stream to form a bridge for Ming Yi could across safely, fight the bandits before they could mug Ming Yi, built a shelter for Ming Yi to take cover from rain, and secretly paying for Ming Yi's expenses in an inn. Ming Yi travel along way and finally arrived at a village where she looked for a job at an Inn as a waitress.

Never doing the work before, whe was needed to serves men their food and drinks. Two drunk customers forced Ming Yi to served them. Heroicly my father came and fights those clowns and take Ming Yi away. My father told her that she cannot do that kind of job anymore because it doesn't suited her. Then my father left her.

Ming Yi followed my father around, trying to catch up with him whenever my father tried to loose her. They then reached a river where my father quickly ask the boat peddler to cross the river. Half the way, my father felt guilty and took over the boat and row back to Ming Yi. Once reaches the river bank, he jumped down and told Ming Yi that Ming Yi could lost her lives because of him and he could not allowed that.

Ming Yi then told him that her life no longer hers when she left the palace. They then embark the journey together and during the journey my father explained everything including the propercy of his fate.

They settled down in a small village where they get married, and have a daughter that they named Jang Guem. Yes, I am their daughter. I was such a bubly, hyper-active and quick learner girl. I often getting beating from my mother because she forbid me to go to school to learn how to read and write and to play with the boys.

This is my life. This is also a history in the making where then I will share my happiness, sadness, my downfall and my achievement.