Thursday, July 21, 2005

Dae Jang Geum - Best Mini Series

It's been a couple of months since I've watched the final episode of Dae Jang Geum (The Great Jang Geum or the international title "The Jewel in the Palace"). Eventually I got off my butt and finally got myself to start writing this review. I'm not sure why it took me so long, but for the past few months, all I've been doing is rewatching bits and pieces of the series. I've even spent time just reading what others had to say about the series, their perspectives on this historic drama, the development of the series, and the history of the chosun era.

This Drama is quite long compared to the other korean ones out there. (It's 54 1-hour episodes or in some other countries it's 70 45-minute episodes). But believe me, it will go by so fast, you're going to wish that it never ended.

I'm not going to go into too much details about the actual story itself (I'm going to leave it to you to watch it and enjoy every bit of it).

The story takes place around the mid-1400s to mid 1500s, during the Chosun Dynasty era. The main character Lady Suh Jang Geum (acted by Lee Young-ae) dreams of entering the palace to become the highest kitchen lady.

Images of her dressed in different hanboks...



She begins her life in the palace as a court lady and learns about many methods of cooking and various ingredients.

Jang Geum and her friend Yeung Seng concentrates on the dishes being made in the kitchen.


Jang Geum discovers something and discusses it with Keum Yeuong (another court lady who entered the palace the same time)


Jang Geum smiles and follows her teacher Lady Han...


Even though it's a drama about food and medicine, there are fierce compeitions throughout the story, here Jang Geum competes with Keum Yeuong in a food competition...oh...the food, you're going to love the food -- You're going to want to go out to your local korean town,(if you're lucky enough to have one nearby you), and start eating some of these delicious dishes. Some of the dishes in the series are still served today, you just have to know where to go. (or ask any of your korean buddies to take for some cold noodles-the buckwheat one on a hot day, or sol long tang, their classic beef broth noodle on a cold day...)



Sir Min is always behind Lady suh no matter what happens...even if it meant death.


Another picture of Lady Suh, here you could really appreciate the beautiful hanboks. It helps that the actress is so beautiful herself. :)


At times when Jang Geum is so happy, it will make you happy as well.


Through all the joys and struggles of lady suh, she becomes Dae Jang Geum.

The production of this series is amazing. The sets are so well made and the scenes are so beautiful. The music is also another major piece of this wonderful drama.

I could go on and ramble about how great the series is, but some of you might think I'm just out of mind, so I decided to post some statistics (found from various sources)

In Korea, the series aired from September 2003 to March 2004 broke many viewer ratings. The average viewer rating was 47% and reached 57% on its final episode. (Only 4 other dramas has ever reached 50% rating since 2000).

In Hong Kong, it broke all records. The series itself had a viewer rating of 47 percent, the Dae jang geum Special was 43 percent and Dae jang geum prologue was 38 percent. Dae Jang Geum has or will make its way to other countries such as Taiwan, singapore, malaysia, Japan and Middle east.

As you've noticed the unbelievable statistics above, this isn't just your typical drama series. It has drawn young and old, male and female viewers with its addictive storyline, its wonderful cast (All the cast did such a wonderful job, that after the series, they were given many contracts to do other series), nice music, and beautiful sets.

This is really a journey which you follow the life of Jang Geum. She will take you with her and make you laugh, cry, happy, at times even jump out of your seat and root for her. This series has truly been the best series I've ever seen, and I'm glad that many people around the world had the chance to enjoy it as much as I did...


Sources:

http://daejanggeum.blogsome.com/
http://www.hancinema.net/korean_drama_Dae_Jang_Geum.php
http://www.xanga.com/suprob/DJG

9 comments:

Robert said...

this series is hands down the best i've seen so far. any show that makes you want to try their food has got to be great. the costume, OST, characters, to name a few, make DJG a perfect mini series. it would be hard to surpass DJG.

Great review and pics of Dae Jang Geum!

luc said...

"Dae Jang Geum" to conquer Chinese viewers"

BEIJING, Sept. 2-- Hunan TV introduced the South Korean dramatic series"Dae Jang Geum" last night, the very first time this royal period drama was broadcast in mainland China.

This hit show received an amazing viewer ratings share of 54% in South Korea, the highest in Korean television history. It continued its success with an average rating of 50% when aired in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Based on a true story,"Dae Jang Geum" tells the tale of Jang-Geum, the first female to become a personal physician for a king in ancient South Korea. Jang-Geum faces tremendous odds while working her way to the top of the royal court during 16th century Korea. Using her extraordinary determination and wisdom, she manages to achieve the impossible in a time when woman had little influence in Korean society.

A spokesman of Hunan TV said that most of the lead actors, including famous actress Lee Young Ae, will be invited to Changsha, capital city of South China's Hunan province.

This TV epic will be broadcast on Hunan TV throughout the month of September.

(Source: CRIENGLISH.com)

luc said...

Jewel in the Palace gains popularity in Japan
September 11, 2005
The Asia-wide hit South Korean drama ‘Daejanggeum’ is gaining popularity in Japan, appealing to male and younger audiences, NHK officials said Tuesday.

The drama series about a royal cook in Joseon Dynasty-era (1392-1910) Korea, has already proven a big hit in other Asian countries, including Hong Kong, Taiwan and Vietnam, since its release last year.

Officials of the Japanese broadcaster said new audience groups in addition to the traditional middle-aged female segment have emerged for Daejanggeum since it began airing on NHK’s satellite channel BS2 in October. Unlike Winter Sonata, a hit South Korean drama whose viewer demographic was 90 percent middle-aged women, 40 percent of those following Daejanggeum are male, they said.

“It seems the number of male and younger viewers has greatly increased in proportion to the traditional middle-aged female audience,” a public relations official said.

Daejanggeum is basking in the popularity of Winter Sonata which sparked the Japanese public’s interest in South Korean dramas, the official said. NHK first broadcast Winter Sonata on its satellite channel before later rebroadcasting it on its public network after the program’s popularity became evident.

The NHK satellite channel has so far aired 37 of the Daejanggeum’s total 54 episodes, screening the show at 10 p.m. every Thursday since October.

Its early viewer ratings reached 2.5 times higher than those for Winter Sonata, NHK officials said, adding that details about viewer statistics are not made public.

The broadcaster plans to broadcast a documentary that was recorded at “Daejanggeum Theme Park” in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, on Sunday. The magazine program will include interviews with the main actors of the drama, a reenactment of royal cooking and a live performance of songs from the drama’s soundtrack.

Source: Yonhap News 5th July 2005
Source: http://daejanggeum.blogsome.com/

luc said...

Korean TV drama rocks the Chinese world
Shanghaiist first heard of the Korean TV drama Dae Jang Geum (大长今) or Jewel in the Palace from mom, who used to recapitulate every episode on the phone, which, as anyone who really loves watching TV, knows is impossible. Our interest was further piqued when Shanghaiist’s Chinese literature professor remarked that he too was glued to the television every night. So, is the target demographic 60-something Asian eggheads? Evidently, Hunan TV doesn’t think so, because the folks down in Changsha wouldn’t want to follow up their smashing success with Super Voice Girls with a dud.

In fact, this is one of the most popular TV dramas in all of East Asia. The story centers around the true story of one Jang Geum, a Korean girl living in the Chosun dynasty (about five hundred years before the Chicago Bulls dynasty). Her parents are killed for political reasons, and then, through her intelligence, resourcefulness, goodness, sweetness, selflessness (you get the point), becomes one of the most talented cooks in the Korean palace. Later on, she gets framed and kicked out, but rather than accept defeat and exile she fights her way back, eventually becoming the King’s chief doctor, a feat unheard of for a woman during those times.

What makes the show different from the average costume drama is the prominent role played by the food — since Jang Geum is a kitchen maid in the beginning, and much of the drama centers around how they prepare food for the emperor, create new types of cuisine and compete with each other to win the hearts, minds and stomachs of their superiors. Court intrigue, plots and conspiracies, heart-rending romance and a cooking show all in one!

Just how popular is this show? Try the highest TV ratings in Korean history — and similar success in Hong Kong and Taiwan, as well as Japan. What explains this cross-cultural appeal? According to Shanghaiist’s mother, it’s all the traditional Confucian culture — including many references to Chinese culture. In fact, the official written language of Korea at the time used Chinese characters. For more on the historical background and references to China and Confucian culture, try this (in Chinese), and this blog (you may need a proxy server to access it), which has tons of information on the show, the history, the production, media links, interviews, etc. (in both Chinese and English). Two (conflicting) versions of a novel based on both the history and the TV show are now available in Chinese. If you’re hard core, you can even visit the Dae Jang Geum theme park in Yangju, Korea, which was created for the filming of the series.

Two episodes of Jewel in the Palace (大长今) show every night on Hunan TV at 10 pm. DVDs are also available at most reputable illegal DVD shops around town.

Posted by Peijin Chen in Television | Blogs' Comments
China Shanghai Shanghaiist

source:
http://www.shanghaiist.com/archives/2005/09/13/korean_tv_drama.php

luc said...

Korean soap operas gain popularity in North America
August 31, 2005

A scene from the drama series “Dae Jang Geum.”

Already big hits in other Asian countries, Korean soap operas are now grabbing audiences in North America. In the San Francisco Bay Area alone, “Jewel in the Palace (Dae Jang Geum),” a television series about a royal cook, was viewed by more than 100,000 people, U.S. daily San Francisco Chronicle reported on Sunday.

The figure exceeds that of ABC’s “Extreme Makeover,” the WB’s “Starlet” or PBS’ “Live from Lincoln Center,” which are in a similar time slot, according to the daily. The drama series, which sparked Korean television series craze in Hong Kong earlier this year, began airing on the Chinese television station KTSF in spring. The series is dubbed in Mandarin.

“I was almost dreaming about it, everyday anticipating the next episode,” Melissa Lo, 25, a U.C. Berkeley graduate, told the daily. “My mom said, ‘who knew Koreans were so refined and sophisticated? ‘”

Produced at a cost of $15 million, the tale of an orphaned royal kitchen cook who went on to become the king’s first female physician 500 years ago has pulled in $40 million worldwide since it first aired in 2003. The series has even spawned a theme park and restaurants in Hong Kong that serve dishes featured on the show. In Bruno, California, alone, Yesasia.com, a popular online retailer, sells 20,000 to 30,000 English-subtitled Korean dramas every month, and sales are steadily growing, according to the retailer. In Hawaii, the daily continued, the University of Hawaii held a conference last year titled “How South Korean Dramas Influenced Pop Culture Worldwide.”

“Korea was sort of overlooked before,” Kevin Roe, 51, a San Jose attorney, told the daily. “But now it’s worth investigating.”

In addition to the Bay Area, Korean soap operas are available in Los Angeles, Chicago, Honolulu, New York and Washington, D.C, and can be seen anywhere in the country on the cable channel AZN Television.

Source: The Korean Herald 31st August 2005 By Lee Yong-sung

luc said...

Korean TV Drama “Daejanggeum” Hits Hong Kong
August 18, 2005


To help boost the immense popularity of the Korean TV drama “Daejanggeum” (The Jewel in the Palace) in Southeast Asian countries, the Korea National Tourism Organization (KNTO) is holding a month-long Daejanggeum Culture & Tourism Festival (April 16 - May 15, 2005) in Hong Kong. Since last September, KNTO has planned and developed Daejanggeum tour packages and has attracted over 30,000 tourists from Taiwan, Malaysia, and other Asian countries.

The festival consists of various events including the Daejanggeum Royal Korean Cuisine Festival, Daejanggeum Night, and Daejanggeum Tour Package Travel Fair. The “Daejanggeum Night” on April 18 was an event covered by nearly all in the Hong Kong press due to the appearance of popular Hong Kong actress Kelly Chan and the “Little Janggeum,” Cho Jeong-eun from South Korea.

At the “Daejanggeum Night,” KNTO appointed Kelly Chan a Goodwill Ambassador for Korea’s tourism industry. Kelly Chan was the lead actress in the movies “Infernal Affairs” and “Between Calm and Passion.”

Kelly Chan and Cho Jeong-eun (”little Janggeum”) also had an opportunity to learn about Korean traditional royal cuisine from Ms. Han Bok-ryo, the president of Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine. She was the food advisor to the drama.

With this festival, KNTO hopes to draw more tourists from Hong Kong. In addition, projections aim to attract 100,000 Daejanggeum fans to Korea from Hong Kong and Southern China. Fans from Taiwan comprised the first wave of Daejanggeum tourists to visit Korea.

While current Korean Wave tour products are entertainment-based focusing on popular stars and drama/movie locations, Daejanggeum-themed tour products focused on various cultural aspects, including Korean food, costume, oriental medicine, etc. The Daejanggeum tour products are significant in that they are contributing to the expansion of the Korean Wave as a form of Korean culture and in leading how the Korean Wave should go forward.

Source: Korea.net in May 2005

luc said...

Sparkling Personality & Power Play of Flavours
August 2, 2005


The potent spice-and-vice mix of the Korean drama hit, Jewel in The Palace, makes such compelling viewing it leaves viewers hungry for more.

When my editor told me to find out why Jewel in the Palace is such a big hit, I went, “Jewel in what palace?”

For days after that, I kept calling it mistakenly as Jewel of the Nile, an old movie that starred Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner.

Twenty episodes of absorbing, enjoyable viewing later, I am hooked. I have connected with my inner auntie.

The series, a moving, inspiring Korean period drama based on an actual historical figure, is about a determined woman named Suh Jang Geum (played by Lee Young Ae).

Residing some time between the late 1400s and early 1500s during the Chosun Dynasty, she went through enormous struggles and personal tragedies to go from royal cook to becoming ancient Korea’s first imperial female physician.

Starhub TV will air the 70–episode series from Friday.

A good part of the drama takes part in the royal kitchen, with scenes of elaborate food being prepared as if Martin Yan or the God of Cookery himself, Stephen Chow, were lurking in the background.

I tell you it’s not just captivating; it is mouth watering.

Being more familiar with the Black Eyed Peas than green peas, I found out a little more about the show’s incredible popularity.

Last year, it was Taiwan’s most watched TV series. In Hong Kong, nearly half of the population, about 3.2 million viewers, tuned in for its final episode.

It was so popular that Jackie Chan, I read, refused to see it out of patriotic reasons.

He apparently said:”I like to assist the weak”, referring to the Hong Kong programmes that were shunned during its run there.

I am told that there are websites where you can find recipes of the dishes featured on the show. The food is real, not fictional.

There is even a restaurant here that offers a Korean imperial set menu inspired by the series. I would go there if I were not holding the rank of a commoner.

The pot thickens

The series though is not common.

It is lush, colorful, informative, well acted and patient yet engaging with very good, intelligent and creative episodic stories, high production values, authentic locations. It is so attentive to detail, culture and tradition that you would feel as if you were watching a very complete historical novel unfolding.

I have never seen food, herbs, sauces, vegetables, fruits, and flowers, even wood and different types of water - hot, cold, plain and spring, etc - explained in such vividness.

The wonderful thing here is they are the ingredients stirring up not just the pot but the many little sub-plots as well. Food in this series is literally a weapon that goes directly to the gut.

The show depicts the power play of concocting flavours to gain flavours and inserting poison to further wicked agendas.


Jang Geum overcomes tremendous odds to become a royal physician.

The main plot is this – Jang Geum is the kind and hardworking heroine on the side of good.

Righting injustice inflicted upon her dead parents, former royal servants, by the evil manipulators in the palace, she faces sadness, hardship, conspiracy, trials and tribulations with allies on her side - her mentor Lady Han is superbly played by Yang Mi Kyeong - and her own prodigious talent.

Blessed with an instinctive, investigative genius for food, she is the Mozart to the Salieris around her in the bitchfest, especially the scheming Lady Choi (the shifty Gyeon Mi Ri), aunt of Jang Geum’s hapless rival Keum Young (Hong Ri Na).

Now the key to a good, addictive soap opera is the way its snake of a story twists and turns. From its spice-and-vice mix of untold scandals, hidden passions, secrets and lies (there is reportedly only one writer penning the machinations), this series makes even an episode based on a bad sauce seem intriguing.

The second key is its cast. I am constantly amazed at where South Korea find its actors.

Experts at the conniving glance, darting eye, evil stare, goofy gaze and suppressed emotion, the cast is quite perfect with some of the palace girls looking positively hot.

The likable Lee Young Ae (previously from the movie Joint Security Area) will not appear as Jang Geum until episode 7.

Instead a young Jang Geum is played by a precocious little actress named Cho Jeong Un. The emotional roller coaster she rides amid the unfairness she faces will melt you like butter.

The scene where her mother dies reaches such raw emotion I cried.

My appetite has been whetted. I am following this delicious auntie drama. Food will have to wait.

Tay Yek Keak - Life! The Straits Times - July 5, 2005

luc said...

Chinese Mainland in Thrall to 'Dae jang geum' (2005/09/30)


The vast Chinese mainland is mesmerized by the Korean historical soap “Dae Jang Geum, (A Jewel in the Palace).” Hunan TV, which started airing the program on Sept. 1 from 10 p.m. to midnight, is keeping up the advertising pressure, inviting Lee Young-ae, who plays the heroine, to China early next month, and designating the show’s theme song as compulsory repertoire for the five contestants remaining on “Super Girl,” a Chinese version of “American Idol.”

“Dae Jang Geum” topped the ratings chart with 14 percent in 31 cities across China as of Sept. 19 and is generating a Korean boom in economic, social and cultural fields.

CDs and books related to the show sell like hot cakes in Beijing, with the book accompanying the series taking sixth place in the fiction bestseller list last week.

Wedding photographers offer the heroine Janggeum’s bridal dresses at 7,000 yuan (W910,000), and many mothers are buying Korean traditional dress for their soon-to-be-wedded daughters. In Shanghai and Hunan, plastic surgery clinics are reportedly packed with women who want to look more like Lee Young-ae.

Not even the top ranks of the Communist Party are spared. Chinese President Hu Jintao told Moon Hee-sang, the leader of the ruling Uri Party, last week it was a shame his busy schedule keeps him from watching every episode. Top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo, No.2 in the party hierarchy, said in a private conversation that he enjoys watching “Daejanggeum” because his wife loves Korean TV soap operas. Chinese media last week reported a housewife threw herself in the river because her husband did not let her watch the show.

The Chinese media evaluates the trend favorably. The newsletter of the Culture Ministry said the series “is in the forefront of promoting Korean culture to the world by showing Korea’s history, culinary and fashion culture and the spirit of national pride.

The China Youth Daily said “all Chinese people” love “Dae Jang Geum”; romantics are indulged in the love story, the ambitious are inspired by the strong will of Janggeum, and gourmets are absorbed in the food. The people of China rediscover lost dreams and social values in the soap, the paper said.

luc said...

'Jewel in the Palace'exported to 17 countries (2005/10/01)


Last year's major hit drama, 'Jewel in the Palace (Dae Jang Geum)' is breaking into the Arab and European markets, coming out of Asia.

According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, 'Jewel in the Palace' has taken in a total of USD 3,974,191 with its export to 17 countries starting from Taiwan's GTV in 2003 to Australia's TVBI this year.

Meanwhile, a representative hallyu drama, 'Winter Sonata,' starring Bae Yong-joon and Choi Ji-woo, has earned total USD 711,600, being sold to 8 countries including Japan's NHK and Philippines' GMA. A research says that Bae, known as 'Yonsama' throughout Japan, has amazingly high economic effect which is estimated at billions of dollars. However, when it comes to actual profits from export of drama, 'Jewel in the Palace' has 5 times more than 'Winter Sonata.'

This difference is attributed to profits from sales of 'Jewel in the Palace'to China, Arab and Europe which 'Winter Sonata' could not break into. 'Jewel in the Palace' will be aired on Hunan TV in China from this month, and it will catch viewers through cable TV targeting a Chinese residing in Australia.

On top of that, the drama will broadcast in Iran, Europe and Uzbekistan. Meanwhile, 'Winter Sonata' has been aired on Japan's NHK Satellite, Taiwan's GTV and CTS, Indonesia's SCTV, Malaysia's TV3, Thailand's ITV, Philippines' GMA, Singapore's SPH and Hong Kong's ATV up to now.

The Source : Koreacontent News Team

Source : www.koreacontent.org... ( English Korean )