Episode 21
24 Jul 2008 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: Episode 21
The Queen Dowager wonders why Han sang goon is missing and why a maid has been presenting the food instead.Jae-jo-sang goon tells the Queen Dowager that Han sang goon hasn’t returned since she left yesterday. Jung states that Han sang goon had to leave to get fresh ingredients. The king asks who then has been preparing the food that they’re eating. The sang goons say Han’s maid Jang-geum is the cook. The Queen Dowager says there’s no need to continue with the competition in that case.The Queen and the king ask the Queen Dowager to allow Jang-geum to continue. The Queen Dowager agrees.Jang-geum’s next dish is tender ribs. Choi sang goon presents triple-cooked shrimp. Min sang goon ,the other maids, the child maids, and master Choi and his messenger watch on.
Han sang goon escapes when Master Min and his soldiers arrive. The soldiers escort Han sang goon back to the palace while Min investigates.Jang-geum prepares the main course.Yeon-sheng expresses her concern at their lack of ingredients to make the ‘pal-ga-tang’ (8 fruit soup) that Han sang goon wanted. Jang-geum tells Yeon-sheng to give her space alone and takes out her mother’s recipe book for strength.
Choi sang goon and Jang-geum present their course. Choi sang goon presents a stew of soft-pork meat combined with ginseng. Jang-geum presents her dish and the royal family seems disappointed at the sight of the chicken soup.But the Queen shows interest after a bite and asks what she used.Jang-geum states that she used cabbage, garlic, chicken, etc. The king interrupts and wants to know what is the ingredient that gives the dish such an aromatic spicy flavor.Jang-geum replies the secret ingredient is tiger liver.
Han sang goon arrives.The maids tell her Jang-geum is losing.Gam asks if Han sang goon is okay. The Queen and King agree that Jang-geum should win this round.The onlookers cheer.Gam urges Han sang goon to hurry and take over the competition but Han sang goon says the competition belongs to Jang-geum.
For the second course,Choi sang goon presents bone marrow rice. Jang-geum presents a special bone marrow rice that gives out a cool feeling after eating,getting rid of the greasy aftertaste of the previous course.The royal family praises Jang-geum for making such a thoughtful dish. The on-lookers cheer for Jang-geum again.
Choi sang goon is becoming angry but Geum-young says she will surely win the next round.Jang-geum sees that Han sang goon is back. Han sang goon gives a smile and motions to Jang-geum, telling her to continue.
The final course is dessert. The Queen Mother’s tastes the fruits and asks Choi sang goon and Jang-geum what they each consider as their best dish today.Jang-geum states she was unable to cook the best dish of ‘pal-ga-tang’ that Han sang goon wanted; however she made a dish that she considers her own best.Jang-geum states it’s wild berry dessert and presents the dish. The Queen asks why. Jang-geum states that wild berry is the last food that she had washed and fed to her dying mother.Her mother,upon eating the berries,left the world with a soft smile on her face.Jang-geum states she prepared the food with the love she has for her mother.
The king and the Queen Dowager are touched by Jang-geum’s words.The king tries the dessert and states that it’s delicious and he will not forget her love toward her mother.The king states wild berries are his favorite food and that Jang-geum is the best cook of soo-rak-gan (knife/fork dept.= royal kitchen).The Queen Dowager is surprised by her son’s enthusiasm. The king interrupts and states the results are still in the Queen dowager’s hands.He is merely expressing how impressed he is by this mere servant.
The Queen wishes to meet the mentor of such a skilled maid.The king concurs he too wants to see Han sang goon.Han sang goon is brought before the royal family. The Queen dowager states she will honor her son’s joy and states that Han sang goon is the new head of the royal kitchen.Geum-young and Choi sang goon are pissed.
Jang-geum goes back to the kitchen and weeps (in reminiscence of her deceased mother).Han sang goon walks in and embraces Jang-geum with teary smile. Meanwhile,Choi sang goon and Geum-young weep with anger and at their loss. Jung sang goon goes back to her chamber with signs of a struggling health. Han sang goon and Jang-geum chat. Jang-geum asks Han sang goon about the details of her capture. Han sang goon states it seems the incident was meant to prevent her from attending the competition. Chan-ee, who’s always munching on something stolen,and Min sang goon cook for Jang-geum.
At night Jang-geum brings out her recipe book and thanks her mother for helping her.Min jung-ho arrives. Jang-geum thanks Min for helping with Han sang goon’s situation. Min says that Jang-geum was beautiful at the feast today and that her words were beautiful just as well.
Min: “That beautiful image shall stay in my heart deeply for a long time.” Jang-geum (blushing): “If you say it like that then I don’t know what to say.”
Master Min goes back to his dept and finds out the man he captures yesterday has been released.Master Min asks why and the other master states he already did an investigation and the guy is innocent.Min is suspicious about the matter.
Gam gets scolded by his wife again over some chore. He runs outside and runs into Master Min. Min asks if he is sure that the boat Han sang goon got on was headed for Ma-poh city. Mr Gam states yes. The two went to the town bar. Gam introduces Min to the hostess who tells them a lot of high-ranked officers from the palace visit their inn, including Elder Oh.
In a different room, Elder Oh is meeting with Master Choi.Elder Oh expresses his anger that Choi didn’t take care of the matter well.Choi apologizes and hands him a letter(containing money).
Jung sang goon visits the Queen and the Dowager and voluntarily asks for retirement as she is feeling weak. The Queen says the king will be disappointed but sets her formal retirement in 4 days.Jae-jo-sang goon gives the news to Choi sang goon who says she will not easily give up the head position to Han sang goon . She intends to contact all the sang goons who have received help from her family in the past to help her.
Jung sang goon tells Han sang goon that she will be the new head in 3 days. Han sang goon states she is ill-prepared but Jung sang goon says she must see that Han sang goon successfully take over her position before she becomes any weaker. Jung sang goon brings Han sang goon to the kichen and announces to all the maids that Han sang goon will be their new boss in 3 days.
Choi sang goon gathers her supporters to plan a strike against Han sang goon. Young-ro takes out her anger on the children by yelling at them and threatening to hit them.Chan-ee brings the textile specialists to get Han sang goon’s measurements for new outfits.Yeon-sheng is in Jung sang goon’s room while the medicine maid checks on her health.The maid leaves.Yeon-sheng begins to weep upon seeing Jung sang goon in pain and shows sadness that Jung sang goon is leaving. Jung sang goon gives Yeon-sheng a loving hug and words of endearment: basically along the lines of:You poor little thing.So young,yet there is no way to escape from this palace.Yeon-sheng goes to the kitchen and tells Han sang goon that Jung sang goon wishes to see her.
Han sang goon goes to see Jung sang goon who tells her in just a day she will leave this palace that has been suffocating her. Jung sang goon tells Han sang goon the palace is a very difficult place to survive but she believes that Han sang goon will succeed. Han sang goon stands up to give Jung sang goon a bow but Jung sang goon stops her by saying one does not bow before a sick person and leaves. Han sang goon is left weeping by herself. Her sorrow also comes from Jung sang goon’s leaving.
Jung sang goon goes to Jae-jo sang goon and gives her a bow, and states that she knows she has caused a lot of trouble for her in the past and begs for her to send all her hatred toward her and leave Han sang goon alone.Jung sang goon also goes to see Choi sang goon and asks for Choi sang goon to let it all go.
On the day of Jung’s retirement/hand-over,no one shows up at the feast except Jung sang goon,Han sang goon,Jang-geum,and Yeon-sheng.Choi sang goon, Jae-jo sang goon and all their supporters are together in a protest, saying the competition wasn’t fair since Han sang goon was supposed to be the cook. They don’t want the kitchen head to be someone like Han sang goon who is from a humble family. Jung sang goon arrives and shows her anger by saying she is still the kitchen leader and should be treated with respect and obedience. Then Jung sang goon passes out.
