The King requests JangGeum to prepare rice cakes for his midnight meal as he misses having it ever since he tasted it at the royal Culinary Competition. GeumYoung finds out about this and feels miserable. YeolI plots to get rid of JangGeum and JangGeum invites misunderstanding by her superiors and colleagues. As a result, JangGeum is sent to a place where an epidemic has broken out. At the place of epidemic, YeolI and Jung, YoonSoo plot to kill JangGeum…

Entering JeonEuiGam’s (the royal medical department in charge of educating and administration work) training area JangGeum faces difficulties straight away. Sin, IkPil, the chief medical educator, finds it objectionable that JangGeum has cured the son of HoPanDaeGam (a noble class). Min, with the effort to unveil Oh, GyumHo and his associates’ unlawful acts, requests cooperation from places he visits. Jung, WoonBaek turns him down but Min persuades him. JangGeum asks Shin, IkPil, her teacher, the reason he failed her on the exam of distinguishing medicines. Shin tells JangGeum that she is disqualified and tells her to give up on her dream of becoming the royal doctor.

Min, JungHo follows JangGeum to save her and finds JangGeum in despair. As they leave the town, they encounter the people who are confined to the village. JangGeum talks to the village people, who are outraged with betrayal, and sends Min out of town to get medicine. However, Min does not return by the time he promised with the village people…

JangGeum leaves the palace to look after the community health center. Having tried her best to follow her mother and Court Lady Han’s will, JangGeum sincerely delivers treatment to her patients while dating Min. One day, JangGeum is called upon by the King JoongJong and is ordered to carry out an act she is not able to as a royal doctor. On the other hand, the Royal Culinary Competition is being held to select the best Court Lady of the Royal Kitchen. Court Lady Min enters as a contestant…

As chief Royal Military guard insists, everyone relating to the incident, including Court Lady Choi and JangGeum, gather to the Royal Kitchen. The opinions regarding sulfur-fed ducks, which are used to prepare the King’s meal, are conflicting. They decide to test the exact same dish serve to King to HongI. Not being able to endure the torture, the merchant who sold the duck falsely confesses his crime. Due to this, Court Lady Han and JangGeum are sentenced to death on a charge of high treason.

JangGeum tries to escape to HanYang City but fails every time. One day, JangDug, a government servant, tells JangGeum how to escape. However, JangGeum fails to escape again and is taken back to the government office. JangDug gives a piece of advice to JangGeum, telling her to learn how to give up. JangGeum wonders why JangDug, who is a government servant as she is, is being treated differently other slaves. Meanwhile, Min has arrived in JeJu Island from HanYang city and finds JangGeum. Min goes to government office to meet JangGeum…

Unable to forgive herself for making a mistake in performing acupuncture on JangDug, JangGeum studies hard to better herself. Min, JungHo leaves JeJu Island with JangDug to escort 300 horses. During JangDug’s absence from the JeJu medical center in a government office, JangGeum takes charge. While Min is away, Japanese pirates take over JeJu Island and governing officials flee, leaving soldiers and government servants behind. Japanese pirates search for a medical doctor to treat their commander. At last, JangGeum has no choice but to feel the pulse for diagnosis and perform acupuncture on theJapanese commander…

GeumYoung is surprised to see JangGeum at an office of eunuch department. Court Ladies from the royal kitchen and royal medical department gather at the palace as the Queen begins showing symptoms of miscarriage. JangGeum follows them to the palace as well. The Queen discharges the blood and JangGeum is in charge of taking care of her. Court Lady Choi, who has become the Chief Court Lady, enters the palace and finds JangGeum, to her surprise. JangGeum calmly greets her…

Despite the opposition of JoaWeeJung and WooWeeJung, Min carries out King JoongJong’s order and creates a doctrine. Although she was one of her pupils, Shin, IkPil wishes to serve JangGeum as his superior officer out of pure admiration. King JoongJong visits JangGeum at the royal doctor’s office. While taking a short walk with JangGeum, JoongJong talks about his troubles as a King and his faith as a person. Queen Mother becomes very angry at the King and tells him to make JangGeum one of the royal concubines.

Even after she becomes an adult, because JangGeum still cannot keep her curiosity under control and has to see for herself whatever she needs to know, she sometimes gets in trouble and is penalized by washing dishes with SaengGakSi. Court lady Choi prepares a royal meal for Princess HyoHyey, who has been refusing to eat for 6 days, using the secret recipe only available to the predecessors in charge of the Royal Kitchen. However, Princess HyoHyey still refuses to eat and breaks down from hunger. GuemYoung prepares a porridge dish for Princess HyoHyey using charcoal, inspired by JangGeum’s use of charcoal to get rid of smells when cooking bean paste and soy sauce. Princess HyoHyey eats the porridge, saying it does not smell. Court Lady Jung praises GuemYoung and allows her to assist in preparing a golden pheasant dish for the King’s birthday. GeumYoung, however, loses the golden pheasant from the Ming dynasty. GeumYoung makes a plan to get outside the palace to buy a golden pheasant. JangGeum helps GeumYoung and accompanies her to Choi, PanSul’s house. The next day, Court Lady Choi finds out that the golden pheasant is nowhere to be found and calls for GeumYoung who also has disappeared from the palace. After thoroughly investigating YeonSaeng, Court Lady Jung, Choi, and Han consider a countermeasure. GeumYoung returns safely to the palace with a golden pheasant but JangGeum gets arrested by a Royal Military Guard officer who takes her to the Chief Court Lady.

Court Lady Choi and GeumYoung are stunned when King JoongJong speaks very highly of the whale meat dish JangGeum has cooked. Court Lady Choi suggests that JangGeum be tested whether she should stay at the Royal kitchen despite the fact that her culinary skills are outstanding. The Queen mother carefully suggests to King JoongJong that his plan to personally appoint the Chief Court Lady in charge of the Royal Kitchen is not the best idea. Then King JoongJong suggests to the Queen mother that she appoint one on his behalf. The Royal Culinary Competition, selecting the best Court Lady of the Royal Kitchen, will begin on the day of the eldest prince’s birthday ceremony.

Chief Court Lady stops Court Lady Jung while taking JangGeum and GeumYoung to Royal Military office for a trial. Chief Court Lady persuades Court Lady Jung, but doubting her intention, Court Lady Jung gives Chief Court Lady 24 hours. Choi, PanSool plots to save GeumYoung and Choi family. On the following day, Court Lady Jung regrets giving Chief Court Lady 24 hours when Chief Court Lady’s attitude has changed. Court Lady Jung decides to conceal the incident after Court Lady Han begs for JangGeum’s life. The eldest son of the King has fallen ill after having chicken porridge Gang, DukGoo, the male banquet chef, has prepared. Gang, DukGoo is taken to NaeSiBoo (King’s secretariat) for investigation but the Crown Prince’s Palace has decided that Prince is paralyzed because of food poisoning and not of illness. Court ladies of the Royal Kitchen and JangGeum investigate the cause but the situation becomes more and more unfavorable to Gang and he is subjected to a severe cross-examination.

JangGeum proves that the cause of the Prince being paralyzed is not from the food poisoning but from ginseng, maximizing the effect of nutmeg by taking ginseng and nutmeg herself. Although paralysis symptoms have faded, JangGeum suffers from losing her sense of taste and has hard time seasoning the food. On the day of celebrating Chief Court Lady’s birthday, JangGeum assists Court Lady Jung in preparing a beef casserole, as per tradition, but Chief Court Lady is dissatisfied with the food. Chief Court Lady and Choi family plot to remove Court Lady Jung from her position on the basis of her health. After noticing their plan, Court Lady Jung requests King JoongJong to have a Royal Culinary Competition to select the best Court Lady of the Royal Kitchen, a wish which is pleasantly granted by the King. Court Lady Han appoints JangGeum as her chief assistant and orders her to assist her. However, JangGeum refuses to take the position as she has lost her sense of taste. Despite knowing JangGeum may not be able to get her sense of taste back, Court Lady Han still appoints JangGeum as her chief assistant.

Court Lady Han orders JangGeum to cook bean paste soup to serve King JoongJong. The King is very satisfied with the dish. Court Lady Jung explains to King JoongJong that the reason for sauces turning sour is because of pollen, which intrigues him. The King praises Court Lady Han and JangGeum. JangGeum visits Jung, WonBaek at DaJaeHun for a pulse diagnosis. JangGeum explains her situation and begs Jung to apply acupuncture on her using bee stings but Jung refuses to do so. Court Lady Choi finds out that JangGeum has lost her sense of taste…

Court Lady Choi and GeumYoung serve ManHanJunSuk (all kinds of oily delicacies) to the chief ambassador and Oh, GyumHo asks him to punish Court Lady Han and JangGeum. However, the chief ambassador turns down the ManHanJunSuk and requests that Court Lady Han and JangGeum prepare his meal during his stay. After finding out the medicine she’s been given is slowly poisoning her, Court Lady Jung writes a letter to request Chief Court Lady to visit her residence outside the palace. The Queen mother scolds Chief Court Lady and Court Lady Choi for deceiving her.

Knowing Court Lady Han has not yet returned, the Queen mother tries to stop the competition but the Queen’s earnest request to continue the competition changes Queen mother’s mind. JangGeum prepares a chicken dish following her mother’s recipe and Court Lady Choi enters the competition with a steamed suckling pig dish. Escaping from the food storage, Court Lady Han returns to the palace where the competition is underway and carefully watches the competition. Due to her health, Court Lady Jung is looking to leave the palace as soon as she appoints her successor. However, Court Lady Choi and her family plot to reverse the Queen mother’s decision by uniting with other Royal Kitchens in the palace such as SoJooBang, DongGoongJeon, ByungGwaBang, etc…

Every Court Lady and SaengGakSi, including Court Lady Jung, tries their very best to spare JangGeum’s life. Fortunately, JangGeum is released from NaeGumWi (the Royal Military Guard) but she is about to get forced to leave the palace. Owing to Court Lady Jung and Han’s efforts and sacrifices, JangGeum is sent to DaJaeHun (a place where medical plants are being cultivated). Jung, WoonBaek who is in charge of DaJaeHun tells JangGeum not to do anything. JangGeum starts working whereas everyone else in DaJaeHun gets drunk on a daily basis. Fascinated with the virtue and cultivation of Medical plants, JangGeum aims to accomplish BaekBon cultivation. Finally, JangGeum succeeds in cultivating BaekBon which convinces everyone in DaJaeHun to change their ways. However, BaekBon garden gets ruined one day due to the malicious plot of Choi Pang Sool. Jung, WoonBaek is taken to Royal Military Guard after he pulled up BaekBon seedlings and sold them to a seedling shop. Due to this incident, the palace finds out that JangGeum has succeeded in BaekBon cultivation and JangGeum returns to the Royal Kitchen as a reward.

Court Lady Han encourages JangGeum by allowing her the chance to cook smothered prawn and Tofu Casserole. Court Lady Choi reveals to GeumYoung the secret recipe book handed down by former Chief Court Ladies in charge of the Royal Kitchen. Gang, DukGoo and his wife come across Min, JungHo and find out he is a Royal Military Guard Officer. Gang informs JangGeum of a noble man with a pendant looking for her and guides her to Min. However, JangGeum and Min do not recognize each other and miss each other on the road. One day, sauces stored in the palace turn sour. Court lady in charge of sauce storage, Chief Court lady, and Court lady in charge of the Royal kitchen are not able to find out the cause and Chief Court Lady takes the matter to the upper class for further investigation.

JangGeum and Court Lady Han find out that the letter unveiling the secret of the death of NaIn Park has disappeared. Court Lady Han suspects Court Lady Choi of instigating YoungLo and locks YoungLo up in the food storage to keep her from contacting Court Lady Choi. JangGeum seeks out Min for help. Min tells her about the secret investigation of Choi, PanSool and Oh, GyumHo and asks her to give him a little bit of time. On the other hand, Court Lady Choi and Choi, PanSool plot after finding out Court Lady Han and JangGeum will be accompanying King JoongJong on a trip to a hot spring.

Court Lady Han looks back up on her days spent with NaIn Park, JangGuem’s mother, and decides the dish she will prepare for the Royal Culinary Competition. Court Lady Choi is confident about the competition and prepares for it. But Choi, PanSool plots another consipiracy. The night before the competition, Court Lady Choi and Han return to their residence after preparing all the ingredients. However, an unfortunate incident happens at Court Lady Han’s kitchen and she leaves the palace hastily. The ingredients are damaged by domestic animals and Court Lady Han leaves the palace to shop for ingredients again. Court Lady Han does not return in time and the competition begins…

King JoongJong falls into a faint after returning from his trip to a hot spring, where he has recovered his health with a hot-spring cure and duck dish prepared by Court Lady Han. Even the Royal Medical department is unable to find the exact cause and the palace is in an uproar. After being informed about the incident, Choi, PanSool meets the royal doctor Jeong, YoonSoo to plot against Court Lady Han and JangGeum. Oh, GyumHo and royal doctor Jeong question Court Lady Han about the ingredients used, intending to make up a pretext and end up preventing Court Lady Han from entering the Royal kitchen. Oh orders Jeong to investigate the actual place.

Every Court Lady and SaengGakSi, including Court Lady Jung, tries their very best to spare JangGeum’s life. Fortunately, JangGeum is released from NaeGumWi (the Royal Military Guard) but she is about to get forced to leave the palace. Owing to Court Lady Jung and Han’s efforts and sacrifices, JangGeum is sent to DaJaeHun (a place where medical plants are being cultivated). Jung, WoonBaek who is in charge of DaJaeHun tells JangGeum not to do anything. JangGeum starts working whereas everyone else in DaJaeHun gets drunk on a daily basis. Fascinated with the virtue and cultivation of Medical plants, JangGeum aims to accomplish BaekBon cultivation. Finally, JangGeum succeeds in cultivating BaekBon which convinces everyone in DaJaeHun to change their ways. However, BaekBon garden gets ruined one day due to the malicious plot of Choi Pang Sool. Jung, WoonBaek is taken to Royal Military Guard after he pulled up BaekBon seedlings and sold them to a seedling shop. Due to this incident, the palace finds out that JangGeum has succeeded in BaekBon cultivation and JangGeum returns to the Royal Kitchen as a reward.

The jurors of the NaIn Qualification Exam including the Chief Court Lady decide to disqualify JangGeum on the basis of her inability to keep the ingredients. However, thanks to the unexpected appearance of the Queen Mother, who is satisfied with dish JangGeum has prepared for the exam, JangGeum passes. The night before commencing the NaIn training, the ceremony of taking the oath of implicit agreement between female employees of the palace takes place in the training residence. At the ceremony, a secret surrounding the birth of HangEui is revealed and strict regulations of female employees of the palace are introduced. Court Lady Han tells JangGeum stories about her best friend, NaIn Park (JangGeum’s mother), and also gives her NaIn Park’s cooking knife. However, Court Lady Han and JangGeum still do not know each other’s relationship with NaIn Park. Min, JungHo is in search of the person who saved his life (JangGeum) and goes to Gang, DugGoo’s house after finding a clue. At an outdoor Royal Kitchen set in the King’s hunting ground, Court lady Han is poisoned by the conch used in beef stock. Unable to carry out her duties, Court lady Han orders GeumYoung and JangGeum to take charge of the outdoor Royal Kitchen.

8 years has passed and the story now takes place in March, 1504. Seo, working as a smith, and Park, as a homemaker, have settled down in a rural village where butchers, one of the bottom classes of the time, live together As Park’s best friend and colleague NaIn Han has advised, they are hiding themselves from certain incidents they got involved in by disguising themselves as low-class people. Soon, Seo and Park have a daughter named JangGeum. King YeonSanGun has been tyrannizing the country for a decade and GapJaSaHwa, a political massacre, takes place. One day, Seo takes JangGeum to the market and Seo gets arrested for his involvement in killing deposed Queen Yoon. Park and JangGeum head to HanYang, the capital city at the time, hoping to meet Seo. Court lady Choi witnesses Park and JangGeum at a market place in HanYang while shopping for groceries and feels threatened by Park’s presence. Court lady Choi and her brother, Choi, PanSool, plot to kill Park. JangGeum witnesses her mother’s death and despite her grief continues to go on, spurned by a strong will to accomplish NaIn Park’s dying wish.

A cold noodle dish cooked with mineral water is highly praised by King JoongJong, and GeumYoung and JangGeum win recognition from Court Lady Han. Court Lady Min and JoBang are held responsible for the food poisoning and not allowed to access ToiSunGan (One of the Royal kitchens in the palace). This gives JangGeum the chance to access ToiSunGan, where her mother has hidden a recipe book she has written. JangGeum is excited with the idea of retrieving the recipe book her mother has left her. Court Lady Choi orders GeumYoung to hide a talisman, which will force the pregnant Queen to have a princess, for the welfare of Choi family. YeonSang witnesses JangGeum and GeumYoung coming in and out of ToiSunGan looking for or hiding something. JangGeum is accused of hiding the talisman and gets locked up in a storehouse. Because NaIn Park has told her that under no circumstances should she reveal her recipe book and the letter, JangGeum is unable to prove her innocence. YeonSaeng testifies that she saw GeumYoung hiding something in ToiSunGan. GeumYoung also gets locked up in the storehouse and the Choi family faces a crisis as a result.