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The Worst Episodes of The Apothecary Diaries

Every episode of The Apothecary Diaries ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of The Apothecary Diaries!

The Worst Episodes of The Apothecary Diaries

Maomao lived a peaceful life with her apothecary father. Until one day, she's sold as a lowly servant to the emperor's palace. But she wasn't...

Seasons1

  1. Background image for A Ghost Story
    7.0/10(3 votes)

    #1 - A Ghost Story

    S1:E34

    Maomao joins some women exchanging scary stories on a hot summer night to provide chills.

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    Director:Oh Jin-koo
  2. Background image for Lead
    7.6/10(542 votes)

    #2 - Lead

    S1:E16

    A shack, a chest of drawers, and a fishbowl are all that a talented metalworker leaves to his three sons upon his death. Maomao is assigned to investigate how these strange inheritances all fit together.

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    Director:So Toyama
  3. Background image for Maomao
    7.7/10(815 votes)

    #3 - Maomao

    S1:E1

    After being kidnapped and forced to work as a servant in the rear palace, former apothecary Maomao inadvertently draws the attention of the higher ranks when she investigates what's causing the emperor's infant heirs to fall mysteriously ill.

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  4. Background image for Suicide or Murder?
    7.7/10(612 votes)

    #4 - Suicide or Murder?

    S1:E9

    An older acquaintance of Jinshi's dies while drinking at a party. A servant's body turns up in a moat. Both deaths are written off as self-inflicted, but Maomao's keen observations tell her that there's more to both stories.

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  5. Background image for The New Pure Consort
    7.7/10(561 votes)

    #5 - The New Pure Consort

    S1:E14

    Ah-Duo's replacement has arrived in the rear palace, and Maomao is assigned to give a certain lecture to all four high concubines. Later, Maomao helps Lihaku investigate a warehouse explosion.

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  6. Background image for Raw Fish
    7.7/10(552 votes)

    #6 - Raw Fish

    S1:E15

    Gaoshun requests Maomao's help in solving an apparent poisoning case. Meanwhile, Jinshi deals with an unwelcome visitor who's taken to lingering in his office.

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  8. Background image for Chilly Apothecary
    7.8/10(743 votes)

    #7 - Chilly Apothecary

    S1:E2

    Maomao tries to settle into her promotion to lady-in-waiting and food taster, but struggles to fend off both boredom and the overly-familiar Jinshi. That is, until she gets an assignment of her dreams: to concoct an aphrodisiac.

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  9. Background image for Honey
    7.8/10(599 votes)

    #8 - Honey

    S1:E10

    A tea party hosted by Lady Gyokuyou puts the politics of the rear palace at the forefront, and Maomao learns something new about Lady Lishu. His true intentions unclear, Jinshi sends Maomao to work for Lady Ah-Duo.

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  10. Background image for Serving in the Outer Court
    7.8/10(584 votes)

    #9 - Serving in the Outer Court

    S1:E13

    To Maomao's surprise, Jinshi brings her directly to his house instead of taking her back to the rear palace, and tells her she's to work in the outer court. Not only is there much to learn, it seems there's many eyes on her as the new hire.

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  11. Background image for The Empress Dowager
    7.8/10(4 votes)

    #10 - The Empress Dowager

    S1:E32

    Maomao's reputation for resolving conflicts reaches the empress dowager, who will ask for her help to unravel a mystery that won't leave her mind.

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    Director:Jun Owada
  12. Background image for Covert Operations
    7.9/10(688 votes)

    #11 - Covert Operations

    S1:E5

    A eunuch stricken by a curse comes begging for aid. Meanwhile, the rear palace buzzes with excitement as everyone prepares for the upcoming garden party, and Gyokuyou's ladies-in-waiting aren't about to let Maomao get away without dressing her up.

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    Director:Gaku Shiga
  13. Background image for Homecoming
    7.9/10(651 votes)

    #12 - Homecoming

    S1:E7

    Gaoshun goes to Maomao to get her help in resolving the events of the garden party. Later, Xiaolan explains the purpose of the hairpins Maomao was gifted, and Maomao makes a deal with Lihaku in order to finally visit home.

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    Director:Tadao Okubo
  14. Background image for A Jaunt Around Town
    7.9/10(550 votes)

    #13 - A Jaunt Around Town

    S1:E17

    Covering up Jinshi's otherworldly beauty is no easy task, but after Maomao takes the challenge head-on, she's surprised when she's also asked to don the disguise of a noblewoman and escort "Jinka" outside the palace.

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  15. Background image for How to Buy Out a Contract
    7.9/10(532 votes)

    #14 - How to Buy Out a Contract

    S1:E21

    Back to work at the rear palace, Maomao listens to Guen talk about his family's business. Meanwhile, Lihaku hears a rumor that whips him into action.

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    Director:Yuushi Ibe
  16. Background image for Blue Roses
    7.9/10(528 votes)

    #15 - Blue Roses

    S1:E22

    Lakan challenges Jinshi to produce blue roses to present at the upcoming garden party, forcing Jinshi to turn once again to Maomao for her help.

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  17. Background image for The Eunuch and the Courtesan
    8.0/10(604 votes)

    #16 - The Eunuch and the Courtesan

    S1:E12

    Discovering that Maomao's kidnappers were connected to Fengming's family, Jinshi is faced with a choice between keeping Maomao in the rear palace where he can be near her or releasing her from her service.

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  18. Background image for Caravan
    8.0/10(3 votes)

    #17 - Caravan

    S1:E26

    The caravan stirs up excitement in the inner palace. The merchants bring all kinds of goods. However, something gives Maomao a bad feeling.

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  19. Background image for Mirror
    8.0/10(4 votes)

    #18 - Mirror

    S1:E28

    The special envoy from a foreign land gifts mirrors - a rarity in this country - to the high concubines. However, they bring mysteries as well.

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  20. Background image for The Crystal Pavilion, for the Third Time
    8.0/10(3 votes)

    #19 - The Crystal Pavilion, for the Third Time

    S1:E30

    The woman from the clinic finds out that Maomao knows a thing or two about medicine, and asks for her help.

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  21. Background image for The Unsettling Matter of the Spirit
    8.1/10(782 votes)

    #20 - The Unsettling Matter of the Spirit

    S1:E3

    Tasked with investigating a ghostly woman dancing nightly on the palace walls, Maomao finds a sleepwalking Concubine Fuyou. But with no medicinal cure for sleepwalking, she's forced to dig deeper to find the real reason behind Fuyou's affliction.

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  22. Background image for Wheat Stalks
    8.2/10(661 votes)

    #21 - Wheat Stalks

    S1:E8

    Maomao's peaceful morning at home is interrupted when she's called in to investigate an apparent double suicide at one of the local brothels.

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  23. Background image for Lakan
    8.2/10(589 votes)

    #22 - Lakan

    S1:E18

    Back at home, Maomao visits an annex building at the Verdigris House that hides one of the brothel's secrets. Lakan continues to antagonize Jinshi as his connection to Maomao becomes clear.

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  24. Background image for Thornapple
    8.2/10(549 votes)

    #23 - Thornapple

    S1:E20

    Maomao was able to stop the assassination attempt, but was heavily injured in the process. However, the injuries aren't enough to stop her curiosity, driving her to confront the culprit behind the incident.

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  25. Background image for The Garden Party
    8.3/10(728 votes)

    #24 - The Garden Party

    S1:E6

    Maomao does her best to navigate the complex social situations at the garden party, including meeting the other Upper First rank concubines. But once she settles down to do her work as a food-taster, she discovers a surprise in a bowl of soup.

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  26. Background image for Corpse Fungus
    8.3/10(4 votes)

    #25 - Corpse Fungus

    S1:E27

    A concubine passes away, and a woman goes missing. Jinshi sends Maomao to investigate - not these incidents, but mushrooms growing in the rear palace.

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Worst Episodes Summary

"A Ghost Story" is the worst rated episode of "The Apothecary Diaries". It scored 7/10 based on 3 votes. Directed by Oh Jin-koo and written by Yuko Kakihara, it aired on 3/14/2025. This episode scored 0.6 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Lead".