What story will the confirmed sequel to 'Dae Jang Geum' tell?

Fantasia, the Korean TV drama series production company, has confirmed the production of a sequel to the 2003 drama 'Dae Jang Geum'. Lee Young-ae, who starred in the original series, has already confirmed her participation, and the production company is reportedly in the process of recruiting a screenwriter.

However, those who have seen 'Dae Jang Geum' in its entirety may have a lingering question. In the final episode of 'Dae Jang Geum', Jang-geum leaves the palace, and all the conflicts surrounding her seem to have been resolved.

The protagonist of 'Dae Jang Geum', 'Seo Jang-geum', is a fictional character based on a real person named 'Jang-geum' who lived in 16th-century Korea. She worked as a 'ui-nyeo', a female physician in the Joseon royal court, and was the personal physician to King Jungjong, the 11th king of the Joseon dynasty. In the 2003 TV drama series, she was also depicted as a royal chef, and she is more widely known to modern viewers as King Jungjong's chef.**

'Dae Jang Geum' concluded with a portrayal of Jang-geum in her 50s, working as a physician after leaving the royal palace following the death of King Jungjong. Therefore, the 2024 drama 'Ui-nyeo Dae Jang Geum' is expected to tell the story of Jang-geum in her 50s after leaving the palace. Notably, actress Lee Young-ae is 53 years old, which is similar to the age of Jang-geum in the final episode of 'Dae Jang Geum'.

However, this is all we can speculate on at this point. The 'Joseon Wangjo Sillok' (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty) mentions that Jang-geum informed King Jungjong's officials of his impending death, and subsequently disappears from the historical records. Therefore, 'Ui-nyeo Dae Jang Geum' is likely to be a completely original story for the TV drama series.

However, the final episode of 'Dae Jang Geum' features a description indicating that it is the 7th year of King Myeongjong's reign, the 13th king of Joseon. Therefore, it is possible that Jang-geum may have been involved in real-life events that occurred during Myeongjong's reign.

The historical event that most closely aligns with the conclusion of 'Dae Jang Geum' is the 'Eulmyo Waebyeon' (Japanese Invasion of 1555), which took place in the 10th year of King Myeongjong's reign. In 1555, Japanese warlords invaded the southern part of the Korean peninsula. Notably, during this invasion, the Japanese warlords attacked Jeju Island, where Seo Jang-geum had learned her medical skills. It is possible that Jang-geum could have served as a physician during wartime and revisited Jeju Island, where she had been exiled.

Several supporting characters could also make a reappearance. Queen Munjeong, who appeared as a supporter of Seo Jang-geum in 'Dae Jang Geum', ruled Joseon for eight years in place of King Myeongjong during his reign. Actress Park Jung-sook, who played Queen Munjeong, is also 54 years old, which is similar to the character's age at the end of 'Dae Jang Geum'.

Of course, very little is known about 'Ui-nyeo Dae Jang Geum' at this point. As the title suggests, it will likely focus on Jang-geum's role as a physician, and the return of actress Lee Young-ae is all we know for certain. 'Ui-nyeo Dae Jang Geum' is aiming for a release in the first half of 2025.