This drama is a wild ride. It is a fictional story based on a real Woman in Korean history. (for around 500 years of Joseon dynasty they wrote everything down) In a male dominated world she rose to one of the highest ranks in the country; personal physician of the king. Before this drama i had been bored one night.. and watched an indie foreign film which happened to be a korean movie. it was so good i was shocked.. so i watched 2 more.. and again 100% impressed with the story quality of production and acting. it was really good. so i googled "best korean movie" and what i got back was a 54 hour Korean drama which i then proceeded to watch. My first drama.. and one of the best. Jewel in the palace has set the standard, the gold standard for historical Korean drama. you join this story with the protagonists parents. a bit of shaman mumbo jumbo almost turned me off.. but i'm glad i stuck with it. 4 hours later the foundation of the movie is set.. and the adult actress assumes the lead role in the drama. 4 hours setting the stage! 2x as long as typical western movies! this drama was an international hit!