All episodes

Jeong Nan Jeong laments being born a concubine's daughter, writes a poem to destroy her marriage prospects and sends it to her matchmakers. When the Madam finds out...

Jeong Nan Jeong, a concubine's daughter, wishes to be daughter-in-law to a noble family or even Lady Jeonggyeong, but says she'll be a nun if she can't achieve this...

Nan Jeong stands up to her father Yun Gyeom after he scolds her, asking how wanting to be a noble family's daughter-in-law or Lady Jeonggyeong is a crime. Won Hyeong...

Bowoo seeks audience with the Queen to pray for her conception. Nan Jeong says she'll never become a concubine.

During Bowoo's audience with the Queen, Won Hyeong begs him to pray for the Queen to bear a Prince...

Nan Jeong meets with Jinsu and speaks to him of the path a woman must walk...

Seeing Baek Ryeong wants to take care of Nan Jeong, Jinsu asks her to wait as his concubine until he can take her in as the legal wife. Nan Jeong responds...

Lady Lee says if a man hanged himself before a maiden's quarters before marriage, the marriage may be in peril. She asks Nan Jeong what's going on, but Nan Jeong seems dubious...

Nan Jeong tells Jinsu he's a fool if he thinks setting up something so ridiculous to ruin her marriage would make her become his concubine. She tells him it's not too late...

Yun Gyeom tells Jinsu his father immersed himself in study, engaged in State affairs and eventually became Deputy Finance Minister...

Fearing his father might be sacked from his position, Jinsu gets rid of the corpse and visits Ok Mae Hyang. Song Chi Han demands to find the corpse...

Song Chi Han realizes the dead body is his little brother, meets with Jinsu and tells him to find the corpse by any and all means. After a letter from Kwema Baek Ryeong, he digs up the place where the corpse is buried and confirms...

Baek Ryeong says either Nan Jeong schemed this up to purposefully ruin her marriage prospects because they were all for her to become a concubine, or that it was Jinsu, who loves her dearly.

Chi Han digs up where the corpse was buried with Jinsu, but when nothing turns up, Yun Gyeom says it was Jinsu's doing for sure, and says to turn him over to the State Tribunal. Nan Jeong...

Yun Im says if the Queen bears a Princess it would be Heaven helping him, but if she bears a Prince, it'll be big trouble.

Yun Gyeom overlooks Nan Jeong's wrongs and ends up sacked from his post as Deputy Finance Minister but Nan Jeong runs into hiding instead of worrying about him, causing him to fly into a rage. Jinsu bears the humiliation in case any trouble came to his father, but...

Won Hyeong says Chi Han was definitely instigated by Yun Im and threatens to kill Chi Han unless he tells the truth, but Bowoo says he'll take care of everything...

Yun Gyeom says he's sure Lady Lee's behind Nan Jeong's disappearance and yells at her to find her before nightfall. Nan Jeong asks Chi Han why she should make a promise if they're the only ones who know what happened...

The nanny visits Bongeun Temple and says Yun Gyeom had a match for Nan Jeong but without the bride-to-be, he's especially angry.

Jinsu says if Song Chi Han was with Bowoo, then Nan Jeong's definitely at Bongeun Temple. He pledges to find her by any means...

Jinsu tells Nan Jeong to come down to his father's ancestral shine, burn incense for him and recount the full story...

Yun Im says he just came to see the face of renowned Pyeongyang courtesan Ok Mae Hyang, but upon seeing her he wants to make her his concubine...

Nan Jeong tells Jinsu she'd die with no regrets if she could serve him as her husband for even one day, then begins to wail in tears.

Lady Min sees Nan Jeong dressed as a nun and scolds her, saying Buddhism is banned throughout the nation - what is this bizarre appearance? She meets Lady Lee at Bongeun Temple and asks how one girl can cause Court officials...

To his own Queen, the King...

After 10 months, Yun Im says the Queen had a Princess...

Yun Gyeom tells Bowoo he covets State affairs too much for a monk, and that he won't escape grave punishment for hiding a criminal...

Yun Im worries what will happen to the Crown Prince if the Queen bears a Prince, as the Crown Prince is sickly and still without descendants.

Itching to make Nan Jeong his concubine, Won Hyeong calls Chi Han and pressures him to tell him everything he knows about Nan Jeong. Chi Han says Nan Jeong is like an ungovernable wildfire...

Won Hyeong visits Bongeun Temple in an attempt to make Nan Jeong his concubine, but Nan Jeong tells him she'll never be a concubine...

Won Hyeong takes Nan Jeong's letter to Jeong Yun Gyeom with ridiculous insolence. Im Baek Ryeong's heart breaks upon receiving Ok Mae Hyang's ardent letter of single-minded devotion, but when he hears Won Hyeong went to Bongeun Temple for Nan Jeong...

Nan Jeong returns home full of confidence, to Yun Gyeom and Lady Lee's surprise. Upon hearing Nan Jeong came down the mountain, Jinsu spills his heart to Im Baek Ryeong, saying he can't forget Nan Jeong...

Yun Gyeom is dumbfounded to hear about his daughter Nan Jeong from Won Hyeong. Jinsu visits Bongeun Temple, where Bowoo advises him to get over Nan Jeong and dedicate himself to his studies.

Nan Jeong warmly receives Won Hyeong, and tells him to give her the document stating he'll make her the legal wife once she gives him an heir. Won Hyeong plays innocent on the surface, but finds Nan Jeong even cuter for being so intelligent. Nan Jeong notices the document is in his sleeve, and makes a decision that would decide the rest of her life.

Won Hyeong and Nan Jeong finally prepare the bridal chamber together. As promised, Lady Lee firmly believes Nan Jeong will become Won Hyeong's legal wife. Meanwhile, the Court overnight...

After preparing the bridal chamber, Nan Jeong soaks the document Won Hyeong gave her in oil and buries it in a jar underground. Meanwhile, Won Hyeong is satisfied until he receives word on movements in Court, then visits his sister the Queen. Kim An Ro speaks his mind to Shim Jeong, saying he should never ever become Left State Councilor. Won Hyeong and the Queen discuss plans for the future together...

Nan Jeong tells Won Hyeong it's his fault Miss Gwacheon came over...

When Jinsu sees Lady Kim at Nan Jeong's house, he begins scolding Nan Jeong for her motives. In an attempt to prevent a crisis, Lady Kim scolds Nan Jeong and wants to make her take an oath at Bongeun Temple, but...

Nan Jeong is full of confidence, telling Lady Kim she'll become the Lady from Gyodong for sure once she has the child Lady Kim couldn't. But, Lady Lee...

Won Hyeong and Won Ro worry at Left State Councilor Kim An Ro's growth in power, and discuss making Kwema Im Baek Ryeong a Royal Secretary.

King Jungjong orders all bells at Buddhist temples to be moved to the Four Greater Gates for use as curfew bells. Bowoo seeks Won Hyeong and asks to rectify this. Yun Im and An Ro worry for the future upon hearing Kwema became a Royal Secretary.

Yun Im and Kim An Ro plot to exile Yun Won Hyeong and his brother in retaliation for making Kwema Im Baek Ryeong a Royal Secretary. Lady Lee visits Bowoo and asks him what to do since Nan Jeong's gone a year without conceiving...

Nan Jeong starts dry heaving. Assured it's a sign of pregnancy, Won Hyeong rejoices...

Lady Kim takes Won Hyeong's medicine to Nan Jeong. Won Hyeong and Won Ro are sacked from their positions and exiled far away...

Nan Jeong and Ok Mae Hyang tell Won Hyeong they'll spread rumors to cause a rift between Yun Im and Kim An Ro. Lady Kim visits the Queen and tells her Won Hyeong's exile was all because of Nan Jeong...

The Queen hears Lady Kim's story and realizes Nan Jeong is no ordinary girl. She sends Court Lady Kim to Nan Jeong's house to find out the truth...

The Queen calls Nan Jeong to the Palace to find out what kind of woman she is. Nan Jeong thinks Lady Kim schemed this but finding this a golden opportunity to display her overflowing intelligence, she urgently enters the Palace. While in audience with the Queen, Nan Jeong says Yun Im and Kim An Ro must be driven apart, her powerful petitions startling the Queen. Inwardly, the Queen thinks Nan Jeong's intelligence...

Lady Kim calls Nan Jeong and asks her for her birth details, but seeing through her intentions, Nan Jeong gets up without a word. The shaman tells Lady Kim she must get rid of Nan Jeong by any means...

As Nan Jeong approaches her delivery date, she visits Won Hyeong at his place of exile and has a son there. Won Hyeong is proud of her and names the son Hyowon. Nan Jeong reminds Won Hyeong of the contract to make her the legal wife...

Won Hyeong guarantees Nan Jeong he'll make her the legal wife the moment he returns to the Capital. Meanwhile in Court, Nan Jeong's plan falls smoothly into place and Kim An Ro and Yun Im begin scheming against each other, while Nan Jeong smiles in satisfaction. Kim An Ro is eventually granted a bowl of poison...

Won Hyeong is released from exile and returns to Hanyang, to the joy of the Queen and her entire family. What's more, he gets promoted to Sixth Advisor in the Special Advisors' Office. The Queen summons Won Hyeong to compliment Nan Jeong, and Won Hyeong tells Lady Kim he's bringing Nan Jeong to Gyodong.

Won Hyeong is excited to bring Nan Jeong to Gyodong and rushes preparations to receive her. Tormented by the issue of Nan Jeong, Lady Kim sends word to her stepmother Lady Kang as her last means of support. When Lady Kang arrives at Gyodong...

Jinsu meets Nan Jeong at Bowoo's hermitage, where Nan Jeong counsels Jinsu to focus on his studies. Lady Kang argues with Won Hyeong over Nan Jeong...

The Queen compliments Nan Jeong in front of Lady Kim, who simmers on the inside. Nan Jeong has Won Hyeong leave the room and becomes engrossed in discussion with the Queen, who goes as far as skipping dinner.

Won Hyeong has doubts about Nan Jeong's past and sends someone to bring Jinsu over. Nan Jeong prepares a drinking table for Jinsu and Won Hyeong, then leaves so they can have an open discussion.

Nan Jeong calls Chi Han, Mr An and Miss Gwacheon to her room, shows them the contract Won Hyeong gave her and hands them brass coins to make them her people. Meanwhile, Lady Kim calls back the shaman and plans to get rid of Nan Jeong.

Nan Jeong is calm and collected as she hears Lady Kim called a shaman to harm Hyowon and herself. That night, Won Hyeong enters her chambers and she advises him to visit the main house...

When Miss Gwacheon tells Nan Jeong that the shaman is trying to harm her at the main house again, Nan Jeong takes Chi Han to the main house and reveals...

Realizing she's trying to harm Hyowon, Nan Jeong drags the shaman to her chambers and whips her. When Lady Kim arrives to apologize to Nan Jeong...

Won Hyeong flies into a rage at finding out what Lady Kim did, turns the shaman over to the State Tribunal and kicks Lady Kim out to the annex.

With Lady Kim thrown out to the annex, Nan Jeong finally takes up the main house. This rumor spreads back to back until it reaches King Jungjong's ears.

Rumors of Nan Jeong reach King Jungjong's ears, and he personally summons Won Hyeong to find out the truth. Nan Jeong sends Miss Gwacheon on an errand to take the house keys from Lady Kim...

Lady Kang rebukes Nan Jeong as she hands her over the keys, and Nan Jeong orders Chi Han to drag Lady Kang away.

Nan Jeong enters the Palace with Won Hyeong on an errand for the Queen, while Yun Im and Yun Won Ro drink together at Ok Mae Hyang's house despite being on bad terms.

While Nan Jeong plays the swearing game with the Queen, Grand Prince Gyeongwon stops by for his evening greetings and Nan Jeong intentionally calls him the Crown Prince. After repeatedly wandering in indecision, Jinsu finally solidifies his resolve to take the civil exam.

Back from meeting with the Queen, Nan Jeong thinks she can become Lady Jeonggyeong if she gets rid of Lady Kim.

Jinsu finally aces the civil exam.

Lady Kim falls for Nan Jeong's scheme, drinks the poisoned rice punch and dies.

Rumors spread throughout the Capital that Lady Kim didn't kill herself, but was poisoned by Nan Jeong.

Jeong Yun Gyeom and Won Ro get dizzy when Lady Kang presents evidence that Nan Jeong killed Lady Kim. As Lady Kim's bier proceeds to be buried, the rumors slowly turn against Nan Jeong...

Lady Kang visits Yun Im and entreats him to punish Nan Jeong for poisoning Lady Kim. Won Hyeong grows suspicious of Nan Jeong and asks her to remain at home. Nan Jeong, now in a dilemma...

The State Tribunal sends troops to arrest Nan Jeong, but she gives them brass coins to buy time...

The Queen hears Yun Im's petition to punish Nan Jeong severely...

When Lady Kang hears Nan Jeong was released safely from the State Tribunal, she complains to Yun Im, but Yun Im feels to his bones that he no longer has enough power, and says he won't get involved anymore.

While Nan Jeong is flogging Miss Gwacheon, Lady Kang brings news that Yun Gyeom is in critical condition to save Miss Gwacheon from disaster. Lady Kang seeks Jinsu and begs him in tears to take revenge for the late Lady Kim...

King Jungjong suddenly expresses his intention to relinquish the Throne, setting the Court off like a swarm of bees. Nan Jeong counsels the Queen that the Crown Prince must first take the Throne for Grand Prince Gyeongwon to succeed him.

King Jungjong takes back his intention to hand over the Throne to the Crown Prince, while Yun Im and Won Hyeong raise their voices before the Crown Prince. This causes them to drift apart until Yun Im eventually...

The East Palace is set ablaze. The Crown Prince is safe but Yun Im reports to King Jungjong that it was definitely arson.

Yun Im schemes with Jinsu to accuse Won Hyeong and his brother of setting fire to the East Palace. In an attempt to escape disaster, Nan Jeong...

Nan Jeong meets Ok Mae Hyang and confesses the pains of being a concubine, while King Jungjong calls in Yun Im and Won Hyeong, threatening them with severe punishment for their factional strife.

Seeing the warm brotherhood between the Crown Prince and Grand Prince Gyeongwon, King Jungjong is further saddened by the Royal in-laws' infighting. Nan Jeong appeals to Won Hyeong to plan before trying to extend his hand to the State Council, but Won Hyeong reacts indifferently.

Seeing no action from the State Council, King Jungjong scolds them in anger, but unable to punish relatives of the Crown Prince and the Grand Prince, the three State Councilors all resign.

King Jungjong calls in Won Hyeong, his brother and Yun Im, then harshly scolds them for their factional strife. He makes them take an oath never to engage in factional strife again, then by the Crown Prince's ardent request, forgives them and sends them away.

Ok Mae Hyang visits Nan Jeong and tells her Yun Im's conspiring to get rid of Won Hyeong. Just in time, Won Hyeong receives a Royal Command to act as emissary to China...

Won Hyeong returns safely from China...

King Jungjong's heir the Crown Prince ascends the Throne as the Joseon Dynasty's 12th King Injong. The new King's uncle Yun Im's power is enough to pierce the Heavens, but the sickly Injong's future is dark...

King Injong appoints Won Hyeong as Deputy Works Minister to console the Queen Dowager, causing a fuss in Court over such an extreme promotion.

Yun Im persistently asks to remove Won Hyeong and his brother from their posts. Unable to bear this, King Injong strips them both of their ranks...

Enraged, the Queen Dowager scolds King Injong when he stops by for his greetings. A most filial son, Injong is tormented. Meanwhile, Nan Jeong sets up a shrine deep in Mount Namsan and prays for Injong to die quickly...

Yun Im gives the Queen a letter from Nan Jeong saying Prince Dongseong must become Crown Prince, not Grand Prince Gyeongwon.

King Injong suffers insults from the Queen Dowager over the letter, and takes to bed sick...

King Injong passes away just seven months after taking the Throne, at the prime age of 30. His last words are to pass the Throne to Grand Prince Gyeongwon.

Grand Prince Gyeongwon ascends the Throne at the age of 12 as the Joseon Dynasty's 13th King Myeongjong. Myeongjong's mother Queen Munjeong slowly begins her regency from behind the curtain...

Sitting behind the screen in the governance hall, Queen Munjeong is the second Queen to rule from behind the curtain since King Seongjong's Great Queen Dowager Jeonghee.

Yun Won Ro's flippant behavior incurs the wrath of the Court statesmen, and they petition to send him on exile.

Unable to bear the consensus of the swarming Court, Queen Munjeong finally exiles her brother Yun Won Ro to Haenam. Hearing this news, Won Hyeong smiles in satisfaction instead of mourning.

Queen Munjeong secretly calls Won Hyeong and orders him to get rid of Yun Im and his faction. So begins the Literati Purge of 1545...

The day after Queen Munjeong gives her secret order, a Royal audience is opened to impeach Yun Im and his faction, and Yun Im is exiled.

Nan Jeong visits Ok Mae Hyang, and to completely root out Yun Im's faction, she has Samwol...

Yun Im is finally poisoned according to Won Hyeong's plan.

Jinsu incurs Queen Munjeong's wrath after offering her counsel at the governance hall and ends up in jail. Jinsu's wife Lady Yun wants to save her husband...