Although this was a re-watch after many years, it was as enjoyable as I remembered it. Since I watched this one immediately after a re-watch of Dong Yi (which I dropped) and because they have the same director, the similarities and differences between the two were even more noticeable. Despite this series being the older one, it was still superior in its execution.

The story revolves around the female lead, Jang Geum, and one of the best parts for me was the much deeper dive into her childhood. Most series with this feel usually brushes quickly on the lead's tragic past and pans to their adulthood. But in this one, you become more invested because of a good introduction to her parents and her youth. She was made out to be pretty much a genius at learning as expected but she was in multiple situations that showed she still had plenty of room to grow.

The politics is very heavy around the royal kitchen and royal physicians which provides a unique glimpse on how these seemingly straight-forwarded offices can influence the court. There are also many historically factual explanations around food/herb combinations which is interesting. Scallion and honey? Yes, I looked that one up.

The negatives I have are pretty common for these longer series where some scenes dragged along with some unnecessary flashbacks. The coincidental and tragic situations our female lead goes through also ends up feeling repetitive at times where it loses its impact. And lastly, the last few episodes felt like an add-on when it should have been an intricate part of Jang Geum's history.

Nevertheless, it was worth this second watch.