Lee Young Ae to reprise her iconic role as Jang Geum

[Fritz]

Veteran actress Lee Young Ae will be reprising her most iconic role, that of Jang Geum from the classic 2003 MBC drama Jewel in the Palace.

Production studio Fantagio has confirmed, "The blockbuster historical drama Uinyeo Dae Jang Geum (romanized title) is gearing up to start filming in October.  With lead actress Lee Young Ae having been cast last year in June, we recently wrapped up signing the contract with the drama scriptwriter."

Uinyeo Dae Jang Geum will delve into the life story of Jang Geum as she becomes a uniyeo (female physician), following the story of Jewel in the Palace.  2024 marks the original drama's 20th anniversary, making the first filming being this year even more meaningful.  The drama is in production with the goal of airing early next year.

[Fritz]

It has been clarified that the upcoming historical drama Uinyeo Dae Jang Geum is a separate production from the 2003 MBC drama Jewel in the Palace.

On February 5, Fantagio stated, "It's true that Uinyeo Dae Jang Geum is a completely different and unrelated project from Jewel in the Palace.  It is a new fiction based on the historical figure Dae Jang Geum and her history, it does not feature the return of the character from the previous drama."  They further explained, "After signing with the writer team, the project is still in the development stage. No definitive decisions have been made yet."

In February, scriptwriter Kim Young Hyun, the original creator of Jewel in the Palace, clarified that she has no involvement in Fantagio's production of Uinyeo Dae Jang Geum.  Upon learning of the project through media reports, both Kim Young Hyun and the original drama's production team emphasized that Uinyeo Dae Jang Geum is unrelated to Jewel in the Palace, including its setting, characters, and storyline.