Jang Ok-Jeong

Ok-jeong, renowned for her original hanbok designs. She lost her father at a young age and was separated from her mother and brother. Her father's cousin, Jang Hyun, schemed to use Ok-jeong to settle his grudge against Min Yujun, a powerful figure in the royal palace. One day, while taking measurements for a garment, Ok-jeong happened to encounter Crown Prince Lee Sun there.©SBS

Young Sun couldn't bear seeing his father, King Hyeonjong, held captive by the powerful Western faction ministers. Meanwhile, Okjeong, taken in by Lady Kang, an acquaintance of his father, was rapidly honing her talent for sewing. One day, Sun slipped out incognito and encountered Okjeong at a bookstore. Harassed by ruffians, the two fled together. ©SBS

At the banquet hosted by Prince Dongpyeong, Okjeong and Seung reunited. Seung recognized Okjeong's features but couldn't place her. Meanwhile, Ok-jeong, pursued by debt collectors, learns a merchant group recruiting members to deliver armor is forming.©SBS

Ok-jeong, who wandered into the training grounds, encounters Sun again there. Mistaking Sun for the commander of the Royal Guard, Ok-jeong learns movements for armor-making. However, the armor Ok-jeong crafted is rejected due to Min Yoo-joon's scheming. Taking this as an opportunity, Jang Hyun moves to execute a plan he had long been considering.©SBS

Jang Hyun was planning to send Okjeong to Prince Bokseon. Meanwhile, at the palace, King Hyeonjong passed away, and Sukjong ascended the throne. To reform the palace, Sukjong summoned Ho Jok, a leading figure of the Southerners faction. However, Ho Jok conspired with Prince Bokseon to attack Sukjong. ©SBS

King Sukjong is attacked once more. Meanwhile, Okjeong is also discovered by pursuers and brought back with her mother. Okjeong accepts the proposal from her mother's master, Cho Sasok, and the Grand Queen Dowager, agreeing to become a lady-in-waiting in the Needle Room on the condition that her mother be set free. Upon learning this, Jang Hyun was already plotting a new conspiracy. ©SBS

At the last moment, Jang Hyun, who defected from Prince Bokseon to the king, thwarted the rebellion. Jang Hyun pressured the Queen Dowager through Cho Sasok to send Okjeong to King Sukjong as soon as possible. Thus, the two reunited in the palace. However, King Sukjong, suspecting a conspiracy behind Okjeong's sudden arrival, lashed out at her in anger.©SBS

Queen Inkyung, stricken with smallpox, passed away in King Sukjong's arms. Officials, led by Min Yujun who had returned to court, immediately pressed King Sukjong to select the next queen. Yet behind the scenes, Min's daughter, Inyeon, had already been secretly chosen. Okjeong made a queen's ceremonial robe, a wonsan, for Inyeon. ©SBS

King Sukjong confessed his feelings to Okjeong. Dongpyeonggun, who had long harbored secret feelings for Okjeong, couldn't hide his agitation upon learning of the king's feelings. Amidst this, King Sukjong, trying to protect Okjeong from a runaway horse, struck his head and fell into a coma. ©SBS

Okjeong, driven out, finds refuge with Dongpyeong-gun. At Jang Hyun's instigation, the Queen Dowager is told by a shaman to perform a purification ritual. Exposed to the cold, she bathes in water and falls ill. Perhaps because of this, King Sukjong finally awakens and consummates his feelings with Okjeong. ©SBS

In-yeong becomes queen. Among the crowd watching the procession into the palace stood Ok-jeong. Learning Ok-jeong was alive, the Grand Queen Dowager hastily summoned her to the palace and reunited her with King Sukjong. The two embraced tightly. Moved by Ok-jeong's fierce determination to obtain what she desired, Sukjong sought to have her recognized by those around him. ©SBS

When the Queen Dowager tried to force her to take infertility medicine, Okjeong showed her resolve, declaring she would rather die. Meanwhile, at the royal court, Min Yujun, wielding immense power, was systematically undermining King Sukjong's policies. Sukjong seethed with frustration at his inability to achieve his goals. ©SBS

King Sukjong is shocked to learn the Queen Dowager tried to give Okjeong infertility medicine. To survive in the palace, he must produce an heir at all costs. The Queen Dowager summons a fortune teller to make the Queen conceive before Okjeong, but it turns out the Queen is barren. Meanwhile, Min Yujun is secretly meeting with Chin, a mysterious tycoon who arrived from Qing.©SBS

Okjeong openly displays her anger upon seeing her mother humiliated by the Queen Dowager and the Queen. Meanwhile, the Qing merchant Jin presses Min Yujun to arrange an audience with King Sukjong in exchange for a deal. Jang Hyun, whose business has been taken over by Jin, cannot hide his frustration. ©SBS

Due to the Dowager Queen's scheme, Okjeong suffered a miscarriage. King Sukjong regarded it as if she had given birth to a son and granted her the title of Consort Hee. However, upon learning that even if she bore an heir, the child would be raised as the Queen's offspring, Okjeong's desire for the sole position of Queen began to burn fiercely. ©SBS

The poison in her midnight meal plunges Okjeong into a coma. Fearing suspicion would fall on the Queen, the Dowager Queen lies, claiming she administered the poison herself. She then passes away in the presence of King Sukjong. This incident creates a slight rift between Okjeong and the King. ©SBS

Okjeong revealed her pregnancy before the ministers. She and King Sukjong regained their former affectionate bond. From the shadows, Jin watched the two of them... There was another person there: Choi Moo-seul. Thus, Okjeong gave birth to a son. King Sukjong, wanting to make his son Yun the Crown Prince, planned to elevate Okjeong from concubine to the position of Queen.©SBS

The palace erupted in chaos when King Sukjong collapsed. Min Yujun seized this opportunity to attempt to eliminate Okjeong once more, but she was saved by Jin's intervention. Jin was none other than Lady Kang's son, Chis. Chis urged Okjeong to flee with him, but she refused. Meanwhile, Min Yujun was secretly approaching Dongpyeonggun, plotting to use him to seize the throne from King Sukjong.©SBS

To make Yun the Crown Prince, King Sukjong resolved to dethrone the Queen and install Okjeong in her place. Okjeong finally claimed the "best clothes" Sukjong had promised her in his youth. Yet at the same time, Okjeong grew increasingly tormented by the feeling that someone else was stealing the King's heart. ©SBS

Chis, who has agreed to fund King Sukjong's political activities, arrives at the palace. Knowing the truth behind the poisoned midnight meal incident, Okjeong is consumed by anxiety. Suspecting Chis might even know about King Sukjong, Okjeong's paranoia grows, and she sends assassins after him. ©SBS

Upon hearing that Che Musri had received royal favor, Okjeong flew into a rage. King Sukjong had pretended to favor Che, knowing full well the Westerners had sent him. Meanwhile, Jang Hyun directly petitioned Sukjong to make him the king's father-in-law. However, Sukjong, aware of Jang's misdeeds, instead had him imprisoned. ©SBS

Okjeong, reviled by the people, was utterly disheartened. King Sukjong was also deeply shocked. Meanwhile, Jang Hyun threatened the king and finally ascended to the position of King's Father-in-Law, only to be killed by a subordinate he trusted at his daughter's grave. The subordinate had been bribed by Jisoo. ©SBS

Queen Inhyeon is restored to her position, but Okjeong is permitted to remain in the palace as Consort Hee. Soon after, however, Queen Inhyeon falls ill. To make matters worse, Crown Prince Yun contracts smallpox and hovers between life and death. Worried for Yun, Okjeong, at her mother's urging, performs a prayer forbidden within the royal household. ©SBS

Lady Choi, who secretly witnessed Okjeong praying in the palace, accused her of cursing Queen Inhyeon. The ministers pressed King Sukjong to order Okjeong's execution. Furthermore, a captured court lady, unable to endure the torture, falsely confessed to cursing Queen Inhyeon. King Sukjong agonized. Finally, he had no choice but to let go of Okjeong's hand, which he had held so tightly...©SBS