Jang-geum

Life & Legacy

Janggeum (Korean: 장금; Hanja: 長今; fl. early 16th century) was reputedly the first female royal physician in Korean history. She was mentioned 10 times in the Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty. It is known that Jungjong of Joseon was pleased with Janggeum's medical knowledge and trusted her with taking care of the royal family. She was granted the use of Dae (Korean: 대; Hanja: 大; RR: Dae; MR: Tae) (which means "great" in Korean) before her first name.
Some sources attest to Janggeum as a real person and it is still a topic of debate among scholars. Janggeum is considered an important person in Korean history, although there is little information about her.