This series is quite a journey. It tells a made-up story inspired by a woman from Korean history—records of everything were kept during roughly 500 years of the Joseon dynasty. In a society controlled by men, she achieved one of the most important positions in the nation: royal physician. I had been feeling restless one evening and decided to watch an independent foreign film, which turned out to be Korean. I was surprised by how good it was, so I watched two more, and each time I was really impressed with the quality of the storytelling, production values, and acting. It was truly excellent. That’s when I searched “best Korean movie,” and the results led me to this 54-hour historical drama that I immediately started watching. My first experience with a series like this, and it's among the very best. *Jewel in the Palace* has now become the benchmark for historical Korean dramas. The story begins with the parents of the main character; some mystical elements almost made me stop watching, but I’m glad I didn’t. About four hours into it, the groundwork is laid, and a different actress takes over the starring role. Four hours just to set things up! That's twice as long as most Western films! This drama was very popular around the world.

Source on TMDB