Park Myeong-yi is a minor character in Dae Jang Geum

Dae Jang Geum

Dae Jang Geum is a 2003 epic South Korean television series directed by Lee Byung Hoon and produced by MBC. Starring Lee Young Ae, it tells the tale of an orphaned kitchen cook who went on to become the king's first female physician...

. She is Seo Jang Geum

Seo Jang Geum

For the historical figure that this character is based on, see Jang GeumSeo Jang Geum is the main character of the Korean television series Dae Jang Geum. Based on the historical figure Jang Geum, possibly the first and only female physician of the King in all of Korean history...

's mother. Myeong-yi is from the upper class yangban

Yangban

The yangban were part of the traditional ruling class or nobles of dynastic Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. The yangban were either landed or unlanded aristocracy who comprised the Korean Confucian idea of a "scholarly official." In reality, they were basically administrators and bureaucrats who...

. Her grandfather was a court official who lost favor with the court. Myeong-yi was sent to the palace in hopes she could gain rank and salary and raise her family. She became a palace maid there(she was known as Park Na-in). However, Myeong-yi witnessed a conspiracy by Choi Seong-geum

Choi Seong-geum

Choi Seong-geum is a major character in Dae Jang Geum. She is considered the most notorious woman in the series, and is known as Lady Choi throughout much of the series...

, her friend and niece of the current Highest Lady of the Royal Kitchen. She reported it and was as a result framed by Choi and secretly executed according to the kitchen's internal procedures: forced to drink poison. Luckily, Myeong-yi's best friend Han Baek-young, then Han Na-in(Palace Maid Han} mixes an antidote with the poison. At the same time, Han slips a letter into Park's clothes. The antidote gives Park a fighting chance and she is saved by Seo Cheon-Soo

Seo Cheon-Soo

Seo Cheon-soo is a minor character in Dae Jang Geum. He is the father of Seo Jang Geum and a military guard from the middle class. He is the first of all the characters to appear in the series. The series begins as he is practicing for an archery tournament...

. Myeong-yi is the second woman who will control Seo's fate. After Seo saves her, she marries him and gives birth to a daughter, Seo Jang Geum

Seo Jang Geum

For the historical figure that this character is based on, see Jang GeumSeo Jang Geum is the main character of the Korean television series Dae Jang Geum. Based on the historical figure Jang Geum, possibly the first and only female physician of the King in all of Korean history...

. After Seo is arrested, Park and her daughter escape to Han-yang, where Park reunites with Han, now Court Lady Han(Han Sang-goon). Han tries but fails to help Myeong-yi. Myeong-yi is killed by the Choi family, but dies telling Jang Geum to become the Highest Lady of the Royal Kitchen and record Myeong-yi's story inside the secret Highest Lady diary. Jang Geum buries Myeong-yi in a grave at the foot of Mount Tongyin.