Hwang Jin Yi

Jin Yi, a young orphan girl raised in a Buddhist temple, performs a dare of 3,000 bows so that she can go into the city and search for her mother.

Instead of punishing Hyun Geum for hiding Jin Yi away at birth, Jin Yi is taken into the Song Do courtesan troupe to be trained as a courtesan.

While Jin Yi continues to learn the skills of a courtesan, Kim Eun Ho, the Magistrate's son, becomes enraptured with Jin Yi's beauty and spirit.

In an effort to keep Jin Yi in the Song Do courtesan troupe, Mistress Im suggests a competition at the Palace to select the best courtesan novices and the best troupe to house and teach the courtesans.

When Young Master Eun Ho and Jin Yi's illicit relationship comes to light, the conflicts show both the class differences and limitations between courtesans and noble-borns.

With the Palace Courtesan Tournament early next month, Mistress Im informs the novice courtesans that they must first lose their virginity in order to enter the tournament.

In order to protect her love with Eun Ho, Jin Yi tells Mistress Im that she would rather live as a slave than as a courtesan. Although Mistress Im allows this, she meets Jin Yi with a wager.

In preparation for the governor's banquet, the girls become increasingly aware of the difficulties of being a courtesan.

Charmed by Jin Yi's beauty and talents, Eun Ho's father offers to raise her hair, creating a multitude of complications between the young couple.

Four years later, the girls have become true courtesans, but Jin Yi is still reeling from Eun Ho's death.

When the Emperor orders for the best courtesans to be written down in the Book of Music, Mistress Im's encouragement for Jin Yi to dance again turns Jin Yi to a rival Headmistress.

When determining the regulations of the Sword Dance competition, Mistress Im finds a way to coerce Jin Yi into dancing again.

Jin Yi's renewed passion for dancing threatens some people in the courtesan troupes, leading them to take some drastic measures.

Bu Yong comes up with a twisted plot to get Jin Yi and Mistress Im sent off as government slaves.

Jin Yi's teasing and impudence as a courtesan starts getting her into trouble.

As Jung Han's affections for Jin Yi grow deeper, Jin Yi discovers the true identity of her biological father.

While Jin Yi and Bu Yong perfect their dances, Jin Yi discovers an external inspiration for her dance.

Mistress Im's emotional outburst at the banquet puts her life at danger.

Bu Yong and Jin Yi compete for the Headmistress title at the King's banquet.

Three years later, the Song-Do courtesan troupe is still adjusting to the loss of Mistress Im.

To protect Jin Yi's life, Jung Han puts himself in danger to keep her safely hidden.

Jung Han's execution day arrives.

Jung Han finds out about Jin Yi's baby.

Before the competition, Jin Yi runs away to practice her art.