Jang Gye-hyang was a Korean noblewoman who studied the Hangul calligraphy and wrote poetry in her youth. She was also a painter and philanthropist of the Joseon era. She wrote one of the first cookbooks in Korea penned by a woman, which was also written in the Korean alphabet. The text in which it was written is significant, as the official script at that time was Chinese. It is also significant as the book uniquely presents a means of preparing food, expanding the study of food from its medicinal properties to actual preparation.