From its very first broadcast, 'The Haunted Palace' has swept through ratings and OTT rankings, with Yook Sung-jae and Kim Ji-yeon driving a whirlwind of success with their incredible synergy.
The SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'The Haunted Palace' (written by Yoon Soo-jung, directed by Yoon Sung-sik) is a fantasy romantic comedy that twists fate and souls. It tells the story of Yeori, a shaman who refuses her destiny, and Kang Chul, a serpent spirit trapped in the body of Yeori's first love, Yoon Gap, as they face off against a vengeful eight-foot-tall ghost haunting the royal family. The intriguing premise of a serpent spirit and a shaman, coupled with the actors' inspired character portrayals, palace mysteries that pique curiosity, and the chilling presence of K-spirits, has sparked a hot response from the get-go.
The premiere episode of 'The Haunted Palace' on the 18th recorded the highest ratings for an SBS drama debut in 2025, with Nielsen Korea showing peak ratings of 10.7%, 9.2% in the metropolitan area, and 9.2% nationwide. Moreover, it dominated the weekly mini-series ratings, ranked first in the TV series category in South Korea and five other Asian countries on Netflix (according to FlixPatrol on April 22), and topped the integrated content rankings for the fourth week of April on the OTT content search platform KinoLights, showing an explosive upward trend and renewing its success title day by day.
At the heart of this heated buzz are undoubtedly the protagonists Yook Sung-jae and Kim Ji-yeon. Yook Sung-jae plays dual roles as Yeori's (Kim Ji-yeon) first love and the possessed royal officer Yoon Gap, who is inhabited by the evil serpent spirit 'Kang Chul'. He has reaffirmed his title as the 'fantasy invincible' and 'possession specialist' actor. As Yoon Gap, he shows the tender side of a first love, and as Kang Chul, he displays a unique blend of sly humor and cheerfulness, embodying both the arrogant spirit who disregards human laws and the serpent spirit experiencing human emotions for the first time. Particularly, his binge-eating scene upon discovering human taste has maximized the serpent spirit's innocent charm, receiving high praise and raising expectations for the romance to unfold.
Meanwhile, Kim Ji-yeon, playing Yeori, a powerful shaman who rejects her fate to live as an eyeglass craftsman, has once again surpassed herself. Venturing into a fantasy genre for the first time through 'The Haunted Palace', Kim Ji-yeon has garnered acclaim as 'the rediscovery of Kim Ji-yeon', showcasing mysterious allure and intense charisma as Yeori, who soothes spirits. Her bold demeanor in front of the evil spirit Kang Chul and her portrayal of a determined character carving her own path have breathed life into the role.
The on-screen chemistry between Yook Sung-jae and Kim Ji-yeon, who have been close friends since the same age, has been a pre-broadcast talking point and is now creating a delightful synergy in their 'antagonistic romance'. The natural chemistry between the two actors has deepened the immersion into the 13-year narrative of Kang Chul and Yeori, seamlessly weaving together laughter, tension, romance, and mystery into a flawless entertainment experience. Director Yoon Sung-sik, in an interview, highlighted, "The antagonistic comedy and sweet romance that Yook Sung-jae and Kim Ji-yeon bring to the table are 'The Haunted Palace's secret weapons," while actor Kim Ji-hoon, who plays Lee Jung, also praised their chemistry, saying, "Just watching them was heartwarming," proving their 'perfect chemistry'.
As 'The Haunted Palace' continues to ride the wave of success with its dynamic synergy, all eyes are on what Yook Sung-jae and Kim Ji-yeon will bring to the screen in the episodes to come.
'The Haunted Palace' has kicked off to a great start and will air its third episode on the 25th (Friday) at 9:50 PM.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)