The SBS Friday-Saturday drama "The Haunted Palace" (written by Yoon Soo-jung, directed by Yoon Sung-sik) is a fantasy romantic comedy that intertwines the fate of Yeori, a shaman who refuses her destiny as a medium, with that of Kang Cheol, trapped in the body of Yeori's first love, Yoon Gap, as they face off against a vengeful eight-foot-tall ghost entangling both body and soul.
In episodes 7 and 8, Kang Cheol (played by Yook Sung-jae), Yeori (played by Kim Ji-yeon), and King Lee Jung (played by Kim Ji-hoon) engage in a spectacular battle with the water ghost Makdol (played by Kim Jun-won) and uncover that the person behind the ominous events in the palace is 'Aguchi'. The shocking twist reveals that the grand puppeteer behind Aguchi, Pungsan (played by Kim Sang-ho), is actually Lee Jung's maternal grandfather and the royal chief state councilor, Kim Bong-in (played by Son Byong-ho). Furthermore, the revelation that Yeori's grandmother's death was not Kang Cheol's fault but the work of the eight-foot-tall ghost clears up a deep-seated misunderstanding, sparking interest in the potential romance between Kang Cheol and Yeori.
With such a spectacular narrative, "The Haunted Palace" concluded its first act by achieving a peak viewership rating of 11.3%, sweeping the top spot in its time slot for four consecutive weeks, as well as the weekly miniseries category overall (according to Nielsen Korea). Moreover, it also secured the top spot in the integrated content ranking across dramas, movies, and variety shows for the second week of May, as revealed by the OTT content search platform KinoLights, proving its unmatched popularity. (As of May 13, 2025)
Additionally, "The Haunted Palace" has captivated audiences worldwide, following rave reviews from various international media and viewers praising its intriguing mix of genres and densely plotted narrative. By the fourth week of airing, it ranked first on Netflix in seven countries, including Korea (according to FlixPatrol on May 12), and achieved the highest ranking in the overall category on Japan's OTT platform Lemino (NTT Docomo), as well as topping the drama category on Taiwan's OTT platform Hami Video, further proving its growing global popularity.
Riding on this wave of success, the team behind "The Haunted Palace" has shared director Yoon Sung-sik's key points to watch in the second half, adding to the anticipation.
Director Yoon Sung-sik stated, "The second act will unfold with Kang Cheol's realization of his love for Yeori and the revelation of Kim Bong-in's true identity. The development of Kang Cheol and Yeori's romance, their peculiar alliance with Lee Jung against the eight-foot-tall ghost, and the fate of Yoon Gap's spirit, as well as what becomes of Kang Cheol inside Yoon Gap's body, will be the main points to watch."
He added, "Don't miss the genre-defying comic synergy presented by Yook Sung-jae, Kim Ji-yeon, Kim Ji-hoon, Kim In-kwon, and Cha Chung-hwa. The unfolding drama promises to be highly entertaining."
"The Haunted Palace" has reached its halfway point and will continue with episode 9 airing on Friday night at 9:55 PM.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)