The SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'The Haunted Palace' (written by Yoon Soo-jung, directed by Yoon Sung-sik) is a fantasy romantic comedy where Yeori, a shaman who refuses her fate as a medium, and Kang Cheol, a serpent spirit trapped in the body of Yeori's first love Yoon Gap, face off against the eight-foot-tall ghost harboring a grudge against the royal family, leading to a tangled web of bodies and souls.
Highlighted as the only fantasy historical drama presented by the drama kingdom SBS in 2025, 'The Haunted Palace' has maintained its position as the top mini-series in viewership ratings from its first broadcast, achieving a stellar start. It has continued to break its own record for highest viewership ratings each week, reaching a peak of 11.4% nationwide and 10.7% across the country by episode 9, according to Nielsen Korea, becoming the top drama of the weekend.
Among these achievements, Yook Sung-jae's (playing Kang Cheol/Yoon Gap) performance has been warmly received by viewers. In the drama, Yook portrays both the human Yoon Gap and the malevolent serpent spirit 'Kang Cheol' possessed by him, showcasing a half-human, half-divine performance. Following his roles in fantasy works like 'Guardian: The Lonely and Great God' and 'Mystic Pop-up Bar', where he earned the title of 'possession specialist', Yook has fully blossomed his fantasy charm through 'The Haunted Palace'.
Initially, Yook's portrayal of Kang Cheol, a serpent spirit trapped in a human body, struggling to adapt to the human world with his unique sense of humor, was met with critical acclaim. As Kang Cheol spends more time in Yoon Gap's body, he learns a variety of human emotions and forms relationships, gradually becoming more human. Yook convincingly expands his emotional range, enhancing the drama's immersion. Additionally, his effortless handling of fantasy action scenes, such as summoning storms, wielding a giant sword against vengeful ghosts, and more, has been praised as showcasing his true acting prowess.
Yook's performance gains even more momentum within the romance with Kim Ji-yeon. His portrayal of the serpent spirit's pure love, spanning a thousand years, has effortlessly captivated viewers. Notably, in episode 10, the scene where Kang Cheol uses his divine powers to make unopened flower buds bloom, instantly creating a path of flowers for Yeori, elicited peak excitement among viewers, with some commenting, "My ideal type from now on is a serpent spirit."
With Yook Sung-jae's stellar performance as its foundation, 'The Haunted Palace' continues its unstoppable success as it enters its second act, moving towards its climax. The conclusion of the love story between the serpent spirit, who dreams of ascending to dragonhood, and the shaman who falls in love with the serpent spirit in her first love's body, as well as the deadly confrontation with the vengeful ghost 'eight-cheok-tall ghost', is highly anticipated. The spotlight is on what kind of performance 'fantasy genius' Yook Sung-jae will deliver next.
'The Haunted Palace' will air its 11th episode on the 23rd (Friday) at 10 PM.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)