SBS 'Haunted Palace' captivated viewers from its first broadcast with compelling character play by Lee Seung-jae and Kim Ji-yeon and a plot that draws the soul.
On the 18th, the first episode of SBS's Friday-Saturday drama 'Haunted Palace' (written by Yoon Soo-jung and directed by Yoon Sung-sik) featured the tumultuous story of the dragon monster Kang Cheol-yi (special appearance by Kim Young-kwang) who, known as a fierce evil deity in the human realm, occupies the body of human Yoon Gap (Lee Seung-jae). The enduring connection with Yeori (Kim Ji-yeon), born with the fate of a shaman, increased interest. 'Haunted Palace' recorded a high viewership rating of 10.7%, creating a significant impact from the start. Additionally, with a rating of 9.2% in the metropolitan area and nationwide, it surpassed 'Love Scout' and 'Buried Hearts' to achieve the highest viewership rating for a first episode of 2025 SBS dramas, claiming the top spot in the same time slot as well as throughout the week among the mini-series. Furthermore, the 2049 viewership rating, a key indicator of channel competitiveness and popularity, also recorded 2.5% in the metropolitan area, marking a strong first step.
The broadcast began with the legend of Kang Cheol-yi, who became an evil deity after failing to ascend as a dragon following a thousand years of training. While everyone in the human realm trembled at the mention of Cheol-yi, the famous shaman Neobdeok (Gil Hae-yeon), shared this tension with her granddaughter Yeori (Song Ji-woo), warning that Cheol-yi was targeting the great vessel and pure spirit of a shaman. As Neobdeok feared, Cheol-yi followed Yeori to become a dragon by borrowing her divine power, while Neobdeok passed on the stone 'Gyeonggwisuk,' which chases away spirits, to block Cheol-yi's access. However, Neobdeok unexpectedly lost her life, and bereaved of her only family, Yeori established a fate with Cheol-yi, saying, "I will not serve an evil deity like you."
As time passed, strange events unfolded in the palace. The prince (Park Jae-jun), son of King Lee Jeong (Kim Ji-hoon), suffered from an unknown madness. This was a shocking secret that could not be revealed to the outside, and as the prince's condition deepened day by day, the loyal officer Eun-gyeom (Lee Seung-jae) advised to seek help from shamanistic powers, but the king, who valued palace regulations, disregarded Eun-gyeom's advice, saying shaman rituals could not be performed in the palace.
At the same time, now an adult, Yeori rejected the fate of a shaman and lived as a craftsman of eyeglasses. However, Yeori still saw spirits that others could not. Spotting an one-legged ghost in the home of the former prime minister Choi Won-woo (Ahn Nae-sang), who had returned to his hometown, Yeori deduced that his daughter Choi In-seon (Shin Seul-ki) was suffering from an unexplained illness because of the one-legged ghost and decided to help In-seon. Using her divine power, Yeori battled the one-legged ghost possessing In-seon and succeeded in expelling the vengeful spirit. Yeori thought this whole incident was a commotion caused by Cheol-yi, who had been following her and seeking her body for 13 years, making her shudder once again.
At that time, Yoon Gap came down to Yongdamgol on the king's secret order to recruit Choi Won-woo. However, Yoon Gap had another aim. Defying the king's intention to reject shamanic rituals, he sought to bring Yeori, who had the ability to chase away spirits, to the palace to try to cure the prince's madness. Yoon Gap suggested to Yeori that she accompany him to the palace under the pretext of making the king's eyeglasses, and after seeing a fortune in which Yoon Gap and she were to start a family together, Yeori, who had long admired Yoon Gap, followed him as Cheol-yi, who could not stand the idea, looked on.
However, a shocking event occurred to Yoon Gap and Yeori on their way to the palace. While Yoon Gap was briefly left alone on a deserted mountain path, he was attacked by political opponent Gwak Sang-chung (Yoon Seung) and lost his life. At that moment, Cheol-yi, following Yeori, witnessed the scene and had his own plans. Cheol-yi attempted to use the dead Yoon Gap's body to remove the Gyeonggwisuk from Yeori, and Yeori, who witnessed Cheol-yi embodying Yoon Gap's body while feeling lost in the spirit of Yoon Gap, fell into shock and despair. After 13 years, Cheol-yi successfully obtained Yeori, confidently proclaiming, "Yeori, you are now mine," intending to return to his true form as a dragon. However, for some reason, he could not escape from Yoon Gap's body. Seizing Cheol-yi's moment of confusion, Yeori desperately fled to find the lost Gyeonggwisuk. For a brief moment, as Yeori and Cheol-yi struggled, they both fell off a cliff, leaving Yoon Gap's spirit helplessly witnessing this scene, ending the episode on a shocking note. This has piqued curiosity about how the tangled fates of these individuals will unfold in the future.
Meanwhile, 'Haunted Palace' skillfully blends the fascinating dynamics and narrative between the dragon monster and shaman, stirring curiosity with palace mysteries and the chilling presence of spirits, offering fresh entertainment for weekend viewers. The unique fantasy world further heightened the immersive experience with actors' character portrayals. In particular, Lee Seung-jae impressively transitioned between the upright and kind character of the loyal officer and the evil dragon monster in a human body, reaffirming the 'fantasy invincibility,' while Kim Ji-yeon embodied the powerful shaman with a resolute gaze. Additionally, Kim Ji-hoon and Kim Young-kwang showcased irreplaceable charisma in their short appearances, further raising expectations for the K-spirit fantasy world that 'Haunted Palace' will continue to develop.
Immediately after the broadcast, various online communities and social media were flooded with viewer comments such as, "Lee Seung-jae is indeed an expert in possession; so charming," "I’m already captivated by Cheol-yi," "Cheol-yi and Yeori's clashes are deliciously entertaining," "I'm totally hooked from the start of 'Haunted Palace,'" "The immersion is no joke; this is definitely going to be a hit," "Wow, I didn’t even realize an hour passed; it was so fun," and "'Haunted Palace' is much more enjoyable than I expected for its first broadcast. I look forward to tomorrow."
Meanwhile, 'Haunted Palace,' the only fantasy historical drama presented by the drama kingdom SBS in 2025, tells the story of shaman Yeori, who rejects her fate, and Kang Cheol-yi, a dragon monster trapped in the body of Yoon Gap, her first love, as they face the eight-legged ghost that harbors a grudge against the royal family, leading to a fantasy romance where bodies and souls become intricately intertwined. The second episode will air today at 9:50 p.m.
[Photo] 'Haunted Palace'
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