Kdramas Similar to The Haunted Palace: Yook Sung-jae’s new Kdrama is the new favourite of everyone and, frankly, ours too. From its invigorating supernatural storyline to the perfect blend of laughter and serious themes of awakening and fate, the drama is gold. With the combination of the chemistry of the lead couple, the setting in the midst of history, and the fantasy content, audiences have been hooked week after week. And come on, we’re already counting down the days between episodes.
But, if you’re already finding it hard to wait any longer, and want to keep that spooky-sexy feel, we’ve got a list of K-dramas like The Haunted Palace that have the same intriguing ingredient of historical suspense, supernatural events and just good storytelling.
The Haunted Palace is probably the best of all the 2025 thriller Kdramas I’ve seen to date. It’s a little bit of every genre— an even mix of horror, a generous serving of fantasy, and quite a walk-on role turn by comedy. What starts out as a historical fiction story becomes something else with spiritual overtones and mythical creatures, and a completely involving and mysterious plot. The story takes us back to the Joseon Dynasty period, when a serious, by-the-book government official named Yoon Gab becomes the unwilling vehicle for a thousand-year-old spirit — an Imoogi — who wants to make it to heaven by hiring the services of an obstinate shaman, Yeo-ri.
The performances are a big part of the show. Yook Sung-jae is both the official and the spirit, switching between personas so smoothly you almost think it’s not the same actor. Bona as Yeo-ri, kick-starts the drama with her raw acting, of someone pushed down the road by duty and at a crossroads with her desire to have a normal life. Directed by Kim Sang-hoon, the drama’s beautiful historical settings are mixed seamlessly with modern fantasy effects. It’s humorous where it needs to be, creepy when the mood demands it, and sometimes even a little bit moving. It’s an odd sort of drama that never can commit to a single tone — and that’s what makes it endearing.
Kdramas Similar to The Haunted Palace
Tale of the Nine Tailed (구미호뎐)
If you loved the mythic and mystical ambience of The Haunted Palace, Tale of the Nine-Tailed is a must-watch. This 2020 fantasy drama features Lee Dong-wook as Lee Yeon, an ancient gumiho (nine-tailed fox) who used to reign over the mountainous regions and who now lives in modern-day Seoul, protecting humans unseen. Jo Bo-ah plays Nam Ji-ah, a brave TV producer who starts investigating him after weird things occur. It was directed by Kang Shin-hyo, whose story is smooth and whose visuals are chic.
The chemistry between Lee Dong-wook and Jo Bo-ah is electric, and the fact that the show mixes up folklore with a wannabe detective plot is able to keep it tense and emotional throughout. The part of this that connects with The Haunted Palace is that it explores these mythical beings and how they deal with what they’ve done, what their destinies burden them with feeling. The show also explores topics such as reincarnation, sacrifice and love across lifetimes — and that reaches the heart even as the fantasy is light.
Lovers of the Red Sky (홍천기)
Another stunning historical fantasy drama is Lovers of the Red Sky, which features Kim Yoo-jung as a rare female artist, Hong Chun-gi, and Ahn Hyo-seop as blind astrologer Ha Ram, who is haunted by a powerful demon. The series is helmed by Jang Tae-yoo, who is known for directing My Love from the Star, so you can probably imagine how killer the visuals and storytelling are.
I believe that the series is truly excellent in the way it’s shot, the scenes of painting, the rituals of the spirits, and the costumes are all gorgeous. Similar to The Haunted Palace, this series also has romance and the supernatural set in the Joseon period. It also has good female leads and the battle of fate vs. free will themes, and is a dark yet loving love story.
Alchemy of Souls (환혼)
Written by the Hong Sisters for the second time and directed by Park Joon-hwa, Alchemy of Souls is among the most groundbreaking fantasy K-dramas of recent years. Lee Jae-wook plays Jang Uk, an intelligent young mage whose destiny is threatened by a forbidden magic called soul-shifting. Jung So-min plays Mu-deok, a female assassin with a robust soul in a weak-looking body and who is his maid and secret mentor.
It’s a high-energy show, packed with action, humour and explosive feeling. It balances serious material like fate, personal betterment, loyalty with the fun of performing in a fantasy universe. The fantasy training montages, fight scenes, and wisecracks will keep you on the edge. The female protagonist and spirituality-oriented themes also make it a dynamite sequel.
Hotel Del Luna (호텔 델루나)
Starring IU as beautiful and mysterious Jang Man-wol and Yeo Jin-goo, Hotel Del Luna is a riveting fantasy romance of the souls of the dead. Directed by Oh Choong-hwan and written by The Hong Sisters, this drama is a huge hit for all the correct reasons. It has wonderful visuals and a heart-wrenching story that is hard to ignore.
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The hotel in the show is ghost-only, and each show features a new tale that is full of emotion, healing, and closure. Like The Haunted Palace, the show mixes humour with deep life philosophy musings about death and letting go. IU’s acting is legendary, and the emotional charge behind those ghost stories is unforgettable.
Mr. Queen (철인왕후)
If you loved the humour of The Haunted Palace, Mr. Queen will tickle your funny bone. Starring Shin Hye-sun and Kim Jung-hyun respectively, it’s a time-travelling, body-swapping story: A chef in the present day wakes up to find himself in the queen’s body in the Joseon era. The worst of both worlds, the chaotic Joseon era and the humour of today — the show is directed by Yoon Sung-sik.
Shin Hye-sun’s sense of timing is comedic gold, and Kim Jung-hyun provides the empathy. What it borrows from The Haunted Palace is a fearless, over-the-top plot and characters that are humorous and profound. It plays with questions of identity, with power and gender roles — all while keeping us laughing.
A Korean Odyssey (화유기)
Directed by Park Hong-kyun, A Korean Odyssey is a contemporary fantasy drama based on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. Lee Seung-gi plays Son Oh-gong, the all-powerful immortal who must guard Oh Yeon-seo’s Jin Seon-mi, a mortal with ghost-seeing abilities and with an extraordinary destiny.
This is quirky, atmospheric, romantic, and completely unpredictable. It’s worth watching for its dialogue and the mix of horror-comedy. Among the vampires, wars of sorcery and deep emotional explorations, you’re left with the impression that you’re part of an old mythological epic, with some laughs on the side.
These Kdramas like The Haunted Palace will not only have your heart pounding, but will have your mind and your feelings a little too far. Historic ghosts, strong shamans and playful fox gods, there’s an entire universe of exciting Kdramas there, waiting to be discovered.
Which one will you pick up next? Let us know in the comments below!
