The Haunted Palace Review
Director: Yoon Sung-shik
Date Created: 2025-06-08 18:15
3.5
The Haunted Palace Review: Starring Yook Sung-jae as Yun Gap and Kang Cheol, Bo Na in the resistant shaman role of Yeo Ri, and Kim Ji-hoon in the tormented but noble King Yi Seong. 귀궁 is directed by Yoon Sung-shik and written by Yoon Soo-jung, and it concluded its 16-episode run on June 7, 2025. The K-drama combines historical mystery, ghostly legend and slow-burning romance to make for one of the more unusual fantasy dramas I’ve watched this year.
K-drama The Haunted Palace revolves around Yeo Ri, a shaman with a mischievous heart and a gift for ghostseeing, but she refuses to accept her fate so that she could live a quiet life as a common creator of eyeglasses. But when a strong entity — an Imugi (a dragon spirit of low rank) named Kang Cheol — comes into her life, she’s compelled to confront the ancient curses of the palace, restless ghosts and her own hidden past. The drama grabs you right away with its complicated premise, and although it’s not always held at that level of tension, there’s a lot to keep me interested in it.
The Haunted Palace Review
Personally, I thought the first few episodes were a great way to introduce the world of Gwi-gong. It was eerie and poetic, all at once, a woman who is in some sense not with the living, but not among the dead either, and who wants to make something to help others see more clearly, even as she is afraid to look back at her own past. The show was masterful in building on the themes of grief, duty and change. Yeo Ri was so real to me—not too strong, and not a helpless, weak woman either. She was a woman struggling to make it, and that was relatable.
One thing that left me in awe in this Korean drama The Haunted Palace, was the character of Kang Cheol. At first, he was like another cold supernatural leading man, but as he began to take over Yun Gap’s body, everything was different. His emotional arc, as he evolves from isolated alien to bleary-eyed love, humour, and even jealousy, was as hilarious as it was heartwarming. I found myself chuckling at his geeked-out, adolescent-like enthusiasm whenever Yeo Ri bestowed doting attention on him. And the little touches, such as him lavishing her with old shoes that she had once gazed at, really worked to establish their connection without overdoing the romance.
The other character whom I found myself liking was the King. Kim Ji-hoon acted Yi Seong really well and it moved my heart. As a king torn between the divine and human tragedies, he had so much sadness. I was head over heels for his bromance with Kang Cheol, to be honest, it was my favourite part of the show. There was this unspoken faith and respect between them that sometimes felt more powerful than the show’s core romance. Whether they were fighting side by side or sniping like old pals, their chemistry and the characters’ history together added a level of sorely needed energy and depth to the drama.
That being said, The Haunted Palace Kdrama was not perfect. When it came to wave 8, I could feel the storytelling begin to slip away. There were scenes that were unnecessarily dragged out, the plot began to slow, and I was already starting to check the clock. Some characters just kinda stood around so reactors, not actors, particularly in climactic scenes between the good guy and the bad guy. And all things considered, some deaths were a bit unnecessary. Like Queen Park’s death was more shock value than a major plot driver. The show would have been 12 episodes instead of 16 for sure.
But still, I appreciated that Yun Gap’s return was done meticulously. Dramas make a mess of it when they bring back major characters, but here, he was in character to the last. And the conclusion was truly gratifying. Kang Cheol’s ultimate sacrifice, his encounter with the Jade Emperor, and then the final scene of his being able to live his life happily with Yeo Ri and their daughter—granted the story a closure that I thought I would never get, but definitely savoured. It was a treat after those increasingly turbulent middle episodes.
One theme that I couldn’t help but quietly adore about Return to the Palace was that under its surface levels, it was all about Light vs. Dark. There wasn’t right and wrong in the absolute sense. Even the so-called villains had a backstory that justified why they were doing what they were doing, if not excusing what they were doing. It brushed on the way that pain and injustice can twist individuals into the very things they used to fear, and I felt that was a pretty powerful message.
The fantasy aspects — the spirits, the possession, the curses — were well done, if not necessarily frightening. They were more focused on emotional hauntings than on jump scares. And the visual contrasts — fire and water, light and darkness — were filled with an obvious yin-yang symbolism that tied the themes of the story well together. I even found myself searching for those breadcrumbs, and that made it even better.
Kdrama The Haunted Palace Review: Summing Up
Overall, The Haunted Palace was a K-drama that had elements of historical fantasy, supernatural mystery, and emotional storytelling. Writing and pacing were shaky in the middle, but good performances, particularly by Kim Ji-hoon and Yook Sung-jae, were able to support the show along. If you prefer your ghost stories with heart, brooding palace politics and a hapless lizard god who falls in love, this might be your next binge.
Also Read: 6 Kdramas Similar to The Haunted Palace to Watch If You’re in the Mood for More Mythical Fun
