The Haunted Palace

It just keeps getting BETTER AND BETTER!

This is such a great series! I'm so glad its 16 eps and not the usual 8 eps. The storyline, back story of all characters, ghosts, everyone is soooo well done! Perfection!

Yeo-ri, Imugi and the King! These three stars carry the show! Amazing acting! Amazing dialogues, osts, amazing character arcs! Character growth of the King, and the tragic past story of the villain! Perfect!

Its true that nobody is born a villain. Villains are made by the situations and choices that they make. The writers really saved the best for the last 4 eps! Don't miss this gem! ITS A MUST WATCH!

We are at ep 14 and only 2 eps remaining, but I still don't know who's gonna win this battle with the Colossal Shadow and if there will be a happy ending or sad ending 😜
today's episode really made me panic for real!
And damn that cliff hanger!! How am I supposed to wait for another week???

The way ep 14 ended OMG! I wish next week could come faster!!

Rewatch value: 10/10

Read More

Surprise twists. Bearable horror, luckily. Amazing fun Imugi superb acting, amazing character growth

I am impressed with this kdrama. It is really interesting watch, and the Imugi in human form and a competent FL makes it reaaaally funny :) There are some very deep questions addressed in this kdrama... So it is a thriller, black comedy, supernatural rom com, some horror, and a powerful teaching of ways to ascend to Heaven. It is well written, acted well and very engaging. The Imugi in human form is AMAZING to watch. That actor is absolutely amazing in his role as human and then imugi in that human's body. The original imugi is also great for the role.

FL is not a stellar actress, she is too stiff. But what makes her role very watchable is that she is written as a very strong, smart, independent character, and I would say, FL character is the PIONEER in how kdramas portray women. There is no sexism in this kdrama The FL is equal to the ML and they collaborate together they accomplish amazing things. They equally love each other and work for each other and the greater causes.

She saves him too. He saves her. They each encourage and prod each other on. The relationship progresses from miscomunication, he trying to use her, she hating him, then she having a mission and he tagging along for self benefit, but then... THEY CLICK. Once they clear their miscomunications and he outgrows his selfishness - because he hangs out with her and he RESPECTS her, there is absolutely NO drama between them. It is very clear and honest communication and teamwork.

This truely is a story of enlightment in the path of the householder and "marriage yoga". The Imugi sat alone in meditation for 1000 years and made more progress by being in contact and working relationship with a high quality being, who happens to be a HUMAN being, and humans are known for being faulty. Yet humans posses seeds for deep attunement into the Divine and seeing a human who practices that is inspirational. In other words, FL is akin to say Jesus or Buddha type of contact to the ML, she inspires him to open his heart and to CHANGE.

The fun stuff is his learning about other parts of human experience, like ... feeling romantic attraction to this nice lady who genuinely takes care of him. She too realizes that this is a rather sexy imugi :) after she realizes that he has been taking care of her forever and was on her side as a reliable protector. Once he learned her respect, ... she noticed him :) There are some super comical moments related to their being drawn to each other.

Yeah she falls in love with a 1000+ year old "dragon" in human body. He is the best match for her since she is fit to be his partner and no human would be that deep, knowledgeable and helpful to her as he is.

This story is deep. He starts as someone ascending, so his "state of being" is already quite sophisticated and deep. He is basically a spiritual aspirant, well on his way. He is not perfect LOL he starts as a selfish pissed off dude, feeling hopeless and betrayed that his ascension was messed up. SO HE PROVED THAT HE WAS NOT READY TO ASCEND lol you cannot behave like that if you are truely ready lol SO he comes back to Earth and then in contact with the FL, he changes, he transforms himself. His heart finally opens and he CARES and GIVES, and in that, he truly ascends.

This is a totally different ball league than say My Roommate is a Gumiho, because that story is about a monster who is trying to become humane. He has no heart, no real emotion, He is really an addict, grabbing energy from others, not feeling anything for others or himself. So Gumiho story is like the story of an addict finally learning to open his heart and to feel care towards others. It is a story of an addict "becoming clean and sober" . He starts totally "dead" inside, in total smelly shi# of his own, and manages to clean up and get up and live.

Gang Cheol story in this kdrama is like the story of the Budda or Jesus facing the devil for 40 days and nights and overcoming the last barriers to their ascension into the Light. He starts quite high and then goes even higher into the Divine.

Yeah there is some horror, which I dislike, you get to see some monsters and fast forward if you want... Luckily it is bearable and possible to fast forward when you need to LOL . I do it :) I intend to keep my head filled with meaningful stuff. I dont watch horror movies so I did not want to watch this kdrama when I read the short summary referring to horror.... I started watching just a bit bc there was nothing else to watch on Wed/Th, and it was ok, so I kept watching and I am so glad I did!!! What kept me watching is the competent FL and black-robe Imugi interaction, and then Imugi in human form. That is an absolutely AMAZING performance.

I dislike the special effects, I am not into horror movies and I am not into Hollywood special effects. I think that alluding to scary but not showing it entirely is a lot more scary :)

Leave it up to the imagination, is my idea of scary :) Hitchcock is scary without showing special effects :) Music and suspense and ALLUDING to scary is the scariest.....

So... that big monster was not something I wanted to see. Just the feet was plenty enough. LOL Also the water ghost - I didnt want to see that either. Was glad when she got prettier LOL So thats why 9 for acting.

But otherwise, human acting is stellar, everyone makes their characters so alive and convincing. The imugi is human form is absolutely an amazing actor. The king stands out as an excellent actor in that role. The queen is not bad either. The old queen is ... well... not so great in acting, I would say that is the next-to-weakest acting. The worst is the FL. The side characters are all amazing. The scene of Imugi telling what he is LOL that was one of the best comedy scenes ever LOL

Especially the Imugi in human form, that actor is SUPER EXTRA EXCELLENT, 10+ stars for his acting. He made the Imugi character have so many shades of white black and gray, and he made Imugi fun, sexy, scary, flippant, evil deity in transformation to something Greater. We get to see his ascension from the start, from his being a disciplined disciple for 1000 years, unlucky, then revengeful, grumpy evil deity, contriving, all the way to feeling genuine care, and even love crush LOL

And in all that, we saw the role the little insignificant humans play in the Cosmic drama - humans, although bogged down with 5 senses and completely vulnerable and weak and bogged with evil traits and without any special powers, also CAN feel genuine care and love, and those are things everyone, even Imugis, need to ascend... So, human weakness also is a doorway to the greatest strength...

The Imugi, by a chance accident of being stuck in a human body, has begun his Ascension by Learning how to Genuinely Care. Gods have helped him by forcing him into a human body for a while LOL bc Imugi, as originally a flippant arrogant contriving control freak, was far from intending to mature and improve his character LOL

The Imugi actor is totally HILLARIOUS and very convincingly for-real, acting Imugi in a human body. The script helps him, but he makes the script come alive. The complexities of Imugi's character - he is strong but not invincible, he is losing his powers, he is conflicted with his needs and feelings, his background and his "kind" versus what he wants to become and what he is, willy-nilly becoming, he is VULNERABLE although he is this super fancy evil deity with magical powers. The script writer thought a lot about Imugis LOL and the actor just made it come to life so well.

Of course who knows what real Imugis are like, but this rendering of them in this kdrama is really really FUN AND ENDEARING in many ways although yeah an Imugi is an evil deity. This Imugi has done bad stuff too in the past, which luckily we didnt get to see much, so it was easier to like him because we start seeing him when he starts changing and being more positive.

We kinda get to see Imugi's redemption. So we get to LIKE the Imugi and cheer him on. But that all can change fast :) What is a lie and what is the truth... but at least he shows great care.

IT IS TOTALLY UNPREDICTABLE WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT :) which makes the drama very captivating. Imugi is the dude who shoots from the hip and also schemes and has secrets and who knows what plans, although he is TRULY caring, so he is totally unpredictable...

Also, we learn that Imugis are like people, each has his own issues .... so "our"imugi is an ascending one so we can like him. Well keep our fingers crossed LOL We also get to see some others who are still full-blown evil deities...

So kdramas are trying to appease some evil characters from folk tales, showing how gumihos imugis etc change their ways... SOMETIMES :) and then we make a story about it...

Rather than special effects, I liked Imugi costume better! when he was dressed in black he was really an Imugi. That was SO COOL, with that little bit of a costume and black netting and thin curtain ballerina skirt materials and some makeup and dragon skin showing and some serious acting and great script to put him in least likely situations, that black Imugi was PERFECT. His big mouth in a frown does it!!!!! The marks on his skin are AMAZING!!

I like movies like that, where creativity and imagination let you finish imagining the details. I am totally impressed!

What kept me watching was Imugi. That actor - oh shall I say those actorS really really act him well :) I really enjoy it.

The Imugi stuck in a human body is an excellent performance and a great comedy, the script is great. It is so twisty and unpredictable. The Imugi-in-body actor has a range of acting that is really really fun to watch,, anything from mean, coy, scheming, hot, soft, caring, etc . also very shrewd business like when he describes his situation... SO COMICAL and so fun to watch. He is a great comedian and the script is really funny. ANd the situations and his acting of him. Sitting in water and enjoying it, as a real Imugi.
That actor is really capable of acting A WHOLE range. and so fun to watch,
and the script is great, it is really really comical how he tries to figure out humans.

And it is also scary, realizing he is often cute and sexy and caring and all nice and also ... an evil deity. Being around him is like playing with fire. Who knows what will happen.... he kinda fell in love but he doesnt know what it is and who knows what he could do... !!!! Reminds me of kdrama Mr Plankton. Imugi is kinda clueless like Mr. Plankton... and so ... he could recklessly do anything. That is the scary part. It is even scarier bc he has changed somewhat and started to genuinely care.

I think that is the engaging part about the script, the roller coaster of unraveling all nuances of the character.... . Imugi was first a neutral character, some dragon ascending to heaven who had an accident.... oh well why should we care? he didnt relate to us ... .. but then we got to MEET HIM after, as a grumpy evil so of course we did not like him...
THEN it got funny, we got to see cute little animations :) of his learning about humans, that was so fun!!!!
And we got to see his softer caring side and his vulnerable side and even his newly acquired sexy side ;) and his falling in love for the first time, so for a moment he SEEMS like a normal person, very endearing, and we started liking him and then ..... he does something shrewd or reckless which reminds us that he is dangerous and unpredictable, and we retract in suspension, suspicion. and fear. Then he is cute again and we cheer him on.

That is a real roller-coaster drama of discovering all kinds of nuances of this very complex character. The Imugi actor really really really acts is well and brings it all to life.
When the original inhabitant of the body comes back into it, this actor acts it for real too. His absolutely amazing acting makes it very convincing and very clear who is in that one body now. It is amazing!!!! In scenes of the original coming back, we can tell that it is human. Then we can tell when it is imugi.

The FL is a little too flat as a character and thus as an actress. That is so common in kdrama. I bet that actress can do more .... She needs to be a little more deep and complex. As is, she is ... well.... a persistent and strict lead nun LOL
The script needs to help her. Her dedication to the guy Yun Gap is a little ... overblown... ? and her life in the village is a little ... unexplained? ....

I am glad FL is at least competent and has common sense and is not a helpless loser.

I am enjoying watching FL go about her business and figuring things out, what she needs to do, and taking action on it, and helping ppl. She is a positive role model. Also she is brave and doesnt mind jumping into a battle.

So I am curious because it is so twisty that I cannot predict what is going to happen :) The Imugi has many sides... and maybe is not immortal or undefetable after all... and our FL might be too optimistic and blind.... (That was my sense after ep 5 and it proved true). Also, the two are falling for each other LOL That would be a great clearing of karma since she hated him so unconditionally

Also imugi's weak character spots... wants to go to Heaven but was harming ppl out of revenge... Hm HOW does he plan to pull that off... ?

====
Written later, after the last episode:
There was so much character growth for the Imugi and so many wonderful relationships took place. I cherish those scenes. One of the most endearing and comical was the king giving romantic advice to the confused imugi in love :) The King was great in instructing about how to handle crying women :) They became great personal friends...

Bc of scenes like that, some ppl said this is draggy etc and maybe they love to watch hard-core horror stories or thrillers but not what this drama is, a more comprehensive look at things, including psychology and character, which is probably boring to an action-loving audience. And just-action would be boring to some other audiences. So this drama with a mix can be watched by a greater variety of people. I myself was willing to fast-forward through the action and horror scenes to watch the "psychology"

This kdrama is a mix of psychological thriller, tragicomedy and comedy, light romance, and horror, imo, in that order. And yeah supernatiral too.
I think this drama is incredibly interesting and twisty, I could not predict the plot. And I cannot predict what will happen next...

I will miss YGimugi, that was the funniest most comical and most endearing character I met recently. His personal growth and increasing maturity was most fun to watch. And his resulting friendship with the King and his solid romance and dedication to YR, they are a very functional exemplary couple imo. Great communication and teamwork. She is a strong, smart, independent person and very caring, giving and "proper" in every way. Also very knowledgeable and "professional" and CAPABLE. With lots of commons sense and "inner" elegance. She is truly his equal partner and that is such a powerful message. Their relationship is exemplary and I would say, a role model for the modern times. There should be more such relationships.

There are so many technical details about the story. so many dropped hints and twists, so observing every second with full attention is a must. Rewatching is probably very helpful

=====
There is a long post I wrote at the very end in the discussion but there is no time to post it here. That post is beneficial to some who need it.

Read More

Unexpectedly brilliant

The Haunted Palace is an absolutely stunning drama. Very few historical dramas manage to grip me the way this one did. From the very first episodes, I was completely drawn in by the atmosphere, the storyline, and — most of all — the incredible performances.

Every actor delivered a solid, believable performance, but for me, Yoon Sung Jae truly stood out. He was phenomenal — expressive, intense, and completely captivating in every scene.

The plot is rich and intriguing, with just the right balance of suspense, emotion, and supernatural elements. And even though romance isn’t the main focus, it's actually what kept me even more emotionally invested. The chemistry between the two leads is undeniable, perhaps even amplified by the fact that they’re good friends in real life. That connection really shines through on screen.

This drama has it all: it makes you laugh, cry, fall in love, feel fear, and even frustration — but in the best way. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions, yet it never feels overwhelming. Instead, it gives you something special that many other dramas don’t quite manage to deliver.

I never would’ve expected to love a drama like this so much, but here I am — completely impressed and emotionally attached. I highly recommend The Haunted Palace. It's well-paced, beautifully acted, and emotionally rich. An unexpected gem.

Read More

Hauntingly Cute

I saw a lot of people talking about how good The Haunted Palace was so I went ahead and gave it a try since I’m a fan of the ML actor, plus it’s about a haunted palace. I’m a sucker for anything haunted. When it started, the narrator was talking about how a dragon was supposed to ascend after 1,000 years, but unfortunately fell from the sky while a war was raging at the time. I have a soft spot for any dramas that have dragon characters, so I was like yeah I’m going to stick with this. I didn’t realize the dragon character’s spirit took over the royal scribe’s body. It was interesting to watch. I love the ML’s playful personality. He hated humans but grew to like them along the way after experiencing life inside a human body. It was funny and sad at the same time since one of the topics here was about the loss of loved ones and how we forgive and let go of our grudges. The ML started following the FL who was only 13 years old at the time. She thought he was an evil spirit. The FL actress was a little bland. I’m not sure. Maybe it’s just her character for being that way? I don’t like dead fish kisses. Their lips barely even touched, and it just makes me laugh whenever I see them kiss like that. Anyway, I liked the ending. I’m glad they didn’t follow the usual trend of ending dramas on a sad note where one of the leads die. Especially with fantasy dramas. That irks me so much when they do that. It starts off so well and then… kaput. It’s a decent drama for me. I watched it without expectations and it did not disappoint.

Read More

A refreshing fantasy entry

A beautiful and entertaining series with tonal shifts that actually work. It blends comedic moments with tear-jerking ones, a bit of bromance, and soft romance. They gave us a good story, decent acting, and an easy, light viewing experience.

The plot revolves around an 8-foot ghost, a royal family, and the chaotic duo of a young shaman girl (Yeori) and a deity trapped in a dead body(Gangcheori ). The story follows Yeori's journey from being alone with an Imugi spirit to getting roped into palace spirit drama. There weren’t any major twists—it was a fairly one-dimensional story. You understood each character’s motivation and the conflict involving the 8ft ghost. You saw how he was wronged and why he deserved revenge, but as viewers, we still found ourselves supporting the other side of the fight too.

Some aspects were predictable, though. As I said, the story was one-dimensional. The whole “let me sacrifice myself for you” arc was exhausting. If they had followed through with the death at the end, it could’ve worked. But nope—it just fell flat. And a big part of that was the lukewarm romance between the male lead and female lead. It didn’t sell the passion or justify the sacrifice.

The King and Queen, though? Their romance actually delivered the soft emotional theme the main couple was aiming for. You could see the chemistry, and it worked.

Now, let’s talk about the standout: the King (Kim Ji Hoon). He absolutely carried. His performance was a cut above everyone else. Also, I have to mention Yun Gap’s mother (Cha Chung Hwa)—as usual, she delivered. She pulled you into the scene and made you feel everything. As for the rest of the cast, the acting was average, not bad but nothing to rave about.

The biggest fault, again, is the flatness of the story and its villain. Yapper, the antagonist, was just… basic. A man who hated the deity and his fate—nothing deep, nothing layered. As the main villain, he felt more like a gag character meant to absorb all our hate. And, to make it worse, he got one of the most anticlimactic endings—maybe meant to be funny? Not sure.

Still, despite all that, the story was told well. Nothing groundbreaking, but I have to give them props. I was entertained, I followed through, and I looked forward to certain moments. It’s an average story with solid production and decent acting, but it was fun to watch. It didn’t annoy us with the thousand clichés that typically show up in historical or fantasy dramas. That in itself was refreshing.

It might not make our top list, but it’s a hidden gem people might rediscover in the future. A solid 8/10 from me.

Read More

The drama that pleased both Korean and International Audiencies

-----------------⚠️ATTENTION!⚠️This review CONTAINS SPOILERS and its main purpose its to analise the story and character developement-------------
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
What made me start the drama: The presence of Yook Sung Jae.
First Expectations: I was told that Sungjae would play 2 complete oposite characters and one of them was going to be the beddie...Sungaje? Baddie? Enough to make me click play.
Do I usually watch and love saeguks? Yes. Ofc. And when you combine a saeguk with fantasy,romance,comedy,ocult things,ghosts...there is just an implosion of wow happening here.

STORYwise it was not what I initially expected. I had In mind someting more like xianxia driven but in Joseon rather then Ming. However it was BETTER then expected.

I saw people here in comments being like FRIDAY: Its draggy...I am going to drop it. SATURDAY: I am back cause what the heck was that plot twist? 😂

The fact that I finally saw both audiencies finally on the same place about a drama made me genuinely happy.

This is not your usual saeguk drama. Yes it revolves around a palace, a haunted one...yes it has a king but not a normal one. A king that loves his family and puts them first. And then his duties as a king. A king that by the end even though he was not directly gulity kneeled in front of all thoes souls that perrieshed for him to even be born. A king kneeling in front of his people seeking forgivness for his ancestors, from his wife whom he could not protect and from his people promising a brighter future full of FORGIVNESS. Where profund hate will no more create aquis (evil spirits) who in turn will create a vicious cicle of crimes. A king that ruled as a human not as an almighty diety. And a king that has grown to respect the diety that create him and aknowledge he is not top of the top...a king that befriended a diety that was at the begining insufarable but at the end become his closest person. I even believe he ended up suffering more for Changchul rather then his wife.

Because Chagchul was also not a normal diety. He was a clumpsy and braggy and full of himself one. He was a diety that needed to live as a human, feel love and pain and hunger and desperation of loesing everything from a human's perspective in order to understand them. A diety that had the destiny to peace the souls he couldn't save. He embraced his destiny and save them all, and saved his all, which was Yeori. He also lost his brother Bibi in the way but It was his Karma for not hearing the prayers of the needed when he was send back to Earth. Because he freed everybody from Palcheokwi he was given a choice: to ascend as he always wished or to go back on earth...and he once again embraced his imperfactions and choose to go back to his half human life and this time use his powers when needed. And the most beautifull gift he recieved in the end was his ABSOLUTE MINI MATCH. 😂 Ga Eon is 100% HIS daughter. I wish we had one more special episode at least to see his family finally happy.

This story followed closely the "en eye for en eye" premise seeking the ultimate forgivess and the braking of the bad cicle. Everybody recieved more or less what they deserved. I DESAGREE with some people saying that the finale was draggy and rushed and boaring...it was the most entrateining part. I even heared they had a problem with the fighting scenes. BUT this is not your usaul saeguk in which you see only ninja kind of fights. This is also fantasy. The actual fighting scenes might have been laking in movement and expression but it was because the primary focus were the ocult rituals and how Pung Sang, The Monk and Yeori played a game of amulets. It was also the training of the not so almighty god that got trapped in a human body and could not use his powers at its fullest until the very end after consuming the Gargona flowers tea. The more he suffered as a human the more he has grown as a diety. Also who would they phisically battled against? The king of the country that was possesed...the Prince, a child that was possesed... they could not have just gone creazy in swords battles and risk wounding the innocents that were not themselves.
However the Queen death scene left me speechless...they did not even have response time. It was just a pure evil impulse. But the most cruel thing was to see everything from Palcheokwi's eyes...how his entire family was murdered in the name of the former king and nobody cared even for the inocent baby. They were reaped and born to ashes. The queen's Dearh was painfull as she was also pregnant but it felt like some kind of karma for the kids that were sacrificed back then.

The haunted palace really had no boring scene. A bit repetitive in the middle but then it came to its senses.

ACTING: Each and evry character was EXCELLENT. The kids were magnific. We do not get to see children involved in heavy possesion scenes yet the young Prince was fenomenal. I watched the behind the scenes and everybody was just so careing about him. Constantly asking him if he is not scared, If he could do that...and he just played along the adults sometimes as if he was a little adult himself. He had way more scene then expected for a child actor. His character understood not only that he and people around him got possesed. Not only that he needed magical objects to stay safe, but that he needed to cooperate with the adults to save himself and his father. He even had to be present while his mother and sibling were killed. Its very brutal for a child but in the behid the adults were always around him reassuring him its just drama, nothing real. And were very supportive of his developement. Very impressive. Also the little ghost girl stealing shoes to try to go back to her mother...she had an amazing angry ghost kind of scene while being practically tighted to the ceilling yet from the behind I could see she actually enjoyed her time. And the one playing Ga Eon only had 2 scenes in the whole show yet she stoled her fathers spotlight and made a funny ending to rewtach and remember.

The adults were all above expectations. With that much possesions almost every single actor had to shift between personalities. Sungjae had the unforgetable fight between Youn Gap and Gangcheol over the body, Bona was posseed twice or trice and the first time she was allowed to appear as her new personality as well. The king top notch. Constantly shifting between his self and Palcheokwi. And even had some kind of face to face scene with himself. You would believe its a peace of cake to do all that but oh it takes skills. Pung Sang the blind shaman also had to do shifts between his blind self and his shaman and it was a scarry delight to watch. He also had constant shifts between inner personalities. One moment he was sure of himself and of his Commander, one time he felt momentum defeats, one time he felt evely happy for the death of the queen...and his ending almost poetic.
The dowger queen although not possesed had a full range of personalities portreid as well. First she believed herself a justitiary. Then she was a bad mother that lost her only child to the Evil Commander behind Palcheokwi. Then she became like a scared kid for her own life. Then she wanted to make up for her scenes so she has grown up a tone....from confronting the king, the king possesed, Gangcheol the diety , Yeori the shaman. She had no real powers yet she endagered her life to finally save the little prince from the palace. Exqusite.

There were some commic characters amoung all this black mass. Like the Head Eunuch best known as Grilled Abalone. Or Gap's mama. This 2 actors have played togheter in countless dramas trying to put up with the main leads and their own blood pressure simultaneously and this time was not an exception. Grilled Abalone was skeptikal of the imoogi but wanted to be loyal to the king. His loyality was tested when he had to choose not to respind to the kings body being possesed by Palcheokwi and help Yeori perform the mortal ritual instead.

Gap's mama was not a stupid women. She noticed the change in her son and was not completely fooled by Gangcheol. She just like the Queen Dauger had to send her son off the After life and pray for him. Yet she somehow adopted Gangcheol as her son afterwards. And not just because he had her real sons body. But because one of the things the imoogi learned from his human experience is how to have, love and cherish a mother. He took a body that was not his. And even though he was brazen to her, he never let her alone. He saved her when she was kidnapped. He gave her Gap's payments from the palace...with one exception when he bought her a hair pin cause hers was too old...and to Yeori new shoes.

And then there is Yeori...not your usual beautyfull,poorely dressed and usless fl...on the countrary...she was dressed properly throughout the entire show. She was involved in the fantasy part of it, doing all the rituals. She is also a glasses crafter so she can make a living for herself. She was brazen enough to put both Gangheol, and Bibi (dieties) and the King in their places. Throughout the whole show it looked like she was the Commander of the good side. Stop fighting. Start thinking. Lets make a ritual to ask for forgivness, lets find ways to protect the queen, the kind and the price...eather she or the monk came with the most usefull ideas. Her visions were also helpfull in the mission. Even though she could not change the outcome of any of them. And besides the big fight agenst the big fat ghost, she also took responsability for all the other minor ghots lost in the palace. A baby girl that wanted to go back to her mother but could not cause she died. A girl in a fountaine that was raped and killed, the one feet ghost which kept returning precisely to her rival in love...whoever sais Bona's acting was flat should put some glasses on and watch again.

The romance part as it was not a main part of the plot was obviously lacking. They had exactley 2 kisses and I am not even sure we can actually call those proper kisses. In the secound one initiated by her she almost did not glued her lips to his. (Question for the mens here... is it THAT weird to kiss a long time friend? A 16 year old long time friend? Is it more frightening then kissing a random strager? ) This is the thing that pissed me off on this drama. However from her side she just confessed her feeling to a diety that was gelous of the body he was possesing. So almost kissing the air insted of him might be to some extend explicable. 😅 "I want so bad to kiss you but you know I would somehow kiss him so I am doing my best".

And he was just so loovey doovey in the clouds afterwards I really could not. 😂
But they did have some serious romantic tension here and there. It could have been more but again the primary focus was the ocult not the romantic.

I liked the music. Very suitable for each and every moment. I am yet to start listen to the OST properly. But really made the action more enjoyable and not at all boring.

There were some scenes I wish I had scene here and there such as: The conversation between Cangcheol (in his real form) and GOD when he gave him the choice to decide his fate, Yeori actually doing the mortal ritual. In the finale she was already possesed by the death diety so we have seen nothing...also her actual training with the monk. All the time she was with the monk we were given scenes of Changcheol complaining about life as a human them eating a feast to feel better. Like he was funny and all but we had like 15 scenes with him eating. Her training would have been also important in the economy of the story. And perhaps a label saying how long the time leap was in the end. Ga Eon looked around 8 but the transition was too quick. Btw I heared a lot of people complaining about the ending when the ending was shown in ep 1 through Yeori's vision. Back then it was just a matter of is it going to be Gap or Gangcheol? Gap made the choice to leave to the afterlife episodes before the finale so it was obvious. But I would have gotten angry had I not seen Yeori's vision in the end. All her visions good and bad ended up ocuring. Why would her dream not come true?


Well that being said...I absolutely LOVED IT. And recomand it if you like ocult and ghosty kind of stories. Comedy, romance, bromance, good female leads and EXCEPTIONAL young cast.

I do wish to rewatch one day this. It was shokingly fabulous. And both Korean and International public seemed to have loved it.

Read More

low key and absolutely charming

2025 kdrama sageuk fantasy, 16 eps at 1hr ea. Low-key romedy, absolutely charming; the grudges of ghosts, curses from the past, basic domestic problems and several instances of spirit possession are handled matter-of-factly. The basic work of the reluctant would-not-be-shamaness rests on the compassionate resolution of whatever feelings caused these phenomena in the first place.

The setting is divided more or less equally between the homes of the leads in their native village or a humble capital city neighborhood, and the palace of the title. The palace setting is mostly domestic -- the little family of the King, the Queen, the Dowager Queen, and their children is under assault by spirits wishing to wipe out the royal bloodline due to the crimes of past royals. All of us who love Kim Ji Hoon will not be surprised that even at this kind and gentle level of energy he owns every scene he is in.

Kim Ji Yun and Sook Jung Tae start off the show as companiable enemies. She plays Yeo Ri, a craftswoman for whom shamanry is a family business and he plays both her murdered first love Yoon Gap and Kang Cheol, a wonderfully emotional nature spirit of water and wind, an imugi-proto-dragon. Their hatreds arise from the usual misunderstandings and they are companions of a sort because they both perceive the spirit world within the everyday.

The imugi wants the the lenscrafter to accept him as her in-dwelling dominant spirit so as to help him become a dragon. Impulsively possessing the body of her just-murdered first love, he is fated to become her helpmate rather than the other way around, but the road is prickly, fun and happily long (16 eps, remember).

Absolutely amazing supporting actors of the quality without which kdrama would collapse are thick on the ground in this show. My favorite supporting characters, because I adore sweet and sentimental comedy , were the fabulous Kim In Kwon as the head eunuch, "Grilled Abalone", and the great Cha Chung Hwa , as the Mom of the FL's murdered first love.

My favorite things in addition to the above:

The spirit antagonist is a creature of fire and earth, worshipped in an underground cave by a blind sorcerer (!). Water and wind vs. fire and earth!

Kang Cheol's first experience of life in a human body involves the sense of taste -- he goes ecstatic over rice porridge (which look more like hominy grits). Next he discovers the pleasure of nice warm bedsheets. Of course his first kiss as a human is silly and wonderful.

I am not sure this would be a great binge because it was so low-key. Maybe it would be better spaced out for after work and a weekend.

Read More

one of the BEST historical dramas out there (must watch if you loved Mr. Queen)

Let me start off by saying I've never written a review before, partly because I'm too lazy to, but the love I have for The Haunted Palace is insane. This K-drama completely dragged me in from the very first episode and, dare I say, there are no boring scenes. None. I was hooked.

Although I personally feel like it didn’t really need the full 16 episodes, 12 probably would've been better, it never actually felt like a drag because the story was just that beautifully written. Every scene had a purpose, and the way the mystery, romance, and supernatural elements were woven together kept me on the edge of my seat.

I have to give a special shoutout to Sungjae. His acting was honestly next-level. I genuinely believed there were two people inside one body. He captured both personalities so effortlessly and convincingly. It gave me chills more than once.

Also, the last episode genuinely made me tear up, beautiful heartwarming ending I just love whoever directed and wrote this show

If you're even thinking about watching this drama, just do it. It’s haunting, emotional, and so well-executed and HILARIOUS. 10/10 would watch again.

Read More

"The Wish of a Spirit, the Rejection of a Shaman, and an Uncertain Fate"

I've been watching *The Haunted Palace* since it first aired, and I have to say, it's one of the most original dramas of 2025 so far. It blends historical elements with the supernatural, while also adding touches of humor and romance. The result is a truly enjoyable series with a unique atmosphere.

The story takes place during the Joseon era. We follow Yoon Gab, a serious young government official whose body is suddenly possessed by a mythical spirit — an Imoogi. This spirit wants to ascend to the heavens, but to do so, it must take control of Yeo-ri, a young shaman. However, Yeo-ri completely rejects her spiritual destiny and just wants to live a normal life. Of course, things don't go as planned, and the two characters end up having to work together despite their differences.

What I really loved was the main duo. Yook Sung-jae is excellent in his dual role as Yoon Gab and Kang Cheol-yi (the spirit). He shifts effortlessly from a serious, slightly awkward man to a powerful, cunning spirit without it ever feeling unnatural. Bona, who plays Yeo-ri, is very natural and moving in her performance. You can really feel the inner conflict in her character. Their chemistry is great, and their scenes together are both funny and intense.

Visually, the drama is stunning. The historical sets are beautifully done, the special effects are convincing without being over-the-top, and the overall atmosphere really feels like a fantasy tale. The music also supports the emotional and key moments very well.

The story progresses nicely, though some episodes (especially in the middle) feel a bit slower. Still, it never gets boring because each episode brings something new, whether in the plot or the characters' development. The supernatural elements are well-balanced and not overused, and the humor adds a light touch without ruining the mood.

Read More

A Novice Shaman and her Imugi were the leads, but the King Stole the Show

This story begins with a novice shaman determined to save her friend, Gap, from an evil spirit, while trying to manage an imugi, the ML, Gang Cheol, who needs her to ascend to the heavens. All of this leads to the Royal palace where the king and his family are being haunted by the same evil spirit that consumed her friend. Only there’s more to this than a simple haunting. It is tied to a catastrophe that happened a century earlier involving the royal family.

The long and complicated road to the truth behind what caused this haunting is interesting and at times humorous. As are the minor ghosts we meet along the way and Gang Cheol’s brother who was an intriguing character that died too soon.

The writing for the most part was excellent. However, the last couple of episodes did drag. Also there were times when the leads were not terribly bright which contradicted their previously astute actions. Yeo-ri showed potential as a shaman early on but became completely useless for most of the series. Spending much of her time teary eyed and looking on in “horror” and utterly powerless as terrible incidents unfolded. The blind shaman, who was the main antagonist, was around way too dam long . Giving me flashbacks of Jin Mu from Alchemy of Souls. This guy would not die and when he finally did bite it, it was too easy. Though the leads got their HEA, I really didn’t care either way about their love story. They had passable chemistry but I wasn’t invested in their love and found I was most interested in the mystery surrounding the haunting. All that said, the King and the love he and the Queen shared stole the show. Whether he was being the benevolent King, a grieving father/husband, a supportive friend or being possessed by that vengeful spirit, Kim Ji-Hoon truly embodied the complex plight of his character and was fantastic in the role of King Lee Seong. I truly cared about him and his family and when was heartbroken when his Queen was senselessly killed. The other actors were good in their roles as well and overall chemistry between the cast was good. Though the show did struggle a bit at the end, overall it was an enjoyable show.

Read More

Solid drama! good plot + solid acting

i started with no expectation and finished with satisfaction! its a very solid story, both bo na and sung jae potray their character quite well. each episode really made me hooked (but still there were few times when i double the speed)

the chemistry between the king and imugi is better than the main couple tho. i also love the eunuch and king bodyguard


PS. SPOILER STARTING HERE
*
*
*
*
i'm writing about the ending, dont continue if u dont want to be spoil!!
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
i found it a little dissappointing on the last battle between the eight feet ghost and imugi, i felt that the moment imugi used his white pearl, the ghost was just defeated like that, without any more struggle or anything. oh! the blind man also, how can he just died easily like that after everything he has done!!

however i appreciate the bonus scene in the end showing the happy life of ML and FL + their child and grandma 😃

Read More