Bona on playing a shaman, working with Yook Sung Jae in 'The Haunted Palace'

by Lily Alice, April 8, 2025

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Bona comments on how she prepared to play the role of a shaman in The Haunted Palace.

The Haunted Palace is a fantasy drama that follows Yeo Ri (Bona), the only granddaughter of a famous shaman who refuses to accept her destiny as a spirit medium, and Yoon Gap (Yook Sung Jae), who becomes possessed by an imugi, which is related to Yeo Ri, as they confront a vengeful spirit harboring a deep grudge against the royal family.

Bona plays the lead role of Yeo Ri, the only granddaughter of a famous shaman, who, despite possessing exceptional abilities, rejects her fate as a shaman and lives as an artisan of eyeglasses.

Bona shared her thoughts on working on The Haunted Palace, saying, "The script was so much fun. The concept of 'an imugi and a shaman' felt unique and fresh, and I was also intrigued by the fact that it deals with traditional Korean culture ghosts. Since fantasy is a genre I've always liked, I really wanted to take it on, and I'm grateful to be able to start my very first fantasy project with such a great script."

She went on to explain how she prepared for the role of the shaman Yeo Ri: "Even though it's a fantasy genre, I focused on portraying the shaman character as realistically as possible. I consulted with real-life shamans, had many conversations with them, observed rituals in person, and even learned chants and traditional dances. In particular, when filming the exorcism scenes, I practiced hard to recite the chants as naturally as possible."

Bona also highlighted what sets The Haunted Palace apart from other exorcism-themed K-dramas. "The Haunted Palace leans much more heavily into fantasy than previous exorcism-themed works, so I think viewers will find it fresh and entertaining." "In particular, the ritual scenes incorporate elements of traditional Korean dance, so they're designed to be more mystical and aesthetic," she said.

She went on to say, "The ghosts in The Haunted Palace aren't just portrayed as frightening — each of them has their own story, and I think that's another fun and compelling aspect of the show. Many of the actors playing ghosts went through a lot due to the heavy makeup, but thanks to their efforts, the visuals turned out to be really vivid and that has become a major visual highlight. I'm really looking forward to [how] that [will come across on screen]," further raising anticipation for the unique K-fantasy world that The Haunted Palace promises to bring.

On working with Yook Sung Jae, Bona shared, "Since Yook Sung Jae and I have been friends for a long time, we were able to film comfortably. We shared a lot of opinions with each other and were both actively involved, which made the whole process of creating the drama really enjoyable."

Regarding Kim Ji Hoon, with whom she teamed up as part of the exorcism unit facing off against the evil spirits, Bona said, "He was a reliable senior on set. He passionately offered lots of input and gave a committed performance, so I learned a lot and received a great deal of support from him." She added, "Since Kang Cheol, Yeo Ri, and Lee Jeong all have such distinct personalities, the scenes we filmed together turned out even more interesting."

Concluding, Bona highlighted key points for viewers to look out for, saying, "Please pay attention to the heartbreaking stories of the ghosts, the dynamics between Yoon Gap, Yeo Ri, and Kang Cheol, and the intense battles against the terrifying Palcheok-gwi [evil spirits]."