SeanFletcher

There is no doubt the Koreans have come into their own with occult/horror/thrillers. The East Palace is the latest example of this with fine sets, special effects, costumes and very good acting. The directing was sublime: from the lonely moments and scenes, to great interactions between the different characters.

I found the writing kept me engaged from start to finish. It keeps you guessing: who is the real villain; does the king love his daughter, will Cheon prevail. Even if you work some of these points out early on, there are moments where you will second guess yourself. Then there is the sublime performances by the king, the Queen Mother and the Queen Dowager. Superb acting by all three. You can tell they relished their roles here.

A highlight for me was our intrepid couple working together to take down monsters, spirits and evil doers. One is a shaman but the real deal. The other can hear spirits talking to her. Gu Cheon shows the Princess Saeng Gang how to take down demons. Over time, Gang becomes concerned for Cheon. She knows it is taking its toll.

There is even cute monsters. One little such guy takes a shine to Cheon. In some ways, he is the hero of the story. Tiny, hungry and powerful. He is cheeky and is only too happy to feed on Cheon’s yang energy. Along the way, Cheon relents and let’s the cuteness tag along.

Gang initially sees she has a way back into the palace when the King asks her to help Cheon cure the young crown prince. However, she quickly realises all is not what it seems. Bit by bit she comes to care for Cheon who she knows will be discarded by her father the king once the spirit affecting the crown prince is defeated.

If there is a second season, I will be there…