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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.
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.
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