The SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'The Haunted Palace' (written by Yoon Soo-jung, directed by Yoon Sung-sik) is a fantasy romantic comedy that intertwines the fate of a reluctant shaman named Yeori and her first love Yoon Gap, who is trapped in the body of a dragon, Gangcheol, as they face off against a vengeful eight-tailed ghost entangling their bodies and souls.
With its captivating premise of possession by a dragon, spellbinding character performances, intriguing palace mysteries, and the chilling presence of K-Ghosts, the show has consistently topped ratings, claiming the number one spot in its time slot and as the top Saturday mini-series for three consecutive weeks.
The show has also been on a relentless success streak on the global stage. By the third week of its airing, it secured the top spot across various global OTT platforms, showcasing its global appeal. It ranked first in the Asian genre on Japan's OTT platform Lemino (NTT Docomo), topped the drama category on Taiwan's Hami Video, and claimed the number one spot on Vietnam's VieON and FPT Play, as well as on Indonesia's Vidio in the Hallyu genre.
Moreover, it scored an impressive 8.6 on IMDb (as of May 7), the highest rating among K-dramas airing at the same time. On the global OTT platform Rakuten Viki, it achieved an overwhelming rating of 9.7 (as of May 7), leading in viewer numbers across 89 countries including the US, UK, France, and Australia, spreading the charm of K-Ghost Fantasy worldwide.
The international press has also spotlighted 'The Haunted Palace'. Pierce Conran, a journalist from the prestigious South China Morning Post, praised the drama, saying, "The strength of this drama lies in its fascinating blend of genres and the perfect combination of a dense plot. Featuring shamans, dragons, and other supernatural beings, 'The Haunted Palace' consistently delivers thrilling scenes that are visually appealing and provide a cohesion that short stories cannot convey. Director Yoon Sung-sik, with his extensive experience in historical dramas, has neatly stacked these elements." Leisurebyte, a foreign film and romance media outlet, also lauded the show, stating, "It brings laughter and warmth amidst the chaos of body-swapping and ghostly appearances, delivering perfect entertainment." International viewers are equally enthusiastic.
Comments like "I've been waiting for a fantasy drama like this (Mydramalist_Nic***)", "The unique romance and traditional exorcism rituals are so fascinating. Who wouldn't love this drama? (Mydramalist_Sof)", "I'm completely captivated by the traditional culture, fantasy, action, and mystery of this drama (reddit_med***)", and "Every scene with the dragon Gangcheol is truly captivating (reddit_mok***)" reflect the fervent response.
Meanwhile, in the latest episode, Gangcheol (played by Yook Sung-jae), Yeori (Kim Ji-yeon), and King Lee Jung (Kim Ji-hoon) joined forces to eliminate the eight-tailed ghost but failed to completely destroy it.
As a result, the blind judge Pungsan (Kim Sang-ho), weakened by the ghost's internal injuries, uses the water ghost Makdol (Kim Jun-won) to target the unborn child of the pregnant queen (Han So-eun), stirring chaos in the palace once again.
Additionally, as Gangcheol realizes his love for Yeori, the episode ends with Yeori facing a terrifying fate while trying to capture Makdol, skyrocketing curiosity about future developments.
'The Haunted Palace' will air its 7th episode on the 9th (Friday) at 9:55 PM.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)