The Haunted Palace (TV Series) – Plot, Cast, Ratings Guide
The Haunted Palace (Korean: 귀궁) emerged as a distinctive entry in the 2025 Korean drama landscape, blending historical palace intrigue with supernatural folklore across sixteen episodes. Airing on SBS TV from April 18 to June 7, 2025, the series occupied the competitive Friday-Saturday 21:50 KST time slot, delivering a genre fusion that spans comedy, romance, and fantasy while rooted in traditional Korean mythology rather than Western Gothic traditions.
At its narrative core, the drama follows government officer Yun Gap, whose distinguished reputation and appearance become compromised when possessed by an Imoogi—a mythical serpent from Korean folklore seeking divine ascension. This supernatural intrusion connects him to Yeo Ri, his first love and granddaughter of a renowned shaman, who possesses latent spiritual gifts while working as a glass craftswoman, alongside reformist King Yi Seong as they confront vengeful spirits haunting the royal court.
The production achieved solid viewership throughout its run, averaging 9.5% nationwide according to Nielsen Korea data, while reaching international audiences through simultaneous availability on the Viu streaming platform commencing with its domestic broadcast.
What Is The Haunted Palace and When Did It Air?
Historical fantasy involving Imoogi possession, palace ghosts, and shamanic heritage set in Joseon-era court.
Completed series of 16 episodes, aired April-June 2025.
SBS TV domestic broadcast; Viu international streaming.
Yook Sung-jae, Kim Ji-yeon, Kim Ji-hoon; directed by Yoon Sung Shik.
- Occupied prime Friday-Saturday 21:50 KST programming block
- Averaged 9.5% nationwide viewership rating across full run
- Distinction from Edgar Allan Poe’s poem despite shared title
- Centers on Imoogi mythology from indigenous Korean folklore
- Integrates historical, comedic, romantic and supernatural elements
- Released simultaneously on Viu for international markets starting April 18, 2025
- Alternative international titles include Devil Palace, Gwigung, and Return to the Palace
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Korean Title | 귀궁 (Gwigung) |
| Broadcast Period | April 18 – June 7, 2025 |
| Original Network | SBS TV |
| Streaming Platform | Viu |
| Total Episodes | 16 |
| Weekly Schedule | Friday & Saturday, 21:50 KST |
| Director | Yoon Sung Shik |
| Screenwriter | Yoon Soo Jung |
| Average Nationwide Rating | 9.5% |
| Finale Nationwide Rating | 11.0% (2nd place) |
Who Are the Characters and What Is the Central Conflict?
The Supernatural Premise
Yun Gap, a palace official celebrated for his appearance and reputation, becomes unwilling host to an Imoogi. This mythological serpent, traditionally depicted as a proto-dragon seeking ascension to heaven, creates a possession dynamic that drives the narrative tension. The spirit connects Yun Gap to his former love Yeo Ri, who despite her divine heritage as a famous shaman’s granddaughter, has established herself as a glass craftswoman while resisting her predetermined spiritual fate.
Yeo Ri eventually enters the palace, encountering vengeful female ghosts and evil spirits holding grudges against the royal family. She allies with the possessed Yun Gap and reformist King Yi Seong to uncover dark secrets while confronting supernatural threats that intertwine personal destiny with court politics.
The Principal Cast
Yook Sung-jae portrays the dual challenge of Yun Gap and his possessed alter-ego Gang Cheol, navigating the physical and spiritual transformation imposed by the serpent entity. Kim Ji-yeon (also credited as Bo Na) embodies Yeo Ri’s struggle between her craft and her calling, while Kim Ji-hoon rounds out the central trio as King Yi Seong, a monarch committed to reform who allies with the supernatural-threatened court officials.
The supporting ensemble includes Shin Seul-ki, Kim Sang-ho as the shaman Pung San, Son Byong-ho, Gil Hae-yeon, Kim In-kwon as head eunuch Kim Eung Seon, and Cha Chung-hwa as Yun Gap’s mother Yung Geum. These performers flesh out the court hierarchy and spiritual community surrounding the central possession narrative.
The Imoogi (이무기) represents a significant figure in Korean folklore, typically depicted as a large serpent that must survive one thousand years to transform into a full dragon (yong). Unlike Western dragon mythology, the Imoogi’s ascension requires specific spiritual conditions, adding layers of cultural significance to Yun Gap’s possession.
How Did the Series Perform With Audiences?
Ratings Trajectory
The drama debuted to a 9.2% nationwide rating on April 18, 2025, ranking third in its time slot, followed by an 8.3% second episode. Viewership stabilized in the nine percent range through mid-season, with episodes three and four scoring 9.3% and 9.2% respectively. The finale on June 7, 2025, achieved the series’ highest ratings at 11.0% nationwide and 10.1% in Seoul, maintaining consistent top-three market positioning throughout its run.
Critical Reception
Audience feedback aggregated on MyDramaList reflects mixed narrative satisfaction. Initial episodes received characterization as “decent” by viewers, while later installments faced criticism for pacing issues described as “draggy” accompanied by negative commentary regarding story development. Despite these narrative critiques, the production maintained strong enough ratings to complete its scheduled 16-episode run without interruption.
The 9.5% average nationwide rating positions The Haunted Palace as a commercially viable entry for the 2025 SBS Friday-Saturday lineup, particularly considering the competitive landscape of simultaneous historical dramas and weekend programming.
What Are the Key Production and Distribution Details?
Creative Team and Development
Director Yoon Sung Shik collaborated with screenwriter Yoon Soo Jung to realize the supernatural historical vision. Casting solidified on July 19, 2024, with lead confirmations for Yook Sung-jae, Kim Ji-yeon, and Kim Ji-hoon, followed by supporting cast announcements in August 2024. Principal photography presumably commenced following these confirmations to meet the April 2025 premiere date.
International Distribution
Viu secured international streaming rights, releasing content simultaneously with domestic broadcast starting April 18, 2025. A promotional trailer surfaced on April 12, 2025, through Viu Singapore’s YouTube channel, generating approximately 330,000 views with its 50-second runtime teasing the possession sequences and palace ghost confrontations. International viewers requiring timezone conversion for the 21:50 KST broadcast should note Japan Time to Singapore Time – 1 Hour Ahead, No DST for scheduling reference.
Despite sharing its title with Edgar Allan Poe’s 1839 poem and the 1963 Roger Corman film adaptation, this series constitutes original Korean programming inspired by indigenous folklore rather than a direct adaptation of Poe’s work.
What Is the Broadcast and Production Timeline?
- July 19, 2024: SBS confirms Yook Sung-jae, Kim Ji-yeon, and Kim Ji-hoon as lead cast members.
- August 2024: Additional supporting cast including Shin Seul-ki and Kim Sang-ho formally announced.
- April 12, 2025: Viu Singapore releases official promotional trailer on YouTube, revealing key supernatural sequences.
- April 18, 2025: Series premiere on SBS TV simultaneously with Viu streaming platform international release.
- June 7, 2025: Final episode (Episode 16) airs, achieving series-high ratings of 11.0% nationwide.
What Is Confirmed Versus Uncertain?
| Established Facts | Uncertain or Pending Information |
|---|---|
| 16-episode completed series structure | Potential for second season or special episodes |
| Nielsen Korea ratings data (9.5% average) | Specific Viu streaming viewership numbers |
| Primary cast and crew credits | Detailed behind-the-scenes production budget |
| Original broadcast dates (April-June 2025) | Physical media release schedules (DVD/Blu-ray) |
| Simultaneous Viu international availability | Long-term streaming rights renewal terms |
How Does the Series Reflect Korean Cultural Elements?
The narrative architecture draws heavily from indigenous Korean spiritual traditions rather than Western horror conventions. The Imoogi possession mechanism roots itself in folklore where these mythical serpents represent beings caught between mortal and divine states, requiring specific conditions to achieve dragon status. This cultural specificity distinguishes the supernatural elements from generic possession tropes found in international genre programming.
Shamanic practice (gut) manifests through Yeo Ri’s character lineage and her resistance to this inheritance, reflecting contemporary tensions between traditional spiritual roles and modern professional identities in Korean society. The vengeful female ghosts (gwishin) haunting the palace corridors draw from historical narratives of court ladies (gungnyeo) who suffered injustice, embedding the supernatural horror within recognizable historical grievances.
The glass craftsmanship profession assigned to Yeo Ri additionally references historical Korean glasswork traditions, particularly the development of glassware during Joseon period court culture, grounding her character’s modern resistance to shamanic destiny within tangible material culture history. International audiences catching broadcasts across time zones may reference Japan Time to Singapore Time – Fixed 1-Hour Difference for scheduling clarity.
What Do Critics and Audiences Say?
Started decent but got draggy. Very bad story line.
— MyDramaList User Consensus
This sentiment, aggregated from viewer responses on the drama database platform, suggests the narrative momentum established in early episodes—particularly the world-building around Yun Gap’s possession and Yeo Ri’s introduction—failed to sustain audience satisfaction through the series’ latter half, despite the strong ratings performance indicating continued viewer investment in the outcome.
Final Verdict: Is The Haunted Palace Worth Watching?
The Haunted Palace delivers a culturally specific supernatural thriller that successfully merged historical palace drama with Korean folklore, achieving commercially viable ratings averaging 9.5% nationwide throughout its sixteen-episode SBS run. While audience feedback indicates narrative pacing issues in later episodes, the strong central performances by Yook Sung-jae, Kim Ji-yeon, and Kim Ji-hoon, combined with the unique Imoogi mythology premise, offer sufficient distinction for viewers seeking genre-blending content available internationally via Viu streaming platform.
Common Questions
Is The Haunted Palace based on Edgar Allan Poe’s poem?
No. Despite sharing the title with Poe’s 1839 poem and the 1963 film adaptation, this series derives from original Korean screenwriting by Yoon Soo Jung, utilizing indigenous Imoogi folklore rather than Poe’s Gothic literature.
How many episodes does The Haunted Palace contain?
The series comprises 16 episodes, broadcast Friday and Saturday nights at 21:50 KST from April 18 through June 7, 2025, on SBS TV.
Where can international viewers watch The Haunted Palace?
Viu holds international streaming rights, releasing episodes simultaneously with the Korean broadcast beginning April 18, 2025.
Who portrays the Imoogi-possessed government official?
Yook Sung-jae plays Yun Gap, the palace official possessed by the mythical serpent, also portraying the alter-ego Gang Cheol during possession sequences.
What is an Imoogi in Korean mythology?
An Imoogi is a mythical serpent believed to require one thousand years of survival or specific spiritual conditions to transform into a full dragon (yong), representing an intermediate state between mortal and divine existence.
Did The Haunted Palace achieve high viewership ratings?
Yes. The series averaged 9.5% nationwide Nielsen ratings, opening at 9.2% and concluding with an 11.0% series high, consistently ranking in the top three for its time slot.
When did filming and casting announcements occur?
Lead casting confirmations emerged July 19, 2024, with supporting roles announced August 2024, enabling the April 2025 premiere date.
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