Director Yoon Seong-sik of 'Haunted Palace' directly testified about the chemistry between Yook Sung-jae and Kim Ji-yeon, raising expectations for their growing antagonistic romantic comedy chemistry.
On April 18 at 9:50 p.m., the new SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'Haunted Palace' (written by Yoon Soo-jeong, directed by Yoon Seong-sik), which follows 'Buried Hearts', features a shaman Yeori, who refuses her destiny as a medium, and a creature named Gang-cheol, trapped in the body of Yeori's first love Yoon-gap, facing a long-eared ghost who has deep grudges against the royal family, leading to a twist of souls in a fantasy romance with a battle for physical bodies. Director Yoon Seong-sik, known for his engaging dramas like 'Mr. Queen', 'Lee Soon Shin is the Best', 'Bridal Mask', and 'Dae Joyeong', collaborates with writer Yoon Soo-jeong, who wrote 'The King's Face' and 'Cheer Up!', creating anticipation for a fresh synergy among the talented cast, including Yook Sung-jae (in the role of Yoon-gap/Gang-cheol), Kim Ji-yeon (in the role of Yeori), and Kim Ji-hoon (in the role of Lee Jeong).
Director Yoon Seong-sik revealed the reason behind his direction, stating, "'Haunted Palace' is a fantasy romantic drama set in a fictional era featuring the mythological creature Imugi. I was drawn to the narrative's fresh genre, diverse charms, and high-quality storytelling, so I decided to direct it. Although I often feel anxious about how viewers will receive the work each time it is released, I am filled with great anticipation because outstanding actors and the best staff have put in their utmost effort to prepare this."
Director Yoon Seong-sik emphasized his focus during the direction, stating, "I aimed to create a drama that viewers can approach easily, without heaviness or excessive scares, while balancing romance and comedy appropriately. I also emphasized the 'humanity' of the frightening ghosts, which are ultimately souls of people, weaving relatable stories." He added, "I concentrated on maximizing the various charms of the work, from exorcism fantasy action to bromance," increasing anticipation.
Along with this, Director Yoon Seong-sik expressed his special affection for the actors. He commented on Yook Sung-jae, who plays Yoon-gap, the character possessed by the evil spirit Imugi 'Gang-cheol', saying, "It’s a challenging role because it involves a dual role at the beginning and must portray a demi-god character while showcasing various genre features. I chose to cast Yook Sung-jae because he has the visuals and acting skills to showcase a vibrant charm, and I was able to confirm his talent once again during the actual work."
Regarding Kim Ji-yeon, who plays Yeori, he remarked, "The character Yeori has deep inner pain but must also have the strength as a shaman. Additionally, it requires an acting ability capable of encompassing both exorcism fantasy and romance genres. Kim Ji-yeon possesses both oriental beauty and charisma. She has executed the strong-willed shaman role well, but above all, I was pleased with the great chemistry she displayed with Gang-cheol in their antagonistic romance."
Additionally, about the romantic chemistry between Yook Sung-jae and Kim Ji-yeon, he noted, "The two actors are actually long-time friends, allowing them to exchange opinions freely and match their acting rhythms. Their naturalness in front of the screen was excellent, resulting in a wonderful chemistry. I believe the antagonistic comedy and sweet romance they display will be the hidden weapon of 'Haunted Palace'."
Meanwhile, regarding Kim Ji-hoon, who plays the role of the king 'Lee Jeong', who confronts the long-eared ghost harboring grudges against the royal family, he explained, "Lee Jeong is a character who must conceal his pain while fighting for the people. He faces threats to the royal family with strong willpower and must alternate between expressing good and evil. I thought that Kim Ji-hoon's softness and charisma, along with his occasionally glimpsed devilish sex appeal, matched perfectly with the character of Lee Jeong."
He continued, expressing gratitude for the solid performances alongside actors such as Kim Sang-ho (in the role of Poongsan), Ahn Nae-sang (in the role of Choi Won-woo), Gil Hae-yeon (in the role of Neobdeok), Kim In-kwon (in the role of Kim Eung-soon), Cha Cheong-hwa (in the role of Yeong-geum), and Son Byeong-ho (in the role of Kim Bong-in), saying, "Each character has a different genre color to pursue, and I am just grateful that they understood the director's intent accurately and expressed it accordingly. I hope you enjoy the diverse characters exhibited by talented actors."
There's a growing curiosity about how the Imugi and other spirits will be portrayed. Director Yoon Seong-sik mentioned, "Naturalness was our most important value." He said, "We were cautious about excessive VFX (visual effects) and based it as much as possible on real-life filming. After thorough preliminary research, simulation, concept design, and pre-testing, you will encounter a variety of uniquely created spirits through natural and high-quality CGI as well as special makeup and effects."
Furthermore, he praised, "Due to the high difficulty of action scenes resulting from the fantastical setting, we pursued realistic action descriptions by excluding overly exaggerated and cartoonish elements. Yook Sung-jae and Kim Ji-hoon shot particularly many action scenes, and both actors have considerable talent for action acting, successfully executing most of the challenging scenes themselves," raising interest in the fantasy action within 'Haunted Palace.'
Finally, Director Yoon Seong-sik emphasized, "'Haunted Palace' is a mixed genre drama with various charms. It’s not too difficult, heavy, or scary, so the whole family and people of all ages can enjoy it comfortably," raising expectations for the upcoming premiere of 'Haunted Palace.'
Meanwhile, the SBS, known as the kingdom of dramas, will uniquely present the fantasy historical romantic comedy 'Haunted Palace', which will premiere on April 18, 2025, at 9:50 p.m.
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