Kim Ji-yeon opened the door confidently for "Haunted Palace."
In the new SBS Friday-Saturday drama "Haunted Palace" (written by Yoon Soo-jung, directed by Yoon Sung-sik), which premiered on the 18th, Kim Ji-yeon played the role of "Yeori," the only granddaughter of a famous shaman and a master of glasses. She showcased her strong presence at the center of the plot, leaving a powerful impact in just one episode.
Kim Ji-yeon captivated attention from her very first appearance with the charm of the strong-willed Yeori. Yeori came to fit glasses at the home of Prime Minister Choi Won-woo (Ahn Nae-sang) and pretended not to see her visible deformity due to her destined role as a shaman. However, she could not ignore Prime Minister Choi's sick daughter, swiftly subduing the deformity with just one branch, while quickly showing a compassionate side by empathizing and persuading the deformity with teary eyes, enthralling the audience.
On the other hand, Kim Ji-yeon transformed into a girl with a youthful face in front of her first love, Yoon Gab (Yook Sung-jae), showcasing Yeori's innocent romance. Yeori's gaze toward Yoon Gab, whom she met after a long time, was filled with surprise and affection, piquing curiosity about their past relationship. Moreover, when Yoon Gab suggested making glasses for the king, she asked with a thoughtful expression, "Did you come to keep the promise made back then?" but quickly hid her feelings for Yoon Gab for fear of causing him harm again, which heightened the audience's sympathy.
In contrast, Kim Ji-yeon did not hide Yeori's emotions in front of the villain, Kang Cheol-i (Kim Young-kwang), drawing attention to their story as well. She ignored Kang Cheol-i, who kept talking to her, sighing deeply, suppressing her anger while expressing disgust by calling out to him in a voice filled with rage. Additionally, when Kang Cheol-i tried to stop Yeori from going to the palace with Yoon Gab, she laughed and confidently insisted there was no reason not to go, raising viewers' curiosity about whether Yeori would safely enter the palace.
In this way, Kim Ji-yeon filled the first beginning of "Haunted Palace" with exciting narratives surrounding Yeori. She infused a sense of immersion through her expressive ability, capturing the character's solid inner self along with the distinctly contrasting emotional lines of each character. As Yeori faced a shocking ending, meeting Yoon Gab possessed by Kang Cheol-i, expectations are building for the next episode of "Haunted Palace" that Kim Ji-yeon will continue to unfold.
Amid Kim Ji-yeon's performance, the first episode of "Haunted Palace" recorded a nationwide audience rating of 9.2% according to Nielsen Korea. This figure is 3.1 percentage points higher than the premiere rating of the previous drama "Buried Hearts" (6.1%).
Meanwhile, the second episode of the new SBS Friday-Saturday drama "Haunted Palace," featuring Kim Ji-yeon, Yook Sung-jae, Kim Ji-hoon, and others, will be broadcast on the 19th at 9:50 p.m.
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