The SBS Friday-Saturday drama "Haunted Palace" starring Yook Sung-jae and Kim Ji-yeon has officially opened the curtain on a K-fantasy that makes you laugh and gives you chills as they step into a mysterious palace swallowed by an eight-legged spirit.
In the second episode of the SBS Friday-Saturday drama "Haunted Palace" (written by Yoon Soo-jung and directed by Yoon Sung-sik), which aired on the 19th, the grand human adaptation saga of the Imugi Kang Cheol-yi (played by Yook Sung-jae), who for the first time in a thousand years has taken human form, unfolded while Yeori struggles desperately to find the soul of Yoon Gap (played by Yook Sung-jae), who died inside the palace, after hearing his voice. As a result, "Haunted Palace" recorded a high rating of 10.3%, with 8.4% in the metropolitan area and 8.3% nationwide, topping the viewership ratings for the same time slot for two consecutive weeks. In particular, it is anticipating a hit as it continues to lead the newly launched Saturday mini-series with overwhelming ratings. (Nielsen Korea)
Previously, the first episode of "Haunted Palace" recorded a high rating of 10.7%, creating a fierce storm right from the start. In addition, it recorded 9.2% in both the metropolitan area and nationwide, surpassing "Love Scout" and "Buried Hearts" to achieve the highest premiere rating for an SBS drama in 2025.
The broadcast began after the incident where Kang Cheol-yi possessed Yoon Gap's body and Yeori fell from a cliff, regaining consciousness in the palace. Yeori thought Cheol-yi had harmed Yoon Gap but fell into confusion upon learning that Yoon Gap had been stabbed and injured internally. Meanwhile, Kang Cheol-yi, who regained his strength with terrifying resilience, was deeply immersed in the human senses for the first time in his life. After tasting a spoonful of rice porridge, Cheol-yi exclaimed, "How wonderful is the human sensation of taste, this tongue, what a delightful thing it is!" as he gluttonously devoured the porridge in the middle of the palace, making the viewers double over with laughter.
At that moment, the eerie cry of the eight-legged spirit pierced Cheol-yi's ears. Worrying that Yeori would become the target of the eight-legged spirit, Cheol-yi hurriedly tried to lead him out of the palace. However, at the same time, Yeori, enchanted by the voice of the calling soul of Yoon Gap, headed towards the well, where she was attacked by the chilling spirit Ok-im (played by Song Soo-yi) lying in wait in the water. Ok-im had lured Yeori by mimicking the voice of Yoon Gap's spirit. Sensing Yeori's crisis, Cheol-yi leaped into the well without hesitation, despite his injuries, and successfully subdued the spirit to save her life. However, believing that Cheol-yi's actions were solely driven by a desire for ascension, Yeori ignored Cheol-yi, who was worried about her, and only thought about finding the wandering spirit of Yoon Gap within the palace.
Meanwhile, Yeori felt confused after realizing that unlike Yoon Gap's words asking for a new heirloom (glasses), King Lee Jeong (played by Kim Ji-hoon) did not need a new heirloom. Furthermore, it was discovered that the heirloom orb cherished by Lee Jeong was not ordinary glass but a spiritual stone (a stone that drives away spirits), escalating the bizarre atmosphere haunting the palace.
Meanwhile, Cheol-yi could not escape from Yoon Gap's body by any means, and due to his subsequent antics, the palace was soon abuzz with rumors of "Yoon Gap's lunacy." Eventually, even the maidservants began whispering, asking, "Is Yoon Gap really that trashy?" and "Is it not just insanity but a full-blown breakdown?" Yeori became furious at Cheol-yi's actions, who was behaving like a rogue with Yoon Gap's face. She retorted to Cheol-yi, "It's my most precious face, yet the most hated you resides within it. This is a terrible nightmare," raising the tension over how the entangled relationships would evolve.
During the climax of the episode, a looming threat descended upon Cheol-yi and Yeori, sending the tension soaring. Yeori believed that the spirit Ok-im might know the whereabouts of Yoon Gap's soul and summoned Ok-im through prayer. Ok-im warned Yeori ominously that Yoon Gap's soul had already been consumed by the eight-legged spirit, and that if she encountered Yoon Gap's spirit, she would face death. At that moment, Cheol-yi, sensing a strange presence in the palace, tensed up and remarked, "It's the eight-legged spirit," gripping with an anxious sweat. Also, at the same time, the prince Lee Kwang (played by Park Jae-jun), who was suffering from madness, suddenly had a seizure, and a terrifying eight-legged spirit's face covered in blood emerged over the prince's face, revealing that the eight-legged spirit was at the center of the ghastly events engulfing the palace, sending chills down viewers' spines.
Thus, the second episode of "Haunted Palace" immediately heightened the viewers' immersion with the chaotic human adjustment of the Imugi and the spine-chilling first appearance of the eight-legged spirit that invaded the palace. In this midst, Yook Sung-jae showcased from the humorous aspects of the Imugi awakening to human senses to his charisma as a guardian saving Yeori and further showcased a diverse range of charm that made viewers fall for 'Kang Cheol-yi Yook Sung-jae.' Thus, with the full-fledged story development advancing, expectations soar for Yook Sung-jae's passionate performance.
Meanwhile, immediately after the broadcast of episode 2 of "Haunted Palace," various online communities and social media saw comments like, "What was the tension in episode 2? The comedy and eeriness were perfectly executed, so entertaining," "Yook Sung-jae's tone fits Cheol-yi perfectly. His acting is totally spot on," "Is this Cheol-yi's sensory experience? The Imugi is eating while laughing," "The Cheol-yi and Yeori narrative is amazing. Haven't they been together for 13 years?", "It's fun. Even the ghosts are good spectacles," "Cheol-yi is pure madness. A tsundere with real feelings," "This is my first time seeing such a genre and I find it interesting. The ghost visuals are amazing," and "I couldn't catch a breath today. Time just flew by," reflecting viewers' impressions.
"Haunted Palace," an SBS Friday-Saturday drama, airs every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 p.m. It tells the story of Yeori, a shaman who rejects her fate, and the Imugi Kang Cheol-yi, who is trapped in the body of Yeori's first love Yoon Gap, as they face the eight-legged spirit harboring resentment towards the royal family, leading to a tangled body and soul.
[Photo] SBS "Haunted Palace"
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