In the SBS Friday-Saturday drama "Haunted Palace," Kim Ji-yeon decided to enlist Imugi (Yook Sung-jae) as her protector to confront Palchukwi.
In the fourth episode aired on the 26th (Saturday) of the SBS Friday-Saturday drama "Haunted Palace" (written by Yoon Soo-jung / directed by Yoon Sung-sik), Kang-chul (played by Yook Sung-jae) and Yeori (played by Kim Ji-yeon) realized Palchukwi's unexpected overwhelming power through their bloody battle and sought ways to confront it. Consequently, "Haunted Palace" recorded its highest viewership rating of 10.5%, with 8.8% in the metropolitan area, 9.2% nationwide, and 2.5% among the 2049 demographic, securing the top spot in the same time slot for two weeks in a row and dominating Saturday's mini-series competition. Additionally, it increased from the viewership rating of the previous Saturday, confirming its status as a promising hit for the first half of 2025. (Nielsen Korea)
The broadcast began spectacularly with a duel between Kang-chul and King Lee Jeong (played by Kim Ji-hoon), who was possessed by Palchukwi. Through Kang-chul's luminous spells and Yeori's exorcism ritual, they barely succeeded in driving away Palchukwi, but both were shocked by its unexpected brutish strength. During this process, Kang-chul sustained severe injuries and was once again filled with excitement when he received tender care from Yeori, displaying a flustered demeanor as he grappled with the human emotions he was feeling for the first time.
On the other hand, Lee Jeong, who had momentarily lost himself to Palchukwi, was confused by the strange occurrences happening to him. Until then, Lee Jeong had strictly prohibited shamanism. He attempted to punish Kang-chul and Yeori for violating national law according to his principles, but with the intervention of Won-ja (played by Park Jae-jun), who had recovered his health thanks to Yeori's help, the situation was temporarily resolved.
Knowing that Palchukwi had not been completely eradicated, Kang-chul urged Yeori to leave the palace for her protection, but she firmly refused, asserting that she needed to save Yoon-gap (played by Yook Sung-jae). Ultimately, Yeori believed it was a mistake for her, a novice shaman without a protector, to confront Palchukwi. She asked Kang-chul, "I will accept you as my protector and treat you with utmost respect. Please, I beg you to save Yoon-gap," requesting to become his disciple. Kang-chul, feeling twisted inside as Yeori, who had rejected him for 13 years, changed her attitude because of Yoon-gap, softened his heart and promised to become her protector in exchange for offering Jangmyeongru (a bracelet woven with various threads).
Meanwhile, darkness overshadowed the palace, which had briefly found peace due to the scheming of the blind fortune teller Poongsan (played by Kim Sang-ho). To restore the weakened Palchukwi after the battle with Kang-chul, Poongsan conducted another dark ritual. Amid this, Poongsan was seen offering the thin clothing of Prince Young-in (played by Kim Seon-bin), received from the queen (played by Han Soo-yeon), to Palchukwi, raising curiosity about his ulterior motives.
At the same time, Lee Jeong learned that traces of the dark ritual performed by Kang-chul and Yeori at the site where they summoned Palchukwi had been discovered, and in a fit of rage, he captured the two. Yeori pleaded her innocence and warned that Palchukwi would return, but Lee Jeong expelled Kang-chul and Yeori from the capital. In reality, this was Kang-chul's scheme; it was a drastic measure to separate Yeori from Palchukwi. However, contrary to Kang-chul's wishes, Yeori decided to meet Gaseop (played by Lee Won-jong) to obtain the ceremonial tools of Grandma Neopdeok (played by Gil Hae-yeon), who possessed even greater shamanic power.
In this process, Yeori noticed Kang-chul's unexpected side, sparking interest in their narrative. It turned out that Kang-chul had long assumed the role of her guardian, protecting her from danger. For the first time, Yeori realized that the evil spirit she had hated so much, Kang-chul, had not been tormenting her but rather safeguarding her, evoking a curious emotion that tugged at the hearts of viewers.
However, at the end of the episode, a breath-taking twist elevated the tension to its peak. Just as Kang-chul and Yeori accidentally encountered Gaseop's group in the mountains, an unexpected tragedy unfolded in the palace. At the moment Prince Young-in was drunkenly roaming the palace, Poongsan chanted a spell while conducting a suspicious ritual, and Palchukwi's enormous hand lunged at Prince Young-in's neck. The episode concluded, leaving viewers in a hair-raising cliffhanger.
Thus, amidst the intensely karmic relationship between Kang-chul and Yeori, a subtle pink atmosphere began to blossom, raising expectations for an even more spectacular showdown with Palchukwi.
The SBS Friday-Saturday drama "Haunted Palace" airs every Friday and Saturday at 9:55 p.m. It tells the story of Yeori, a shaman refusing her fate, and Imugi Kang-chul, trapped in the body of her first love, Yoon-gap, as they confront Palchukwi, who harbors a grudge against the royal family, leading to a fantasy battle for the body and soul.
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