"Vigilante" had him beating up criminals, and "East Palace" has him catching ghosts. Actor Nam Joo-hyuk ended his hiatus with "East Palace," which reached No. 1 on Netflix in Korea.
The new Netflix series "East Palace," released in full on the 17th, took the top spot on today's South Korea top series chart immediately after its release. Nam Joo-hyuk is at the center of the praise and attention for the work.
"East Palace" is a drama that tells the story of Gucheon, who has the ability to cross between the world of ghosts (鬼) and the human world, and Seonggang, a court lady who harbors secrets, as they answer the king's summons and uncover the curse that dwells in the east palace. In this story, Nam Joo-hyuk plays Gucheon, the protagonist who crosses between the reality where humans live and the ghost world where spirits reside.
Earlier, Nam Joo-hyuk enlisted in March 2023 and completed his service with the military police mobile unit. He was discharged in September the following year after completing his national defense duty, and after two years he returned to the public with the new work "East Palace."
When he enlisted, Nam Joo-hyuk was receiving praise for the Disney+ original series "Vigilante." Late in the run of "Vigilante," he drew attention by portraying a refreshing hero who, concealing his identity, punishes evil through personal vengeance.
At that time he emphasized impact with realistic action, but in "East Palace" he shows martial-arts-style action against fictional ghosts, with his robe fluttering and his sword flashing. Following his roles catching bad guys, Nam Joo-hyuk's action of catching ghosts shines even more in "East Palace." After military service and a hiatus, his more perfected action appears to be earning praise.
Added to this is the appeal of Gucheon's narrative of seeing ghosts. Gucheon is a character who sees ghosts because his birth mother was a shaman. Entering the palace, he becomes entangled with Seonggang (played by Roh Yoon-seo), a court lady who keeps secrets, traversing mystery, the occult and historical romance.
The relationship between Seonggang and Gucheon is driven by chemistry that emphasizes the relationship itself over historical accuracy, with interactions that alternate between demeaning and respectful across social status. In the meantime, Nam Joo-hyuk naturally conveys his signature emotional line that was praised in past dramas such as "Twenty Five Twenty One."
Facing vengeful ghosts requires showing a kind of madness that could overwhelm them. His model-origin tall stature and the powerful movements from the bulked-up physique for action add to that appeal.
This suggests that being No. 1 on Netflix in Korea is not simply an "opening boost." It is why expectations are high for what comes next from Nam Joo-hyuk, who closed his hiatus.
[Photo] Provided by Netflix.
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