Nam Joo-hyuk's comeback work "East Palace" has drawn attention by rising to No. 2 globally just three days after its release.
The Netflix series "East Palace" drew attention by ranking No. 2 on the global top 10 non-English shows just three days after its release, and released unseen stills that contain mysterious twist moments.
The Netflix series "East Palace," which tells the story of Gucheon (Nam Joo-hyuk), who has the ability to traverse the world of ghosts (鬼), and court lady Saenggang (Roh Yoon-seo), who keeps secrets, investigating the curse that haunts the East Palace after being summoned by the king (Cho Seung-woo), recorded 4.9 million (4,900,000) views (viewing hours divided by the work's total running time) three days after its release on Friday the 17th, ranking No. 2 on the global top 10 non-English shows. In addition to ranking No. 1 on 'today's top 10 series in Korea' from immediately after release through today, it proved its global popularity by appearing on the top 10 lists in a total of 27 countries, including Hong Kong, Thailand, the Philippines and India, as well as Korea.
"East Palace" has drawn praise from foreign media from the start for its distinctive concept and mysterious developments. "An intriguing mystery, overwhelming visuals and a solid worldbuilding immediately capture viewers. Roh Yoon-seo expresses the character's depth exceptionally with delicacy, strength and natural charm" (Decider). "Netflix has presented one of 2026's most captivating fantasy epics. 'East Palace' has broad potential to creatively realize a unique visual identity for the ghost world and the surreal designs of various monsters. Dazzling visuals, a star-studded cast and an immersive story make it an unmissable dark fantasy" (Collider). "The singular worldbuilding that 'East Palace' achieved is unquestionably the work's greatest strength and viewing point" (TIME). "The lavishly realized sets and costumes, and veteran actors who deliver the era drama's weighty lines with depth, fill the work. The designs of various supernatural beings and the visual effects that intricately render the ghost world Gucheon traverses enrich the spectacle and deliver overwhelming spectacle" (South China Morning Post), among other enthusiastic reactions.
Also, domestic viewers praised the gripping developments, saying, "The direction is really good so the confrontation between different worlds gives me chills" (X @hv****), "I binge-watched it and the story was fun" (X @ch******), "I binge-watched all eight episodes in one sitting with my mom" (YouTube @by*************), "The East Palace pond is full of cherry blossoms and the scenery is pretty, but because people actually die, shaman rituals happen and they go into the ghost world, it becomes an oddly contrasting and good feeling" (X @na******), "Please watch Cho Seung-woo's performance as the crazy king in East Palace" (X @me*********). In addition, strong reactions from overseas viewers have followed: "The story is interesting and the special effects are really excellent. The protagonists' chemistry is so good that it's a shame it ends. The acting is good and there are twists, so it was fun to watch to the end. I definitely want to recommend it" (IMDb @Da******), "The story maintained immersion all the way through with no dull moments. One of the Korean horror dramas I would rank among the best" (IMDb @us**********), "Direction, acting, cinematography and soundtrack were all excellent, so I really enjoyed it from start to finish" (IMDb @im************), "I watched it through to the end without skipping as soon as it came out yesterday" (YouTube @cr*****), expressing satisfaction with the surprising worldbuilding and spectacular visuals.
Fueled by intense popularity, the released unseen stills capture twist moments in "East Palace" that pique curiosity. As the palace's secrets are unveiled one by one and the whirlwind plot unfolds, the feats of Gucheon and Saenggang immediately draw attention.
Gucheon and Saenggang, who calibrated the drama's tension with a special team play across the distinct spaces of the ghost world and the real world, grow closer and change as they approach the truth, heightening the drama's immersion. Nam Joo-hyuk standing before a large jar reveals Gucheon's psychological change as he enters the ghost world, and Roh Yoon-seo's intense gaze as she faces the king delicately captures Saenggang's emotional line as she uncovers the truth, captivating viewers. Above all, Cho Seung-woo, who densely expresses the king's complex inner world simply by appearing and put on a "performance strength show," drew attention.
Praise has continued for Kwak Dong- yeon, who held the key to the twists and displayed a weighty presence, and Jang Young-nam, who anchored the drama with explosive acting. In particular, Kwak Dong- yeon leaves a strong impact with a dark figure filled with resentment, recalling the crown prince ghost's actions that raise immersion in the latter half of the drama. Action scenes between Nam Joo-hyuk and Kwak Dong- yeon, crosscut with the real world, also draw attention, and the private scenes between Cho Seung-woo and Kwak Dong- yeon became a hot topic for their excellent acting.
The production, which clearly showcased Korean appeal, also captivated viewers. Attention has been focused daily on the art and sets that faithfully captured not only the contrast between the ghost world and the real world but also the palace's oppressive atmosphere full of secrets, the music that amplified the mysterious mood, and the costumes that solidly realized the work's concept.
Meanwhile, Nam Joo-hyuk completed his military service in September last year and ended his relationship with his former agency, Management Soop, in December of that year. He later settled at a new agency, Fable Company. In addition to the comeback work "East Palace," he is set to appear in director Yoo Su-min's new film "Code," from "Weak Hero."<
[Photo] Netflix
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