REVIEW: ‘The Haunted Palace’ Episodes 1-2

The Haunted Palace Episodes 1-2 set the stage for what is sure to be an enticingly entertaining Kdrama series on Viki. Starring Kim Ji-yeon, also known as Bona, and Yook Sung-jae, and featuring special appearances from Kim Young-kwang, the opening episodes waste no time establishing the supernatural that inhabits this world, the relationships between our core group of characters, and the potential baddie that may be behind the oh-so-strange haunting at the palace.

Writer Yoon Soo-jung wastes no time in Episode 1’s opening minutes introducing audiences to the trickster entity of the series. Craving enlightenment, the serpent Gang Cheol (Kim Young-kwang) loses his chance of reaching the heavens and becoming a dragon when a human catches sight of his form in the sky. Because of this incident, he loathes humans, spreading misfortune wherever he goes. When he sets his sights on the child shaman-to-be Yeo Ri (Song Ji-Woo), he determines to do everything he can to make her use her powers to help him ascend.

Personally, if I came face-to-face with Gang Cheol looking like that, I would totally give in. However, it shows Yeo Ri’s strength of character and will that she refuses to give in to Gang Cheol’s tactics, ranging from light teasing to harming those around her. As Gang Cheol, Kim Young-kwang is positively delightful.

It’s a lighter role for him, allowing him to lean into his natural charisma while still exuding subtle danger. Particularly in flashbacks, as he watches the young Yeo Ri live her life, his all black-attire and steady gaze hint at the darkness he promises.

What Gang Cheol never counted on was Yeo Ri’s resistance as shown across The Haunted Palace Episodes 1-2. While Song Ji-woo’s Yeo Ri is mostly riddled with fear until the death of her grandmother, Kim Ji-yeon’s Yeo Ri is stubborn and refuses to give in. This shows itself blatantly when Gang Cheol equips a One-Legged Ghost to rid Yeo Ri of a protective artifact that keeps her safe from spirits. Not only does she combat the spirit, but she makes sure to trade quips and barbs with Gang Cheol, who watches with a bemused expression not too far away.

The Haunted Palace Episodes 1-2 establishes Gang Cheol is the bae to beat.

Unfortunately, for Gang Cheol, the only man who possesses Yeo Ri’s interest is the royal archivist and her first love, Yoon Gap (Yook Sun-jae). While Gang Cheol is a sarcastic bully, Yoon Gap is sweet and caring. It’s no wonder that when Yeo Ri and Yoon Gap run into each other in The Haunted Palace Episode 1, Yeo Ri is so willing to accept his invitation to the palace.

The end of The Haunted Palace Episode 1 features a couple of exciting set-ups and scenarios. With Gang Cheol’s influence, what was meant to be a simple journey for Yeo Ri and Yoon Gap turns into a never-ending loop. Their stasis is followed by an injury, forcing the two to rest, but putting them both in vulnerable positions. Unbeknownst to Yeo Ri, Yoon Gap has other plans for her than simply having her inspect the king’s eyesight. He never gets the chance to tell her before a group of strangers succeeds in killing him. Well, kind of.

Across The Haunted Palace Episodes 1-2, it’s made clear that Gang Cheol needs to possess Yeo Ri’s body to achieve his dream. To get closer to her, he makes the decision at the end of Episode 1 to take advantage of Yoon Gap’s near-death by possessing him. However, this not only stokes further animosity in Yeo Ri since her first love has been possessed (with Yoon Gap’s own spirit expelled), but Gang Cheol fails to realize until it’s too late that he can’t leave the body. Again, these are some fun developments super early on.

Piecing together clues sprinkled through The Haunted Palace Episodes 1-2, the attempted assassination of Yoon Gap appears to be a part of a broader conspiracy that may be tied up with King Yi Jeong (Kim Ji-hoon). The King himself remains a mystery so far, but the King (and the plot) have other things to focus on.

Mainly, the fact that his son is possessed by some unknown entity, who is only introduced as the Colossal Shadow by the end of Episode 2. Whatever it is, it’s powerful enough to stoke fear in ghosts and for Gang Cheol to remark on.

Much of The Haunted Palace Episodes 1-2 is spent setting up the chess pieces for what is already turning out to be a fascinating story. And that’s perfectly fine. With how smoothly the pacing flows, one can forgive the many character introductions, ghost sidequests, and Gang Cheol’s first days living as a human. While they are clear sidesteps outside of the overarching supernatural mystery that the series is getting ready for, they are done in such a way, both in writing and in the final edit, that they don’t stand out too obviously like in other Kdramas.

Yook Sung-jae shows the full breadth of his range and physicality.

Speaking of standing out, it’s clear that this cast is not holding anything back. Given the complexity of the characters right off the bat, poor acting choices and direction early on might deter viewers from watching. However, just from watching The Haunted Palace Episodes 1-2,  it’s clear that casting made the correct choice when tapping Kim Ji-yeon and Yook Sung-jae in their leading roles.

As Yeo Ri, Kim Ji-yeon is expressive and earnest in her movements. Yeo Ri is a character who has rejected her shaman lineage, which is considered taboo. Instead, she’s become an eyeglasses specialist. This doesn’t keep Gang Cheol away from her, nor does it prevent her from seeing spirits all around her.

This internal battle between her shaman duties and what she’s running away from offers powerful moments of acting for Kim Ji-yeon to tackle. With the news that her first love’s spirit may be gone, the floodgates may open further for the actress to explore.

As for Yook Sung-jae, he has a remarkably tricky role in technically playing two characters with two completely different personalities and physicalities. However, in The Haunted Palace Episodes 1-2, he quickly establishes the differences between the two, making the moment of Yoon Gap’s possession incredibly apparent immediately after it happens. As his version of Gang Cheol gradually becomes more human, how will that humanity impact Yook Sung-jae’s portrayal of the character’s physicality? I’m intrigued to find out.

If there’s anything to ding, it’s the couple of moments of CGI used to amplify the demons. It’s not as smooth as it could be. This is a shame because it appears that there is an emphasis on achieving many of the designs seen practically. The other thing is that, while super adorable in theory, Gang Cheol’s excitable moments with human food proved more distracting in execution than they were in theory. More specifically, since the backgrounds chosen read more modern than fitting the historical era they’re meant to be in. But this is a nitpick.

Just two episodes in, it’s clear why this series is already shaping up to be one of Viki’s popular dramas. The Haunted Palace Episodes 1-2 provide ample setup and immediately introduce characters and a story that stimulate curiosity and intrigue. The next episodes can’t come soon enough.

The Haunted Palace Episodes 1-2 are streaming exclusively on Viki.