REVIEW: ‘The East Palace’ Thrills With Its Intriguing Dark Fantasy

The East Palace (Donggung) is Netflix’s newest Korean drama series, blending the intricacies of palace succession with dark supernatural fantasy into a thrilling original story. Directed by Choi Jung-Kyu and written by Kwon So-ra and Seo Jae-won, the supernatural period drama stars Nam Joo-hyuk as Gu-cheon, Roh Yoon-seo as Saeng-gang, and Cho Seung-woo as the King. 

In The East Palace, as the princes of the kingdom die mysteriously, a rumor begins to spread that the curse of the pond spirit is wiping out the royal bloodline. As the rumor grows, the King becomes enraged and dismisses it as an insignificant superstition, but when the King’s last remaining heir falls ill, he decides it is time to take drastic measures. 

The King calls upon Gu-cheon, a man with the ability to walk the world of the spirits, and Saeng-gang, a young supernaturally gifted court lady with a secret, to uncover the mystery of the curse and protect what remains of the royal bloodline. The King makes it clear to Gu-cheon that there is no room for failure. Because if he fails, then the King will not hesitate to take the young man’s life. 

With mysterious deaths of royal heirs come desperate solutions in The East Palace.

Nam Joo-hyuk does a fantastic job in his return to television since his three-year hiatus, and the star does not disappoint in the lead role. Nam Joo-hyuk’s performance as Gu-cheon lends the character emotional depth through his expressions, especially in quiet moments.

Initially, it is easy to assume that Gu-cheon is a lazy and selfish individual who doesn’t like to use his gifts or help others. His apathetic nature and dry demeanor make him seem like someone uninterested in others’ affairs. As the series goes on and more of the mystery is revealed, so does more of Gu-cheon’s internal struggle, fears, and trauma unfold.

The East Palace gradually reveals that the avoidance of his powers has nothing to do with laziness, but everything to do with the burden of his powers and his past. Since he can see spirits and can travel to the Land of Gwi, Gu-cheon rarely has any peace from the supernatural world and its inhabitants.

Nam Joo-hyuk returns in fine form as the troubled Gu-cheon.

With every spirit encounter and trip to the spirit’s world, Gu-cheon’s body takes a toll. This addition to the character’s personality and powers adds nuance, helping transform him from a supposedly detached protagonist into a sympathetic character who carries the weight of a gift that feels more like a curse. 

Roh Yoon-seo’s performance as Saeng-gang is not outdone by Nam Joo-hyuk’s and carries just as much of the show’s emotional weight and intrigue. The show impressively gives her character plenty of agency and a strong narrative journey of her own, not entirely centered on the male lead.

Possibly one of the show’s most refreshing aspects is its treatment of Saeng-gang. Granted, the series is set in a historical period in which women are often discarded and expected to remain on the sidelines. The East Palace never reduces her to a damsel in distress archetype that waits for Gu-cheon to save her. Instead, the two save one another, time and time again, with them succeeding when one of them falls short. 

Roh Yoon-seo’s Saeng-gang wonderfully balances Gu-cheon.

Gu-cheon and Saeng-gang’s mutual dependence is the foundation of the series’s strongest relationships. Their relationship is built on respect, trust, and reciprocity. Gu-cheon has the combat skills, experience, and supernatural abilities to fight the spirits directly. Meanwhile, Saeng-gang’s knowledge of palace politics, ability to hear spirits, and intuition prove just as essential to uncovering the truth behind the royal family’s curse.

The East Palace’s supporting cast also leaves its fair share of lasting impressions. Cho Seung-woo captures and commands attention as the King. Some of Cho’s best work comes from scenes shared with the Queen Dowager, played by Jang Young-nam. Both Cho and Jang add an extra layer of tension and suspense, keeping the political intrigue and palace schemes just as engaging as the supernatural elements. 

While the show delivers plenty of action and intense supernatural battles, its greatest strength and sometimes its weakness is its pacing. For an eight-episode run, The East Palace maintains an impressive pace. Every episode brings a new revelation to the mysterious curse plaguing the royal family and the palace’s inhabitants.

Intense action and the embrace of the supernatural heighten the palace intrigue.

The East Palace is especially compelling in how it weaves historical drama, supernatural horror, and Korean folklore seamlessly, without any of the genres overshadowing the others. The royal court and its inhabitants deliver all of the show’s political intrigue, between the shifting alliances, secrets, and betrayals that come with royal drama. Meanwhile, the supernatural and horror elements further raise the show’s stakes, as it’s not just a succession story, but also about stopping a great calamity that could consume the entire kingdom. 

Even so, there are moments when the story becomes a little too invested in introducing new twists, layers, and surprising revelations, which delay the resolution of the overarching mystery. Although the added layers make the main plot more complex, they also cause some storylines to linger longer than needed.

Fortunately, The East Palace pulls all the narrative threads and revelations together to deliver a satisfying ending. However, The East Palace concludes with an ominous ending, suggesting there could be a second season, as Gu-cheon’s services in the palace may still be needed. 

The pacing does occasionally stumble, and the realm of Gwi is sometimes lit too darkly to see much.

Moreover, director Choi Jung-kyu’s direction brilliantly complements the show’s historical and supernatural backdrops. The contrasting designs and lighting of the palace’s lavish décor and clothing, and the murky, distraught, ethereal Realm of Gwi, create a visual identity for the backdrops that is distinct and unsettling yet equally enchanting.

The series’ cinematography reinforces the show’s message that physical and otherworldly dangers lurk throughout the palace. Granted, the darkened lighting in the Realm of Gwi does make it hard to fully appreciate the fight choreography in certain action sequences. Nonetheless, the lighting is a minor issue that does not distract from the series as a whole.

The show goes the extra mile by not treating the spirits as mere horror devices; instead, The East Palace draws on Korean folklore, using entities like gwi-ma and ak-gwi to explain what vengeful spirits are and how they come to be. By doing this, the show creates spirits with their own histories, rules, and motivations, which gives each supernatural encounter more significance in the story. Fans of Kingdom will likely enjoy how The East Palace balances fictional period storytelling with supernatural suspense.  

The East Palace is a remarkable supernatural period drama that leans heavily into mystery, palace intrigue, Korean folklore, and horror to create a captivating show with every episode. Although some storylines drag on a little too long, the series manages to connect and layer them into a satisfying ending. The show’s gripping story, haunting atmospheric backdrops, and stellar performances make it one of Netflix’s most entertaining and must-watch K-dramas of 2026. 

The East Palace Season 1 is streaming now, exclusively on Netflix.