SBSs The Haunted Palace kicked off on April 18 and 19 2025, delivering a dark, eerie start to what promises to be a gripping supernatural historical drama. Featuring Yook Sungjae, Bona(Kim Ji Yeon), and Kim Ji Hoon, this Joseon-era tale blends spiritual warfare, royal secrets, and haunting mythologies, hooking the reader from the first scene.
The Haunted Palace Episode 1: The Serpent Spirit Rises
The drama begins with the tragic legend of Gang Cheol, who was once a heavenly dragon but was cursed to become an lmugi—a serpent-like being consumed by rage and vengeance after being seen by a human child. A seasoned shaman shares this myth with her granddaughter Yeo Ri (Bina), warning her that Gang Cheol seeks out powerful shamans–and she may be his next target.
Years later, chaos stirs in the palace. The young crown prince begins behaving erratically, attacking those around him. While King Lee Sung (Kim Ji Hoon) suspects illness, his loyal civil officer Yoon Gap( Yook Sungjae) senses a darker presence and urges the King to seek spiritual help.
Yeo Ri, now working as an optician to avoid her shamanic fate, gets drawn back into the supernatural when she’s asked to calm a vengeful ghost haunting a noble’s daughter. Her success catches Gang Cheol’s attention, and he begins to torment her village.
Tragedy strikes when Gang Cheol kills Yeo Ri’s grandmother during a ritual. Branded as cursed by her community. Yeo Ri, swears to never use her powers again. However, her reunion with childhood friend Yoon Gap draws her into the palace–and danger. Just as she decides to accept his offer to become the King’s optician, Yoon Gap is murdered. In a shocking twist, Gang Cheol possess Yoon Gap’s body. The episode ends with a suspenseful fall off a cliff as Yeo Ri and the possessed Yoon Gap clash.
The Haunted Palace Episode 2: The Colossal Shadow Emerges
The Haunted Palace second episode opens with Yeo Ri waking up in the palace, rescued along with Yoon Gap’s body—now under Gang Cheol’s control. The King orders his recovery, unaware of the possession. But Yeo Ri notices a sword wound on his body and begins to question what really happened to Yoon Gap.
Things grow more disturbing when Queen Dowager recalls seeing a terrifying creature near the prince, the same figure from 13 years ago. Meanwhile, Gang Cheol is experiencing human sensations for the first time and seems oddly attached to Yeo Ri. and even saves her from a drowning ghost.
Yeo Ri follows clues and ends up in the palace’s tailor shop, where she finds sunglasses crafted from ghostbane stone—a material meant to ward off evil. Before she can investigate further, she’s dismissed by the Queen.
Underrated, she trails Yoon Gap to a courtesan house, where she meets his mother. The encounter triggers memories of her grandmother’s prophecy that Yoon Gap wouldn’t live past 30–a fate that appears to have come true. Yeo Ri resolves to reach out to his sou through a forbidden ritual, but Gang Cheol warns her to let go.
As The Haunted Palace episode unfolds, Yeo Ri sneaks into the palace and communicates with the ghost in the well, who reveals that Yoon Gap’s soul is being consumed by a dark entity known as the Colossal Shadow. It’s this force, not Gang Cheol, that poses the true threat.
In the final scene, the Colossal Shadow is revealed to be possessing the young prince, setting the stage for a much larger spiritual war. Even Gang Cheol senses this sinister energy and begins protecting Yeo Ri, knowing they may need each other to face what’s coming.
Final Thoughts: A Strong and Spine-Chilling Start
The Haunted Palace delivers a rich blend of folklore, palace politics, and eerie spiritual tension in its first two episodes.
With powerful themes of betrayal, destiny, and possession, the series sets a dark and thrilling tone. The introduction of the Colossal Shadow in Episode 2 takes the story to another level, teasing a much bigger supernatural threat ahead.
If you’re a fan of mystical K-dramas with historical depth and horror elements, The Haunted Palace is a must-watch.