The past has a haunting grip on the characters of the period drama The Haunted Palace, a supernatural mystery blended with romantic comedy elements. The story centers on Yeo-ri, a glasses maker played by Bona (Twenty-Five Twenty-One), who has long rejected her birthright as a shaman after her grandmother Neup-deok’s mysterious death during a ritual. Despite her denial, Yeo-ri cannot escape the spiritual legacy tied to her family.
Kang-cheol, a dragon who transformed into a demon after failing to ascend to heaven, has been bound to Yeo-ri since childhood. He seeks to break his curse by possessing the body of a shaman. When Yeo-ri’s childhood friend, Yoon Gap—a palace scholar played by Yook Sung-jae (The Golden Spoon)—is killed by pursuers, Kang-cheol seizes the chance and takes over Yoon Gap’s body. Together, they return to the royal palace, as Yoon Gap originally summoned Yeo-ri to craft glasses for King Yi Sung (Kim Ji-hoon, Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economy Area).
King Yi Sung quickly suspects that Yoon Gap’s true intention was something beyond eyewear, especially after observing Yeo-ri’s ability to communicate with the dead and noticing that the imposter shows no respect through honorifics. It becomes clear that Yeo-ri was brought to the palace to exorcise a malevolent spirit tormenting the king’s young son—a violent child possessed by the fearsome Eight-Foot Spirit. This monstrous entity, covered in bloodied boils and bulging muscles, has a dark history with the royal family, having killed Yi Sung’s father after years of possession.
Yeo-ri must embrace her shamanistic powers to confront the spirit, but her investigation reveals deeper connections. The blind shaman Pung-san (Kim Sang-ho, Sweet Home), acting for the Queen Dowager (Han Soo-yeon), is briefly possessed by the Eight-Foot Spirit and reveals that Kang-cheol was seen as a baby during his failed ascension to heaven a century ago. This sighting prevented Kang-cheol’s rise and fueled his hatred for the royal family.
As the narrative unfolds, the show balances supernatural intrigue with moments of levity, such as Kang-cheol’s growing fondness for pumpkin taffy and his affection for Yeo-ri. The series also features chilling supernatural scenes, including encounters with a river-dwelling water spirit that vomits black ooze. The pure-hearted Yeo-ri helps Kang-cheol soothe his long-held grudge, even allowing him to possess her briefly to say goodbye to his daughter.
Approaching the climax, Yeo-ri and Kang-cheol must uncover the identity of the mysterious baby from 100 years ago and navigate their complex relationship as a shaman and a spirit bound by fate.
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