Review: The Haunted Palace – The Fangirl Verdict

THE SHORT VERDICT:

Less about a central romance and more about a supernaturally-inclined Scooby gang on a ghostly mission, The Haunted Palace is well-paced, generally well-plotted, and really quite entertaining; certainly more entertaining than I’d originally imagined or expected.

Yook Sung Jae and Bona are well cast as our leads, though I would say that Kim Ji Hoon steals very, very large chunks of the show, as our resident King, at least in my opinion. 🤩

Worth a look, even if you’re not typically into ghosts or shamans in your dramas.

THE LONG VERDICT:

My friends, I have to sheepishly confess that I had not been expecting to enjoy this show.

In fact, the only reason I found myself checking it out at all, was because I didn’t find the other shows airing at the time, to be very interesting.

So what a pleasant surprise, for me, to find that this drama’s really a lot more entertaining and enjoyable than I’d originally imagined.

This, when I don’t actually have any pre-existing special interest in stories about ghosts or shamans. 😅

I have to admit that my interest did slump a little in Show’s second half, but I think that’s more of a “me” thing than anything; I think I was losing stamina a little, thanks to recently watching more 12-episode dramas and forgetting what a 16-episode drama feels like. 😅

Ultimately, Show does stick the landing, in my opinion, and I’m glad that I checked it out, in the end.

OST ALBUM: FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE

Here’s a playlist for the OST album, in case you’d like to listen to it while you read the review.

Overall, I’d say that the OST was enjoyable and effective, though I can’t personally say that any of the songs on the OST actually managed to get under my skin.

If I had to pick one that I felt had a little more sticking power with me, it’d be this first one, “You Better Run;” it’s got a bit of a rock edge and therefore makes me feel like it vibes suitably badass, to match our resident imugi deity’s badassery. 😁

HOW I’M APPROACHING THIS REVIEW

First I’ll talk about how to manage your expectations going into this one, and what viewing lens would be most helpful.

After that, I talk about stuff I liked on a more macro level, before I give the spotlight to selected characters and relationships, in a separate section. Finally, I spend some time talking about my thoughts on the penultimate and finale episodes.

If you’re interested in my blow-by-blow reactions, &/or all the various Patreon members’ comments during the course of our watch, you might like to check out my episode notes on Patreon here.

MANAGING EXPECTATIONS / THE VIEWING LENS

Here are some things that I think would be helpful to keep in mind, to maximize your enjoyment of your watch:

1. This is not romance-forward

There is a central romance in this, but it’s on the subtle, subdued side of things, and often lands as more of a secondary arc than a main one.

Adjusting your expectations around that, helps.

2. The focus is more on the over-arching mystery

Instead the OTP loveline, Show’s focus is much more on the over-arching mystery of the “Big Bad” ghost.

Adjusting your expectations around that, also helps.

3. The ghosts aren’t that scary

In case you feel squirmish at the idea of ghosts in this story, don’t worry, the ghosts aren’t that scary.

Sometimes things can get a little gross, but I don’t consider it extreme, so I don’t think there’s a need to avoid this drama on account of the ghosts.

4. The imugi is our male lead

This is slightly spoilery, yes, but I do think that this is important for the purpose of managing expectations, which is why I’m mentioning it here.

[SPOILER ALERT]

As you might already know from Show’s synopsis, Yun Gap becomes possessed by an imugi, Gangcheori, played by Kim Young Kwang.

It would possibly be different if Yun Gap were still alive in our story, because then there’s the possibility of Gangcheori leaving Yun Gap’s body.

However, by the end of episode 1, Yun Gap gets killed by men sent by an obviously scheming political dude, and it’s only afterwards, that Gangcheori enters his body, thus resurrecting him.

Because Yun Gap’s life has already ended, I feel that it makes more sense to think about our male lead as Gangcheori, who’s inhabiting Yun Gap’s body.

[END SPOILERS]

STUFF I LIKED

Overall handling and execution

I do think this is a pretty watchable show; I don’t feel like the pace drags, neither do I get the feeling that Show’s cycling in place because it doesn’t have enough story to tell.

It’s true that I felt my interest and engagement slump a little, at around the episode 10 or so mark, but like I mentioned earlier, I think that’s more of my having less stamina than I’d expected. 😅

Overall, I’d say that Show manages to keep a nice pace, while throwing in narrative developments that I found myself genuinely surprised by.

The way Show leans unpredictable

One of my favorite things about this drama, is the fact that I found myself unable to predict what was going to happen next, beyond the deep belief that our good guys would eventually prevail, somehow.

That’s actually pretty excellent, that I found the story hard to predict, because quite often, when you’ve been watching dramas for a long time like I have, you start to be able to see general patterns in certain types of stories, and that does take away some of that sense of freshness (even though there can always be stuff to appreciate, in the execution).

Admittedly, this could also be because I don’t have that much experience watching magicky shows about shamans, so there’s that too. 😅

For what it’s worth, I found myself feeling regularly surprised by the narrative turns that our story took, and I liked it a lot.

Here are some personal highlights that I appreciated extra.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E3-4. One of the things I found myself feeling surprised by, is the idea that Gap’s been eaten by that eight foot tall ghost, and so, Yeo Ri is now on a mission to save him, and maybe even give him back his body.

I hadn’t seen that coming, nor had I considered that as a possibility.

But, I suppose in a supernatural story like this, just because someone’s died, doesn’t necessarily mean that he has to stay dead, I guess..? 😅

In any case, I found it interesting that because Yeo Ri does that ritual to summon Gap’s spirit, the crown prince ends up vomiting out the eight foot tall ghost (because Gap’s part of the ghost now, I suppose), thus enabling Gap to run away.

E3-4. I do find it foolhardy of Yeo Ri to use herself as bait, to lure out the eight foot tall ghost, but like I said, I can believe that she would risk her life in order to save Gap.

I wasn’t surprised that Gangcheori would come to Yeo Ri’s assistance, right in the nick of time, and I wasn’t surprised that the ghost would exit the young prince either.

What I was surprised by, was that the ghost would enter the King, mostly because the King had been safe, all this time.

But, it all started to come together in my head, at the end of episode 3, as Yeo Ri muses that there must be a reason that the King has been safe from the ghost.

That’s when it dawns on me that she’s holding onto the Ghostbane stone lens from his glasses, which has kept him safe thus far.

So, for me, the closing scene of episode 3 works really well, because I hadn’t actually seen it coming, and it all dawns on me just as everything starts to happen.

E5-6. I’d fully expected the eight foot tall ghost to possess Yeong In (Kim Sun Bin), much like how it had possessed the crown prince, but instead, the ghost kills Yeong In, just like that.

I was honestly quite disbelieving of this, and kept waiting for Yeong In to rise from the dead, all possessed and full of evil ghost power, but no. He really does seem dead – and I am really quite surprised.

It helps that Pung San (Kim Sang Ho) later states to his mysterious patron that the ghost has decided to kill his targets instead of possessing them, and it also helps that Yeo Ri theorizes that the ghost had consumed Yeong In in an attempt to heal the wounds that it had sustained in the fight with Gangcheori and Yeo Ri.

E5-6. Something that surprised me, these episodes, is the reveal that it would cost Gangcheori his life, to actually defeat the eight foot tall ghost.

Ack. Say, what?? 😱

On hindsight, I can see how this would provide a strong source of narrative tension, because of course we don’t want Gangcheori to die, but then I’m wondering how writer-nim will resolve this, at the end of our story?

Naturally, the question that was on my mind through a lot of the rest of my watch, was, whether we would have to deal with a tragic ending, with Gangcheori dying to save Yeo Ri, and then, maybe, have to settle for, time skip later, a hint that Gangcheori might have been reincarnated or something? 😅

Spoiler: Show does not go there, for which I am grateful. 😁

[END SPOILER]

Show’s sense of humor

Heh. If you’ve been around the blog for a while, you’re probably doing a double take right about now, since k-humor and I so rarely get along. 😁

The thing is, I did find myself laughing a lot more than I’d thought I would.

I will say that this show is not a comedy, and more of a drama with spots of levity, which is likely why I actually find the comedic beats entertaining – because Show isn’t trying too hard, to make me laugh, if that makes sense?

Here’s a quick spotlight on some of the moments that stick in my mind as being extra entertaining and amusing.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E1-2. In terms of the beats I was entertained by, there are a few.

First, there’s how I am quite tickled by how Gangcheori keeps grumbling about how weak this human body is, and at the same time, quite thrilled by the fact that, for the most part, he’s still superhumanly strong – except when he’s stopped in his tracks by Gap’s stab wound.

And then there’s also how Gangcheori discovers pieces of the human experience, and is overwhelmed.

We start with how amazed he is by the taste of plain rice gruel, which then naturally escalates to him trying out all sorts of food and wine, and getting completely blissed out, to my amusement and Yeo Ri’s chagrin. 😁

And then there’s also how he discovers the comfort of lying on a warm floor, wrapped in soft bedding, and refuses to get up, again to Yeo Ri’s chagrin.

Of course, let’s also not forget how he discovers that he gets flustered at the sight of Yeo Ri in his arms, when he saves her from that water ghost.

I am inordinately tickled at how he’s discovering the joys and sensations of the human experience, and figuring out how to feel about it all. 😁

When Show’s sense of humor didn’t work for me

To balance things out just a little, I thought I’d mention at least one thing that was meant for funny, but which I decidedly did not find funny, and that’s the running gag of the screamy Head Eunuch (Kim In Kwon).

The really didn’t do it for me. 🙉

[END SPOILER]

STUFF THAT WAS OK

The palace machinations

Generally speaking, I don’t find myself very interested in court politics in my dramas, but this time around, it does lean rather different than most dramas, since, at the heart of the goings-on in the palace, is ghostly trouble, ie, [SPOILER] an evil spirit that has possessed the crown prince. [END SPOILER]

This definitely makes the court machinations a little more interesting and a lots less mundane and dry.

In fact, past a certain point, what we get is a lot more palace chaos than palace politics, and I think that definitely makes it all more palatable. 😁

STUFF I DIDN’T LIKE SO MUCH

When Show’s logic leans weak

Let me begin by saying that I could be off in my estimation that sometimes, Show’s logic leaned a little weak.

So here are the two instances that come to mind, when I think about this; let me know in the comments if you saw it differently, or if I misinterpreted what Show was trying to do. 😁

[SPOILER ALERT]

E10. In episode 10, our crew’s focus turns to figuring out the identity of the eight foot tall ghost, in order to understand his grudge – in order to help him correctly resolve it, and thus, help him to cross over.

I mean, it’s all fine and good and makes sense, but I can’t help wondering why we’re only thinking about this, after 10 whole episodes?

Like, wait, didn’t Yeo Ri already know from much earlier on, that the eight foot tall ghost had a grudge? Why has it taken her this long to bring up the fact that they should be trying to figure out what that grudge is?

This is one of those times that makes me feel like Show’s accidentally showing some writing weaknesses. 😅

E9-10. How intriguing, that in our closing scene, the eight foot tall ghost possesses Pung San and tells Gangcheori that they aren’t enemies; that their common enemy is the royal bloodline.

And yet, on hindsight, now that I’ve finished the show, I feel like this isn’t actually what’s presented, in our finale episodes?

In our finale, the grudge that the eight foot tall ghost has against Gangcheori, has to do with Gangcheori not doing anything to save Yongdam Village, as a deity, even though he’d had the power to.

Did I miss something, or was there no mention of this common enemy in the royal bloodline thing? 😅

[END SPOILER]

When Show leans gross

I mentioned earlier that the ghosts in this show aren’t actually that scary, but I will say that there was a particular occasion where I was really quite grossed out.

I didn’t like that so much, so I’m thankful that Show isn’t this gross, most of the time. 😅

[SPOILER ALERT]

E6. It happens at the end of episode 6, where we see all that black liquid pouring out from the water ghost’s mouth, right into Yeo Ri’s mouth.

ACKKK. 🤮🤮🤮

[END SPOILER]

SPOTLIGHT ON SELECTED CHARACTERS / RELATIONSHIPS

Yook Sung Jae as Yun Gap / Gangcheori

I have to say, Yook Sung Jae does a pretty great job in the dual roles of Yun Gap and Gangcheori.

He’s perfectly pleasant and bland as Yun Gap, but totally channels an animated, mischievous and badass energy as Gangcheori, that I find very similar to how Kim Young Kwang feels, in the role – except Gangcheori wasn’t actually animated, before taking possession of Yun Gap’s body.

I found it very easy to tell when Yook Sung Jae was playing Yun Gap versus playing Gangcheori, and kudos to Yook Sung Jae, for making it all look so effortless.

Very nicely done, I thought.

[BROAD SPOILERS]

Yun Gap

We don’t spend a whole lot of time with Yun Gap, but I thought he deserved a mention, at least.

At first, I didn’t think too well of Yun Gap, because of the way he’d deceived Yeo Ri about the real reason he wanted to take her to the palace with him.

However, towards the end of our story, when he refuses to give in to Pung San’s taunting and become a vengeful spirit, and even requests Yeo Ri to help him cross over to the afterlife, I thought him to be a good, decent and even rather noble person. 🥲

Gangcheori

We actually spend most of our time with Gangcheori, and I must say, Yook Sung Jae is a lot more fun to watch when he’s playing Gangcheori.

Gangcheori’s irreverent, cheeky and unbridled in how he is just always himself, and refusing to be fettered by things like social hierarchy or decorum.

It was fun watching Gangcheori learn to navigate the world in Yun Gap’s skin, and gain a fair bit of humanity, along the way.

[SPECIFIC SPOILERS]

E7-8. I really appreciate the little beats that show that Gangcheori might be developing deeper connections with the people around him.

Like the way he decides to drink that herbal tonic that Gap’s mother (Cha Chung Hwa) brings him, even though he hates it; it’s clear that he feels bad for her that she’s even sold her hairpin in order to be able to afford the ingredients for the tonic.

With the way he asks her about what she’d do if, even so, she doesn’t get her old son back, and the way she assures him that insanity changes nothing, and that he’s still her son, and she will still take care of him.

Aww. I feel like now I want Gangcheori to becomes Mom’s son for real, so that she won’t have to experience the loss of her son, and so that he will finally know what it’s like to have a mom. 🥲

E9-10. I’m very amused by how Gangcheori blows his entire salary on a pair of shoes for Yeo Ri, a hairpin for Gap’s Mom, and 5 sticks of pumpkin taffy for himself.

It’s a little silly, but it very much reminds me of how, just a few months ago, my nephew blew his pocket money budget on the first day of Primary 1 (the equivalent of first grade), by ordering whatever food he wanted off the menu, and having no concept of not having enough money to pay for it all. 🤭

Also, it’s endearing and wholesome, that Gangcheori would prioritize buying gifts for Yeo Ri and Gap’s Mom, over and on top of his pumpkin taffy obsession.

E11-12. I do appreciate the effect that Bibi’s loss has on Gangcheori, who’s never experienced loss or grief before.

That beat, where he sobs in his human body, and tells Yeo Ri that he’s in literal physical pain, was quite poignant to me, coz haven’t we all been at a place like this, where we were in so much emotional pain, that it physically hurt? 🥲

I appreciate Show for acknowledging and highlighting that.

[END SPOILER]

Bona as Yeo Ri

I did think that Bona was well-cast in the role of Yeo Ri.

With Yeo Ri’s background of having been shunned for much of her childhood, I can see why she would come across as more serious and reserved, most of the time.

We are told, however, that Yeo Ri had been a very special child, and so, whenever adult Yeo Ri showed flashes of a more bubbly side, I would take that as her inner child showing up, for a little while.

One of the traits that I feel defines Yeo Ri as a character, is loyalty, and in this next spoiler section, I wanted to explore, at least a little bit, her loyalty to Yun Gap.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E3-4. As Yeo Ri learns more about the eight foot tall ghost, she’s also slowly learning more about Gap; for example, that Gap had known about the eight foot tall ghost, and that had been his real reason for inviting her to come to the palace with him.

I can understand that Yeo Ri doesn’t feel ready to accept the idea that Gap had had a hidden agenda for bringing her into the palace, but it’s a start, that she’s exposed to the idea, yes?

And, it is true that even though Yeo Ri and Gap spent many years apart, there had been a connection between them, that had meant a lot to the both of them.

As Yeo Ri explains later, Gap had been the only person who’d told her that all the bad stuff that happened, wasn’t her fault, and he’d even defended her against the villagers, who’d blamed her for everything.

I can see how that would cause Yeo Ri to have an unreasonably deep loyalty towards Gap, despite the years that had passed since, such that she would put herself in danger, in order to free his soul.

[END SPOILER]

Yeo Ri and Gangcheori

Like I alluded to earlier in this review, this OTP loveline is on the low-key, restrained side of things.

In fact, I wouldn’t actually count this OTP loveline as a personal highlight of my watch. 😅

Personally, I thought Yook Sung Jae and Bona shared an adequate amount of bickering chemistry, like when Gangcheori and Yeo Ri are squabbling with each other, though I would say that I thought the actual romantic chemistry could have been better.

However, I do think that Show does a reasonably solid job of teasing out this slow-burn connection, so that it lands as something meaningful.

Here’s a collection of OTP highlights to commemorate some of those meaningful beats.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E1-2. It’s true that Yeo Ri considers Yun Gap to be her first love, and is very sad about his death, but it really looks to me to be a mix of her having a childhood crush, and her feeling grateful to him, for having protected her, when everyone else had pointed fingers at her for being a source of bad luck, because Gangcheori was following her around.

I don’t actually think that she was deeply in love with him, and so I’m also not mad about the idea of her eventually falling for Gangcheori, even though she’s currently really upset with him for inhabiting Yun Gap’s body.

I do feel like we’re seeing a sparky sort of chemistry between Yeo Ri and Gangcheori in Yun Gap’s body, versus Yeo Ri and OG Yun Gap.

Which also means that I’m in principle quite into the idea of Yeo Ri and Gangcheori having a bit of an enemies-to-lovers bickering romance. 😁

E3-4. Yeo Ri nursing Gangcheori’s wounds gives us a bit more of that bubbling side beat that I am admittedly enjoying, that Gangcheori’s becoming more and more drawn to Yeo Ri, and doesn’t know what to do with these embarrassing limitations of this frail human body. 🤭

More pressingly, though, Yeo Ri’s now bargaining with Gangcheori, to become her patron deity like he’s always wanted – if he’ll help her defeat the eight foot tall ghost, and save Gap.

I do think that the fact that Gangcheori gets all upset at Yeo Ri for making such a request, is partly because he doesn’t want her to put herself in danger, and also, partly because he’s jealous that she would sacrifice herself so easily, for someone else, when she’s flatly refused him, for 13 whole years.

Aw. Poor conflicted Gangcheori? 🤭

E3-4. It’s quite nice that Yeo Ri starts to realize that Gangcheori’s actually always been protecting her, over the last 13 years.

He waves it off as him protecting her so that he could have her for himself, but I do think Yeo Ri still looks quite touched by this revelation.

E5-6. This nugget of information, that it would cost Gangcheori his entire luminous pearl and therefore his life, to defeat the eight foot tall ghost, definitely provides an undercurrent of angst and tension, because Gangcheori is clearly very confronted by this realization.

He wants to protect Yeo Ri, but he doesn’t want to die.

I can understand why Gangcheori would agree to be Yeo Ri’s patron deity; this gives him an excuse to spend more time with her, in a defined relationship, and it definitely helps that she’s eager to make this connection with him as well.

E5-6. I am very amused by Gangcheori grappling with his growing attraction to Yeo Ri.

It’s not just that he’s fighting his attraction to her; it’s that he’s not even sure if he’s attracted to her.

I really did giggle for a bit, with the way he describes his feelings to Bibi, thinking that maybe he just wants to eat Yeo Ri. 🤭

E5-6. I really do like that Yeo Ri and Gangcheori are agreeing to stick together, even if they don’t successfully eradicate the eight foot tall ghost.

I appreciate that Yeo Ri takes into account the fact that Gangcheori’s gone out of his way to keep her safe, all these years, and I do really like that bashful yet proud expression that crosses Gangcheori’s face, when he hears Yeo Ri acknowledge him like that. Cute!

I do perk up at the various little indications that we get, that this bond between Yeo Ri and Gangcheori is growing, like when she asks the Queen (Han So Eun) if she can forgo the sweet pastries for now, and take them with her later – because she doesn’t want to keep Gangcheori waiting too long, and because she wants to share the treats with him. 🥰

E7-8. In the midst of all the drama around Yeo Ri getting poisoned, I have to give credit to Show for still managing to weave in little nuggets to do with Gangcheori’s and Yeo Ri’s growing awareness of their feelings for each other – and quite organically too.

Like the way Gangcheori insists on carrying Yeo Ri on his back, because she’s lost her shoes, and also, because of all she’s been through, and tells her to take a nap – and the way Yeo Ri puts her head down on his back, like she really finds rest and comfort there.

Yes, she does catch herself quite soon after, and insists that he put her down, but the important thing here, is there is definitely hyper-awareness on both sides.

And also, quite refreshingly, Yeo Ri talks quite plainly, about how it’s very confusing for her, to have these close interactions with Gangcheori, because he’s in Yun Gap’s body.

It’s true that the beat is played more for comedy, and that Yeo Ri requests that Gangcheori keep a good distance of ten paces from her at all times, but I do think it’s pretty great that this is even a topic of conversation at all, because I think that most dramas would default to having their characters clam up about this instead of blurting it out in conversation.

E7-8. I thought it was pretty significant that Yeo Ri would be so worried about Gangcheori, and even instinctively hug him with relief, when he finally came to.

Ahhh! She cares about him, even though she’s trying to keep it all nonchalant and businesslike.

The King’s droll expression, as he clears his throat to break up the extended tearful hug, was quite funny, as was Gangcheori’s blink-and-you-miss-it look of annoyance that he flashes at the King. 😁

E7-8. I’m quite glad that Gangcheori and Yeo Ri get to rest for a bit from their adventures, and end up having that conversation where Gangcheori asks Yeo Ri whether her smiles are for him to see, or for Yun Gap.

Yeo Ri doesn’t answer, but that tearful look in her eyes do tell me that she is at least somewhat conflicted about her answer.

E9-10. Of course it’s weird and awkward for Yeo Ri to realize that she’d hated him all for nothing, and that, he’d, in fact, protected and helped her, when she hadn’t even realized it.

And, of course she wouldn’t know how to conduct herself around Gangcheori anymore, as a result.

On Gangcheori’s side of things, I appreciate being able to see his perspective too, in the way he tells Bibi that his regret, is that he hadn’t warned Yeo Ri about Pung San bringing the eight foot tall ghost with him from the capital, which could have potentially saved Nup Deok’s (Gil Hae Yeon) life.

Aw. I can see how this could be a source of guilt for Gangcheori, especially given that he’s become affectionate of Yeo Ri, and knows how much her grandmother had meant to her. I can understand why he wouldn’t be keen to tell her the truth, in light of this.

E9-10. With all that danger and jealousy in the air, I can understand how we arrive at the scene at the end of episode 9, where Gangcheori tries to help Yeo Ri with cleaning her wound, and Yeo Ri’s defenses break down, and she tearfully admits how relieved she feels, to know that he hadn’t killed her grandmother – and how she’s a terrible person, for feeling attracted to him, despite also feeling really heartbroken by how her grandmother’s soul must still be suffering.

..Which is when Gangcheori finally acts on the King’s advice – and approaches Yeo Ri, and kisses her. 💋

I actually rather do like this kiss scene, because it’s quiet and full of simmering emotion, while threaded through with angst and worries.

However, the post-kiss comedic awkwardness, I was less thrilled about.

I know that Show means it for cuteness and levity, but I wasn’t feeling it so much, honestly.

I think I just prefer that other, more serious, more simmering emotional landscape leading up to the kiss itself. 🥲

But ok, Gangcheori’s gleeful wiggling toes was quite amusing, I’ll give Show that. 😁

Additionally, I thought it was a nice touch, that Gangcheori would make those wild chrysanthemums bloom for Yeo Ri, just coz she liked them – even though I have to say, the flowers looked kind of on the wilted and sad side, after the slo-mo blooming process. 😅

E9-10. I did like that moment of conversation that Gangcheori and Yeo Ri have, while everyone else is sleeping.

It’s very touching, really, to hear Gangcheori describe how he’d first noticed Yeo Ri appreciating the embroidery on someone else’s shoes, many moons ago, which is why he’d bought her those shoes.

Aw.. That’s so sweet, that he’d noticed, and then remembered it all this time, only to then blow most of his first ever salary, on embroidered shoes to make Yeo Ri happy.

It’s also touching when Yeo Ri tells Gangcheori that she will continue to serve him as her patron deity, even if he has to leave Gap’s body one day; that that will her way of thanking him for how he’s protected her, all these years.

I feel like that’s a very meaningful promise to Gangcheori, because with this, Yeo Ri’s expressing that she has loyalty and affection for him – for himself – and not just because he’s in Gap’s body. 🥲

[END SPOILER]

Kim Ji Hoon as the King

I think it was a stroke of brilliance to cast Kim Ji Hoon as our King.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen Kim Ji Hoon play a king before, but he does an absolutely fabulous job of the role.

He makes the king come alive with so much nuance and emotion; in Kim Ji Hoon’s hands, the King feels like a real person with real priorities and real emotions, who truly cares about his family, and his responsibilities as king.

He really kinda steals this entire show for me, honestly. 🤩

Here’s a collection of kingly moments that I enjoyed.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E3-4. Kim Ji Hoon’s rendition of the possessed King, just makes the scene, for me.

I should have guessed that the King would be given a more interesting arc than just being a tepid concerned father for the possessed prince; you don’t just cast Kim Ji Hoon and then not plan to have him steal some key scenes, after all. 😁

During the scene, I did find the fight between the ghost and Gangcheori quite thrilling, because it landed as a supernatural being against supernatural being sort of fight.

E5-6. I find myself liking this King quite well.

I feel like he lands more as a real person, than most other kings I’ve come across, many of whom only seem to care about the throne and its succession.

In this King’s case, I get the sense that he cares for his family, and not just in the sense of protecting his bloodline for the throne.

That endears him to me. 🥰

I do feel like it’s his desire to keep his family safe, that causes him to relent and order Yeo Ri and Gangcheori to deal with the eight foot tall ghost, despite his strong official stance against shamanistic rituals.

I mean, he looks truly grieved and distraught, when the Queen begs him to let her be the immoral woman who partakes in heretical ceremonies while he upholds the law.

Also, as the King works with Yeo Ri and Gangcheori, I feel like we get to see even more personality from him.

My favorite moment in this category, is when the King can’t help but chuckle in amusement, when he learns that Gangcheori had sent the War Minister flying off in a whirlwind. Cute!

E7-8. I love this King always seems so present, and so deeply involved, from his actual heart, in everything that I see him do.

Like that whole investigation on the palace maids to find out who had planted that skull in the Queen’s chambers; that entire investigation had felt very personal to him, and I really liked that.

The way he reacts when he’s presented with Gap’s brush, which had been found in the study, is also deeply personal.

How touching and heartfelt, I thought, is the way he writes that epitaph, in Gap’s memory. 🥲

They say that how you behave when no one’s looking, reveals your true character, and this is definitely one moment when I felt I was seeing the King’s true character, as he mourns his friend Gap, in the solitude of his study. 🥲

And then there’s how genuinely distraught and disturbed he is, when the Queen takes ill, due to the curse of the water ghost.

I really kinda love that he’s so antsy about the Queen’s wellbeing, that he would personally rush to the Queen Dowager’s chambers to get Yeo Ri, because he knows that the Queen’s condition isn’t a physical one.

I also love that he would agree, fairly readily, to Gangcheori’s demand, that he become bait, to lure out the water ghost.

E7-8. I just love how the King makes straight for the Queen’s quarters, and homes in on her to give her a big hug of relief, now that she’s been freed from the curse.

I just LUFF that about this King; he sincerely cares about his Queen, and no palace decorum is going to stop him from showing it. 🥲

And then, isn’t he so cheeky, the way he purposely shows Yeo Ri extra care and concern, when Yeo Ri says that she needs to deliver the water ghost’s remains to his daughter?

This king is quite one of my favorite kings among the various sageuk kings I’ve seen, for sure. 🤩

E9-10. Honestly, Kim Ji Hoon’s performance as the King, is one of the top highlights of my watch, and I really appreciate the inner conflict and growing despair that we see, in this scene, when Yeo Ri asks the King why he hadn’t told her everything he’d known about the eight foot tall ghost.

The inner conflict, of protecting a shameful part of the royal family’s history, and the responsibility that he feels, of keeping it secret, and the despair and sadness that he feels, when Yeo Ri leaves, in response to his earnest request for her help.

I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that Kim Ji Hoon is systematically stealing this show, for me. 🤩😁

E11-12. Another human response that I appreciated, is the King’s response, when Yeo Ri tells him that his grandfather, Lord Kim (Son Byung Ho), is the true benefactor behind Pung San.

The King’s immediate reaction is disbelief, and while some folks might take issue with him doubting Yeo Ri like that, I actually appreciate that the King has enough good feelings for his grandfather, to not want to believe this very damning reveal.

I also appreciate that the King’s disbelief is not firm and absolute; rather, it’s just the first of several stages that he goes through, before he arrives at a full acceptance of the truth.

Another thing I appreciate, is that the King remains open-minded towards information that might change his mind, even though he really doesn’t want his grandfather to be the benefactor behind Pung San.

In that scene where the Queen Dowager tells him that the person who’d threatened the nanny into recommending Pung San to her, is none other than Lord Kim, you can see a grieved acceptance on the King’s part.

E11-12. In terms of the King’s handling of Lord Kim, I have mixed-tending-positive feelings.

The reason for my mixed feelings, is that it seems a little easy, the way he has all the other ministers walk in after having heard Lord Kim’s confession, and then immediately strips him of his title and assets, and then exiles him.

I’m not super sure of how Joseon courts work, but based on what I’ve seen in various dramas, it usually doesn’t move as fast as this, so this felt a little on the unbelievable side of things.

However, I appreciate the King’s unhesitating emotional honesty, in confronting Lord Kim; this is something that I’ve found very appealing about this king.

It also seems fitting that he would exile Lord Kim instead of executing him, since I would believe that our King would have this much mercy on his own grandfather.

And, it works out quite well, that Lord Kim gets killed by the eight foot tall ghost instead.

It feels like karmic justice, in a way, since he’d tried to use the eight foot tall ghost for his ambition in the first place, and now that ambition’s come back to bite him, in a manner of speaking.

[END SPOILER]

Gangcheori and the King

One of the big running gags in our show, is Gangcheori having no sense of manners or decorum in front of the King, and almost treating him like he’s some kind of peasant, with the kind of nonchalant disdain that he shows, in answering the King’s questions.

I found this all quite low-key amusing, and loved the idea of the King growing fond of Gangcheori, despite Gangcheori’s lack of manners.

I also loved the idea of the two of them working together, so this next event that I touch on in this next spoiler section, gave me a lot of satisfaction indeed. 🥰

[SPOILER ALERT]

E7-8. I do love the crackly intensity between the King and Gangcheori at this stage, because they’re both so anxious about the safety of the women they care about; the King for his Queen, and Gangcheori for Yeo Ri.

This gives rise to so much bickering tension between the two of them, as they basically keep threatening to kill each other, if not for the mission at hand; it’s quite amusing, honestly. 🤭

Also, even though Gangcheori miscalculates the behavior of the water ghost and thus gets attacked by the water ghost, I like the idea that he and the King make a great team, what with the King using that special earth-tipped arrow that Gangcheori had made, to shoot the ghost in the back, without being able to see him.

I thought that was pretty cool, honestly. 🤩

Isn’t it quite reluctantly friendly, the way the King tosses his water flask to Gangcheori so that Gangcheori can take a drink, and the way Gangcheori then tosses it back to him?

That little exchange made it feel like they really are partners, reluctant as they both are, about it. 😁

[END SPOILER]

Kim Sang Ho as Pung San [SPOILERS]

I spent about half the show thinking of Pung San as being an evil character, but Show does challenge me on that in its second half, and I think it’s great that Show gives Pung San enough dimension, to make him more gray.

In the flashback that we get in episode 9, I can’t help but home in on the fact that Pung San actually tries to warn Lord Kim about the eight foot tall ghost, and promises to do whatever it takes to stop the ghost; it had been Lord Kim who’d had a different idea.

This feels like an important piece of context, because as vile as some of Pung San’s actions are, it seems that he’d been pushed in this direction by Lord Kim, who most certainly seemed to have perked up at the sound of a ghost who would kill everyone in the royal family.

Also, as we get deeper into our story, we learn that Pung San had been mistreated and looked down upon, as less than a nobody, due to his blindness.

With that as his context, it definitely adds a layer of poignance to how gleeful he becomes, when he gets a taste of power, from the protection that he gets from the Warrior Deity (or, as I’ve been calling him, the eight foot tall ghost).

This actually gives me another layer of perspective, that Pung San isn’t an evil person at his core, but just wants to be valued and treated right.

It’s just too bad that he found that perceived value, in serving the Warrior Deity.

Cha Chung Hwa as Yun Gap’s mother

I just love Chan Chung Hwa as a general rule, and she does not disappoint, as Gap’s mother.

She always has such a strong, loving, motherly energy whenever she’s on screen, and there was never any doubt in my mind, that her son meant the world to her. 🥲

[SPOILER ALERT]

I just had to mention what a loving, generous person she is, with the way she takes in Gangcheori and Yeo Ri in our final stretch, even though it must break her heart to look at Gangcheori, knowing that Gap is no longer there.

Yet, she welcomes them and is kind to them anyway. What a beautiful soul. ❤️🥹

[END SPOILER]

Han Soo Yeon as the Queen Dowager [SPOILERS]

For a good chunk of my watch, I thought of the Queen Dowager as one of the bad guys, thanks to the way she literally hires Pung San to seal the eight foot tall ghost in the young prince, in order to destroy him – so that her own son, Grand Prince Yeong In, would be able to take the throne in his place.

Uh. That’s dark.

And also, kind of reckless, because, as we see, the Queen Dowager isn’t actually all that sure that the eight foot tall ghost will leave Yeong In alone, necessarily.

Who’s to say that after devouring the young crown prince, the eight foot tall ghost won’t decide that Yeong In would be an appropriate next snack, yes?

And yet, the Queen Dowager proceeds.

Which, I guess, confirms that this Queen Dowager isn’t actually very smart? 😅

Also, I would buy that greed and ambition tends to blind, and so, I’m rolling with that idea, that the Queen Dowager is basically blinded by greed, and therefore not thinking very straight. 😁

E5-6. While I would never wish a mother to endure the loss of her child, I can’t help but feel like the Queen Dowager is kind of reaping what she’s sown, since she’d been trying to kill the crown prince via the ghost.

Because of how evil her intentions have been towards the Queen and the crown prince, I actually don’t find myself feeling sorry for her, for having lost her son.

Additionally, the way she cries over not having embraced him even once, makes me feel sorry for Yeong In, rather than her as his mother; maybe that’s why he’d turned out so twisted and troubled, because he hadn’t been properly loved by his own mother..?

Plus, instead of actually mourning her son, the Queen Dowager seems to be filled with anger and vengeance, which is why she summons Pung San, the blind shaman, and almost moves to kill him.

That said, I don’t think the Queen Dowager is completely evil; she looks genuinely mortified when she realizes that she’s let slip that the Queen is pregnant, in front of Pung San.

I think she realizes the danger that she’s put the baby in, by revealing its existence to Pung San, and I at least give her credit for not actually trying to plot the baby’s death – though she did plot to destroy the crown prince.

E11-12. As for the Queen Dowager’s turnaround, I feel that I can believe she would have such a big change of heart, after realizing that she’s been used, and tricked into offering up her own son as a sacrifice to the eight foot tall ghost.

I imagine that in her shoes, I’d have big regrets too, and suddenly start to look at things very differently.

As for her punishment, I do think that our King is compassionate and wise not to add more punishment to her, because she’s already suffering the worst punishment of all; the guilt and self-blame, for having caused the death of her own son.

Ho Han Gyeol as Bibi [SPOILERS]

A surprise that I hadn’t seen coming, is the introduction of another imugi in episode 6; Gangcheori’s brother, Bibi.

I loved the idea, and more or less hoped that Bibi would become an important ally in fighting the eight foot tall ghost, since this basically doubles our imugi power.

However, that was not to be, and I thought I would weigh in, for a bit, on Show’s chosen treatment of Bibi’s character.

[MAJOR SPOILER]

E11-12. My idea of having Bibi and Gangcheori combining their powers to defeat the eight foot tall ghost doesn’t come true at all, and I am quite disappointed about that.

Because that would have give us a happier ending, and Bibi wouldn’t have had to die like he does, in episode 11.

As for the events that lead to his death, well, I can accept the narrative logic, that he would worry for Gangcheori, and become convinced that the only way to save Gangcheori, would be to get rid of Yeo Ri.

One of the big things that folks seem disgruntled about, is the fact that the eight foot tall ghost seems to gain power from the luminous pearl, instead of getting destroyed by it.

After all, we’ve been told several times now, that the only way to have enough power to get rid of the eight foot tall ghost / guide him to the afterlife, is by draining an entire luminous pearl, and yet, here he is, actually consuming an entire luminous pearl, and then gaining strength from it.

I would agree that at first glance, this does seem very self-contradictory.

However, I can buy the idea that the application of the item can make the difference.

This isn’t a very good comparison, but a knife could be used to cook you a meal – or kill you, right?

So I can accept that perhaps it’s not just the presence of the luminous pearl, but a specific application of the luminous pearl, that would help Team Yeo Ri to overpower the eight foot tall ghost.

I can also buy that Pung San, having seen how the eight foot tall ghost has so much power that even Lord Kim has to cower before him, would start to have more loyalty towards the eight foot tall ghost, and therefore ignore Lord Kim’s orders, in favor of helping the eight foot tall ghost get what he wants.

Also, although we do see Bibi taking a stance against Gangcheori these episodes, which is unusual in and of itself because he’s always been respectful of Gangcheori, it’s also true that what we have seen of Bibi, indicates that he’s quite emotionally driven.

He eats humans because he wants to, and because this is a method that will help him to ascend fast, and he gets upset when his selected feast is taken away from him, by Yeo Ri’s interference.

I feel like it’s not too hard to extend that emotional sort of characteristic, to how Bibi would respond, when Pang Sun tells him that by cooperating with him, he’ll be rid of Yeo Ri’s influence over Gangcheori, once and for all.

I must say, Pung San’s quite the evil genius, in this situation, pitting the two imugis against each other, and just waiting for one of them to die, so that the eight foot tall ghost can get the power of a luminous pearl – never mind who that pearl comes from.

The only silver lining here, I suppose, is the fact that Yeo Ri clues in to Pung San’s plan, and alerts Bibi and Gangcheori to it, so that, at the very least, neither of them ends up killing the other.

It is poignant that Bibi would sacrifice himself to save Gangcheori; it really shows that he’d always had Gangcheori’s best interests at heart, and never wanted to harm him.

Again, I never wanted Bibi to die, and I think that we could have had Bibi play a very different part in our story, but fine, if this is the way writer-nim wants to go, I can accept the plot and character logic of it.

[END SPOILER]

Special shout-out:

Kim Young Kwang as Gangcheori

I just wanted to say that I really love the casting of Kim Young Kwang as Original Gangcheori; I feel he gives Gangcheori a pitch-perfect blend of jadedness and offhanded badassery.

Even though Yook Sung Jae does a great job of playing Gangcheori, I was legit sorry to see Kim Young Kwang end his stint as Gangcheori. 🥲

Yeo Ri and the water ghost

I just wanted to give a quick shout-out to the burgeoning friendship between Yeo Ri and the water ghost.

I found it all pretty cute, honestly.

[SPOILER ALERT]

It almost feels like a budding sisterhood, just about, with Yeo Ri helping the ghost to relieve her grudge against Yeong In, and the ghost telling Yeo Ri where to find the prince’s undershirt for her ritual.

And then, of course, there are the little friendly chats that we get, sprinkled here and there in our story.

I love the idea of them being friendly enough to just sit together and talk and share opinions, like regular besties. 🥰

Except that, in this case, one of them is a water ghost, and the other, a shaman. 😁

[END SPOILER]

SPOTLIGHT ON THE PENULTIMATE EPISODES [SPOILERS]

E13-14. I’m actually quite surprised by how solid I found these episodes, my friends.

Considering that my interest in this story had been primarily around our characters rather than the central mission around the eight foot tall ghost, I found myself much more interested in these episodes’ goings-on, than I’d originally anticipated.

I feel like Show gives us quite a lot of important stuff these episodes, from unveiling the truth behind the eight foot tall ghost’s grudge, to plot developments that I hadn’t been expecting, to nudging our story forward.

Nice job, Show. 👏🏻😁

Backing up to the top of episode 13, I found the then-king’s actions cowardly and awful, and it absolutely made sense why the eight foot tall ghost would have a grudge against the royal family, while feeling so very sad.

Poor guy. Not only did he die a wrongful death, he’d felt guilty for ever suggesting that the king take refuge in Yongdam village, because that had eventually led to the death of the everyone in the village – including his own mother and son.

How awful. I honestly don’t blame him for having a grudge, and holding onto it for so long.

What I appreciate is, in the present, our king demonstrates that he’s made of better, more noble stuff than his great great grandfather.

First, there’s the way he looks upon Lord Choi’s great great grandfather keeping a record of this shameful royal secret; he actually appreciates the record, for helping him gain understanding of what had happened.

And then, there’s the way he is merciful in the punishment that he metes on Lord Choi, even chastising him for having so little trust and understanding in him, that he would end up killing someone, in his haste to hide the record.

Later on in these episodes, when the king realizes that there is a possibility of sending off the eight foot tall ghost via a proper ceremony and sincere apology, he orders for it to be arranged, so that he’d be able to apologize to the ghost, on his family’s behalf.

All of this is the opposite of what I’ve come to expect from most drama kings, and my respect for this king, has gone up manifold, through these episodes. 🥲

And of course, there’s the fact that Yun Gap’s soul has been regurgitated by the eight foot tall ghost, and Show does lean into the narrative possibilities here, which I thought was great.

Alongside Yun Gap’s reappearance, we also have Show regularly reminding us that there’s a distinct possibility that Gangcheori might have to give up his luminous and therefore die, if he really wants to help Yeo Ri overcome the eight foot tall ghost.

On that note, I’ve been hoping against hope that it won’t come down to that, and while the jury’s still out on how that’s going to go down, I can’t help but notice that Gangcheori’s not dismissing the possibility of dying for this mission.

He curses and mutters under his breath when he sees that special flower start to bloom, but drinks it in water anyway, convincing himself that it’s just a precaution, in case things go awry.

This gruffly sacrificial quality in Gangcheori endears him to me even more, and I’m hoping even harder, that our story won’t require him to die. 🙈

In the meantime, I thought it was really quite clever of Show, to have this possibility percolating in the background, because when Pung San sets that trap for Gangcheori and Yun Gap ends up waking up in his own body, it felt like a one-two punch surprise.

Like, Ta da! Look, it’s Yun Gap, back in his body! (I hadn’t been expecting that, somehow! 😅) And also, Wait, where’s Gangcheori?? Has he.. (gasp!) died..?!? 😱

I thought that was a nice twist, so again: Well done, Show! 👏🏻

With Yun Gap back in his own body, I thought that worked as a really nice wake-up call for our characters, in the sense that it really causes them to think about how much Gangcheori really means to them.

Yeo Ri, who’d started this entire mission in order to save Yun Gap, is the most taken aback, because she’d used to think that she loved him, and yet, now that he’s actually in front of her, even though she’s grateful for his escape from the ghost, she suddenly finds him unfamiliar.

On top of that, this really causes her to miss Gangcheori, and worry about him too.

It’s a little bit similar with the king, because while we do see him feel very glad to welcome Yun Gap back, there’s also that distinct beat, where you can see that he actually misses the rascally Gangcheori.

I somehow find it very gratifying, to see our characters realize that they miss Gangcheori. 🥲

The only exception here, of course, if Yun Gap’s mom, who is the happiest to see Yun Gap back in his own body.

I found her tears of joy so moving, that I actually low-key wanted Yun Gap to just stay in his own body and be by her side, y’know? 🥹

When Gangcheori wakes up in Yun Gap’s body, I loved the opportunity that this creates, for Yook Sung Jae to showcase his acting range, by acting as two characters in the same body, at the same time.

I found it all very hilarious and spot-on, the way he switches effortlessly between being Gangcheori and being Yun Gap, sometimes mid-breath. So well done, I thought. 🤩

I can understand Pung San’s plan to use Yun Gap to neutralize the Ghostbane Stone, thus making the king finally vulnerable to the eight foot tall ghost, and honestly, it’s not that bad of a plan, coz there is reason for Yun Gap to feel aggrieved, that someone’s taken over his body, his relationships with the people he cares about, and his entire life.

I think it’s realistic that Yun Gap actually feels tempted to take up Pung San’s offer, to get his body back for good, in exchange.

In the end, though, I’m relieved that he manages to stop himself just in time – and I am glad that Gangcheori has the grace to inform him that Gangcheori hadn’t stopped him, but Yun Gap had caught himself, because that shows that he hadn’t let his heart grow wicked.

In the midst of a pretty sucky situation, that is an important sliver of comfort, I feel.

Yun Gap’s decision to ask Yeo Ri to help him cross over to the afterlife, so that he could no longer be used by the eight foot tall ghost, is a good and noble one, and I only wish that Mom could have had a proper goodbye with her son. 🥹

My consolation though, is that Mom did have a pocket of time of being reunited with her son, and that’s more than most people could hope for. 🥲

On that note, I do think that with Yun Gap’s brief return, it all finally clicked for Mom, that Gangcheori and Yun Gap were two different people, rather than that Yun Gap had momentarily lost his mind.

Despite Yun Gap’s request that Gangcheori take care of Yeo Ri and Mom, I can understand Yeo Ri’s decision to leave with Gangcheori, since Mom has no obligation to live with or care for them, now that Yun Gap’s gone.

I found it touching that Mom would go out there and search for them until she found them; her heart is just that big and loving. 🥹😭

Before Mom’s arrival at the tavern, though, I did find that moment quite poignant, when Gangcheori asks Yeo Ri if she would run away with him, and they both end up landing on the answer, that running away is not the answer.

Not only is Yeo Ri’s heart heavy with the thought of all the souls trapped by the eight foot tall ghost, Gangcheori is also convinced that the eight foot tall ghost would come after them anyway.

As we close out episode 14, the ritual that the king’s ordered for the eight foot tall ghost doesn’t go as planned, with the ghost possessing that guard, and slashing the pregnant Queen’s torso.

Yikes. Poor Queen! 😱

It looks like we’re in for a rocky ride to the finish line; is it too much to hope that all our good guys will make it out alive?? Including Gangcheori?? 😱🙈

THOUGHTS ON THE ENDING [SPOILERS]

E15-16. I think opinions on this might be a little mixed, but personally, I think Show stuck the landing – huzzah!

One of the key things I liked, is the fact that it becomes clearer than ever, that writer-nim had mapped out this story from the get-go, and knew exactly how she wanted to end this story.

I felt really bad for the Queen, who dies after getting slashed in the belly by that possessed guard, but narratively, this made sense to me.

The eight foot tall ghost then going on to possess the grieving king, and then trying to go on a rampage to kill the young prince, also makes sense to me.

Yes, in the end, it’s the King’s apology to the ghost that lifts the burden on his heart, but I do feel like the King’s apology had to be sincere and empathetic in order for this to happen.

And because the ghost had lost his own wife and children in that terrible attack on Yongdam Village all those years ago, it actually makes a kind of sense, that the King would only be able to truly understand the ghost’s pain, upon losing his own wife and unborn child.

Backing up a bit, though, I really wanted to give Kim Ji Hoon props, because he stole this entire finale, for me, while playing both the grieving king, and the possessed king.

As the grieving king, Kim Ji Hoon looks completely wan and vacant, like he’s had the life sucked out of him, and then as the possessed king, he’s all seething and gravelly; I found it quite remarkable.

That scene were the two kings face each other was so powerfully delivered, I felt, not least because we got both versions of Kim Ji Hoon at the same time.

For the record, I don’t think that this scene was representing an interaction in the physical realm.

Rather, I believe it’s intended to portray the tussle between the two parties’ consciousness, within the King’s mind.

Really, really well done, I thought.

It also makes sense to me, that this is how and when the eight foot tall ghost shows the King how he had died; this way, the King is almost able to experience it vicariously, and thus, truly understand what the eight foot tall ghost has gone through.

And then, of course, there’s Gangcheori and Yeo Ri, both worrying that the other person is going to take it upon themselves to die, in order to overpower the eight foot tall ghost.

Show’s been hinting at this for a while now, so I’m not actually surprised by this, but it is still poignant to see them trying to share special moments – like Gangcheori buying Yeo Ri that little bonnet thingy at the marketplace – as if these are parting memories that they’re making.

Afterwards, I can see why Yeo Ri sends Gangcheori away, to get Yun Gap’s mom, so that she can face the eight foot tall ghost alone.

She’s been absolutely determined not to let Gangcheori use his luminous pearl to subdue the eight foot tall ghost, because she doesn’t want him to die, and she would rather risk her own life, than sacrifice his.

And honestly, Yeo Ri was doing a pretty badass job of subduing the eight foot tall ghost on her own – until Pung San interfered, that is – which is when Gangcheori arrives, and joins the fray.

It actually makes a good amount of sense, that the eight foot tall ghost has a grudge against Gangcheori, because Gangcheori had been a deity in Yongdam Village, but hadn’t done anything to try to save the village, when that terrible rampage had occurred.

In this sense, Gangcheori’s giving up his life to pay a personal debt, rather than “just” to help Yeo Ri, and that does make it all land with more weight.

I’ve seen some viewers remark that it would have been more interesting and empowering, to have Yeo Ri subdue the eight foot tall ghost on her own, and maybe just have Gangcheori step in to stop Pung San from interfering.

The problem there, I think, is that there’s no way for Gangcheori to know how successful Yeo Ri is, in facing off with the ghost, and there’s also no way for him to know that Pung San is interfering, and therefore needs stopping.

The most straightforward way, really, is for Gangcheori to go straight to Yeo Ri – which is why I buy Show’s version of events without complaint.

I thought the scene where the ghost, in his original form as Cheon Geum Hwi, stands at the site of the ceremony, along with the spirits of all the Yongdam villagers, and receives the King’s apology, was pretty powerful.

All the hard-won, heartfelt empathy and emotion comes pouring out of the King, and that, I feel, is ultimately the thing that lifts Cheon Geum Hwi’s heavy heart.

One of the most poignant moments in this finale, is the scene where Yeo Ri finally meets her grandmother’s spirit, and cries in Gran’s arms.

This feels like such a cathartic moment, where Yeo Ri’s able to sob out all of her unspoken pain, in the arms of the only family she’s ever known.

Very precious indeed. 🥲

The other extremely poignant moment, to me, was when Yun Gap’s mother weeps over Gangcheori’s death, because she is losing her son, all over again. 😭 I felt so, so bad for her.

..Which is why I was sooo happy for her, when Gangcheori wakes up in Yun Gap’s body again, and this time, she weeps for joy. 🥹

Yes, it is a little convenient that Gangcheori meets the Jade Emperor in Heaven, and is given a second chance, because, what about that thing where, when an imugi dies, there is no trace of him left, and it becomes as if he’d never existed?

But fine, y’know, I’m happy to get a happy ending, and am more than fine to just roll with it, particularly since this gives us such a happy family scene, where Gangcheori and Yeo Ri are married, and have a cute munchkin of a daughter, and Yun Gap’s mom is now a bustling grandmother.

It’s true that she lost her only son, but in return, she’s gained a new family, and that’s a very comforting silver lining indeed, I would say.

I also love that the bromance between the King and Gangcheori’s back in full force, with both of them rocking sunglasses, even. 😁

As we close out our story, with the way the King summons them to the palace, because strange things have been happening there, all over again, it feels like Yeo Ri and Gangcheori will continue their ghostbusting adventures – except that this time, they have a little family behind them, and lots more wisdom and experience, under their belts.

That’s a pretty great note on which to leave them, I feel, and even though we won’t get to witness it for ourselves, it feels good to know that the partnerships, bromance and meaningful ghostbusting, all get to see another day. 🥲

THE FINAL VERDICT:

A touch uneven in spots, but really quite solid, overall.

FINAL GRADE: B+

TRAILER:

MV:

PATREON UPDATE!

The next drama I’m covering on Patreon, in place of  The Haunted Palace is The First Night With The Duke [Korea].

You can check out my episode 1-2 notes on The First Night With The Duke on Patreon here.

Here’s an overview of what I’m covering on Patreon right now (Tier benefits are cumulative)!

Foundation Tier (US$1): Entertainment Drop (Sundays) + the first set notes of all shows covered on Patreon (that’s 2 episodes for kdramas and 4 episodes for cdramas)

Early Access (US$5): +The First Night With The Duke [Korea]

Early Access Plus (US$10): +Our Unwritten Seoul [Korea]

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