On April 21, 2025, SBS debuted its much-anticipated Friday-Saturday drama series, The Haunted Palace, which quickly made waves across both traditional television and digital platforms, as highlighted by South Korean media outlet Wikitree. The series has successfully carved out a noteworthy position within the competitive landscape of 2025 drama offerings.
Launching on April 18, the show achieved an impressive nationwide audience share of 9.2%, with peak viewership soaring to 10.7%, according to Nielsen Korea data. It dominated its time slot on all major channels and outperformed other competing series during its initial week, solidifying its status as a top contender.
Particularly appealing to younger demographics, The Haunted Palace registered a 2.5% viewership share among the 20-49 age group in the Seoul area, indicating strong engagement among this audience. Additionally, it rose to the top spot on Netflix Korea, surpassing popular titles like Karma, When Life Gives You Tangerines, Weak Hero Class 1, and Resident Playbook.
The series’ second episode, which aired on April 19, maintained its momentum with a national viewership of 8.3%, further securing its leading position in the time bracket. During the week of April 14 to 20, the show captured over 510,000 new viewers compared to the previous week, resulting in a cumulative audience of approximately 1.66 million.
With an average weekly rating of 8.7%, the show’s performance is remarkable for a new 16-episode drama. The Haunted Palace took over the time slot vacated by Buried Hearts, eclipsing the latter’s premiere ratings. This early success positions the series as a frontrunner in the ongoing ratings cycle among South Korea’s top broadcasting networks.
Inside SBS’ The Haunted Palace
The narrative centers around Yeori, who chooses to distance herself from her family’s spiritual heritage in favor of a tranquil life as a glass artisan. Simultaneously, Yoon Gap, a court official, becomes possessed by an imugi, a mythical serpentine creature from folklore.
This spirit, named Kang Chul, has a profound connection to Yeori’s past and needs her corporeal form to fulfill his celestial transition. Yook Sung-jae portrays both Yoon Gap and the spirit Kang Chul, showcasing his versatility as an actor.
In this supernatural tale, Kim Ji-yeon (Bona) plays Yeori, while Kim Young-kwang takes on the role of King Yi-seong, a forward-thinking ruler of the Joseon dynasty, as chaos erupts within the royal estate. Kim Ji-hoon rounds out the cast with a minor yet intriguing role.
Among the supernatural elements is Palcheokgui, who commands a host of female apparitions posing a threat to the royal household. After Yoon Gap’s possession, Yeori ventures into the palace, poised to confront the escalating supernatural dangers alongside King Yi-seong and the possessed Yoon Gap while seeking to uncover the truth behind the turmoil.
This captivating series is crafted by screenwriter Yoon Soo-jung and directed by Yoon Sung-shik. This collaboration marks a first for the duo, with Sung-shik being renowned for his work on Mr. Queen and Bridal Mask, and Soo-jung recognized for her writing in The King’s Face.
SBS airs The Haunted Palace every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 PM KST, and it is also available for streaming on Netflix.