Episode 1 of The Haunted Palace weaves myth, politics, and fate into a hauntingly rich premiere, setting the tone for a dark, supernatural period drama full of ghosts, grudges, and one unshakable girl.

We open with a tale—one whispered by the shaman Neop-deok to her granddaughter Yeo-ri—of Gangcheori, a dragon ready to ascend to heaven after 1,000 years of toil. But a mere human child sees him during his ascent, dooming him to fall back to earth as an Imugi, a serpent-like creature with shattered dreams and a seething hatred for humanity. While Neop-deok warns her to stay away, the sharp-tongued Yeo-ri scoffs at Gangcheori’s grudge and vows to defeat him one day.

Unbeknownst to her, Gangcheori is already watching.

Fast-forward 13 years. In the royal palace, the young prince is behaving violently—possessed, some whisper. But King Lee Sung, ever the skeptic, blames illness. Only Yoon Gap, a perceptive civil servant, believes a shaman’s help is needed and sets out to find one in secret.

Meanwhile, Yeo-ri has abandoned her destiny as a shaman and works as an optician, until a strange case pulls her back in. Lord Choi Won-u’s daughter, In-seon, is haunted by a bitter one-legged ghost seeking revenge. Despite trying to keep her distance, Yeo-ri can’t help but intervene, using her Ghostbane Stone to subdue the spirit—who turns violent after refusing to be pacified. Possessing In-seon, the ghost takes off, causing chaos in the market.

Watching gleefully? Gangcheori.

Yeo-ri ejects the ghost just in time, but not before catching Gangcheori’s attention. He follows her like a shadow, offering power and worship in exchange for her body and soul. She refuses. He’s intrigued.

In a flashback, we learn Gangcheori’s obsession began the moment he first laid eyes on young Yeo-ri. His interference led villagers to blame her for Neop-deok’s violent death—when in truth, it was Gangcheori who killed her. Branded a pariah, Yeo-ri swore vengeance and vowed never to accept him as her patron.

At court, the Queen Mother grows suspicious of the crown prince’s condition. Her visit to the palace ends in terror when the prince lashes out, deepening the royal family’s fear of exposure.

As Yoon Gap carries out a secret diplomatic mission, he visits Lord Choi and, in a twist of fate, ends up with Yeo-ri’s optician kit—a detail that brings the two together again. Their reunion is tinged with childhood memories, revealed in a sweet flashback: Yoon Gap once tried to win her a persimmon but got flung from the tree by a jealous Gangcheori.

Now, as adults, he invites her to Hanyang to become the King’s personal optician. Despite Gangcheori’s protests—and his warning of the many evil spirits that roam the palace—Yeo-ri is tempted by the chance to go somewhere that frightens the dragon.

That night, she dreams of a peaceful meal with Yoon Gap and a child. She wakes blushing.

But danger brews. Kwak Gyun, a loyalist of a brutal noble named Kwak Sang-chung, sees Yoon Gap leaving Choi’s estate. Sensing a threat to their power, the Kwaks act fast.

Yeo-ri accepts the royal assignment, believing her vision a sign of Yoon Gap’s safety. But Gangcheori traps them in a loop, walking in circles for days. Then Yoon Gap injures his leg. Yeo-ri goes to gather herbs, unaware that Kwak Sang-chung has found them. Yoon Gap is tortured for information but refuses to talk. Sang-chung murders him and frames Lord Choi for the crime.

Watching it all from the shadows? Gangcheori, who now takes the ultimate step—possessing Yoon Gap’s body.

When Yeo-ri returns, she’s greeted first by Yoon Gap’s ghost, and then his body, now animated by Gangcheori. Horror unfolds as she realizes what’s happened. She accuses the Imugi of murder, but he denies it. The real Yoon Gap tries to reenter his body but fails, only adding to the chaos.

As Yeo-ri reaches for her Ghostbane Stone, Gangcheori flings it into the river. She lashes out in fury, slips—and both she and Gangcheori plunge off a cliff. Yoon Gap’s ghost lets out a blood-curdling scream as the screen fades to black. To find out more about The Haunted Palace, check out the link below.

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