'The East Palace' off to strong start on Netflix Korea

A scene from "The East Palace" / Courtesy of Netflix

Netflix's original series "The East Palace" has quickly gained traction, climbing to No. 1 on Netflix Korea's Top 10 TV Series chart shortly after its release.

According to Netflix on Monday, "The East Palace" which premiered on July 17, claimed the top spot in the rankings immediately after its debut. The recent popularity of occult-themed Korean content is believed to have contributed to the series' strong opening.

"The East Palace" follows Gucheon (Nam Joo-hyuk), a man with the ability to cross between the human and spirit worlds, and Saenggang (Noh Yoon-seo), a palace maid harboring a secret. Summoned by the king (Cho Seung-woo), the two set out to uncover the truth behind a curse haunting the Crown Prince's palace. With its distinctly Korean mythology and mystery-driven narrative, the series has drawn considerable attention from viewers.

The drama also marks Nam's first project since completing his mandatory military service, making it one of the year's most anticipated releases. He takes the lead, while Noh takes on her first historical drama role as Saenggang, a palace inspector who can hear the voices of spirits. Cho Seung-woo adds gravitas as the king confronting a powerful supernatural force. The supporting cast includes Kwak Dong-yeon, Jang Young-nam, Tae In-ho, Hwang Young-hee, Hong Seo-jun and Lee Hong-nae.

Despite its strong debut, the series has received mixed reactions. Some viewers have criticized the performances of certain cast members for disrupting immersion, while others have noted similarities to the film "Constantine" and the Netflix series "Stranger Things." Some have also expressed disappointment with the quality of the computer-generated visual effects.

"The East Palace" is available for streaming on Netflix.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.