Netflix aims for next global K-occult hit with 'The East Palace'

Actor Nam Joo-hyuk, right, poses with Cho Seung-woo, left, and Roh Yoon-seo during a press conference for Netflix series "The East Palace" at the Fairmont Ambassador Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap

Netflix’s upcoming original series "The East Palace" is aiming to become the next global sensation in the rising wave of occult-themed content. Capturing international momentum surrounding Korean shamanism and horror, the eight-episode period drama blends occult themes, horror, fantasy and high-octane action.

"The East Palace," follows Gu-cheon (Nam Joo-hyuk), a man with the unique ability to cross over into the spirit realm, and Saeng-gang (Roh Yoon-seo), a court lady harboring a mysterious past. Summoned by the king (Cho Seung-woo), the duo is tasked with untangling dangerous histories to uncover a secret buried in the very heart of the palace.

The project marks the return of Nam, who chose the series as his first screen appearance after a three-year hiatus for mandatory military service. He revealed that he received the casting offer while still serving in the army.

"The military is a place where there are many moments to stretch your imagination. Reading the script in that kind of environment increased my desire to take on the challenge. I was also intensely curious about how a space like the spirit realm would actually be expressed," he said during a press conference at the Fairmont Ambassador hotel in Seoul, Wednesday.

Nam Joo-hyuk is seen in a scene from Netflix series "The East Palace." Courtesy of Netflix

He added, "The mysterious events inside the palace flowed so seamlessly, the storyline was an incredibly engaging read. I thought to myself that if I joined this project, I would be ready to burn myself out to truly craft the character of Gu-cheon perfectly. That is why I chose it."

The series brings together director Choi Jung-gyu, best known for "The Devil Judge" (2021), with writers Kwon So-ra and Seo Jea-won, who previously crafted rich, original worlds of "The Guest" (2018) and "Bulgasal: Immortal Souls" (2021-22).

With Korean shamanism and occult themes gaining global attention through hits like "Exhuma" (2024), anticipation is high for the distinct Korean color that this series will bring to the screen.

Regarding the Korean shamanist elements in the drama, particularly the existence of supernatural entities like "gwimae" (ghostly monsters) and "wongwi" (vengeful spirits), Choi said, "While we referenced traditional Korean folklore and oral traditions, we designed these entities to preserve their original traits while making them more intuitive and universally relatable."

A poster for Netflix series "The East Palace" / Courtesy of Netflix

He emphasized, "I tried to weave Korean elements in naturally. I also wanted to showcase the beauty of traditional palace attire and architecture at every single moment. At the same time, maintaining speed and pacing was crucial. I wanted this to be a project that anyone can thoroughly enjoy, regardless of language or cultural differences."

The series is built on the premise that some characters can travel back and forth between the real world and the spirit realm, with the director revealing that he took extra care to ensure viewers could intuitively tell the two worlds apart.

"Instead of relying solely on computer graphics, we wanted to push our physical production to the absolute limit," he explained. "We expressed the difference by filming the exact same spaces during completely different seasons or by building separate sets entirely. Color palettes were also a vital visual device used to divide reality from the spirit realm."

The project represents a shift for Roh, who is tackling her first historical fantasy and her first lead role in a long-form drama. She admitted to having initial anxieties about taking on multiple unfamiliar genres at once but said she approached the challenge with enthusiasm. "I told myself, let's just dive into it and face the challenge. I’m bound to learn something," she said.

Cho Seung-woo joins as the king who secretly recruits the duo to investigate mysteries plaguing the palace. He introduced his character by explaining, "I wanted to portray the king as an exceptionally solitary and lonely figure. Because of the palace curse, he lost almost all of his sons and is now on the verge of losing his last remaining child. In a way, he is a character whose inner self is a constant, raging whirlpool of sadness and complexity."

"The East Palace" premieres on Netflix on July 17.