1 day Ago By cupid001
The director of SBS’s upcoming drama “ The Haunted Palace ” has shared his thoughts on the on-screen chemistry between BTOB’s Yook Sungjae and WJSN’s Kim Ji Yeon (Bona)! “The Haunted Palace” is a fantasy rom-com that delves into the tale of the Eight Feet Tall spirit that bears a grudge against the king, a female shaman who opposes it, and an Imugi. In Korean folklore, an Imugi is an imaginary creature that spends a millennium in water and is able to transform into a dragon upon acquiring a yeouiju (magical jewel). Kim Ji Yeon stars as Yeo Ri, the only granddaughter of a renowned shaman.
Despite her extraordinary spiritual abilities, she rejects her destined path and instead pursues life as a skilled eyeglass artisan. Yook Sungjae stars as Yeo Ri’s first love Yoon Gap, a royal archivist who becomes possessed by an Imugi. On why he chose to direct the drama, director Yoon Sung Sik shared, “‘The Haunted Palace’ is a fantasy rom-com set in a fictional era featuring a mythical creature, the Imugi.
I was drawn to its unique genre, diverse charms, and well-structured story, which made me decide to direct it.” He went on to admit that releasing a new drama always comes with anxiety about how the audience will respond, but added that he was excited because of the dedication of the talented cast and crew. Regarding his approach to directing the drama, Yoon Sung Sik explained, “I wanted to create a drama that is easy to watch—not too heavy or too scary.
I balanced romance and comedy while highlighting the humanity within even the most fearsome spirits, making the story more relatable.” Yoon Sung Sik also expressed deep affection for the cast. Speaking about Yook Sungjae, who plays the dual roles of Yoon Gap and Gang Cheol Yi, he said, “Not only does he have to play two characters, but he also needs to portray a half-human, half-god figure while displaying a range of genre-specific elements.
It’s a challenging role. Yook Sungjae has both the visuals and acting skills to pull it off, which is why I cast him, and working with him reaffirmed his incredible talent for me.” Regarding Kim Ji Yeon, the director remarked, “Yeo Ri is a character with deep emotional scars, but she must also have the strength of a shaman.
The character requires an actress with acting skills that can blend the exorcism-fantasy and romantic comedy genres. Kim Ji Yeon possesses both beauty and charisma. She performed the strong-willed shaman role exceptionally well, but above all, her chemistry in the love-hate romance with Gang Cheol Yi was outstanding, making me very satisfied with her performance.
” Expressing confidence in Yook Sungjae and Kim Ji Yeon’s on-screen romance, director Yoon Sung Sik noted, “Since they are longtime friends in real life, they comfortably shared ideas and worked seamlessly together. Their natural friendship translated beautifully on screen, creating amazing chemistry.” Regarding the casting of Kim Ji Hoon as King Yi Jeong, who faces off against the vengeful Eight Feet Tall spirit, Yoon Sung Sik explained, “Yi Jeong is a character who must hide his pain while tirelessly fighting for his people and standing firm against threats to the royal family.
He also has to switch back and forth between being a protagonist and antagonist. Kim Ji Hoon’s mix of gentleness, charisma, and occasional devilish charm made him the perfect fit for the role.” Director Yoon Sung Sik also praised the talented supporting cast, which includes Kim Sang Ho , Ahn Nae Sang , Gil Hae Yeon , Kim In Kwon , Cha Chung Hwa , and Son Byung Ho .
He stated that the actors perfectly understood his vision and embodied their roles flawlessly. On the depiction of the Imugi and supernatural creatures, the director explained, “Our top priority was realism. We avoided excessive visual effects and instead relied on live-action footage as much as possible.
Extensive research, simulations, concept design, and pre-tests were conducted to create unique supernatural beings using high-quality CGI, special makeup, and special effects.” Due to its fantasy elements, the drama also features action sequences that were highly difficult to film. Yoon Sung Sik shared, “We avoided overly exaggerated or cartoonish action and aimed for a more realistic portrayal.
Yook Sungjae and Kim Ji Hoon filmed many intense action scenes, and both displayed exceptional talent, performing most of the challenging stunts themselves.” Finally, director Yoon Sung Sik emphasized, “‘The Haunted Palace’ is a multi-genre drama with diverse charms. It’s neither too difficult, too heavy, nor too scary, making it a show that the whole family and all generations can comfortably enjoy.
” “The Haunted Palace” premieres on April 18 at 9:50 p.m. KST and will be available to watch on Viki.
In the meantime, check out a teaser for the drama with English subtitles below: Watch Now Source ( 1 ).
