Get ready to enter a hidden world with Netflix's latest Korean series. "The East Palace" This historical drama series weaves supernatural mysteries, telling of a world where the royal palace meets a dark realm full of wandering spirits, following characters. “Gucheon” (played by Nam Joo-hyuk) A man who can travel between the human world and the spirit world. He is summoned to the royal palace by the command of the King (played by Jo Seung-woo). He must cooperate with “Saenggang” (played by No Yoon-seo) A palace maid with the special ability to hear the voices of spirits, seeking the origin of a deeply rooted deadly curse.
Before the worldwide release on 17 July on Netflix, the cast—including hot lead Nam Joo-hyuk, No Yoon-seo, Jo Seung-woo, and director Choi Jung-gyu—shared their thoughts at the series launch press conference, starting with
Nam Joo-hyuk “When I read the script, I was still serving in the military. Military service was quite stressful, so I sought new challenges. I wanted to see how the 'spirit world' or 'Gwi' realm would be visually portrayed. Also, the story is uniquely compelling, especially the many interesting events inside the palace. Reading the script was fun, and I thought it would be great to be part of this project. So I wanted to play ‘Gucheon’ from the start.”
No Yoon-seo “This is my first time acting in a historical series combining history and fantasy, with an interesting story. My character, ‘Saenggang,’ acts immediately on what she thinks—she’s charming. I wanted to try this role. It’s a big challenge for me, and although a bit scary, I wanted to give it a try.”
Jo Seung-woo “My role has no name but is called ‘the King.’ When I first saw it, I was amazed to play the King. The storyline is very interesting, and the King has a subplot involving the royal lineage. It includes mystery, fantasy, and action. Knowing that fellow actors include Nam Joo-hyuk, No Yoon-seo, and Jang Young-nam, there was no reason to refuse. I wanted to work with them. Also, this is my third collaboration with director Choi Jung-gyu, and I look forward to working with him again.”
Director Choi Jung-gyu “The most important thing was to create the ‘Gwi Mae’ and other spirits based on Korean folklore legends, which form the foundation of these stories. I wanted to preserve those legends while adding new creative elements for the audience to see.”
Nam Joo-hyuk “I trained until perfect. I attended a fight choreography school before filming and continued practicing on set. As my body got used to it, performing the scenes became easier.”
No Yoon-seo: “When these two characters first meet, they don’t get along well due to their very different backgrounds. But as they cooperate to uncover the truth, they begin to rely on and help each other, becoming protectors of one another. I don’t want to spoil, but they become important in each other's lives.”
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