Yook Sungjae and Kim Ji-yeon Talk About Their Real-Life Friendship and Chemistry in New Fantasy Romance Drama “The Haunted Palace”
SBS’s brand new K-drama The Haunted Palace is already catching attention—especially with the charming duo Yook Sungjae and Kim Ji-yeon taking the lead roles. On April 17, the official press conference was held at SBS headquarters in Mokdong, Seoul, where director Yoon Sung-sik and cast members Yook Sungjae, Kim Ji-yeon, and Kim Ji-hoon shared their excitement about the upcoming show.
The Haunted Palace is a romantic fantasy comedy filled with supernatural twists. It tells the story of Yeori, a gifted but reluctant shaman who tries to live a normal life, and Kang Chul, a vengeful serpent spirit who ends up trapped in the body of Yeori’s first love, Yoon Gap. As they face off against a powerful ghost seeking revenge on the royal family, love and destiny get tangled in unexpected ways.
Yook Sungjae plays a dual role as both the charming Yoon Gap and the dark spirit Kang Chul. Kim Ji-yeon transforms into Yeori, a bold young woman who rejects her spiritual fate and chooses instead to run a small handmade eyeglass shop. Their chemistry feels especially natural—and there's a good reason why.
Sungjae and Ji-yeon have actually been best friends for 16 years since their trainee days. “Since it’s a romance, I wasn’t sure if I could really pull it off with someone I’ve known for so long,” Sungjae admitted with a laugh.
But in the end, that deep friendship became their biggest strength. “On set, we didn’t need to pretend or hold back. We gave each other honest feedback—like, ‘That part didn’t work,’ or ‘You nailed that scene.’ Because of that, our chemistry just kept getting better. You can really look forward to both the romantic and fantasy scenes,” he said confidently.
Ji-yeon added, “Even when the director said something was fine, we’d still ask each other and be totally honest. That honesty helped a lot.” She smiled and said, “In the drama, Yeori and Kang Chul bicker like old friends—and since that’s what we really are, it made everything feel more real.”
Despite their long friendship, seeing each other’s professional side on set was a surprise. “Ji-yeon used to complain all the time when things got hard,” Sungjae joked. “But while filming this drama, I was the one whining! Ji-yeon stayed calm, focused, and totally in character. I was impressed—she looked so professional and cool. I thought, ‘Wow, I never knew my friend had this side.’”
Ji-yeon also praised Sungjae’s experience in fantasy roles. “We’ve never actually watched each other work before,” she said. “Since this was my first fantasy drama, some things were really challenging. But Sungjae was like a total expert. I tried to learn from him as much as I could.”
If you're a fan of magical love stories with strong chemistry, The Haunted Palace is definitely one to watch. It premieres Friday night, April 18 at 9:50 PM KST on SBS.
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