The Haunted Palace- Episodes 5-6

Secret Rituals, Spilled Medicine, and Ghosts with Feelings??

Episode 5 of The Haunted Palace opens with a royal scandal—Prince Yeong-in’s body is found, and it reeks (literally) of the 8-foot ghost. The King immediately flashes back to Yeo-ri’s warning. Should’ve listened, Your Majesty.

Meanwhile, in the mountains, Gangcheori is brooding (as always) while keeping an eye on Yeo-ri. Monk Ga-seop casually drops a bomb: the only thing that can send the 8-foot ghost to the afterlife is a dragon’s enchanted pearl. Unfortunately, Gangcheori, now downgraded to an Imugi, has one—but using it means sacrificing himself. Oof.

Yeo-ri finally finds her grandmother’s shaman tools and, determined as ever, insists on facing the ghost. Gangcheori, clearly moved (and maybe a little in love?), agrees to become her patron spirit. Yeo-ri, practically glowing, gives him a handcrafted bracelet, rambling about how much care she put into it. He’s visibly shook.

Back in the palace, the Queen Mother grills the Blind Shaman, who deflects with talk of revenge and blames a mysterious “powerful shaman” near the King. Suspicion: officially activated.

That night, Yeo-ri and Gangcheori perform a ritual to seal their partnership. It’s intense and a little sad—he’ll protect her, but she’ll be bound to him until he ascends. There’s tension, longing, and just a hint of regret.

The King, meanwhile, wakes from a nightmare featuring the 8-foot ghost and confides in Minister Kim about how he actually cared for Yeong-in. (Character depth? We love to see it.)

The next day, Lord Choi Won-u arrives for the funeral and is not thrilled with the scholarly drama. Later, he sneaks off to a secret meeting—and we know that always means trouble.

Before Yeo-ri and Gangcheori head back to the palace, Ga-seop gifts her a rare caragana plant. On the journey, Gangcheori can’t stop being weirdly drawn to Yeo-ri. He blames “human senses.” Sure, Jan.

Surprise cameo! In-seon is also heading to the palace, hoping to see her crush, “Yoon Gap.” When Yeo-ri and Gangcheori get caught in a pinch, they hide in her palanquin. She lies for them, and inside, things get cozy. Gangcheori freaks out from being too close, touches Yeo-ri’s lips by accident, and instantly short-circuits.

Seo finds them, but instead of dragging them off, he leads them to Yeong-in’s palace to investigate. They meet Ok-im, who spills the tea about Yeong-in’s death. The talisman they find confirms it—the ghost is fire-based.

The King is furious about their return, but the Queen (bless her boldness) steps in and takes responsibility. She admits she’s willing to cross lines to protect her family. The King, clearly torn, secretly hires Gangcheori and Yeo-ri to investigate the haunting quietly.

Backstage villain update: the Blind Shaman is being bossed around by his real employer, a shadowy figure who wants the royal bloodline erased. He demands the Crown Prince be killed in a month. Gangcheori, now piecing things together, realizes Yeong-in may have been sacrificed to boost the ghost’s power.

Elsewhere, Choi pays respects to the Queen Mother, who’s now haunted by guilt. But something more sinister is following him—the one-legged ghost. Also, Kwak’s spy tips him off that Yoon Gap is back. Gulp.

For comic relief, Mrs. Yoon storms in with expensive medicine to “cure” her son’s ghost-induced madness. Gangcheori spits it out dramatically, Yeo-ri wipes his face, and suddenly—he wants to kiss her. He bolts. She blushes. They’re both a mess. But she tells herself it’s just Yoon Gap’s body confusing her. Sure, girl.

Elsewhere, the Queen checks on the Queen Mother, who bites her head off. But when the Queen reveals signs of morning sickness, the Queen Mother suddenly lights up. Plot brewing. Oh, and we learn the Queen has suffered multiple miscarriages. Heartbreaking.

Back to the ghost hunt: Yeo-ri announces the Crown Prince will be in the library all night, setting a trap. Seo sees the shaman’s assistant planting a talisman. Inside, Gangcheori and the Prince exchange banter (yes, the ghost has emotionsnow—he’s apparently sad).

The ghost appears, gets trapped in a talisman net, and Gangcheori stabs it with his blade and his pearl—but it’s not enough. He remembers Ga-seop’s warning: he’ll have to fully drain his pearl to finish the job.

And right at the end of The Haunted Palace Episode 5, the ghost shreds the trap like tissue paper. Uh-oh.

Final Thoughts:

• Yeo-ri and Gangcheori’s sexual tension = off the charts 🍬🔥

• Gangcheori’s emotional maturity = somewhere in the stone age, but we love him anyway

• Queen Mother? Suspicious.

• That ghost? Getting stronger.

• Dragon pearl sacrifice??? NO THANK YOU.

Secret Babies, Cursed Kisses, and a Brother with a Bite

Let’s just say Episode 6 of The Haunted Palace doesn’t believe in breathing room. We’ve got ghost attacks, family secrets, cursed pregnancies, and a baby-faced Imugi with main character energy. Buckle up.

We start with a panic: the 8-foot ghost is back and Gangcheori can’t finish him off. Again. He’s underpowered, the ghost is raging, and Yeo-ri is not impressed. They MacGyver a solution using the King’s ghostbane stone to temporarily banish it. Crisis averted—for now.

Meanwhile, Guard Seo chases down the shaman’s assistant, but the slippery little snake gets away. Not good.

Elsewhere in the palace, the senior court lady confirms what’s been whispered for days: the Queen is pregnant. But it’s a secret—one the Queen Mother is not happy about. Her own son’s dead, and now the Queen’s hiding a baby? She’s spiraling. And when the Queen Mother spirals, she calls Pung-san—the blind shaman with the energy of a cursed weasel.

As the King and Yeo-ri debrief, we get a sweet little lore drop: his ghostbane stone once belonged to Neop-deok, Yeo-ri’s grandmother. The King used to dismiss it as superstition, but now? Let’s just say he’s a believer. Ghost trauma will do that to you.

Meanwhile, Gangcheori is sulking like only an ancient demoted dragon can. He’s healing slow, he’s losing power, and worst of all—he’s catching feelings.

Pung-san slithers into the Queen Mother’s palace and tries to fish for info. She sees through him (kind of) but still slips: she confirms the Queen is pregnant. That’s all the fuel Pung-san needs to update his evil plan—he’s now aiming to sacrifice the unborn royal baby to empower the 8-foot ghost. Lovely.

Later, Yeo-ri and Gangcheori return home, and he’s ready to mope some more. He even offers to break their patron pact. But Yeo-ri surprises him—she doesn’t want out. Sure, he’s a pain, but she knows he’s been looking out for her. They smile… until they sense another Imugi in the city. Yup. Things are about to get even weirder.

Cut to a courtesan house, where a group of officials (including the charmingly awful Kwak) gossip about ghosts. Kwak tries to show off, insults Gangcheori, and gets yeeted out of the capital by a gust of wind. Turns out, that new Imugi? Gangcheori’s younger brother: Bibi.

Bibi is unhinged, hilarious, and just a little terrifying. He teases Gangcheori for being stuck in a human body and reveals his goal: eat 12 humans, ascend to the heavens. Easy. Oh, and Gangcheori could escape right now—if he’d just kill Yoon Gap’s body.

Yeo-ri enters just in time to stop that conversation. But once she’s gone, Gangcheori confesses to Bibi: he’s lying to Yeo-ri. He fully plans to kill Yoon Gap once he wins her over. (Cue screaming.)

Next morning? Feelings drama. Gangcheori consults Bibi like a 1,000-year-old gossip girl, wondering if he actually likes Yeo-ri or just wants to devour her like Imugis do. The solution? Try kissing someone else. Enter In-seon, who drops by to return the caragana plant (totally not a flirt move, nope).

Gangcheori goes full science experiment and touches her lips. Result? Zero butterflies. Then he sees Yeo-ri struggling with her bag, grabs it without thinking, and boom—heart explosion. The realization hits hard: he’s not leaving. He’s not sacrificing himself. He just wants to stay near her. (We’re doomed.)

Bonus twist: In-seon is even more into him now because he’s acting mysterious and aloof. While she’s daydreaming, she catches her dad, Choi Won-u, being suspicious with thugs. Hmmm…

Back at the palace, the Queen invites Yeo-ri for tea but collapses in pain mid-convo. Yeo-ri has a vision: the Queen is being haunted by a drowned male ghost who spits black water on her in a nightmare. Gross and ominous.

Meanwhile, Gangcheori's keeping an eye on things when Kwak finally stumbles back into the palace, only to get shut down by the King. Gangcheori and the King bicker like in-laws, and when everyone learns the man possessing Yoon Gap is none other than the legendary menace Gangcheori, jaws drop. Even the King can’t help laughing when he hears about the whirlwind that launched Kwak.

Yeo-ri, still on the case, investigates the Queen’s quarters and finds a skull in a pillow and a cursed talisman. When the senior court lady confirms the Queen’s pregnancy, Yeo-ri realizes the unborn child is the 8-foot ghost’s next target. The King loses it and orders every court lady arrested.

Meanwhile, Pung-san is smugly cackling in his cave, and Yeo-ri rushes to find the drowned male ghost. She and Gangcheori track him to the riverbank, and just when they think they’re ready, the ghost attacks.

Gangcheori fights hard, but he’s still weak. The episode ends in a gut-punch moment: the ghost spits black water on Yeo-ri—just like in the Queen’s vision.

Final Thoughts:

• Gangcheori realizing he’s in love? Tragic. Romantic. Doomed. 💔

• Bibi is chaos incarnate and I love him.

• Pung-san needs to be stopped yesterday.

• That cursed water ghost? 10/10 nightmare fuel.

• The romance is cooking, the villains are plotting, and the ghost is leveling up like it’s a boss fight.

DramaZen's Opinion

Episode 5 Highlights:

• Yeo-ri and Gangcheori failing (again) to banish the 8-foot ghost? ICONIC hot mess duo energy.

• The King’s ghostbane stone being a gift from Neop-deok??? Multigenerational power moves.

• GANGCHEORI LOOKING SAD AND MOPEY?? Someone give that dragon-worm a hug (and maybe therapy).

• OH. AND GUESS WHO SHOWS UP?? BIBI. The chaotic little brother Imugi with ✨delulu confidence✨ and a 12-man buffet plan.

  • “You’re stuck in a human body? Ew.”

  • “Just kill the guy and ascend already.”

  • Absolute menace. I want him in every scene.

• Meanwhile Gangcheori’s over here like: “Do I want to devour Yeo-ri? Or date her? Or both??”
  I’M SORRY BUT THE LIP-TOUCH EXPERIMENT WITH IN-SEON?? 😭💀 Bro touched her face like “Let’s test this theory” and then went full anime heart-throb when he saw Yeo-ri struggling with her bag.
  SIR. YOU ARE IN LOVE.

Episode 6 = Cursed babies, creepy ghost spit, and slow-burn confession build-up with a side of existential crisis.

• Yeo-ri being the ONLY competent human in this cursed kingdom. Queen’s having creepy water ghost nightmares? Yeo-ri’s on it. Talismans in the pillows? Found. Unborn baby targeted by a literal demon? Handled.

• The Queen’s pregnancy reveal = 10/10 palace drama. I swear the Queen Mother is always one mood swing away from burning it all down.

• AND LET’S TALK ABOUT GANGCHEORI.

  • Still emo.

  • Still in denial.

  • Still hot.

  • And now fully realizing he doesn’t want to leave because he’s in actual love with Yeo-ri??
    STOP IT. I’M GONNA CRY. 😭💕

• Bonus points for the King laughing when he finds out Gangcheori yeeted Kwak across the kingdom with a gust of wind. Honestly same, Your Majesty.

• BUT ALSO. BLACK. WATER. SPIT. ON. YEO-RI. 💦💀
  Like EXCUSE ME? That ghost did not come to play. I am CONCERNED. (And also living for the drama.)

Final Thoughts:

• Gangcheori in love? 🐉✅

• Bibi being chaos incarnate? ✅✅✅

• Pung-san being the literal worst? Needs a haunted slap.

• Yeo-ri carrying the emotional AND supernatural weight of this show on her back? QUEEN. 👑

• 8-foot ghost? Creepy. Sad. Kinda relatable?? 👀

Episodes 5 & 6 were unhinged in the best way. If Gangcheori doesn’t kiss Yeo-ri soon I will be calling the spirit hotline myself. 👻💅

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK FOR MORE POSSESSION, DRAMA, AND EMOTIONAL DAMAGE.
– Your chronically unwell fangirl 💖