Yook Sungjae and Kim Jiyeon have entered a mysterious palace swallowed by the eight-legged ghost, marking the official start of a K-fantasy that is both humorous and spine-chilling.
In the SBS Friday-Saturday drama ‘Gwigung’ (written by Yoon Soo-jung, directed by Yoon Sung-sik), which aired on the 19th, the story unfolds with the great adaptation of the Imugi, Kang Cheol-yi (played by Yook Sungjae), who has lived in a human body for the first time in a thousand years, while Yeori struggles to find the soul of Yoon Gap (also played by Yook Sungjae), who died in the palace, creating a spectacular narrative. As a result, ‘Gwigung’ recorded a peak viewership rating of 10.3% (based on Nielsen Korea), with 8.4% in the metropolitan area and 8.3% nationwide, ranking first in viewership for two consecutive episodes in the same time slot. In particular, it maintained an overwhelming first place in the newly launched Saturday mini-series competition, hinting at a big hit.
The episode began with Kang Cheol-yi, who was possessed by Yoon Gap's body, regaining consciousness in the palace after a cliff fall incident with Yeori. Yeori thought that Cheol-yi had harmed Yoon Gap, but became confused upon realizing that Yoon Gap had been stabbed and injured. Meanwhile, Cheol-yi, who regained his strength with a terrifying recovery ability, became deeply immersed in the human senses for the first time. After tasting a spoonful of rice porridge, Cheol-yi exclaimed, “The human senses, that tongue, how wonderful it is!” and devoured the porridge in the middle of the palace, making viewers burst into laughter.
At that moment, the eerie cry of the eight-legged ghost pierced Cheol-yi's ears. Concerned that Yeori would become the target of the eight-legged ghost, Cheol-yi hurriedly tried to take her out of the palace. However, at the same time, Yeori, enchanted by the voice of Yoon Gap's spirit calling her, headed towards the well and was attacked by the terrifying water ghost, Ok-im (played by Song Su-yi), lurking inside. Ok-im had lured Yeori by mimicking Yoon Gap's spirit. Sensing Yeori's crisis, Cheol-yi, despite his injuries, jumped into the well without hesitation and successfully subdued the water ghost, saving Yeori's life. However, Yeori, believing that Cheol-yi's actions were solely driven by his desire for ascension, turned away from him, focusing only on finding Yoon Gap's wandering spirit in the palace.
Meanwhile, Yeori became puzzled upon realizing that contrary to Yoon Gap's request to make a new royal accessory (an eyeglass), King Lee Jeong (played by Kim Ji-hoon) did not need a new one. Furthermore, the egg of the cherished accessory was made of Gyeonggwi stone (a stone that drives away ghosts), heightening the strange atmosphere in the palace.
On the other hand, Cheol-yi found himself unable to escape from Yoon Gap's body, and due to his bizarre behaviors, rumors of “Yoon Gap's mental breakdown” began to spread rapidly within the palace. Eventually, even the maids began to whisper, “Is Yoon Gap really that messed up?” and “Is it not just a memory loss but a mental breakdown?” This led Yeori to become furious at Cheol-yi's actions, who was behaving like a reckless fool in Yoon Gap's face. Yeori shot back at Cheol-yi, “This is the most precious face to me, yet the one I hate the most resides within it. This is a terrible nightmare,” raising curiosity about how the tangled relationships would evolve.
As the episode neared its end, a threat loomed over Cheol-yi and Yeori, escalating the tension. Yeori believed that the water ghost Ok-im would know the whereabouts of Yoon Gap's spirit and summoned Ok-im through prayer. Ok-im warned Yeori that Yoon Gap's soul had already been consumed by the eight-legged ghost and that meeting Yoon Gap's spirit would lead to death. At that moment, Cheol-yi, sensing a suspicious energy within the palace, tensed up and said, “It's him. The eight-legged ghost,” making viewers sweat with anticipation. Simultaneously, Lee Gwang (played by Park Jae-jun), who was suffering from madness, suddenly had a seizure, and a horrifying face of the eight-legged ghost, stained with blood, appeared over his face, revealing that the eight-legged ghost was at the center of the ominous events engulfing the palace, sending chills down the viewers' spines.
Thus, episode 2 of ‘Gwigung’ raised the immersion level with the chaotic human adaptation of the Imugi and the spine-chilling first appearance of the eight-legged ghost that has invaded the palace. In this, Yook Sungjae showcased a variety of aspects, from the humor of the Imugi awakening to human senses to his charisma as a guardian saving Yeori, and even the witty banter with Kim Jiyeon, captivating viewers with the charm of ‘Kang Cheol-yi Yook Sungjae’. With the full-fledged story development, expectations are rising for Yook Sungjae's passionate performance.
SBS Friday-Saturday drama ‘Gwigung’ airs every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 PM, depicting a fantasy romantic comedy where the shaman Yeori, who rejects the fate of a medium, and the Imugi Kang Cheol-yi, trapped in the body of Yeori's first love Yoon Gap, confront the eight-legged ghost harboring a grudge against the royal family, leading to a tangled battle for body and soul.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
