SBS ‘Gwigung’ starring Yuk Seong-jae and Kim Ji-yeon is continuing its box office success with its divine synergy.

SBS Friday-Saturday drama ‘Gwigung’ tells the story of a shaman named Yeo-ri who rejects her fate as a psychic, and Kang Cheol-i, an imoogi trapped in the body of Yeo-ri’s first love, Yoon Gap, as they encounter the eight-footed ghost who holds a grudge against the royal family.

The exciting subject matter of the story of the snake and the shaman, the actors ‘possessed character plays, the intriguing palace mystery, and the spine-chilling presence of the K ghosts have been appropriately blended to create a hot response from the first broadcast.

As if to prove this,’ Return to the Palace ‘not only broke the highest viewership ratings for a first-episode SBS drama this year by recording 9.2% nationwide according to Nielsen Korea from its first broadcast, but also took first place in viewership ratings for a miniseries aired for a week and first place in TV series category in five Asian countries including South Korea according to Netflix(as of April 22, FlixPatrol), sending up a proper signal for global box office success.

Here, it is showing an upward trend, proudly taking first place in the integrated content ranking for the 4th week of April announced by Kinolights, an integrated OTT content search platform.

At the center of this hot topic is the performance of the main characters, Yuk Seong-jae and Kim Ji-yeon.

Yook Sung-jae played two roles as Yoon Gap, a prosecutor who is possessed by the evil spirit Imoogi’ Kang Cheol-i ‘(Yook Sung-jae)and the first love of Yeo-ri(Kim Ji-yeon), reaffirming his titles as an’ undefeated fantasy actor ‘and’ expert in possession ‘.

When he was Yoon Gap-il, he made people feel excited as a warm first love, and after he was possessed by the Imoogi Kang Cheol-i, he showed off his unique playfulness and cheerfulness, and he exploded with unexpected charms by going back and forth between an arrogant evil spirit that ignores the rules of the human world and a wild Imoogi who is experiencing the seven desires of humans for the first time.

In particular, the scene where he opens his eyes to human taste and binge eats was well-received for maximizing Imoogi’s innocent charm, and furthermore, the ‘guardian mode’ that appears whenever Yeo-ri is in danger greatly raised expectations for the romance they will portray in the future.

Kim Ji-yeon has renewed her life character once again by taking on the role of Yeo-ri, who possesses powerful magical powers but refuses the fate of a shaman and lives as an artisan of glasses.

Kim Ji-yeon, who first challenged a fantasy piece through ‘Gwigung’, played the role of the psychic ‘Yeori’ who faces scary ghosts and soothes their souls, and drew favorable reviews such as ‘Rediscovery of Kim Ji-yeon’ with her mysterious charm and strong charisma.Furthermore, she breathed life into the character with delicate acting, completing her confident appearance that is not intimidated even in front of the evil god Kang Cheol and her proactive character who forges her own path.

Meanwhile, the acting chemistry between Yook Sung-jae and Kim Ji-yeon, who were a hot topic even before the show aired as a couple of best friends of the same age, is creating a pleasant synergy in the ‘hate romance’ they are creating.The natural chemistry between the two actors permeates the 13-year story of Kang Cheol-yi and Yeo-ri, increasing the immersion, while the ensemble that freely moves between laughter, tension, excitement, and mystery provides seamless fun.



Reporter Lee Jeong- annjoy@donga.com

This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.