Ghosts from the "Guigong" came out, too…K-Rite Characters in Humanism, a box office code that captivated viewers
May 14, 2025
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'Gwigung' is a fantasy rom-co that takes place when the body of Yeori (Kim Ji-yeon), a shaman who rejected the fate of Young-mae, and her first love Yun Gap (Yook Sung-jae) is possessed by Lee Weapon Kang-yi (Yook Sung-jae). In addition to this, the court mystery narrative is added centering on the unidentified treasures that threaten the royal family 'Palchukgui', providing both tension and excitement in each episode.
The drama recorded the highest viewer rating of 11.3% based on Nielsen Korea, breaking its own record in each episode. For the fourth consecutive week, it has ranked first in the overall viewership of the mini-series as well as No. 1 in the same time slot, and has continued to make a splash by beating movies and entertainment in the integrated content ranking in the second week of May.
The colorful and human ghost characters presented by 'Guigung' also play a part in the background of this popularity. In addition to the main treasures 'Palchukgui', traditional Korean ghosts such as 'Sapalgui', 'Glow-in-the-Darkgui', and 'One-legged Gui' appear as live-action bases, drawing emotional empathy rather than occult fear.
In particular, Oksim (Song Soo-i) was on the verge of turning into a villain after an unfair death, but with the help of Yeori, he is gradually returning to his face and receiving support from viewers. The characteristic that makes even ghosts empathize is a rare example, with the comments "May Ok-im be a holy Buddha" being nicknamed "Sisal-gui-sister ".
The little ghost Gwang-gui (Park Da-on) says he is a scary ghost, but he is monopolizing the love of his aunt and uncle fans with his cute appearance and wild behavior. The fatherly love of Makdol (Kim Joon-won), a killer who drowned while trying to save his daughter, stimulated the tear glands and added a heavy resonance to the play.
Director Yoon Sung-sik wanted to unravel the ghost as a person who lived his life, not as a being of fear or exclusion. We created the character in a way that viewers can sympathize with and balanced the live action and the visual," he said, expressing his intention to direct.
Along with the good performances of actors such as Yook Sung-jae, Kim Ji-yeon, and Kim Ji-hoon, 'Guigung', which exquisitely intertwines fantasy, romance, and mystery, proves its potential as a Korean genre. Entering the second half of the drama, the identity of 'Palchuckgui', the triangular relationship between Yeo-ri, Yoon-gap and Kang-cheol, and the court's power struggle are in full swing, and the performance of ghost characters is also expected.
SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'Going Palace' airs every Friday and Saturday at 9:55 p.m.
mj.cho@sportschosun.com
