The Haunted Palace – K-drama Episode 14 Recap & Review
Episode 14
Episode 14 of The Haunted Palace begins with Yoon Gap reuniting with a delighted Mrs. Yoon and a wary Yeo-ri. On their way to work, Yeo-ri accepts Gap's apology as he confesses to tricking her. However, she flinches when he reaches for her and he gives her back Gangcheori's bracelet.
The palace is pleasantly surprised by Gap's return. The King hugs him but the ghostbane stone hurts Yoon Gap. Yeo-ri and the King deduce that the stone is reacting to Gap's corpse. Pung-san is eavesdropping via Yoon Gap's soul and realises that the ghostbane stone is their secret weapon.
The inner circle gets back to work on the anti-slave reforms. The King finds Gap's enthusiasm refreshing but he also recalls how Gangcheori had cheered him when he had doubted his role as a benevolent king. Gap realises that the King misses Gangcheori. Surprisingly, even Head Eunuch Kim misses Gangcheori's impudence.
Suddenly, Gap is in pain and Pung-san 'helps' him. The shaman needs Gap to destroy the King's ghostbane stone, and then the body will be permanently his. All he needs to do is pour 'alcohol' over the stone. However, the loyal Gap refuses.
Meanwhile, Yeo-ri and Ga-seop search for Gangcheori. She prays for him, upset that he broke his promise of not letting her go.
Surprisingly, he wakes up in Gap's body as well. Chaos ensues as Gap and Gangcheori tussle over the body's dominance. Soon, we see that it is Pung-san helping Gap suppress Gangcheori. He keeps reminding Gap of all the things Gangcheori has taken from him.
The next morning, Gap is gone early and Yeo-ri has a vision of him eyeing the ghostbane stone. She rushes after him.
In the palace, the King constantly praises Gap and works on the reforms. The ghostbane stone is on his table and Gap decides to pour the 'alcohol' over it. Gangcheori screams no and he throws the liquor and slips. Gap is ejected and he runs off.
Both Gangcheori and Yeo-ri find him and he is disappointed in himself. Gangcheori points out that it was Gap who threw away the liquor in the end. However, Gap is afraid of what he might become and begs Yeo-ri to help him cross over to the afterlife.
They arrive home and Mrs. Yoon realises that Gangcheori has returned. She cries for Gap and is in shock when she learns that he is dead. The shamans perform the last rites and Gap bids farewell to his mother and Yeo-ri. The King cries as he holds his own ritual for Gap in the palace.
Gangcheori knows Gap has feelings for Yeo-ri and wonders why he never confessed. Gap refuses to hurt her as she would never be able to accept his feelings. Gangcheori is impressed and as farewell, agrees to take care of Mrs. Yoon and Yeo-ri.
With Gap gone, Pung-san convinces Minister Ahn to destroy the ghostbane stones by tempting him with the Chief State Councillor position.
Gangcheori and Yeo-ri move out while Mrs. Yoon mourns Gap. They head to a tavern and are forced to share the only available room. Ah, the classic only-one-bed trope!
As they turn in for the night, Yeo-ri is still determined to resolve the ghost conflict for the sake of the ghost, the villagers and her grandmother.
She also teases Gangcheori who is awkward about sharing a room. He 'jokingly' makes a proposition but Mrs. Yoon interrupts. She has been searching for them all night and takes them home.
It cuts to D-Day as the inner circle gets ready for the ghost's 100th death anniversary. Kwak's officer/assassin, Jung worms his way into the security detail. The King gives his ghostbane stone to his pregnant Queen.
Yeo-ri remembers her grandmother mentioning how a shaman can die if the reaper method fails. The caragana finally blooms and Gangcheori drinks its tea as he realises it may be time to sacrifice himself.
The ritual begins but the ghost possesses Assassin Jung. He easily fends everyone off, including Gangcheori, and smiles at the King. At the end of The Haunted Palace Episode 14, he stabs the Queen in the stomach.
The Episode Review
The penultimate week ends with a shocking cliffhanger and while we are surprised by the route they took with Yoon Gap's storyline, The Haunted Palace Episode 14 is still pretty satisfactory. We almost wish the K-drama hadn't included the teaser for the finale since it explains how the possessed Assassin Jung is able to stab the Queen, who has the ghostbane stone.
Mrs. Yoon shines as she quickly understands the situation surrounding Gangcheori and accepts him back after mourning her son. And while we'd expected the typical love triangle trope where Yoon Gap goes evil to make Yeo-ri his, his sacrifice fits his backstory as the kind-hearted little boy who stood up for her when she was an outcast.
However, the King is a confusing little fellow with the writers taking way too much liberty with his character. The beginning of the show barely gives him any screentime before they make it up by having him work with Yeo-ri and Gangcheori.
But his overaffection and PDA for Yoon Gap feel odd, especially when he and his court constantly insist on decorum with Gangcheori. Sure, the hug is a plot device to reveal the ghostbane stone but the King has not shown his own wife or son that much affection as he does to a loyal and like-minded but mere court examiner.
The K-drama does highlight that the King is an emotional person with the way he mourns his evil grandfather and cries for the wronged Yongdam villagers. But it is not enough to fall in line for his character to break hierarchy and decorum with the way he does with Yoon Gap.
Previous Episode
Next Episode
Expect A Full Season Write-Up When This Season Concludes!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
21 minutes ago
- Reuters
2025 South Korea presidential election live: Frontrunner Lee Jae-myung faces conservative rival Kim Moon-soo
What's happening? South Koreans vote for their next president First exit polls expected at 8 p.m. KST (1100 GMT) Liberal Lee Jae-myung is the frontrunner Main rival is conservative Kim Moon-soo Martial law imposed by Yoon Suk Yeol in December weighs heavy Read our wrapup here The top three candidates based on a recent Gallup Korea poll are: Liberal frontrunner Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party, with 49% public support. Lee's main conservative rival Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party, with 35%. Another conservative candidate, Lee Jun-seok of the New Reform Party, with 11%. All of the candidates remaining in the race are men with no women in the final lineup for the first time since 2007, according to the National Election Commission (NEC). South Korea has only had one female leader, Park Geun-hye. The youngest candidate is Lee Jun-seok, who is 40, and the oldest is Kim Moon-soo at 73. South Koreans vote for a new president after martial law crisis 13 minutes ago 04:02 EDT Jack Kim Welcome to our live coverage of South Korea's presidential election on Tuesday. The election caps six months of turmoil triggered by a shock martial law briefly imposed by former leader Yoon Suk Yeol in December. The new leader will face the challenge of rallying a society deeply scarred by the attempt at military rule and an export-heavy economy reeling from unpredictable protectionist moves by the United States, a major trading partner and a security ally. Turnout is expected to be high. As of 3 p.m. (0600 GMT), 30.5 million people, or nearly 69% of the electorate, had voted at 14,295 locations, according to the National Election Commission. Both liberal frontrunner Lee Jae-myung and his conservative rival Kim Moon-soo have pledged change for the country. They say a political system and economic model set up during its rise as a budding democracy and industrial power are no longer fit for purpose But overshadowing any economic or social policy initiatives is Yoon's botched attempt to impose martial law that has loomed large over the poll. Lee is favoured to win, according to polls released a week before the vote, leading Kim by 14 percentage points with 49% public support in a Gallup Korea survey. Exit polls conducted by three television networks will be released at the close of the polls at 8 p.m. Stay with us for the latest as we get it.
Daily Mail
43 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Shocking moment families brawl at Disneyland after 'row over queue cutting'
A savage brawl broke out at Disneyland after furious tourists became fed up with queue-cutters. Despite being deemed the 'Happiest Place on Earth', the scuffle between a couple and a family of three even saw a young child be assaulted near the Crazy Animal City ride. In a video taken by another person in the queue, a man wearing a black t-shirt grabbed the other man, in a white t-shirt, by the neck. They both wrestled each other as a woman wearing a hat with rabbit ears attached to it repeatedly flailed out her arms. She tried to hit both of the men before running at a visitor, part of the family of three, who carried a child. The woman hit both of them, including the little girl, which caused the mum to break down into tears and crouch on the ground. She kept the child tightly in her arms and held her close to her chest. As she cried, the focus went back to the two men as the woman wearing the rabbit hat went to join in on the scuffle. The man in the white t-shirt who appeared to be part of the family, was wrestled to the ground after he fell on some steps. When he hit the floor, the woman who was still holding her child became hysterical as she reached out her arm to the man. She then stood up and grabbed the woman wearing the hat and began to shout. Security personnel eventually intervened in the fight - which local press said was caused by an argument over the queue - and were able to break up the altercation which took place at Disneyland Park, in Shanghai, China. The shocking scenes attracted a large number of tourists who watched in horror, as reported by NeedToKnow. It is not known whether those involved suffered consequences as a result of their actions but some outlets have said that tourists may face a permanent ban on entering the park if they engage in violent behaviour. It has also been reported that the couple tried to have a photo together which was blocked by the family, leading to a heated exchange before punches began swinging. This is not the first time an outrageous brawl broke out at Disneyland - with another viral video taken of a fight in 2023. Punches and kicks were thrown between two families on the walkway between Storybook Land Canal Boats and Mad Tea Party rides in Fantasyland. A tourist wearing blue pushes another clad in red before a second guest - also wearing red - runs up and throws a punch at the apparent instigator. The camera pans away but swings back to reveal two more guests joining in. Another two people are absorbed in the brawl as bystanders rush from the scene. One man topples to the ground - only to be kicked by a woman as he attempts to regain his balance. Small children closest to the fight hang onto a nearby guardrail as they inch away. Disneyland security hurried to break up the fight while Fantasyland cast members closed off the area between the parade route and the Mad Hatter gift shop. According to visitor who filmed the scuffle, the family wearing red was asked to move aside by another family attempting to pass. The family in red 'gave them attitude' and told them to go around. However, this was not possible, as there was only a small opening and the second family had strollers. The families continued to exchange verbal blows before teenage girls from both sides began to argue 'in close proximity' - launching an all-out fistfight. Park officials say the party that initiated the incident was immediately removed, adding that 'any type of violence will not be tolerated at Disneyland Resort'.
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
Myanmar junta says extends temporary ceasefire to June 30
June 3 (Reuters) - Myanmar's junta said it has extended a temporary ceasefire to June to support reconstruction and relief efforts following a massive earthquake in late March that killed at least 3,700 people and devastated parts of the country. The junta initially announced a ceasefire in early April, days after the March 28 earthquake, to support relief efforts, following similar moves by anti-junta armed groups. The opposition groups have also extended their ceasefire to end-June. Military airstrikes and artillery attacks have continued in some parts of Myanmar despite the ceasefire announcement.
