Netflix’s New Horror Drama Has Critics Freaking Out With a Perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes Score

Netflix’s new Korean horror drama The East Palace is quickly becoming one of the biggest surprises of the year. Just two days after its release, the series has already gained strong attention from viewers, with many fans calling it one of the best K-dramas of 2026.

The fantasy horror series comes from writers Kwon So-ra and Seo Jae-won, who previously worked on shows like The Guest and Bulgasal: Immortal Souls. It is directed by Choi Jung-kyu and stars Nam Joo-hyuk, Roh Yoon-seo, and Cho Seung-woo in the leading roles.

Set in a fictional version of Korea’s Joseon era, The East Palace mixes historical drama with supernatural horror. The story follows a royal family that has been suffering from a mysterious curse for 30 years. Several crown princes have died under strange circumstances, and the kingdom fears that the same fate will soon reach the last remaining heir.

Desperate to uncover the truth, King Ju-sang, played by Cho Seung-woo, turns to Gu-cheon, a ghost hunter portrayed by Nam Joo-hyuk. Gu-cheon has the rare ability to see spirits and is asked to investigate the mysterious deaths surrounding the royal family.

He is joined by Saeng-gang, played by Roh Yoon-seo, a princess who was forced to leave the palace as a child because she could hear ghosts. Although she returns because of the king’s orders, she has her own personal mission: finding the truth behind her mother’s death and getting revenge.

At first, Gu-cheon and Saeng-gang struggle to work together, but their relationship changes as they face both human enemies and dangerous supernatural forces. Together, they must uncover the real story behind the royal curse before it destroys the kingdom.

One of the biggest reasons viewers have connected with the series is its unique approach to Korean mythology. The creators used ideas from traditional Korean shamanism and folklore to build the supernatural world of the show.

The series features different types of spirits, including “gwi-shin,” which are ghosts from Korean legends. It also introduces creatures such as “gwi-mae,” spirits created from unfinished regrets, and “ak-gwi,” evil spirits that become stronger after taking lives.

Director Choi Jung-kyu explained that the team wanted the creatures to feel connected to Korean folklore while still creating something original for the show. “When we created these creatures, we wanted viewers to immediately understand what kind of being they were. They are based on folklore, but we adapted them to fit the world of our series,” he said.

The production has also received praise for its visuals. The show was filmed in Yeoncheon, South Korea, with detailed sets, costumes, and effects helping create the contrast between the human world and the ghost realm known as the Gwi Empire. Choi explained that the team tried to rely more on practical sets instead of depending only on computer-generated effects.

The mystery behind the curse becomes even more complicated as the series continues. The story eventually reveals that the curse was not caused by a ghost, but by years of human greed, betrayal, and crimes committed inside the royal family.

Roh Yoon-seo told Netflix that the truth is especially painful for her character because the person behind many of her tragedies is someone she trusted most. “The grandmother was the only person Saeng-gang could rely on. When she discovers that she was responsible for everything, it is difficult to even imagine how she felt,” the actress said.

Fans have praised the emotional story, horror elements, and performances on social media. Many viewers have described The East Palace as one of the strongest K-dramas of the year so far.

Critics have also responded positively. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the series currently holds a perfect 100% audience approval score, while it has earned a 7.7 rating on IMDb. With its mix of history, mythology, mystery, and horror, The East Palace is quickly establishing itself as one of Netflix’s latest global hits.

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