The Haunted Palace Episode 6: Gangcheol's Awakening Love and the Terrifying Water Ghost

## The Epic Battle Against the Eight-Legged Spirit

The sixth episode of SBS's weekend drama 'The Haunted Palace' (귀궁) aired on May 3, 2025, continuing its reign as the top-rated show in its time slot for the third consecutive week. The episode opened with an intense confrontation as Gangcheol (Yook Sung-jae), Yeo-ri (Kim Ji-yeon), and King Lee Jeong (Kim Ji-hoon) joined forces to battle the formidable eight-legged spirit that has been terrorizing the palace.

The episode immediately plunges viewers into the heart of the action, with Gangcheol and Yeo-ri fighting for their lives in the palace library. As Gangcheol attempts to vanquish the demon, his powers begin to drain rapidly, weakening him before he can deliver a decisive blow. In a quick-thinking moment, Yeo-ri uses her crystal stone through a talisman, momentarily halting the spirit's advance.

In a surprising twist, King Lee Jeong himself enters the fray, revealing that his seemingly ordinary glass lens is actually a powerful spiritual stone. When he directs it at the spirit, the creature recoils in pain, giving Gangcheol the opportunity to strike. Though they manage to force the spirit to retreat, they fail to completely destroy it, setting the stage for future confrontations.

## Royal Intrigue and Hidden Connections

Following the battle, Yeo-ri meets with the King and his trusted officials to discuss the possibility of the spirit's return. When the King casually mentions that his spiritual lens was given to him by a shaman named Neop Deok, Yeo-ri is stunned to discover that this was her grandmother. This revelation creates a powerful connection between Yeo-ri and the royal family, suggesting that her grandmother had foreseen these events and attempted to prepare for them long ago.

Meanwhile, the Queen Dowager continues her sinister machinations. Upon learning that the Queen is pregnant, she once again enlists the help of the blind shaman Poong San (Kim Sang-ho). Having lost his spiritual power in the confrontation with the eight-legged spirit, Poong San devises a new plan: to feed the unborn royal child to the spirit to restore its power. This dark plot adds another layer of danger to the already precarious situation in the palace.

The episode also reveals that Poong San is the mastermind behind the spiritual attacks, as he recognizes Yeo-ri as the shaman who has been interfering with his plans. In his lair, he begins chanting over a skull, foreshadowing even more sinister events to come.

## Gangcheol's Awakening Feelings

One of the most significant developments in this episode is Gangcheol's growing awareness of his feelings for Yeo-ri. As he recovers from his wounds by a quiet riverbank, he becomes frustrated upon discovering that his powers are weakening. This vulnerability creates a moment of introspection, where he realizes that his intense emotions only surface when he's around Yeo-ri.

In a touching scene, Gangcheol silently acknowledges his wish to remain by Yeo-ri's side forever. This marks a crucial turning point in their relationship, as the serpent spirit who initially possessed Yun-gap's body to pursue his own agenda now finds himself genuinely falling for the shaman.

The romantic tension is further complicated when Gangcheol tests his feelings by attempting to provoke the same emotional response with another woman, In-seun, only to confirm that his heart truly belongs to Yeo-ri. These quiet moments of emotional revelation provide a beautiful counterbalance to the supernatural action sequences.

## A New Threat Emerges

Just as our heroes begin to recover from their encounter with the eight-legged spirit, a new danger emerges. Yeo-ri discovers a skull hidden inside the Queen's pillow, cursed with a talisman intended to kill her unborn child. This revelation sends King Lee Jeong into a rage, ordering the arrest of every court maid in the palace as he tries to identify the culprit.

Using her spiritual mirror, Yeo-ri summons the ghost of the skull's owner, a water spirit named Mak-dol (Kim Jun-won). Rather than providing answers, Mak-dol attacks Gangcheol and Yeo-ri before escaping through the palace waterways.

The episode culminates in a tense confrontation by the river where Mak-dol fled. Gangcheol initially dismisses the spirit as a minor ghost, but is shocked when Mak-dol reveals unexpected power. In a moment of carelessness, Gangcheol allows Mak-dol to attack Yeo-ri, who becomes covered in the spirit's black water. The episode ends with this cliffhanger, showing Gangcheol's devastated expression as he watches Yeo-ri in peril.

## Visual Spectacle and Production Quality

The Haunted Palace continues to impress with its high production values and visual effects. The supernatural battles are choreographed with a cinematic quality rarely seen in television dramas, with the confrontation between Gangcheol and the eight-legged spirit particularly standing out for its intensity and visual flair.

The costume design deserves special mention, especially Gangcheol's warrior attire when he wields his crescent blade against the spirits. The palace settings are sumptuously detailed, creating an authentic historical atmosphere that contrasts beautifully with the supernatural elements.

Director Yoon Sung-shik demonstrates a masterful control of pacing, balancing action sequences with character development and court intrigue. The cinematography employs a distinctive color palette that shifts between warm, intimate tones for the romantic scenes and cold, eerie hues for the supernatural encounters.

## Viewer Reactions and Ratings Success

The Haunted Palace Episode 6 achieved impressive ratings, securing the top position in its time slot for the third consecutive week. According to Nielsen Korea, the episode recorded a nationwide rating of 8.8% and a peak of 10.3%, demonstrating its growing popularity despite airing during a holiday weekend.

Viewer reactions across online communities and social media have been overwhelmingly positive. Many praised the perfect balance of horror, romance, and palace intrigue, with comments like "How is The Haunted Palace so entertaining? The ghost stories are fascinating, the royal family drama is compelling, and the love story is captivating!" and "Today's episode was so packed with content. How will I wait until next week?"

Fans particularly appreciated the comedic elements interspersed throughout the tense narrative, with one viewer noting, "Every line has a bit of comedy that makes me laugh so much." Others expressed their excitement about the unique water ghost storyline, commenting, "I've never seen characters hunting water ghosts before. It's so interesting!"

## What to Expect in Episode 7

Based on the developments in Episode 6, viewers can anticipate several exciting storylines in the upcoming episode:

First, Gangcheol will need to rescue Yeo-ri from the water ghost Mak-dol's attack and deal with the aftermath of her exposure to the spirit's black water. This may lead to a deeper exploration of Gangcheol's feelings as he confronts the possibility of losing Yeo-ri.

Second, the investigation into who placed the cursed skull in the Queen's pillow will intensify, with suspicion likely falling on those close to the Queen Dowager. This will further complicate the palace politics and potentially expose Poong San's involvement.

Third, the revelation about Yeo-ri's grandmother's connection to the King may uncover more about the historical context of the spiritual battles and why the palace is being targeted by these particular spirits.

Finally, with Gangcheol's powers weakening, he may need to find new ways to protect Yeo-ri and combat the spirits, possibly leading to further character development and unexpected alliances within the palace.