#gu cheon

me watching The East Palace because this creature.

spoiler..

I also found it really funny how both our main couples essentially leave their old environment behind and go travelling the world together, up to their new ghost hunting shenanigans. You have jang uk and naksu hunting jinyowon relics, then gu cheon and saeng-gang doing god knows what but something DEFINITELY spirit related.

'ok, you know, not very surprised that something wants to kill you.'

'I also kind of want to kill you now.'

A kingdom built on buried secrets of the dead & A prophecy built on sins of the royals.

Well executed historical horror fantasy that's more than evil ghosts or kings. Excellent visual effects. Bang on performances from the cast. Promising story of two scarred souls saving eo.

Gucheon,may initially seem to be emotionally unavailable eventually becomes a character that beautifully conveys guilt,longing,desperation & yearning in the most beautiful ways. The balance b/w his seflessness but calculated restraint to save the people was commendable. And his every trip to the ghost realm comes with a cost on his physical body& once you truly sit in with his past. His initial indifference makes all the sense but also his will to protect& live. His yearning towards the princess makes it all so much more tragically beautiful.

Saenggang isnt just typical princess but the key to holding onto gucheon. A fierce soldier who bravely faces the politics in the palace,looks into the eye of the evil& untangles the puzzles. She is smart but also incredibly human who also has been extremely lonely her whole life.

Both the characs had been shunned for being different. And what started as a deal b/w them to unearth secrets became so much more. Their souls finally entwined together without any misundertandings or judgements. Finally, they accepted one another&truly salvaged each other

They are so painfully beautiful. Both have been denied love their whole life but still choose to be so tender&caring. Wounded by words of the world but still soft&careful. And they finally found each other to become one's savior & ultimate solace from the dark & unforgiving world.

A love so sacred that you become each other's salvation. A bond so strong that no force can break it. A relationship so pure that no evil can touch it.

I love such relationships that are kept ambiguous. You dont need words to say it all but those acts of service towards one another or actively becoming eo's savior. You just know at one point what you mean to each other, and that defines their love. 🥹

The king who seems to be root cause of evil at first &the big brain behind all the nuisance turns out to be a rather helpless one under the disguise of the power of his robe. He may not have been the best father to his children&failed to protect them but he isnt the big bad evil. He is in fact a very layered charac you cant help but feel he tried his best amidst all the chaos to protect the throne. But I still wouldn't justify his wrongs either.

Grand dowager was another charac that kept the political aspect of the story inatct with her hunger for power.

Kwak dongyeon as the crown prince consumed by the power of the throne& the evil genuinely stood out to me. He was marvelous with his acting and a huge shoutout to his makeup team for giving him such an aura, which magnified his presence so much more. Hands down one of kwak dongyeon's best performances to date, and obviously, cho seungwoo is brilliant as always. Their scenes were truly so beautifully shot ,and the actors conveyed their complex emotions so well. Even with limited screen time between them, they still delivered!

Even with complex themes of ghosts and politics, it still remains grounded with the emotional aspect b/w the characs. Each ep makes you feel like you finally got ur answer only for it overturn everything with a gripping twist.The story makes you hold onto it till the end.

Even the cinematography of the palace is shot differently. It feels eery as if every corridor or every room is holding onto a secret&is wanting to be kept hidden. You dont need ghosts, but the realisation of every corner being stained by an innocent's blood is enough. Adding to this,the set design for the spirit realm was wonderfully shot. Rather than jump scares, it relied more on those wide angle shots or drawing parallels b/w the storm& calmness of both the world, respectively. It would overstimulate the audience but not in a scary way.

East Palace has a good story. Compelling twists. Emotional depth. Stunning visuals and cinematography. Lastly, great cast that truly carried the show in their own ways.

Ps. Big shoutout to our labubu princess, gomeoksali, you were a favorite indeed!