Netflix has launched the first teaser trailer for the upcoming supernatural horror drama, The East Palace. The South Korean Dark Fantasy series is slated for launch on July 17.
It is set to run for eight episodes, and Netflix’s synopsis says of the series: “The East Palace is the story of Gu-cheon, who can traverse the world of ghosts, and Saeng-gang, a court lady with a secret, as they answer the summons of the king to unearth the cursed palace’s secrets.”
Set in ancient South Korea, the new series sees a court lady and a ghost-slayer tasked with simultaneously overcoming the pond spirit to save the royal bloodline and attempting to reach the heights of previous Korean hits like All of Us Are Dead and Squid Game.
The East Palace
The East Palace is directed by Choi Jung-kyu, who previously directed Children of Nobody. The script is written by Kwon So-ra and Seo Jea-wan. The pair have previously worked together on Bulgasal: Immortal Souls, The Guest, and a remake of Entourage.
The cast includes Nam Joo-hyuk (Twenty Five Twenty One), who plays Gu-cheon, a ghost hunter who wields a powerful sword that can kill ghosts. Roh Yoon-seo (20th Century Girl) stars as Saeng-gang, a court lady who can hear the voices of the dead and aids Gu-cheon. Other stars include Cho Seung-woo (Divorce Attorney Shin).
Outside of US content, Korean content is Netflix’s most popular programming. It is more popular than Japanese and even British content. Squid Game was a cultural phenomenon for the streaming giant. And one of the most popular US productions in recent years was K-Pop Demon Hunters, showing the love fans have for Korean content.
One of the benefits of global streaming services like Netflix is that they offer viewers access to a broader range of content. The Internet has helped drive the popularity of Asian themes. We’ve seen it in music, movies, and even in online casinos. It is common for UK casino apps to offer games like baccarat and slots, featuring popular Asian iconography, such as games like Dragon Fortune and Thai Flower.
Netflix’s Asian Success
Netflix has very much led the way in Asian dramas. Squid Game season 1 has racked up more than 2.2 billion lifetime viewing hours and is the most popular series to have been shown on the streaming service. Seasons 2 and 3 are also among the top five most popular Netflix shows.
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The online streamer originally started concentrating on Asian dramas because they were generally cheaper. They also helped plug the gap left when studios pulled licensed content from Netflix to put on their own streaming platforms.
The move was clearly a shrewd one, however, as Netflix’s success with Asian dramas has seen these other companies follow suit. Prime Video and Apple are not only streaming existing Asian content but, like Netflix, are now investing in original J, K, and C dramas.
Other Asian Netflix Originals expected in the coming months include The Scandal, Dead End Job, Road, and Take Charge Of My Heart.