Seo Do-young's Dramatic Return: Transforming into a Haunting Villain in 'The Haunted Palace'

Seo Do-young shares his thoughts on his dramatic transformation and return to the small screen after five years in the SBS drama 'The Haunted Palace'.

Seo Do-young has made a striking comeback as the formidable villain, Palcheokgui, in 'The Haunted Palace', which is now down to its final two episodes.

Palcheokgui is a vengeful spirit, once a royal guard named Cheon Geum-hwi, who harbored deep resentment against the royal family a century ago. In the 13th episode, it was revealed that Seo Do-young is the actor behind this terrifying character. Despite speculations that Palcheokgui was a CGI creation due to its massive 2.4-meter height and eerie appearance, it was Seo Do-young who brought the character to life through full-body makeup, capturing the audience's attention.

Seo Do-young revealed that even his fellow actors and staff were unaware of his casting as Palcheokgui. He maintained secrecy by skipping pre-shoot meetings and script readings. "When I first greeted everyone on set in full Palcheokgui makeup, they were all shocked. The weight of the villain's role was immense," he recalled. He also shared his pride, saying, "After my first makeup session as Palcheokgui, the director applauded and said the character turned out well."

Seo Do-young returns to drama after his last appearance in SBS's 'Would You Like a Taste?' in 2020. He explained, "The pandemic halted the production of projects I was preparing for, extending my hiatus." He added, "Palcheokgui was a new challenge for me. I've been patting myself on the back for the hard work. I look forward to greeting audiences with more great projects in the future."

Kim Ji-won, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr