Netflix‘s new fantasy series is a hit with critics.
For a long time, people have said that Netflix hasn’t quite mastered epic fantasy shows. While HBO has the popular House of the Dragon and Amazon Prime Video boasts The Rings of Power, Netflix’s biggest success in this area is arguably The Witcher.
Despite a strong start with Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, the latest season of The Witcher saw fewer viewers and mixed reactions to Liam Hemsworth replacing him in the lead role. However, season 5 is still planned and will likely be the show’s final season.
Netflix is finding major success with its fantasy shows, and it’s not just because of English-language content. A great example is The East Palace, an eight-episode series blending supernatural elements with historical themes. It recently launched to incredibly positive reviews, achieving a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The show currently has an average rating of 7.3 out of 10 based on seven reviews, suggesting generally positive feedback. However, since it only launched on July 17th, this score may change as more people share their opinions.
The show is set in a mystical version of Korea’s Joseon period. The story begins with the death of the crown prince, discovered in a pond. People quickly suspect the pond’s spirit is responsible, as legend says it cursed the palace thirty years prior, vowing to destroy the royal family.
Panic erupts within the royal court, prompting the king (Cho Seung-woo) to secretly call for a spirit slayer. Nam Joo-hyuk, famous for his roles in Twenty Five Twenty One and Start-Up, plays Gu-cheon, the supernatural investigator tasked with uncovering the truth behind the palace’s strange occurrences. He’s assisted by Saeng-gang, portrayed by Roh Yoon-seo of Crash Course in Romance, who has the ability to hear spirits.
The film follows a pair who must fight off a dangerous pond spirit while safeguarding the remaining royal heir, creating a compelling sense of urgency. As Shealyn Scott of ScreenRant notes, this blends horror and folklore seamlessly. Rendy Jones from RogerEbert.com also praises the Netflix Original, highlighting that the movie – written by Kwon So-ra and Seo Jea-won and directed by Choi Jung-kyu – is thoroughly enjoyable.
All episodes of The East Palace are on Netflix.
2026-07-21 20:30