The East Palace (2026) s01e06 Episode Script

[unsettling music playing]
[Saeng-gang] Tell me, Crown Prince.
Why do you resent Father?
Why are you doing this?
Now you mean to hurt Father
after murdering Prince Yeongan?
[Crown Prince] Look closely.
[Saeng-gang breathes nervously]
[Crown Prince] Look closely.
See how I died.
- [gasps]
- [music intensifies]
[Crown Prince]
It was Father who poisoned me.
[sizzling]
Father killed me.
- Now you know.
- [gasps]
[gasps] You're awake!
Your Majesty.
[Chief Eunuch] Your Majesty.
[King groans]
Chief Eunuch.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Summon the Chief Royal Secretary.
[sinister music playing]
[Sukbin] Your Majesty.
[King] We have no time to spare.
The plague must be contained at once.
Carry out the edict as written.
[splutters] Are you saying
that you are ordering us to kill
everyone in the entire village,
Your Majesty?
PUT THEM ALL TO DEATH
And do not delay.
[Crown Prince] He is an ak-gwi.
A living, breathing ak-gwi.
It was Father who killed me.
He killed me
when I learned of all of his sins.
[dramatic percussive music playing]
[sizzling]
[Crown Prince] And now you will be next
since you know the secret as well.
- I am next.
- He will kill you too.
You are next.
You know the secret, do you not?
Father poisoned me.
Father killed me. He killed all of us.
I will die next.
[Crown Prince] He will kill you soon.
I know the truth as well.
[music swells]
THE EAST PALACE
[Crown Prince] You are next.
[music fades]
[Gu-cheon breathing heavily]
[grunts, pants]
Damn it.
I can't see clearly from here either.
[pants]
[unsettling ethereal music playing]
[footsteps pattering]
[Gu-cheon] Princess.
[footsteps approaching]
[ominous music playing]
[King] You defied my direct order
to save Prince Yeongan.
And in spite of that,
you hid in here and deceived me,
making your King look like a fool.
And because of that, Your Majesty,
I saved you from the spirit.
I'm told you unearthed
the Crown Prince. Is that right?
Where is the body now?
I'm unable to tell you that.
It is essential to destroy the spirit.
Even if that spirit
was your son, Your Majesty.
I will give you ten days.
Destroy the spirit within that time.
But ten will not suffice.
Ten days.
If so, then you must follow
every one of my instructions.
[Chief Eunuch] Mind your tongue.
How dare you speak to His--
[Gu-cheon] I will place a protective ward
in your bedchamber
to keep the spirit from entering the room.
Unless you wish to cough up more blood
and linger before death's door.
On one condition.
And that is
it's to be installed outside the hall.
[breathes heavily]
[music fades]
[dark music playing]
There you are.
[pressing music playing]
[Gu-cheon] Princess.
Princess.
Saeng-gang!
It can't be…
Princess, are you all right?
[pressing music continues]
[gasps]
[music fades]
[Gu-cheon] Are you all right?
[sighs] What happened?
You lost consciousness.
It appears that… you were
taken over by the Crown Prince.
He decided to use your body
to hide his own.
Then he must…
He must still be clinging on to me?
I don't know.
You don't know?
I can't see any spirits.
I injured my eyes in the Realm of Gwi.
Get some rest for now.
I will go look for
the Crown Prince's body.
That will not be necessary.
What do you mean by that?
Even if you do find his body
and put his spirit to rest,
it has been made clear
that we will not be spared.
For it is the King
that killed his own son.
Killed his own son?
[mysterious ethereal music playing]
[Saeng-gang] The rice they had placed
in his mouth had turned black.
He was poisoned.
If we do not meet a similar fate,
then we must uncover the incidents
and find the proof
of what happened 30 years ago.
That it was all my father.
We must do this
before more people are killed.
[man] I sent the troops and carried out
the order you commanded.
However, some soldiers decided
they should release
several women and children,
and those who did appear to have fled.
And are those who took it upon themselves
to release them still there?
They are, Your Majesty.
- Seize them all.
- [paper rustles]
[King] Then,
in front of the rest of the troops…
behead each one.
[music fades]
I suppose that I have no choice
but to meet the Crown Prince's spirit.
What do you mean by that?
I must ask directly how he learned…
learned of the crimes my father committed.
He might be asking for my help
so that he may ease his resentment.
Princess, he's an ak-gwi
who has taken lives.
So forget it.
Here, make this instead.
What am I looking at?
A ward to keep
the Crown Prince's spirit from clinging.
It’s best to keep it attached to you.
[Saeng-gang sighs]
[poignant string music playing]
[paper rustling]
It must be frustrating
not being able to see anymore.
There's one good thing though.
It's nice that,
for the first time in my life,
I can't see spirits or gwi-maes at all.
Then you'd wish to
continue not being able to see?
Forever?
Whatever my wishes are,
my sight must return
if we want to find the Crown Prince.
It's the only way we'll get through this.
What are you doing?
I just wanted to check whether
the Crown Prince's spirit
has secretly clung to you.
But with my sight as it is,
how could I even know, right?
About your eyesight…
[music fades]
Do you think it is restorable?
I have to find
the damn shaman who did this to me.
The one hiding him is the one wishing
for the King to be dead.
[intriguing music playing]
Do you suspect anyone at all?
[music swells, fades]
Why have you come all the way here?
[Saeng-gang] I have a matter
to inquire about.
Have you held a shamanic rite lately?
[Queen] A shamanic rite?
When Prince Yeongan collapsed,
I believe it was you
who summoned a shaman.
Where might he be currently?
You sought me out to ask such a thing?
You wretched child.
After everything you did,
you have the nerve.
[seethes]
You've become pathetic.
[grunts]
- Your Majesty.
- [Queen coughs]
[slurps, coughs]
[Queen exhales, slurps]
What's important is…
I would guess that he has to be
the feng shui master
His Majesty brought in.
Why have you arrived with him?
He's inspecting the palace grounds
by His Majesty's command.
- The Queen Dowager's--
- You speak nothing but lies.
[sniffles] I know full well
of the heinous acts he has done here.
You, speak for yourself.
Is there still a spirit in this palace
that wants to end
the royal bloodline or not?
A spirit in the palace? Uncle would scoff
and simply laugh in your presence.
[screams] What did you say?
Whether spirits are at work or not,
is it not a relief
that His Majesty has recovered?
Considering that the plague
continues to spread.
Oh. Princess, have you not heard yet?
Your Father
deployed his troops
to where the plague had broken out,
and once there…
commanded that everyone be put to death.
- [ominous music playing]
- [breathes shakily]
[Iksang] Children and elders alike,
every last one of them, dead.
[people screaming]
[child breathing heavily]
[Crown Prince] He is an ak-gwi.
A living, breathing ak-gwi.
He is an ak-gwi.
A living, breathing ak-gwi.
[woman screams]
[Iksang] They say it was the first act
His Majesty took upon awakening.
- [people screaming]
- [sobs]
- Mother!
- [guard] Leave no one alive!
[panicked screaming]
[child] Mother! Please, wake up.
[Crown Prince] He will kill everyone.
Father poisoned me.
He will put us all to death.
You are next. He will kill you soon.
He is an ak-gwi.
[gasps]
Get your hands off the Princess at once.
[breathes shakily]
A centipede
as large as a snake was on you.
What's with all the bugs here?
[Saeng-gang] Uncle, what news do you have
for Her Highness?
Have you come
to report on the plague matter?
I have no official post.
Why would I concern myself
with matters such as this?
The reason I have an audience
with Her Royal Highness
is to pay my respects,
as His Majesty issued an edict
appointing my eldest son
as Crown Prince.
[unsettling music playing]
[King] Bring Prince Iksang's eldest son,
Prince Inha, into the palace
so he can learn the proper customs
and hold the investiture ceremony
as soon as possible.
The nation is in turmoil.
Since the East Palace
cannot remain vacant any longer,
I will take Prince Inha as my adopted son
and seat him upon the throne.
[Saeng-gang] He will kill me.
I know he will.
He is a man
who killed his own son.
He would not… hesitate.
RABBI
[grunts]
[music fades]
[sighs] Why? Why'd you hit me?
You need to get a hold of yourself.
Dark thoughts weaken your mind
and make the heart fall apart.
A spirit could just slide in
through those cracks.
[sighs]
[Gu-cheon] Set the ward.
My sight still fails me,
so you will have to do it.
[Gu-cheon inhales sharply]
Lower.
- Place it lower.
- I'm doing that.
It's as low as it can be.
RABBI
I said to--
I'm letting this slide
only because you can barely see.
[Gu-cheon sighs]
Why are we putting up these rabbit signs,
and why upside down?
The Crown Prince was born
in the Year of the Rabbit.
If it's upside down,
his soul cannot pass through here
without a body to hide in.
So you need to be careful.
Unless you wish
to have your body taken by him.
There was no other choice
when it happened.
I'm not sure
how one could stay so collected
after finding out
your father's a murderer.
[gentle piano music playing]
I'll say this again.
You must keep your wits about you
going forward.
If not,
you must stay close to somebody else,
somebody you can rely on.
There is someone
that I can rely on about this.
[footsteps approaching]
[Sukbin] Saeng-gang.
Hello, Grandmother.
[Sukbin] Have you been well?
Good for her. I'm glad.
- You are leaving the palace?
- [music fades]
I came here
so I could tend to Prince Yeongan.
But that's no longer possible,
unfortunately.
With you and Gu-cheon here,
His Majesty should be safe
from all of this.
However, this matter
of the late Crown Prince…
It's hard to believe
he's become a spirit, isn't it?
[Sukbin sighs]
This palace is truly
a frightening place to be.
It's not a place for an old woman.
[man tuts] He looks like a walking corpse.
- [man 2] I hear you.
- [man] Right? He can't even eat or speak.
If a shaman loses their presiding deity,
they honestly may as well be dead.
Heavens! Let's get going.
[wheezing, snoring]
[inhales]
[labored breathing]
[breathing shakily]
[gasping]
[ominous music swells]
[spectral voices murmuring]
[spectral voices murmuring]
[groans]
[music swells]
[spectral screaming]
- [loud thud]
- [Gu-cheon grunts]
[groaning, grunts]
[grunting, groaning]
[pants, screams]
[panting]
[music intensifies]
[spectral voices murmuring]
[Crown Prince] Take me in.
[whimpers]
[panting]
[groaning]
[grunts]
[groans]
[Crown Prince]
I shall be your new presiding deity.
[screams] Your Royal Highness!
- [music fades]
- [Gu-cheon groaning]
[door opens]
[Gu-cheon pants]
[door closes]
[uneasy music playing]
[Saeng-gang] Gu-cheon, what happened?
[exhales sharply]
[Gu-cheon] My eyes.
I can't see at all anymore.
That damned shaman.
He must have burned the object
that cursed my eyes.
He's already begun
with a new presiding deity.
Isn't there something we can do about it?
Now that I can't see spirits at all,
this work is doomed.
Is there any way
to bring back some of your sight?
There is one way,
but it is far too dangerous.
Why is that?
Because it means disturbing
what must never be disturbed.
But if you're able
to bring back your vision…
then we must do it.
No.
I would rather flee
than commit such an act.
I will survive somehow,
as long as I stay hidden.
Where do you think you're going?
You can't see anymore!
Since it's come to this,
you should flee the palace
and come with me.
The moment we flee, His Majesty will
send out his troops to have us beheaded.
And I don't wish to leave the palace again
for something that was not my fault,
like when I was a child.
I will have to seek out the Crown Prince's
spirit alone if you won't help us.
I'll find a way to keep us both safe,
even if you can't.
And how would you do that alone?
[intriguing music playing]
[Saeng-gang] If the Crown Prince's spirit
comes near me,
I'm not going to stop it.
Do you not remember
how dangerous this is for you?
If the spirit takes your body--
That will not happen.
No matter the cost,
His Majesty's sins must be proven.
You have honestly gone insane.
[music fades]
Did you see the Princess's complexion?
[Jang] Her complexion, Your Majesty?
Did it not look as though
she was being tormented
by a kind of spirit?
So could that spirit, the Court Lady,
still linger in the palace walls?
Definitely not.
That tragic young man called Gu-cheon
certainly destroyed the spirit
of the Most Favored Lady.
I felt my body grow lighter.
All of the resentment
I had to endure has now vanished.
And yet Prince Yeongan still died,
and both His Majesty
and the Princess have fallen ill.
Could it be that another vengeful spirit
is after the throne and His Majesty?
[unsettling music playing]
Oh, Your… Your Majesty.
[Queen] It was my very own shame
that clouded my sight.
Why was His Majesty
the only son of the late King
to have somehow survived this calamity?
How did he, out of everyone,
survive the terrible curse?
- Indeed. There must be another cause.
- That will be all today, Your Highness.
[Queen] There was a physician
at the Royal Infirmary
who examined the Princes
that died 30 years ago.
Find him at once.
He is dead?
[Jang] Yes, Your Majesty.
I traced the royal physician who attended
to the Princes that died 30 years ago.
And, a few years after that,
he suddenly vomited dark blood and died.
The symptoms seem to match those
of the dead Princes.
So, whatever targeted the royal house
was not the work of spirits here.
[Jang] Pardon?
Where is Prince Iksang's son right now?
Oh! Prince Inha!
- [woman] Madam!
- Prince, what happened?
[gasps] No!
Summon the physician at once.
Yes!
[breathing heavily]
[music fades]
What brings you here so late?
You have been summoned
by Her Majesty, Princess.
[Saeng-gang] For what reason?
[Jang] Prince Inha has fallen unconscious.
Then why is it I have been summoned?
In his chamber,
we found a box of confectioneries.
[sighs] Mm.
[unsettling music playing]
[Jang] It bears the same markings
as the box you brought Her Royal Majesty
the Queen Dowager.
[breathes shakily]
[Jang] Her Majesty says
that he appears to have collapsed
after consuming what was inside the box.
[muffled] Your Highness?
[footsteps echo]
[Sukbin muffled] Saeng-gang.
Saeng-gang.
- [clear] Saeng-gang!
- [gasps]
[Sukbin] Saeng-gang.
[music fades]
What is wrong with you?
Have you come to your senses?
Wait, why am I here?
I'm wondering that as well.
You appeared out of nowhere
and just stood there without a word.
I should take my leave from here.
What is going on with you?
You can tell me, your grandmother.
Grandmother.
It's happening again.
[unsettling music playing]
I think Father is
becoming the pond spirit.
I believe he is turning into it.
The pond spirit, you say?
The one who killed his brothers
30 years ago was…
It was His Majesty.
What are you…
- What are you trying to say, child?
- And now, once more…
It appears he'll do the same thing.
He had Iksang's son summoned here
to the palace and poisoned him tonight.
[scoffs]
That cannot be.
A lotus-patterned confectionery box
was found in the Prince's chambers.
My mother received it as well.
She died after eating the contents
of one just like that.
- That cannot be.
- It's true.
Grandmother, please.
You also noticed something amiss
about Father, did you not?
If you know anything, please say it.
He must be stopped,
no matter what he does.
And if there's no other way,
then he must
relinquish the throne on his own.
[breathing shakily]
[Sukbin sobs]
[sobbing continues]
I do apologize.
[Gu-cheon] Disappeared?
[Ji-yul] Yes!
I was certain she would be here.
Oh, then where'd she go?
Wait, just tell me what happened.
[pensive ethereal music playing]
When she heard from Lady Jang,
who recently found
that Prince Inha had collapsed,
she suddenly started to push people away
and walked off somewhere alone.
They say the Princess's face, it was pale.
She didn't look like herself at all,
like her spirit had fled.
[percussive pensive music playing]
The Princess's heart has fallen apart.
[Ji-yul] Do you know where
the Princess is now?
[Gu-cheon] I do.
A place where
there is someone she can rely on.
But that man, Gu-cheon, does he…
does he know anything about this yet?
Not about this.
Only I, who can hear the voices,
know what's happening.
[slurps]
Don't lie to me.
[intriguing music playing]
Sorry?
[woman] Saeng-gang.
[distant hissing]
[distant spectral screams]
[Saeng-gang] Mother?
[gasps]
[breathing shakily]
This is a spell.
[woman] You must not remain
at that person's side.
[gasps]
[woman] I know you are the pond spirit.
I know you are the pond spirit.
It will all be revealed sooner or later.
[Sukbin chuckles] Seems your mother
is outside the chamber.
How long will she
keep following me around?
This is why I never wanted to come here.
[tense percussive music playing]
So… might she have other spirits with her?
[woman] Saeng-gang.
You must not remain at that person's side.
You must not remain at that person's side.
You must not remain at that person's side.
You must not remain at that person's side.
You must not remain…
The serpent's shed skin
killed the dragon's child.
The serpent's shed skin
killed the dragon's child.
[woman] It's dangerous.
It's too dangerous, Saeng-gang.
Your Grace.
Nobody must know about this poison.
Understood?
When I was a child,
you always came to see Mother and I
after we were cast out of the palace.
And each time, without fail,
you came bearing bundles
and boxes filled with food.
[breathes shakily]
The one who poisoned Mother…
Grandmother, it was you.
[Sukbin] Yes, and now,
you have consumed the very same thing.
[gasps]
I used only a weakened dose,
so you will not have
the same fate as the others did.
[groans]
You will simply spend
the rest of your life unable to speak,
lying like a living corpse, eternally.
[breathing shakily]
[sobs]
[Saeng-gang] Grandmother.
So you were the pond spirit.
[wind whistling]
[horse snorts]
[guards chattering]
- [man 1] Your Royal Highness!
- [man 2] Bring a stretcher now!
- [guard 2] Summon the physician!
- [guard 3] Oh no!
[guard 4 groans]
[guard 5] Go, you, you, you, go!
- [mourners crying]
- [sobs]
[dramatic string music playing]
[Sukbin] I cannot believe
he suddenly passed away
while riding a horse.
His Majesty's health was always so frail.
[Sukbin] The Crown Prince passed away
not long after the death
of the Most Favored Lady of the Court,
who promised… to end the royal line.
What a splendid coincidence that is.
[physician] I present this to you,
Your Grace.
[Sukbin] Nobody must know
about this poison. Understood?
[Sukbin] We must make sure
that the people believe
that the Princes died
at the hands of the spirit's curse.
I'm referring to the pond spirit
who cursed the royal family and died.
Your Majesty.
[Sukbin] The Queen,
who turned the Most Favored Lady
of the Court into the spirit,
has to be the one
to take the blame for all of this.
THE SERPENT'S CAST SKIN
KILLED THE DRAGON'S CHILD
[Jang] There is surely someone
among you wenches
who has insulted the royal house.
[crying]
[dramatic string music continues]
[crying]
[Sukbin] And then,
after all the Princes are dead…
my own son
will become the Crown Prince.
So I must remove anyone at all
who might reveal the secret.
Anyone who would harm my son,
no matter who they are,
with no exceptions.
[unsettling music playing]
[Saeng-gang] So is that why
you killed Mother as well?
You killed her,
all because she came to learn
of Father's secret later on?
- What? Later on?
- [Saeng-gang chokes]
Your mother was with me
from the beginning of it all.
[Sukbin] That was the very reason
your lowly mother, a mere court lady,
was able to become
a concubine of the King.
[music intensifies]
[breathing shakily]
[sobs]
That throne was made with the help
of your father and your mother.
And you, my dear child,
are simply the product that sin created.
[sobbing]
[breathing shakily]
[Crown Prince] He must be stopped.
[distorted] We must prevent
any further sacrifices.
There were never such things as spirits.
No spirit sought
to wipe out the royal bloodline.
[cries]
[Crown Prince] The King…
He himself is the living ak-gwi.
The King must be stopped.
[music swells]
[music fades]
[Saeng-gang gasps]
[spectral voices murmuring]
[wood cracking]
- [spectral voices stop]
- [sniffles]
[ominous music playing]
[Sukbin] Saeng-gang?
Saeng-gang!
[spectral voices murmuring]
[spectral screaming]
Spirits have crossed
the threshold of this place.
Where has the Princess gone?
I do not know where.
But first, you should attend to…
[Gu-cheon sighs]
[Sukbin murmuring]
My son.
My son.
[Sukbin murmuring]
[Gu-cheon] She discarded the ward.
It’s broken now.
[Sukbin breathing shakily]
[Gu-cheon] What sin have you committed
that has made you so afraid
that you've had spells written
on every door?
[Sukbin breathing shakily]
Answer me now! What did you do to make
your own granddaughter lose consciousness
and yield her body to a spirit?
[breathing heavily]
[tense music playing]
[music fades]
What is that?
[Gu-cheon] A straw effigy.
It will take the misfortune in my stead.
[Ji-yul] In your stead?
What does that mean?
[Gu-cheon] You must hang this up
exactly where I told you.
And what will you do in the meantime?
I will save the Princess.
[Ji-yul] Huh?
[Gu-cheon] I warned her to be careful,
to not get possessed by a spirit.
How foolish and pathetic of her.
Here.
- [tense music playing]
- [exhales sharply]
[grunts]
[breathing heavily]
[Gu-cheon] So in the end,
it comes to this.
Be it always my cursed fate.
[breathing heavily]
[tense dramatic music playing]
[music intensifies]
[grunts]
[music intensifies]
- [baby cries]
- [spirit snarling]
- [baby cries]
- [spirit snarling]
[spectral scream]
[squelching]
[shrieks, snarls]
[growls]
[Gu-cheon screaming]
[spirit howls]
[shrieks, growls]
[tense dramatic music continues]
[Gu-cheon panting]
[breathing heavily]
[spirit shrieks]
[spirit screams]
[thunder rumbling]
[tense dramatic music playing]
RABBI
[music intensifies]
[music swells]
[music subsides]
[music swells]
[epic orchestral music playing]
[Gu-cheon panting]
[squelching]
[Gu-cheon screams]
[screams]
[screaming]
[epic orchestral music intensifies]
[thunder rumbling]
[Gu-cheon groaning]
[screaming in pain]
[panting]
[epic orchestral music intensifies]
[epic orchestral music swells]
[music subsides]
- [breathing heavily]
- [epic orchestral music intensifies]
[growling]
- [music subsides]
- [water burbling]
[eerie ethereal music playing]
[water burbling]
[water rushing]
[eerie ethereal music playing]
[water burbling]
[ethereal thrumming]
[panting]
[woman] Help her, please.
You can save Saeng-gang.
Please help her.
[unsettling music playing]
[woman] Please save my daughter.
My sins
have put my daughter in grave danger.
Your Highness.
[tense percussive music playing]
[woman] Save my Saeng-gang.
Save her from that ak-gwi.
[Gu-cheon] Princess!
Regain control of yourself.
If you are to withstand
the Crown Prince's attack,
you must keep your wits about you.
Are you listening at all?
[blade clanks, rasps]
[panting]
[squelching]
[music swells]
[epic music playing]
[squelching]
[breathing shakily]
[epic music continues]
[music fades]