The East Palace cast is built around three people trapped inside the same royal curse: Nam Joo-hyuk’s reluctant spirit slayer Gu-cheon, Roh Yoon-seo’s sharp court lady Saeng-gang and Cho Seung-woo’s intimidating King.
This spoiler-light guide maps the confirmed actors to their characters and explains where each one fits into Netflix’s eight-episode Korean historical fantasy. For the watch-or-skip verdict, read our The East Palace review.
The East Palace cast and characters at a glance
| Actor | Character | Place in the story |
|---|---|---|
| Nam Joo-hyuk | Gu-cheon | A spirit slayer who can enter the realm of the dead |
| Roh Yoon-seo | Saeng-gang | A court lady who can hear spirits |
| Cho Seung-woo | The King | The ruler who orders the palace curse investigated |
| Park Su-yeon | The Queen | A member of the royal household caught in the crisis |
| Jang Young-nam | The Queen Dowager | A powerful royal elder connected to the palace’s history |
| Lee Hong-nae | Palace shaman | A spiritual figure consulted as the deaths unsettle the court |
| Jo Dan | Prince Yeongan | The young prince Gu-cheon is ordered to save |
Nam Joo-hyuk as Gu-cheon
Gu-cheon can see and fight spirits, but he would rather avoid the burden that comes with his gift. The King gives him little choice: remove the threat inside the East Palace and protect the remaining heir, or face a fatal punishment.
Nam Joo-hyuk plays the character with dry humour and visible exhaustion. Gu-cheon’s dismissive attitude slowly gives way to a more vulnerable picture of someone who cannot easily escape the supernatural world.
Roh Yoon-seo as Saeng-gang
Saeng-gang is a court lady who hears the dead. Her access to palace life, personal history and supernatural sensitivity make her more than Gu-cheon’s assistant. She is his investigative partner and, repeatedly, the person who notices what he cannot.
Roh Yoon-seo gives Saeng-gang a practical, composed presence without flattening the character’s fear or anger. The role is central to both the palace mystery and the show’s emotional stakes.
Cho Seung-woo as the King
The King publicly rejects superstition, but the unexplained deaths around his family force him to seek supernatural help. He summons Gu-cheon and makes the cost of failure brutally clear.
Cho Seung-woo keeps the ruler difficult to read. Authority, fear and private calculation sit inside the same controlled performance, which helps the political plot remain as tense as the ghost story.
The royal household and supporting cast
Park Su-yeon as the Queen
The Queen is part of the royal household placed under threat as the curse closes in on the King’s heirs. Park Su-yeon’s role adds another perspective to the family crisis surrounding the East Palace.
Jang Young-nam as the Queen Dowager
The Queen Dowager is a powerful presence at court and is tied to the palace’s longer memory. Her confrontations with the King bring old tensions into the present investigation.
Lee Hong-nae as the palace shaman
Lee Hong-nae appears as a spiritual figure consulted when the royal deaths revive fear of a curse. His presence establishes that Gu-cheon is not the only person asked to make sense of the supernatural danger.
Jo Dan as Prince Yeongan
Prince Yeongan is the young heir Gu-cheon is ordered to protect. His worsening condition gives the investigation urgent stakes and makes every setback more dangerous.
Other actors listed by Netflix
Netflix’s public cast list also includes Kwak Dong-yeon, Tae In-ho, Hwang Young-hee, Hong Seo-jun and Hong Su-zu. The public title page does not attach character names to all of them, so this guide leaves those roles unnamed rather than guessing.
Who created The East Palace?
The limited series is directed by Choi Jung-kyu and written by Kwon So-ra and Seo Jae-won. Netflix lists all three as creators. The complete eight-episode season began streaming on July 17, 2026, with episodes running from 46 to 59 minutes.
You can also find the series in our weekly OTT releases guide.
The East Palace cast FAQ
Who plays Gu-cheon in The East Palace?
Nam Joo-hyuk plays Gu-cheon, the spirit slayer ordered to investigate the East Palace curse.
Who plays Saeng-gang?
Roh Yoon-seo plays Saeng-gang, a court lady who can hear spirits and becomes Gu-cheon’s investigative partner.
Who plays the King?
Cho Seung-woo plays the King who summons Gu-cheon to save the royal bloodline.
How many episodes are in The East Palace?
The Netflix limited series has eight episodes, all released on July 17, 2026.