Netflix’s New 8-Part Dark Fantasy Thriller Is An Easy One-Night Binge

Published Jul 20, 2026, 5:15 PM EDT

Greg is a Lead TV Writer & Critic at Screen Rant with expertise in new streaming releases. He's published over 2800 articles at SR, including weekly recommendation guides and dozens of reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. He previously worked in Development at ABC Television & Lawrence Bender Productions.

Greg majored in Film Production at Chapman University's Dodge College. Greg also has years of broadcast TV production experience at major networks such as NBC, TNT, and ESPN. He currently lives in Greater Boston.

The East Palace is one of the latest and greatest new series to binge this week as it continues to amass viewership all around the world. Set in a fictionalized version of Korea's Joseon dynasty, which spanned more than 500 years from 1392 to 1920, The East Palace is a genre-blending, action-packed, visually stunning series that all fans of K-dramas should certainly check out. With all eight episodes available to stream on Netflix right now, there are few new series on streaming as perfect for an easy one-night binge as this one.

The East Palace Is Surging On Netflix – What It's About

The East Palace has proven itself to be an instant streaming hit for Netflix just days after its release, sparking momentum that it will hope to carry throughout the upcoming week. The series earned a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, joining a very elite category amongst Netflix releases, although it's important to note that it only has seven reviews published at the time of writing. Nevertheless, critics and audiences agree that The East Palace is well worth watching on Netflix this week, also judging by its strong IMDb score of 7.6.

The East Palace follows the story of a king who assigns a ghost-slayer named Gu Cheon, as well as a woman who is haunted by ghosts named Court Lady Saeng Gang, to hunt down a dark, possibly sinister, presence that is occupying the Crown Prince's palace. Gu Cheon has a rare supernatural ability to destroy ghosts with his specialized sword, while Court Lady Saeng Gang has a psychic power to hear ghostly noises. Together, they stand to be the only hope to identify and kill any ghostly presence that may seek to harm the royal heir.

Though the sample size is quite small, critics have given high praise to The East Palace. But Why Tho? writes, "The East Palace is a remarkable supernatural period drama that leans heavily into mystery, palace intrigue, Korean folklore, and horror to create a captivating show with every episode."

Decider also noted, "The East Palace has enough intrigue, stunning cinematography, and committed worldbuilding to hook viewers on the first episode and immerse you in its twisting tale." ScreenRant gave the series 9/10 stars, applauding its bingeability. "The East Palace doesn't compel you to keep pressing play; it hypnotizes you with such gripping drama, you binge the first four episodes in a daze."

The East Palace Is An Easy One-Night Binge On Netflix

Image via Netflix

With a total runtime of 6 hours and 43 minutes, The East Palace is one of those shows that is worth binge-watching in just one sitting for viewers up for the most immersive and best experience. Because it is so easy to get lost right from the first episode, viewers may find themselves losing track of time while continuously going on to the next episode, as it truly is that entertaining from start to finish. Since The East Palace combines so many subgenres, paired with a breathtaking visual style, there never seems to be a dull moment.

Interestingly, Netflix just released another new K-drama series with a slightly similar premise but a very different tone. While The East Palace is dark, violent, and full of tension, Spooky in Love, which was just released on Sunday, July 19, combines romantic comedy and murder mystery with a supernatural twist. The protagonist also has the ability to see ghosts and works closely with a prosecutor to get to the bottom of a series of violent crimes. New episodes of Spooky in Love will be released every Friday and Saturday through August, making it an ideal yet more lighthearted companion series for fans of The East Palace.

The East Palace

Release Date 2026 - 2026-00-00

Network Netflix

Directors Choi Jung-kyu

Writers Kwon So-ra, Seo Jae-won