The Haunted Palace Episode 16 Review: Deity and His Disciple Have a Happy Ending

In Episode 15 of The Haunted Palace, chaos erupts as the Queen dies from a possessed attack, exposing a conspiracy involving Minister Lee and Poong San. As arrests follow and justice seems imminent, the King suddenly releases the traitors, revealing he’s been possessed by the vengeful eight-feet spirit.

With the royal bloodline under threat, Gangcheol and Yeo-ri flee to protect Prince Gwang, while the spirit-King descends into cruelty, banishing loyalists and nearly killing Won-woo. As the episode ends, Gangcheol prepares for a final showdown with the possessed King, the kingdom’s fate hanging by a thread.

The Haunted Palace Episode 16 has a runtime of around 60 minutes.

This new Korean drama has 16 episodes and will be released every Friday and Saturday.

The Haunted Palace Episode 16 Recap

The final chapter begins in a storm of desperation. Gangcheol, locked in a fierce fight with the possessed King, cleverly hurls a sandbag infused with water talismans at him. It buys just enough time for Gangcheol to escape as the spirit momentarily falters. Back at the palace, the spirit within the King fumes in rage, consumed with one goal: annihilating the descendants of Yeongjeong the Great.

Meanwhile, Gangcheol rushes to the safehouse to check on Prince Gwang. The young boy, overwhelmed and tearful, is reassured as Gangcheol kneels before him and vows to bring back his father. Outside, Yeo-ri, torn between hope and fear, clings to Gangcheol in a teary embrace. She begs him to abandon it all and run away with her. Touched by her desperation, Gangcheol agrees—he’ll fetch Yoon Gap’s mother, and they’ll flee together with Yeo-ri and the prince.

But the moment he leaves, Yeo-ri makes another plan. Determined to protect everyone, she resolves to face the evil spirit herself. With help from the Head Eunuch and the King’s loyal guard, she slips into the palace and enters the King’s chamber. There, she dares to awaken the Grim Reaper deity—a powerful force once tethered to Gangcheol’s divine essence.

Gangcheol, returning with Yoon Gap’s mother, is horrified to learn from Jae-il that Yeo-ri has gone to the palace alone. Without hesitation, he dashes off to save her, knowing only he can confront the spirit. In the King’s chamber, the spirit is startled by the force Yeo-ri has summoned. Poong San, sensing the power imbalance, rushes to his shrine and begins fervent prayers to strengthen the eight-feet spirit.

The balance tips. Fueled by rage and Poong San’s prayers, the spirit grows stronger. A glowing pearl intensifies his wrath, and Yeo-ri begins to lose control of the Grim Reaper. As she trembles, the spirit seizes her. But before he can deal a fatal blow, Gangcheol bursts in.

The final showdown begins. As swords clash and tempers ignite, the spirit accuses Gangcheol of being a disgrace to the divine realm. He reveals that he had once prayed and begged the gods for justice but, after centuries of silence, turned to vengeance. He chastises Gangcheol for blindly punishing humanity instead of seeking the truth. The words pierce Gangcheol’s heart. For the first time, he truly sees the pain behind the spirit’s wrath.

Weakened by guilt, Gangcheol falters, and the spirit begins strangling Yeo-ri again. With time running out, Gangcheol makes the ultimate decision—he will end this with his own life. He consumes the caragana root flowers and unleashes the full power of his heavenly pearl. In a blinding flash, the spirit is obliterated.

Days later, the palace gathers for a solemn ritual. Led by the King, Yeo-ri, and the monks, the ceremony invites the tormented souls of the Yongdam tragedy to return. As the spirits rise, the King falls to his knees, sobbing and begging forgiveness for the sins of his ancestors. Moved by his sincerity, the spirits—and the people—offer him absolution.

At Yoon Gap’s home, Gangcheol’s lifeless body lies in mourning. Yeo-ri, Yoon Gap’s mother, and the monks grieve deeply. Even the King, alone in his chamber, weeps for his friend. In a quiet, spiritual moment, he senses the Queen’s presence. Her ghostly touch comforts him before fading into peace.

Yeo-ri later meets her grandmother’s spirit, who praises her courage and tells her how proud she is. The two share a heartfelt reunion before the elderly spirit, finally at peace, moves on. Three days later, as the group prepares to bury Gangcheol, something extraordinary happens—he awakens. The man once feared to be gone forever opens his eyes. His sacrifice had been acknowledged by the heavens. Elsewhere, divine justice is swift. A thunderbolt strikes down Poong San and his assistant, ending their treachery once and for all.

Now granted life anew by the Jade of Heaven, Gangcheol’s powers return—and so does his future. He and Yeo-ri decide to marry, finally embracing the love they’ve long carried. Yeo-ri wraps up unfinished business before the big day: she gives Lady In-seol a talisman to help her find a handsome suitor (which she excitedly accepts) and brings the Queen Dowager to the spirit of the well to apologize for the past. The spirit, touched, agrees to move on but lingers a little longer—Yeo-ri is the only friend she’s ever known.

The King, changed and compassionate, passes a sweeping slave reform bill, bringing justice to the capital. His friendship with Gangcheol endures, marked by their usual banter and deep, unspoken loyalty. Disguised as a commoner, the King begins personally investigating his people’s hardships, determined to make his reign count.

Years later, Yeo-ri and Gangcheol are married and raising a daughter—just like in Yeo-ri’s vision. The episode ends with the couple returning to the palace together, united in duty and love. Heaven has forgiven. Peace has returned.

And the haunted palace? No longer haunted—just home.

The Haunted Palace Episode 16 Review

The Haunted Palace delivers a heartfelt farewell that ties together threads of love, sacrifice, and redemption. Watching Gangcheol confront not just the vengeful spirit, but also the guilt of his own past, was nothing short of cathartic. His decision to give up his life to save Yeo-ri and the kingdom was a powerful testament to how far he’s come from an embittered god to a selfless protector.

And when he finally awakens, alive and renewed by the heavens, it feels like the universe itself is granting him a second chance. The moment Yeo-ri’s grandmother’s spirit comforts her, and the King publicly kneels to atone for ancestral sins, the story shifts from tragedy to healing, making the tears worth it.

What truly makes this ending special is how it honours every character’s journey. Yeo-ri’s bravery and compassion become the soul of the story, and her reunion with Gangcheol is a hard-earned miracle. The Kind King ensures to serve his people, making real change, not just palace decrees. The Haunted Palace ends not just with ghost stories resolved, but with hearts mended, and in a K-drama world of cliffhangers and heartbreak, this happy, healing ending is pure magic.

The Haunted Palace is streaming on Viki.

Also read: All The Haunted Palace Reviews

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