In The Haunted Palace episode 16 picked up where things were left off. Kang Chul found himself fighting an intense battle with the spirit living inside the king’s body. This spirit stood over eight feet tall and carried the same glowing pearl as Kang Chul. That made him just as powerful—if not stronger.
Kang Chul, though struggling, came up with a clever trick. He cut open a special bag made from water energy. This caused the spirit a lot of pain. Using that chance, Kang Chul escaped. He met up with Yeori and the young prince again. They were now hiding in another quiet, isolated spot. But the prince was tired. He didn’t understand how long they would need to keep running. He was frustrated and scared.
Yeori worried too. She wanted to stop running. She shared her honest wish—to leave it all behind and live a quiet life with Kang Chul. Just the two of them, and maybe the prince too. But Kang Chul didn’t agree right away. He still believed in Yeori. He reminded her how powerful she truly was as a shaman.
Yeori then confessed. She told Kang Chul that if anything happened to him, she wouldn’t be able to go on. Kang Chul was moved. He agreed to her plan. They would run away. He even said they should take Yoon Gab’s mother with them.
But it was a lie. Yeori only said that to make sure Kang Chul would leave the palace area. She just wanted to protect him. While he went to bring the mother to safety, she returned to the palace alone. When Kang Chul came back, Yeori was gone. He remembered her teary eyes and realized the truth—she had gone back to fight the spirit on her own.
Yeori Faces the Spirit Alone
Yeori disguised herself as a eunuch to get back into the palace. But one of the guards noticed something strange. A fight broke out. Yeori took off the disguise and wore her black shaman robes. She rushed into the king’s chamber.
Inside, she called on one of the ten death spirits from the underworld—Hwadeok Chasa. This spirit helps guide souls who died by fire. He arrived and chained the eight-foot-tall spirit.
At first, it worked. The spirit grew weaker. But the chanting of the palace shamans helped the spirit regain his strength. Hwadeok Chasa was forced out of Yeori’s body. The spirit got loose again. He started choking Yeori.
Kang Chul arrived just in time. He jumped in to help her. But the fight was rough. He ended up hurt and on the ground. The spirit turned to Yeori again. Then came the turning point. Kang Chul used caragana roots—these gave him full power. He apologized to the spirit. Kang Chul said he was sorry for not being able to stop the massacre a century ago. He promised to make things right now.
8-Foot Spirit Gone to the Afterlife
Using his glowing pearl, he pulled the spirit with him, sending them both into the afterlife. Kang Chul’s glowing pearl mirrors the “yeouiju” of Korean mythology—an orb of power often held by dragons. That he is offered dragonhood by the Jade Emperor ties directly to his spiritual purity and heroism.
The king woke up. The spirit was gone. But Kang Chul’s body lay lifeless. Yeori cried beside him.
Later, she held a ritual to help all trapped souls move on. Chun Geum Hwi’s spirit showed up. This time, not as a monster, but as his real self. The king bowed deeply. He apologized for what his ancestors did. One by one, the spirits of the murdered villagers left the world in peace. Yeori also saw her grandmother’s soul. It had been trapped inside the evil spirit all along. They shared a quiet moment. Then the soul left, too. Meanwhile, the blind shaman who helped the palace was struck by lightning. He died while trying to run from the guards.
Glimmer of Peace
Yeori burned Yoon Gab’s body. But something strange happened. Three days later, he woke up. He had come back to life. Then, in a surprise turn, Kang Chul also returned. He walked back to them like nothing had happened.
Everyone was shocked, but more than that, they were relieved. Yeori helped another ghost—this time from a well—to finally move on. She also gave a soulmate charm to a young woman named Seon.
Kang Chul later spoke to the king. He explained that he had met the Jade Emperor in the spirit world. He was given a choice: to become a dragon or stay human. Kang Chul chose to stay and live with his loved ones.
The king was grateful. Kang Chul’s return gave peace to the kingdom. The final scenes showed Yeori, Kang Chul, and their daughter living a simple, happy life. The little girl teased her dad, and he teased her back. It was the life Yeori had once dreamed of.
But peace didn’t last long. The drama ended with a hint of new problems rising in the palace. And just like that, Yeori and Kang Chul were already heading back into action.
Interpretation
This episode subtly reinforces the idea that true strength lies in sacrifice. Kang Chul’s final choice—rejecting godlike power to remain human—feels like the drama’s ultimate declaration: love is the most powerful force of all.
From a cold, mission-focused warrior to a man willing to give up everything for love, Kang Chul’s transformation anchored the entire story. It’s rare to see a male lead so emotionally vulnerable, and it made the finale all the more powerful. This final episode gave fans closure, action, and warmth. The Haunted Palace Episode 16 full recap shows how far each character has come. It ended the series on a strong and satisfying note.
Kavita Mishra is a dynamic writer and passionate Korean entertainment enthusiast, combining her love for K-pop and K-drama with a flair for storytelling. With a keen eye for the latest trends, Kavita crafts articles that capture the pulse of K-pop idols, chart-topping hits, and the most buzz-worthy dramas taking over screens worldwide.
