Lee Byung Hun opened up about his experience working with Yoo Ah In for the first time in The Match, revealing that he was curious about him but didn’t have much time to connect.

On March 19, Lee Byung Hun attended a press conference after the media screening of The Match at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Seoul. There, he shared his thoughts on acting alongside Yoo Ah In.

Yoo Ah In, who was previously sentenced to one year in prison for habitual drug use, was released on probation in February after serving five months in custody.

When asked about his thoughts on working with Yoo Ah In, Lee Byung Hun said, “When I first heard about the casting for The Match, I had high expectations. I thought, ‘This is going to be a fun shoot.’”

He added, “Since this was my first time working with Yoo Ah In, I was curious about him. But he was more reserved than I expected. We didn’t talk much or have a lot of group gatherings, so we didn’t really get to know each other well.”

Despite this, Lee Byung Hun praised Yoo Ah In’s dedication, saying, “On set, he was very focused on his role. During rehearsals, he showed a serious side, which made it easy for me to immerse myself in the scenes.”

Meanwhile, The Match is set to premiere on March 26. The film tells the story of Go legend Cho Hun Hyun (played by Lee Byung Hun), who, after losing to his protégé, fights to reclaim his position at the top.

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SBS's new fantasy historical drama The Haunted Palace is already making waves both in South Korea and around the world.

Starring Yook Sung Jae and Bona, the show exploded in popularity during its very first week — topping Netflix charts in multiple countries and hitting double-digit TV ratings straight out of the gate.

On Korean television, The Haunted Palace shocked viewers with a strong start. Episode 1 pulled in a peak nationwide rating of 10.7%, instantly breaking the double-digit barrier.

The Seoul area rating and the national average were both 9.2%, making it the highest-rated premiere of any SBS drama in 2025 so far.

It also beat out other SBS dramas like Love Scout and Buried Hearts, and even took the #1 spot among all mini-series aired that week, showing that this drama isn’t just trending — it’s leading the pack. (According to Nielsen Korea)

And the success didn’t stop on TV.

As soon as The Haunted Palace dropped on Netflix, it jumped straight to #1 on “Today’s Top 10 TV Shows in South Korea”, proving its massive popularity on streaming platforms.

Globally, it also ranked #1 in the TV series category in Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, showing that international fans are just as hooked.
(According to FlixPatrol, April 21)

The drama is also doing incredibly well on South Korea’s own streaming trend charts. On KinoLights — a platform that tracks trends across all streaming services — The Haunted Palace ranked #1 overall, beating both films and dramas. (As of April 19)

Fans are loving the unique story, which mixes fantasy, comedy, and creepy mystery. The drama follows Yeori, a shaman who denies her fate, and Kang Cheol I, a mythical Imoogi spirit trapped inside her first love’s body. Together, they face off against a terrifying ghost called Palcheok Gui — who has a dark grudge against the royal family.

Episode 2 added even more excitement, with Kang Cheol I hilariously struggling to live like a normal human after 1,000 years.

At the same time, Yeori starts hearing the voice of Yoon Gap’s spirit and tries to save him. By the end of the episode, it’s revealed that Prince Wonja (played by Park Jae Joon) is going mad due to Palcheok Gui — and that the ghost has already consumed Yoon Gap’s soul. The showdown between Kang Cheol I, Yeori, and the evil spirit is just getting started.

With high ratings and top OTT rankings, The Haunted Palace is quickly becoming one of the biggest drama hits of the year.

Episode 3 of The Haunted Palace airs on Friday, April 25 at 9:50 PM KST on SBS.

Source: [1]