Nam Joo-hyuk's 'The Mystery of Donggung Palace' Tops Netflix Amid Lingering Bullying Controversy

Korean star Nam Joo-hyuk (남주혁), dubbed the “Nation’s Boyfriend,” officially returned to the screen after his military discharge in 2024, starring alongside Cho Seung-woo (조승우) and Roh Yoon-seo (노윤서) in the Netflix historical fantasy mystery drama 'The Mystery of Donggung Palace.' Since its release on July 17, the series has generated significant buzz. While discussions about Nam’s acting and past school bullying allegations have resurfaced, this has not impacted the show's popularity. It quickly climbed to the top of the Netflix charts, becoming one of the most anticipated K-dramas recently. In a recent media interview, Nam Joo-hyuk addressed both the acting criticisms and the bullying controversy for the first time, also sharing his feelings about returning to the entertainment industry after his military service.

'The Mystery of Donggung Palace' blends historical, fantasy, and Korean folklore elements. Within just one day of its premiere, it topped Netflix Korea's TOP 10 series chart and held the number one spot for three consecutive days, even surpassing the popular SBS drama 'The Golden Agent: Return to the Field,' which recently achieved viewership ratings over 23%.

The drama stars Cho Seung-woo, Roh Yoon-seo, and Nam Joo-hyuk, with Nam’s character, Gucheon, becoming a focal point of online discussion. Many viewers noted his softer vocal tone in the series, which contrasted sharply with the more traditional historical drama delivery of actors like Cho Seung-woo and Jang Young-nam (장영남), leading to polarized reviews of his performance.

Addressing the external scrutiny, Nam Joo-hyuk explained that this performance style was a deliberate choice. He stated, “If Gucheon also spoke with a heavy tone like the other characters, I don’t think it would fit the worldview of 'The Mystery of Donggung Palace.' I envisioned someone who didn’t originally belong to the palace suddenly entering court life, so I wanted to portray the character and dialogue in a more realistic way.” He also admitted his willingness to accept all positive and negative feedback on his acting.