A mystery drama set in the Joseon Dynasty during the reign of King Yeongjo.

Murder investigations were like long-term.
The moment someone picks up the octagonal piece, time stops and only strategy, tactics, and questions remain in the world.
As we talked about the next steps with Eojin, I felt like I was being seized by that magic.
-From the text

On the night the crown prince disappears, a horrific incident occurs in which four women are murdered.
And in the process of finding the real culprit of the murder, the crown prince, the crown princess, the female doctor, Damo, the doctor, the attendant, and the commander become sharply entangled in the facts of the case.


There are already several works created and published based on the historical figure of Prince Sado.
However, existing works focus on the father-son relationship between King Yeongjo and Crown Prince Sado, or only focus on the death of the Crown Prince who had to be locked up in a rice chest.
"The Red Palace" focuses on how the violence perpetrated by royalty changed the lives of the lower classes, and tells the story of characters who fight against discrimination based on gender and class.
Moreover, the author closely examines the history written only with a focus on royalty and discovers other stories within it.
It focuses on characters who were outside of history, such as a female doctor who cared for commoners outside the castle who were not royalty, and Damo who treated the lower class.


By bringing together characters from such diverse social classes into one story, 『The Red Palace』 creates psychological tension through various conflicts between the characters.
The protagonist, Hyeon, is not recognized by his father due to his gender and status, and when he sees the crown prince, who is also not recognized by King Yeongjo, he feels that he is in a similar situation.
But on the other hand, he almost loses his life due to the prince's cruelty.
Not only the prince, but also the murder suspects are shown in a multifaceted way, not just their evil sides, but also their human sides, adding to the fun of guessing who the real culprit is.
The pursuit of the true culprit becomes even more complicated with the appearance of various characters, including Moon So-won, who is trying to bring down the crown prince, a military council member who secretly married a palace maid, and In-yeong, a female physician who has been secretly sharpening her sword of revenge.

After the brutal murder at Hyeminseo, a series of incidents targeting female doctors occur.
Based on the meaningful testimony of a female doctor from Kyunghee University who barely escaped with her life after being attacked, Hyeon heads to the mountains outside the city walls.
As the story changes stage, the atmosphere becomes more and more eerie, and as the scattered puzzle pieces fall into place one by one, the reader feels as if he or she is solving the case along with Hyun.

A well-structured political thriller

I couldn't even breathe.
I have never seen a human life taken so coldly and so quickly.
Only then did the realization dawn on me.
The investigation into the Hye-min Seo case could have led me into a death trap.
-From the text

I glanced ahead with my eyes downcast.
The prince stood with his back to me.
When I looked closely, I saw that it was even taller and bigger.
At first glance, it was clear that the rumors of his excellence in martial arts were true.
The almost black, navy blue silk robe looked as smooth as water flowing over a huge rock.
His broad shoulders testified to his strength, his ability to kill multiple people with a single strike.
-From the text

As Hyun's investigation digs deeper, a tense power struggle inside and outside the palace begins to emerge.
The crown prince, who seems to have absolute power, is actually in a position where he has to watch the Noron faction's mood.
Although Hyeon, the illegitimate daughter, is of the lowest class, her father is the Minister of Justice, the highest position among the Noron faction ministers.
In this way, the positions of Hyeon, Hyeon's father, and the crown prince are intricately intertwined, maintaining a precarious balance of power.

Hyun is pressured by his father and other powerful figures, including the police chief, to withdraw from the investigation.
At the same time, Moon So-won forces him to become a spy.
Moreover, the Crown Princess's advice to continue the investigation despite knowing that Hyun is Moon So-won's spy is just confusing.
While investigating the Hye-minseo case, Hyeon finds himself at the center of palace politics.
While a fierce battle rages in the palace, the lower classes who have been harmed by the royal family are also plotting revenge.
In this way, the conflict intensifies as political battles unfold regardless of class, and the sense of immersion soars as each scene seems to be racing toward a climax.
Although the power relations are complexly intertwined, they are coherently unraveled around the current situation, providing a rich reading experience.

A fresh romance that lightens the heavy atmosphere

We are weak beings.
Still, the will to survive is strong.
We have secret pain and longing for love.
-From the text

I wanted to love and be loved.
I wanted to make my presence known.
I wanted to be understood and accepted.
As I was with Aejin, uninvited fantasies began to creep into my head.
Like the protagonist of the romance novels the author collects, I began to dream of what it would be like if someone cherished me.
-From the text

Among the complex character relationships, the most notable is the relationship between the main character, Hyeon, and his subordinate, Eojin, which naturally brings excitement to the viewer.
Although the two continue to seriously investigate a series of murders, they sometimes show a bit of clumsiness when dealing with each other, and show the innocent appearance of teenagers.


Unlike the typical Joseon Dynasty relationship where men choose women, the love line in "Red Palace" is refreshing in that it depends on the changes in the situation.
Although Hyun is a young woman from a lowly social class, she actively solves cases, and Eojin supports Hyun and works together with her.
At first, Hyeon pushed away Eojin due to the difference in their social status, but after experiencing an incident in the palace, he realizes that positions and status are not important when it comes to living as a complete 'self', and finally opens his heart to Eojin.
Therefore, accepting the good is also a process of growth for the wise.

As the truth of the incident is revealed, the dense narrative continues, with romantic elements added to keep the story moving.
The historical and political aspects of King Yeongjo's era are depicted with such tension that simply watching the characters who lived and loved fiercely against that backdrop is enough to satisfy one's enjoyment.


Meet the K-story that first gained international attention in a Korean version.

"The Red Palace" first gained international attention, winning the Edgar Allan Poe Award in 2023 and winning the "Book of the Year" titles from the Chicago Public Library and the New York Public Library in 2022.
Having won numerous prestigious awards and received critical acclaim from international critics, "The Red Palace" has emerged as one of the hottest works in the mystery historical drama genre.
The Korean edition includes author Heo Ju-eun's acceptance speech for the Edgar Allan Poe Award, along with an autograph for Korean readers.


Cover illustration by artist Haerang

The book includes a sensual cover and illustrations by illustrator Haerang, winner of the 62nd Korea Publishing Culture Award for "Border," to visualize the tension, chill, and sorrow unfolding in the text more vividly.
As artist Haerang continues to work on dramatically recreating each central element by overlapping reality and fantasy, he brought out the oriental beauty in the buildings and natural objects placed in the background, and realistically implemented the royal attire and the characters' clothing.
This allows for a much more sensory reading experience than simply reading the text with your eyes.