'Head over heels' for JUST FOR THE FIRST HALF
This drama started off so strong. Mixture of Romcom x Fantasy x Horror. In the world of ML saving the damsel in distress, this drama was such a breath of fresh air with FL wanting to save the ML in a whole superhero style shamanism. First Half of the show was a strong 9/10 but second Half unfortunately was ??????/10.The premise of the show : The FL is a high schooler who is also a shaman in disguise. She falls in flat for the guy who is destined to die in 21 days and takes it upon herself to save him. The story follows her chaotic adventures to save him while trying to keep her identity hidden. Not only is the FL character super adorable and badass at the same time, the trio's (SML-ML-FL) friendship was adorable. The SML was an (almost) green flag which would make you root for him, not in terms of relationship but in terms of bromance. The highschool/saving aspect of it, really was giving me Lovely Runner vibes.
Unfortunately not all good things last. The show lost the plot in last 2 episodes, almost like a fever dream. THE STORY WAS FILLED WITH SO MANY PLOT HOLES THAT I LOST THE COUNT. I wished either they kept it at 16 episode or that they spent decent time on the story line. THIS DRAMA HAD POTENTIAL TO BE THE DRAMA OF THIS YEAR, Disappointed to see such a good foundation of a show, lose in such a brutal way due to rushed ending.
If you’re looking for something that mixes humor, heart, and a bit of the supernatural, this drama is a good one time watch (just forget the last few episodes exist)
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1We were running a marathon, but the end became a sprint.
What it felt like was watching well paced 1st and 2nd act, and then teleporting on the last line of the 3rd act - as if we skipped a whole bunch of scenes and plot line developments to only get a semi-satisfying conclusion.When you want a love triangle to become a square ⇢ Dynamics so good you don’t mind any mixes.
Probably one of the best love triangles (squares?) I have seen in kdramas for ages. No matter how I look at it, I believe in that aspect there was nothing to fix nor improve. Seong A with Gyeon U? Seong A with Ji Ho? Gyeon U with Ji Ho? However you mix it, they always delivered fun, heartwarming and entertaining scenes. And if we add one not so bad baddie to the mix, it becomes even more interesting.
You all could be heroes ⇢ Characters with individual charms and great presence.
As I said, all the dynamics worked perfectly, but that’s because these characters were actually well crafted individuals with distinctive personalities. Seong A might have seemed like a shallow cutesy teen, but under that bubbly persona there was so much emotional maturity and patience. Gyeon U might seem like your typical cold male lead with white wall personality, but there was actually so much warmth and determination behind it. And you might fear Ji Ho will be your typical jealous best friend, but this man had more heart in him than a lot of second male leads combined.
Turning casual jogging into race ⇢ When pacing escalates to ridiculous speed.
Up till episode 9 the pacing was amazing - balancing well the different plotline, building relationships, comedic bits and the thrills involving ghost and separate cases. You could clearly see it’s building to something bigger - the grand finale. And that’s where the disappointment lies - the ending. Honestly speaking the last act felt like watching a drama with a 9 years old child with zero attention span fast forwarding the plot to oblivion.
Maybe not everyone deserves a second chance? ⇢ Ending that leave a bad taste in my mouth
There were a few characters that had a bit too good of an ending if you ask me. Some got their “redemption” before the show ended and it all was just too… sweet and disney. I feel like the level of their bad decisions, acts and attitudes did not match the consequences they faced. Some characters had rather overwhelming stories that were concluded in an unsatisfying way. I understand the drama wanted to have a positive message and even the female lead was the pure ray of sunshine and hope, but maybe then they should have toned down the bad guys a little bit.
I actually really appreciated Yeom Hwa as a character. Her story was well built, explanations for her behavior hidden long enough to almost give me a heart attack from all the frustration, but not dragged too long I would drop the drama. Was the conclusion of her story satisfying? No. But then the only thing I truly found satisfying in the last 3 episodes was the comedy.
Fairytale land aesthetics - sometimes Disney, sometimes Grimm. ⇢ Production value fitting the story
I have to appreciate the aesthetics of the show. They knew exactly when to make it all pastel Disney to give us the cute and butterfly inducing moments. But they also knew how to make it more dark, but still well balanced and fitting the overall mood of the show. I must say, I liked the styling of the ghosts a lot and the way shamanism moments were filmed was just CINEMA.
Are you sure you are acting? ⇢ Performances that seemed natural
If I were to pick my favorite performances I’d go with Choo Young Woo (my guy was busy in the drama, delivered in all area, all type of emotions), Choo Ja Hyun (to make me hate a character so bad, and yet still feel pity for them, but yet still wanting them dead is a challenge) and Yoon Byung Hee (while Do Ryeong was mostly there for comedy, there were still many serious scenes, at times with more emotional impact that he was able to deliver perfectly). Cho Yi Hyun did a fantastic job too, don’t get me wrong, but somehow I was more excited for scenes of other characters than hers.
Overall, the ride was exciting and smooth until it wasn’t. The ending feels extremely rushed as if they cut 2 episodes from it. Technically we’ve got all the conclusions, but they mostly felt flat. Still - in terms of the rom-com vibes, it’s a solid A. Not even being a big fan of comedy, it was so good here, it became one of my favorite elements.
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It had potential to rule
Head Over Heels** takes us back to the sweet chaos of high school, but with a quirky twist—our heroine is a shaman! Yes, you read that right. A cheerful, fearless girl who can talk to spirits ends up chasing a boy who… well, absolutely *hates* shamans. And to make things spicier, he’s a cursed, lonely soul with dreams of becoming an archery champion. Talk about complicated!What makes this drama refreshing is the role reversal—the girl doing the chasing. She’s bubbly and relentless, and honestly, you can’t help but root for her. The boy, brooding and mysterious, gives us all the second-lead vibes, but he’s actually the main event. Throw in a love square (or should I say a “four-angle”?) and you’ve got the perfect recipe for light drama and cute romantic tension.
Now, about the horror element—honestly, it could have been scarier. The whole shaman and curse setup had so much potential for eerie moments, but instead, the show keeps it mostly sweet and charming.
Overall, *Head Over Heels* is a fun, one-time watch. If you love high school romance with a dash of the supernatural and a fearless female lead, this might just be your cup of tea!
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Started as a cute rom-com but spiraled into a complete mess by the end
When I first started watching this drama, I thought, 'Finally, we have a good rom-com K-drama after such a long time.' I also liked the fantasy element in the beginning. Still, as the drama progressed, the world and the rules of the world started to become more and more convoluted, and things just started to make no sense at all. The last 2 episodes feel like a fever dream. What even was that!!!!!!!!!!It felt like they had a solid script, characterization, and pacing for the first 8 episodes, then started to make things up randomly.
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The chemistry between Cho Yi-hyun and Choo Young-woo is undeniable and the heart of the series. Together, they manage to convey the innocence and fervor of first love, making every moment of their relationship endearing and believable. Cho Yi-hyun shines in her role as a determined young woman who does everything possible to change destiny, while Choo Young-woo brings a vulnerability and warmth that make his character irresistible.
"Head Over Heels" successfully balances fantasy and romance in a refreshing way. The high school life scenes blend perfectly with the supernatural elements, creating a drama that is both exciting and touching. If you're looking for a K-drama that will make you laugh, take your breath away, and leave you with a warm feeling, "Head Over Heels" is a perfect choice. It's a memorable journey into the world of love, luck, and destiny that will leave you wanting more.
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A cute yet deep romantic comedy that could've benefited from a less complicated plot
I went into this with high expectations and in the end, some of those expectations were met and some were kind of thrown out in the middle.Let's start with the many positives:
1. Perfect casting- The actors and their chemistry with each other was the highlight of the plot. Their relationships were believable and I had so much fun with all the bromance that was going on. The acting was on another level and everyone portrayed their characters so well, especially the two main leads.
2. A fresh take on shamanism- Modern media tends to portray shamanists in an intimidating way or either a conman kind of way. So it was refreshing to see a more realistic and mundane portrayal of their world.
3. The overall message- I liked how they were trying to convey a lot of the messages. Some scenes were really well done and delivered on the sentimental value.
4. A non toxic love triangle- I was a little worried because I tend to not like love triangles but here it was done in the most healthy way possible. I loved how they put each other first and decided to support each other as friends no matter what.
Now there are some negatives:
1. The overcomplicated second half- I really liked the first half but the second half became more complicated that it was difficult to follow along with the plot. Huge plot points were condensed into a single episode and the ending was rushed too much.
2. The weird pacing- Like I said, the first half had a normal rom com pacing but towards the end, it became jam-packed and started feeling heavy. I had to rewatch some scenes to make sense of what was going on.
3. Repetitiveness- while the plot was new and several plot twists kept cloming up, the character's actions kept repeating. Like the main characters do something, then then the villain does some trick, the mother tries to save the Villain, the villain escapes etc. Like this structure kept repeating in the second half that it became predictable and kind of annoying to watch.
Overall, this drama is definitely well done and it is good. But it just wasn't for me. If you like supernatural stories with complex back stories the this might be perfect for you!
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I was head over heels until the last episodes...
This kdrama had started so well, the genres: fantasy, drama and romance are well balanced. There's nothing cringe about this drama, by reading the synopsis you would think that it is a typical k-drama but that's not the case !I would like to appoint the insane chemistry between Cho Yi-hyun + Choo Young-woo, it really got me hooked up from ep 1 to 12. I hope to see them again in another drama, cuz their acting was on fire !
Also, thank you, dear writer, for sparing us an unbearable love triangle. Pyo Jiho was an endearing second lead, whose friendship and help was an important part of the drama!
However, there's a big but... The last episodes feels rushed, too much is going on and at the same time the episodes feels empty. I feel like we were are robbed from many side stories... Bong-su took all the spotlight and in the end we were robbed from side stories like for exemple maybe a romantic development for Cho HyeRi x Pyo JiHo or more moments in the College...
I've heard it was originally supposed to be 16 episodes, and it shows.
I honestly would’ve give it a 10/10 but this ending feels so rushed for me. But, this drama still has a huge place in my heart, I loved the chemistry, the acting, the friendship and the fantasy! Give it a try !!!
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More Than Your Average Fantasy Rom-Com
We’re introduced to Park Seong A, who is your typical high schooler by day, but by night, she’s a local shaman dealing with curses, exorcisms, charms, and everything in between. One evening, a slightly reluctant Bae Gyeon U shows up with his grandmother, and Seong A immediately falls under his charm. But there's the issue, she quickly realizes he’s under a deadly curse that gives him less than a month to live.As we learn more about Gyeon U, it becomes clear that his life has been marked by relentless bad luck. It’s so bad that even his own parents distanced themselves from him. Only his grandmother stuck by his side to raise him. Moved by his situation, and her feelings, Seong A decides to try and save him, with the help of her only friend, Pyo Ji Ho, who completes the trio.
At first glance, this setup could’ve gone the route of a typical rom-com with fantasy elements, kind of like Lovely Runner, but swapping time travel for curses. However, there’s something about the execution and the characterization that makes this story feel surprisingly heartfelt and deeper than expected.
Gyeon U is especially compelling. He’s handsome, so I was bracing myself for the usual aloof, overconfident, maybe cold or charming male lead. But instead, he's portrayed as deeply tragic, soft-spoken, shy, kind to a fault, and insecure. The bond he has with his grandmother is beautiful, he clearly treasures her above all else.
Seong A also slightly flips my expectations. She first comes across as the classic high school girl who’s into the new hot guy, but it turns out she has a genuinely dedicated and warm heart. She really doesn’t hold back when it comes to caring for Gyeon U, even when he doesn’t think he deserves it.
Then there’s Pyo Ji Ho, the social butterfly of the trio. He’s grounded, kind, and always there for both Seong A and Gyeon U. Even with his quiet crush on Seong A, he never lets it get in the way of being a genuinely amazing friend, especially to Gyeon U.
Things take a darker turn when it’s revealed that Gyeon U has unknowingly become the target of a shaman trying to help an evil spirit ascend into a deity. From there, the drama shifts into more intense territory as Seong A fights to save him.
This drama really caught me off guard with how heartfelt it was specially at the beginning, it loses a bit of its magic toward the end though but the acting was genuinely solid. I’d definitely recommend giving it a watch.
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I enjoyed watching this drama as it kept me engaged through out the 12eps. The sudden comedic moments blended in with some really serious moments balanced the experience for the viewers. Although the last few episodes were quite confusing and written in a way to drive for the happy ending, by tricking viewers into thinking its a sad ending...., i feel the build up in the front episodes were still done pretty well. Especially when bongsu showed up the whole drama took a switch! I didnt think he was going to be a likable ghost haha but it really reminded me of the "Kill me Heal me" Shin segi days where its sad to let the evil ghost disappear as well.
I feel both Cho Yihyun and Choo Youngwoo played their roles really well. Seongah is a really confident person when she is working but in the school she tends to be more timid so this was shown very clearly. Similarly the difference between Gyeonu and Bongsu was so drastic that im surprised his friends didnt think it was weird...
Ah! what i liked was finally a school drama with a normal classroom. There was a case of bullying but it was from a different school. I liked the way that was resolved as well. But most of the classmates were all friends and there wasnt any hateful character.
Our second male lead :(( the biggest green flag....he is so supportive and helpful although he knows he has no luck...but still so sweet...
Yeomhwa was not really a smart villain, she does stuff with no proper plan in mind...so most of the time she is interrupted or something goes wrong which makes it even more messy. I dont even think she deserved any redemption arc.
Regarding the plot, the shaman, spells, amulets and deities and everything was interesting and u kinda just have to take it as it is. However, seeing the ending made me realise they closed the main topic too fast and could have used more time from the earlier episodes for the build up. So although it was a very happy ending, it didnt really feel satisfying or touching....
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It’s ending just like this?
I just simply started watching but having lower expectations because I guess I have watched similar type contents before and was unsure wether it will be able to fill up my expectations or not. And honestly it didn't hooke me at first. The first two episodes was so so for me. But it's the episode 3rd that literally stand out and I am hooked. And yeah, as for the second lead trust me he is not annoying at all. Second lead syndrome, love triangle is a common thing in youth romance drama so I am assuming if you are starting this drama you already have this in your mind. I mean as of now he is really really a very positive and important character. And I liked him a lot.I don’t like this ending ,, There is some things is missing... Starting is so good but,,
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Two Episodes In – And I’m Already Addicted!
I didn’t expect to get this hooked so fast, but Head Over Heels surprised me in the best way. From the very first episode, the storytelling felt fresh, the pacing was tight, and the acting — especially from Cho Yi-hyun — was top-tier.Episode 2 only took things further. The chemistry between the leads is undeniable, and the mix of fantasy, mystery, and emotion makes it hard to look away. I’ve been watching a lot of dramas lately, but this one brought back the thrill I’ve been missing in K-dramas.
The vibe is unique, the characters are layered, and the plot has just the right amount of intrigue. I don’t know where the story’s headed, but I’m all in for the ride.
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1This review may contain spoilers
What a mess!!!
Note: The initial review covered my opinion from episode 1 to 10. This review was then edited once the series was completed. Additional comments after "FINAL EDIT".I had such high hopes for this show... and yet another 2025 K drama disappointment。Not bad, not good just mid.
It's YET another K-drama slop that puts lots of familiar ingredients in, but fails to put some soul into their main characters. Both ML and FL are devoid of any personality and the main antagonist is cartoonishly evil but everybody gives her a pass because she "used to be kind" even if she's been offering living people to a ghost and literally tortured a kid for over 10 years for her selfish evil purposes.
Both ML and FL have some complicated family history that would have been interesting to explore, at least to make us feel something for them or understand their personalities ( or lack thereof) BUT this K drama makes the weird choice of giving LOTS of screentime to Yeom Hwa, the reason why everybody's in misery. Of course she has a backstory for her behavior (poorly explained might I add) but the drama fails to make us care about her. Instead it makes a very good job of making the good guys letting her get away with literally everything, putting everybody is jeopardy because of their laxity to the point of making viewers just fed up her and mourning the screen time wasted on her concocting plan A, B, C, D, E, F... etc.
Yeah, lots of episodes going round and round in circle, not moving forward except dragging the number of episodes for nothing.
The only characters that are bringing some fun and energy to this whole mess is Bong Su "the not so evil ghost" and all the side characters on the side. Bong Su who is a whole lot of fun and who everybody loves more than Gyeon U the ML... BUT is it surprising given Gyeon U has NO personality except loving Seong Ah and being depressed?
This being said since Seong Ah is as devoid of personality as he is... they do go well together.
Also Seong Ah apparently used to be bullied and managed to get a good looking guy-friend who is playing third-wheel in this whole mess. But I'm not pitying him too much... There's a "bully" girl who actually loves him and she's got more spunk than Seong Ah, so he's gonna end up on or off-screen with the best girl out of the two.
Anyway typical case of having a drama with lots of meandering nonsense that go nowhere but which lengthen the duration of it... and truly 12 episodes could have been the right length if more attention had been given to what we were really interested it instead of going round and round in circles: More details about Yeom Hwa's backstory instead of most of the time given to her planning evil stuffs, More details about Seong Ah, her family, her past, her life as a shaman etc. , MORE DETAILS about Gyeon U:
Why was he targeted by Yeom Hwa? Why is he rejected by his whole family when the drama hints that the family paid Yeom Hwa so that HE would carry all his family's misfortune on his back? If so WHY don't they treat him better? WHY doesn't he revolt? etc...
More high school shenanigans and MORE ROMANCE.
I hope we get a good backstory for Bong Su... but I'm not holding my breath given this drama's track record.
WHAT A LET DOWN.
Tropes have always been a staple in K dramas but the magic had always worked before because they knew how to make things feel fresh but now?
We're past the middle of the year and once again I regret investing time in a rince and repeat story. Not bad, not good just mid.
We'll see if the two final episodes will give me enough positive feelings to rate that one up... but honestly I'm not holding my breath.
FINAL EDIT:
And then the last 2 episodes happened。
I won't talk about episode 11 which was so horrendous I have no words...
Episode 12 throws this show's own logic out the window to wrap up its story with a somewhat satisfying bow that will only satisfy those who liked the show in the first place. The rest of us will just roll out eyes at the complete nonsense. Among the nonsensical elements:
1. Why is Yeom Hwa able to exorcise Bong Su when the show has told us repeatedly that she's turned evil to the point of losing her patron deity and has close to no if not ANY shamanic powers left?
2. Why Bong Su can enter Gyeon U now without taking him over? Any explanation anyone?
3. What happened to the baby on Yeom Hwa's back?
4. Apparently when Bong Su escaped possessing Seong Ah, Yeom Hwa could never catch him because "he would get away committing something evil". Do you care to explain? Because apart from taking lives that YOU brought to him YOU MURDERER, I only saw a kid having the fun he never experienced in his youth. What exactly was evil in Bong Su, I really fail to see.
5. So I guess being an evil deity is no big deal since you can be exorcised just like any spirit? So what was all this fuss about huh? Basically once Yeom Hwa's spirit mother died and Yeom Hwa got back her senses, this drama could have ended (since this drama didn't care about its leads' family or school life)... But nope. We got some last ditch nonsensical separation TYPICAL of aaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll K dramas past, present and certainly future ( PULEAAAAAAAAAAZE STOP IT, this is SO overdone)
6. Why did Yeom Hwa hate Gyeon U's grandmother to the point of cursing her? Hey! You have forgotten that one I'm sure :D
Because ultimately did it matter? Gyeon U was supposed to be this special last sacrifice sure, but ultimately it didn't matter who was killed, what mattered was that we reached 100 so what was so special about the grandma? Btw as far as we know, the Grandma died for nothing, she wasn't even fed to Bong Su so err what the hell?
7. So err that's it? Yeom Hwa is cleared? Seriously. That b*** brought 100 human souls to Bong Su INCLUDING A CHILD we saw she KILLED with whatever ghost she used and she faces NO CONSEQUENCES whatsoever?
F*** this show.
8. Err I guess we're never going to have a proper confrontation or explanation from Gyeon U's family? I guess I should not care?
Well I'm sure the list can go on but I'm gonna stop here.
Every comparison with Lovely Runner I 've read tend to irk me. Sure the initial premise is similar but Lovely Runner is everything this show failed to be for the reasons already mentioned above.
Did Lovely Runner throw in some Deus Ex Machina at the end to wrap things up? Sure. This show was not flawless. But it didn't have THAT many incoherences and the show was charming enough that I could just shrug it off and be happy about its happy ending. Also the main pair had chemistry, this pair DOESN'T and their "kisses" or rather "pecks" sucked so that's another minus.
Suggested Ratings: 4.5
Personal Rating: 3.5
Because I'm pissed and it's the nth disappointing K drama in a row this year for me so its paying for all the others also Mr Third wheel doesn't even get with bully girl at the end who strangely is showing some interest into clown guy, the nerd's best friend and when did this happen? Why? F*** this show.
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