Head over Heels (2025)

Another Fav

Overall I loved the drama and thought the story was fresh and honestly I loved Bong-So and how he wasn't evil but instead was just playful and wanted to have fun 🥺.

I felt like up to 10 and then ep 12 lined up beautiful the only drop was in ep 11. The story losses a bit of context you were expected to figure out (I did by the end) but I still felt there were gaps that needed more information and it just felt a bit more separated to the rest of the drama. I don't know if its because they just needed an extra ep (apparently there was a 16 ep version and Now I want to know how that would have played out) to tie the lose ends or just ep 11 needing a bit more context to help pull the story rather than leaving me confused (hence the 8.5 rating if not it would have been higher)

I will definitely rewatch this again it just had good vibes and a story line that played out differently then I expected!

Read More

? Hot Cast, Second Lead Feels, and a Dash of Do Bong Soon Vibes!

Okay, first things first — the cast? Gorgeous. Every single frame feels like a visual treat. But let’s talk about the second lead syndrome because WOW, I was genuinely rooting for the best friend! I kept whispering, "Girl, are you sure? He's right there!"

The plot? A little unbelievable at times — but hey, life is weird too, and this drama gives a fun, slightly dramatic way to look at all the “bad stuff” that happens to us. There's not much music, but that kind of works — it lets the story breathe.

If you’re a fan of Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, you’ll definitely get similar vibes here (just toned down a bit). And don’t worry — no major heartbreaks coming your way! Even the second lead's storyline feels satisfying in its own way. Plus, let’s be real: the main lead desperately needed a shoulder to cry on. Emotional support has never looked this good!

P.S. - I just wrapped up the whole drama, and... yeah, Episode 11 kinda lost me. Felt like they hit the brakes and started stretching things that didn’t need stretching. We were doing so well!

Read More

Sweet first love fantasy romance

I really appreciate the creature design for the ghosts, looking appropriately creepy. That's not an easy thing to pin down for either eastern nor western shows. I also like that Seong A's feelings for Gyeon U is validated as a genuine connection forms between them. His looks got her attention, but his personality and kindness towards others is what made her fall for him. They are both skilled in their respective specialties and save each other. Their romance is formed organically and they're cute together. Speaking of cute, Seong A has a very nice collection of sleepwear, though she's like a doll. A lot of the edgier outfits Bong Su prefers that seemed to be implied to be tacky looked great on her too. There is a whole implied plotline of Bong Su really connecting with his own fem side there as her look was complete with hair and make up done as well, which is all Bong Su. I like that Seong A learns to find more compassionate ways to deal with exorcisms. Their respective friendships with Ji Ho is mostly nice too. He's the one that helps them connect with the regular world of high school and I'm really glad he learns to let go of his one sided crush for his own sake. I really liked the reveal of Seong A's awful childhood and her wanting to live as a normal student was helped by Ji Ho and Gyeong U deepens his understanding of her through knowing this as well. Seong A's familial relationship with her adopted mother is really lovely as well.

Bong Su turning out to be a younger teen/pre-teen who also has a big ol crush on Seong A was a good twist in turning into a dynamic that's different than usual. He was a child spirit that died a traumatic death and used by Yeom Hwa for her own ends and once he's able to communicate in Gyeon U's body, it's immediately clear he does not have the same objectives as Yeom Hwa. His being unable to recall his name until Gyeon U was able to find it deep in Bong Su's psyche was also trauma based. I'm glad that he's able to move on at the end. That lady is the worst. I understand her grief for her child, but her utterly selfish actions throughout the years was unforgivable. She's straight up a prolific serial killer, but that's entirely ignored at the conclusion of the series. I really hate how she refused to let Gyeon U heal in his own way from her many years of psychologically and physically abusing him by getting to know her in a tiny way as a human being, just to know her real name. She is the worst and needed some bigger karmic punishment or had to do something bigger to make up for her years of evil actions instead of having the consequences of her actions canceled out by the people who cares about her. At least go to jail or something. The shaman Do Ryeong was a chaos agent helping everyone on all sides, but he wasn't doing it out of malice though his actions also enabled a lot of deaths.

Despite the really glaring omission of properly dealing with Yeom Hwa, the overall series was a good watch.

Read More

One of the Most Entertaining Watch in 2025!

Have you ever watched a show that grabs your attention from the get-go and the fixation gets real with each passing episode!

Because that’s how I felt with “Head over Heels”. Frankly, I need to accept that I’m not a huge fan of the main lead, Choo Young Woo. But I was kind of surprised with his act in “The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call”. Also, this is first major breakthrough, so I was also curious about his acting abilities as a main lead. Shockingly enough, Choo Young Woo proves his caliber by easily breezing through his portrayals of two different characters. The wavelength, personalities and even the diction is absolutely perfect. As for the female lead, Cho Yi Hyun, she embodies the old age wisdom and charm that is unheard-of before when we are referring to shamans. She is sweet, caring, kind and friendly. The storyline also has an atypical love triangle, which is equal parts endearing and adorable. The main leads tie into an riveting romance, unrequited or not; I loved watching them together!

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2025/07/30/head-over-heels-series-review/

Read More

Worth it but we need more!

I haven't watched a kdrama in months and came back with this after classes were done. The reviews about this is promising and I'm excited to think that by the time this is done it'll be worth the watch. I started this with only one week to wait for the last two episodes. I pulled an all-nighter and it was both the worst and best night. It's good. I am rooting with Seong-a to protect poor Gyeon-u. It started off strong and good until they rushed it on the last two episodes. There was a leak that it was supposed to be a 16 episode drama but cut it off to 12. The corporates are greedy, With this format, I don't think I can sit again to watch a kdrama. ANYWAYS, I LOVE EVERYONE I LOVE THEM ALL THIS IS WORTH THE WATCH.

Read More

Playing It Safe Won’t Always Save K-Dramas

K-Drama by the Book

After Episode 1, it’s clear: this is your typical South Korean rom-com meets ghost story a familiar and safe blend. As usual, Korea plays it by the book. Nothing here will frustrate you, but it won’t excite you either. It’s just another average, run-of-the-mill drama. The ingredients and packaging may look new, but the flavor? Same old.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Dragging Buildup

By Episode 3, I can confidently say this drama is headed toward being boring. Episodes are unnecessarily stretched each one lasting around 70 minutes over a 12-episode format, likely to mimic the runtime of the classic 16-episode, 40–45 minute structure. But instead of being engaging, it feels slow and dragging. It takes too long to get to the point.

Honestly, this drama could’ve easily been wrapped up in 6 to 8 hours. If all this buildup doesn’t lead to a major twist or substantial plot development in the upcoming episodes, it’s going to fall flat boring, frustrating, and ultimately a waste of time.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Survive 5 Episodes ,Episode 6 Will Hook You

After watching the 8th episode, I can now say that the first three episodes mainly served as the foundation or buildup of the story laying down the threads, building the world, and introducing the characters. Because of this, they didn’t feel particularly interesting or engaging. There wasn’t a strong hook to push me forward or make me eager to continue.

In my opinion, the story starts unfolding from episode 4, and that’s when the actual engaging moments begin. From here on, you start getting drawn in. By the 6th episode, any doubts I had about whether I was wasting my time were gone.

To be honest, I barely got through the first three episodes they felt like a typical, slow-paced rom com ghost shaman Korean drama with nothing exciting that made me want to watch happily or stay invested. Yes, this is a regular, typical Korean drama which is probably why it took me a while to get into it. I’ve watched a lot of Korean dramas, so this one initially felt a bit repetitive and predictable. It didn’t feel fresh or new. That’s why it didn’t grab my interest right away. But I was curious to see how the FL (female lead) would save the ML (male lead), and I also wanted to know more about the ghost storyline. So I told myself I’d watch just two more episodes (4 and 5), and if they didn’t pull me in, I’d drop the show.

Thankfully, I gave it that chance, and I’m glad I did because those two episodes changed everything. They engaged me enough to keep going. Episodes 6, 7, and 8 made me realize that while this may still be a typical Korean drama in many ways, it’s also entertaining. It doesn’t feel frustrating or boring anymore.

Episodes 6 to 8 are the turning point they mark the real beginning of the story’s emotional depth. These episodes are beautiful, emotional, cute, funny, and meaningful. When I was in the middle of the first three episodes, I wasn’t even considering recommending this show to anyone. By episode 5, I was still unsure 50-50. But after watching episodes 6, 7, and 8, I can now recommend it without hesitation.

now i can say it is definitely good. You’ll enjoy it, and I think you’ll grow to love it.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

The Drama Finally Had My Attention ,Then Lost It Again

From Episode 9, the show falls back into its earlier tone and pacing the same average, okay-ish feel it had before Episode 6. But Episode 10 takes a complete nosedive it’s ridiculous, illogical, full of errors, and riddled with plot holes.

Take General Dongcheon for example. She’s trying to save Yeom Hwa, someone who, in her stubbornness, is causing destruction to everything around her. And what’s the justification? An emotional connection? Seeing her as a daughter? That makes no sense. So you're willing to put the lives of many at risk just to save one person you're emotionally attached to? What about all the others you’re also connected to? Is loyalty to one individual worth endangering the majority?

And then there’s Pyo Ji Ho why he involve at all? He knows absolutely nothing about magic or shamanism, yet he put himself right in the middle of it and even he take the ring to deliver to the evil shaman. What purpose does that serve, other than creating unnecessary risk?

Bong Su’s erratic behavior towards his classmates and coach also feels forced and out of place. Whether Bong Su or Bae Gyeon U dies, it shouldn’t affect them so deeply they were never that emotionally connected to him or i say they don't know about the two personality so how can they connect with it . His extreme reaction feels unjustified.

Also, didn’t the General already perform a ritual to strip Yeom Hwa of all her shamanic powers? Then how is she still able to summon the Grim Reaper? That completely breaks the internal logic of the show.

And why are they all still tiptoeing around Yeom Hwa? Why not just end her story once and for all? Instead, they’re acting like it’s some kind of casual domestic drama, letting the enemy freely come and go from their homes, staying in contact like everything’s normal. It’s absurd they’re literally playing house with someone who has caused immense harm.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Filler

Ep 11 is filler, last few minutes matter.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Mixed Feelings

In Episode 12, I found certain elements to be poorly written, with unnecessary filler scenes that dragged the narrative. For example, the entire sequence where the female lead tries on girls' clothing felt forced and out of place. If the soul inside her is that of a man, any experiments or behavior should logically align with a man's perspective, not a woman's.

Additionally, the way the female lead and her friends constantly live or move in and out of one house felt unrealistic. It’s as if none of them have their own homes, families, or responsibilities. They’re portrayed almost like orphans who have nowhere else to go, which weakens the believability of the story.

That said, some parts were meaningful and did support the overall storyline. There were some emotional moments that were genuinely well done.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Overall

This is an okayish drama overall. It's played K-Drama by the Book, and like many such k drama, it plays things very safe. The show is filled with draggy fillers, unnecessary scenes, and at times, illogical writing though there are a few good moments and decent writing scattered throughout.

The rituals portrayed across the series were initially fascinating and intriguing, but after a point, they became confusing and lost their charm. sometimes the spirit would transfer from one person to another, sometimes powers would vanish suddenly only to reappear without explanation. It felt like every character was either a protective shield for someone else or making a sacrifice, like they were all just playing a game of “passing the ball.”

And honestly, the rattle the shaman uses during the rituals? That’s the kind of toy kids play with in our country couldn't take it seriously, lol.

At first, I wanted to give this drama a zero. But since the platform doesn’t allow a rating below 1, I reluctantly gave it one star. However, around episodes 6 to 8, my interest genuinely picked up, so I changed my rating from 1 to 6. But by episode 9, I found myself reconsidering again. i'm giving this drama higher ratings are doing so purely because of those 2–3 good episodes. Beyond those, everything else felt like filler to me nothing before or after them stood out.

I personally don’t think it's fair to rate an entire drama based on just a few good episodes, especially when the rest of it didn’t work at all. Unfortunately, there's no way to rate only those specific episodes, so I’m stuck giving the whole show a number I don’t feel fully reflects my opinion.

Read More

When the Spirit You’re Fighting Falls in Love with You

This drama totally caught me off guard—in the best way possible. At first, it presents itself as a lighthearted, even slightly sugary story. The first three episodes might seem a little too cutesy for those looking for something with more bite. But if you give it a chance and stick around, you'll quickly realize there’s much more beneath the surface.

The story centers on Gyeong-wu, a quiet, unfortunate guy who seems to have life’s worst luck permanently stuck to his back, and Seong-ah, our bold, spirited heroine who lives a double life: an ordinary student by day, and a shaman by night. They're polar opposites—she’s bright and outgoing, while he’s introverted and solemn—which sets up the perfect dynamic.

But the real twist comes with the arrival of Bong-su, an evil spirit who possesses Gyeong-wu’s body. That’s where the drama takes a sharp turn from cute to chaotic, and honestly, it’s where things get really fun. Bong-su is a former teenage soldier who died in war, his soul twisted into something sinister—but deep down, he's just a lost kid yearning to live again. Through Gyeong-wu’s body, he gets to experience all the youth and freedom he was robbed of... and unexpectedly, he falls for Seong-ah.

Yes—you read that right. The ghost that needs to be exorcised ends up falling in love with the exorcist. It’s an emotional, ironic twist that brings so much heart to the story. You’re not just watching a supernatural romance—you’re witnessing layers of longing, identity, and second chances.

What truly elevates this drama, though, is the performances. The leads absolutely shine, especially during the possession scenes. Watching their dual personalities shift—from grounded to mischievous, soft to fierce—is both entertaining and impressive. Seong-ah’s possession was one of the highlights for me—her performance was electric—but sadly, it only lasted for one episode. Still, that brief moment was unforgettable.

The soundtrack perfectly complements the show's tone—light, whimsical, with just the right emotional undercurrent. It never feels forced, and it really enhances the viewing experience.

If you're someone who enjoys dramas with heart, humor, and a little supernatural spice, this one’s for you. Don’t be discouraged by the sugary start. Stick with it, and you’ll be rewarded with a story that’s touching, unexpectedly deep, and full of charm. A fun, feel-good watch with just enough twists to keep you hooked.

Read More

Watch this for Choo Young Woo

I started this drama with literally zero expectations. At first I thought it was just going to be one of those over the top silly no plot dramas that you just shut your brain off and ignore incosistencies because it is just that fun to watch and it is pretty fun it's getting better and better as each week.

Choo Young Woo was what mainly drew me here, I think it's ood that he keeps getting cast as a teenager when he doesn't look like one, plus he's so much better at villain roles, so much better. The drama is so fun that I don't mind that he looks older than his peers. Right off the first episode my second male lead syndrome hit me hard!! like girl I know Gyeonu is handsome but, look at Jiho for god sakes, the dude is perfect!!. I said that Choo Young Woo is better at Villain roles and this week's episodes have made me so happy, possessed Bae gyeonu is absolutely hilarious! I am loving every second of it even though I know I'mnot going to like the ending very much and I'm pretty sure I'm going to rewatch the whole thing once the remaining episodes air.

I've finished the series and I think it was an overall good story, with a few hiccups here and there, Episode 10 was a total disaster, 11 was weird and 12 while not being the most logical wrapped up everything nicely so I can't really complain much, it's about ghosts and magic it's not grounded in reality to begin with.

My second male lead syndrome still stands strong with this one, but I still enjoyed the ending. I'm definitely going to watch it again and soon.

Read More

So much wasted potential to be a top supernatural romance

Review

8/10 is my rating. Liked the premise. The acting was great. Main couple was cute. But dang! Lots of problems with elements and just the flow of events and how plot and subplot points were not well tied up.

Overall, this is a charming coming-of-age romance that weaves a compelling supernatural thread through high school life. The drama, starring Cho Yi-hyun and Choo Young-woo, blends heartfelt emotions with Korean shamanism, creating a unique narrative that balances youthful love with mystical stakes. The chemistry between the leads, Park Seong-ah and Bae Gyeon-woo, is engaging, but also frustrating because they never do the things that would make it feel like it fully blossomed. She had a dream sequence of a first date but no real first date. They slept in the same room and cuddled and even held hands but that was out of necessity. So, it was never quite there, never reached the emotional peaks that this genre had attained in other shows. The second male lead, Pyo Ji-ho, is a standout, his sweet and loyal nature sparking a strong case of second-lead syndrome that may leave viewers torn. The show’s exploration of Korean shamanism is a highlight, offering a glimpse into its rituals and cultural significance, though it occasionally feels more theatrical than impactful. Not knowing, from a native Korean perspective, how accurate the depiction is, I don't know if it was just lacking in any spiritual depth in this show or if that is the overall view of the practice. But I think fans of romance, supernatural stories, or Korean folklore will find it an enjoyable watch, and it is perfect for those who love a mix of heart and mystery. It’s not a drama I’d rush to rewatch, but it’s one I wouldn’t skip if it popped up on my screen.

Spoilers 

The grandmother, Oh Ok-soon, was a heartwarming presence, anchoring Gyeon-U’s lonely world with her unwavering love. Her death hit hard, and I found it frustratingly unnecessary—her loss stripped away a vital emotional tether without adding much to the story’s progression. It felt like a plot device to deepen Gyeon-U’s despair rather than a meaningful narrative choice.

The villainous shaman, Yeom-hwa, was chillingly manipulative, orchestrating Gyeon-U's misfortunes by convincing his family he was cursed while profiting from their desperation. However, the drama never fully explores her connection to the family or explicitly confirms her schemes, leaving a sense of incompleteness. They touch on Gyeon-U's family, and their poor treatment of him because they think he is cursed, but we never find out if, after Yeom-hwa is no longer able to manipulate Gyeon- U as directly, if there is any level reconciliation with his estranged families. Most families, even selfish families like his, would come out of the woodwork just to claim shines of fame with his archery fame. This lack of closure on his family made that whole loop where they shunned him, seem unnecessary. That could have just been mentioned by one of the characters if there wasn't going to be any follow through.

The possession arc, particularly with the spirit Bong-su, was a gripping twist, but it lost momentum. Bong-su’s initial menace as a child soldier spirit haunting Gyeon-U was compelling, but as soon as he arrived on scene his character turned out to be very different than what we had been led to expect. If anything, he was a character that garnered our sympathy, somewhat endearing, and it was hard to reconcile that with a spirit that had supposedly dispatched nearly 100 lives. And why? Why would he even have done that. There was nothing indicting he particularly desired to be evil. He wanted to be a teenager and have teenage experiences. The two-year plus year time skip after Seong-ah’s possession felt like a cheap separation trope, one I found particularly grating. This was way too long to spend on this one story. It moved what should have been a side story to make it become a main story. And it distanced the leads emotionally and narratively, with Gyeon-U’s search for her via archery-fueled ghost hunting feeling underdeveloped and rushed. They could have added all kinds of intrigue by having Gyeon-U uncover ghost stories based on his new ability to see them. The resolution, tied to uncovering Bong-su’s true identity as a manifestation of another boy’s pain, was poignant but arrived too late to fully redeem the chaotic pacing of the final episodes.

And I mean really why? Why the separation trope? It ultimately accomplished nothing. She hung out with angsty teenage boy ghost, let him possess her, only to have him transfer back to Gyeon-U again later. I mean Seong-ah possessed by Bong-su was amusing. She was way more "sex kitten" than when she was actual Seong-ah (which didn't make a lot of sense because she was possessed by a virginal teenage boy). Which just made this possessed Seong-ah’s arc super frustrating. Her dream of a normal life, including graduating high school, is a core motivation, but the separation trope—her possession by Bong-su and two-year disappearance—robs her of that milestone. I hoped for a poignant moment, like her showing up at graduation to share in the celebration (maybe even grabbing flowers during the ceremony setup), but her absence leaves her arc unresolved and hollow.

The shamanism, while visually striking, often came across as ineffective. Seong-ah’s rituals—lots of dancing and rattle-shaking—rarely succeeded in major tasks like dispelling evil spirits or breaking curses, making the practice feel more performative than powerful. This trivialized the cultural weight of shamanism, which was disappointing, though my daughter, who watched with me, loved the rituals for their immersive dive into the practice, even if their authenticity is questionable. The finale was another sore point: Gyeon-U’s Olympic archery tryouts were a big moment, but Seong-ah’s absence, tied up with shamanic duties, felt like a betrayal of their bond. After losing his grandmother, her not being there for him stung, especially since her spiritual tasks often yielded minimal results. The general’s (Dongcheon’s) death was another misstep—her sacrifice to empower Bong-su felt abrupt, and Yeom-hwa’s unrepentant cruelty as her daughter made the loss feel hollow, with no redemption or accountability for her actions. And what was up with the flower shaman who was so against handing out his talismans and seemed to have a grudge in the first part but then joined the team and handed them out like confetti later. He also seemed like a powerful shaman in the beginning but then, later, when he was really needed made some weird white rampy thing with a lantern maybe that he was trying to push toward the door but couldn't. So weird.

The drama could have soared if it leaned harder into Seong-ah’s empowerment as a shaman, giving her the ability to decisively save Gyeon-U rather than relying on drawn-out rituals and a disjointed finale. Despite these flaws, the emotional core—Seong-ah’s determination and Gyeon-U’s quiet resilience—kept me invested. It’s a story with heart, but it stumbles in tying its supernatural and emotional threads into a cohesive whole.

---

Synopsis

Head Over Heels is a 2025 South Korean drama that blends fantasy, romance, and comedy in a captivating tale of love and destiny. There are 12, 60 minute, episodes.

High school student Park Seong-ah (Cho Yi-hyun), secretly a shaman known as Fairy Cheon Ji, navigates a double life, battling spirits by night while blending in with her peers by day. When she encounters the handsome but ill-fated Bae Gyeon-u (Choo Young-woo), whose tragic destiny she foresees in a prophetic vision, Seong-ah falls head over heels and vows to change his fate. As their bond deepens, she faces supernatural challenges, skeptical peers, and the mysterious spirit Bong-su (Cha Kang-yoon), whose presence complicates their budding romance. For those familiar with Korean folklore, this offers a fresh take on the folktale of Gyeon-woo and Jiknyeo.

Note: The Korean folktale of Gyeon-u Jiknyeo, also known as the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, tells the story of two lovers separated by the Milky Way. Gyeon-u, a cowherd, and Jiknyeo, a weaver, fall deeply in love but are forbidden to be together by the heavens. Moved by their devotion, magpies and crows form a bridge across the Milky Way once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, allowing the lovers to reunite briefly. This tale, celebrated during the Chilseok festival, symbolizes enduring love and the power of connection despite great obstacles.

#HeadOverHeels #CowherdandWeaverGirl

Read More