This review may contain spoilers
Well, I have very mixed feelings towards this drama.
Well, I have very mixed feelings towards this drama. Head over Heals is very interesting story-wise. I very much liked the deep cultural representation it brought, from Shamanism, to folklore, to history. It made me want to conduct research on spirits, ghosts, and the grim reaper (one of the topics I am most fascinated by). The cast is very charming, and characters like Do Ryeong, or as he is known: The “Flower Master,” very witty yet kind-hearted, and a nice callback on the cultural aspect of how men can be shamans. On that line of argumentation, I kind of liked Bongsu a little bit more than Gyeon U because he had more of a character in general. His story sparked my curiosity, and I am so into joyful tragic characters and backstories as a whole. He is also a child; it made me feel very protective of him, knowing that he was a victim of war and all he wanted was to be loved. Nonetheless, he acted like a child who was holding and playing with dangerous tools (aka the arrow scene), PERFECT depiction of what he was doing before his death. I am sure it is not a big deal that some of us would like him more, as Seong A is made to be since she likes Gyeon U more, and that's what both the main lead and the spirit really care about.On another note, I did not know how to feel about Yeom Hwa. She is definitely an anti-hero and a grey character, a bit more lenient towards the villain archetype. She lost her baby, and the realization that she could not protect them even in death is very upsetting. Yet, it definitely is not an excuse to torment Gyeon U, as he was a child himself at some point, and she did not have any empathy for the kid who died in the first few episodes in an accident; like, she moved on very quickly. General Dong Cheon is also very captivating, a mother at heart and a very wise one too. Her death was certainly emotional. Still, I just could not comprehend how Yeom Hwa was blaming the entity in a way. I mean, she cast the spell, was about to summon the grim reaper as a murderer, forcing both Bongsu and Gyeon U to be on the other side, and was protected by her mom as she died for her. Not to forget she was the one who was blinded enough to make Bongsu possess Gyeon U through casting spells, manipulation, and causing harm.
I felt bad for Ji Ho in a funny and not-so funny way. His tragedy comes from being left out; nobody thanked him for all of the stuff he did. He had to confess to his friend in front of her very obvious non-lover (which was kind of weird), then was rejected by her, was kicked by Bongsu on few occasions, was dumb enough to also indirectly cause the death of the General by giving the obvious non-villain the ring, etc. He is a great person and he remained kind, although I wish he could have protected, or at least stood up for, Seong A when she was a push-over.
Other than that, I really could not understand characters like Hye Ri and her motivations, and whatever they did in episode 11 could not make me stomach her. I loved the representations of the Suicide Spirit and wondered why the grim reaper wouldn't be by his side, side by side. However, the grim reaper only appears when there is certain death, plus the ghost spirit already looks like the grim reaper in a way.
Seong A is also kind of a push-over. I like her and dislike her at the same time, since I couldn't see much character development or motivation. I would like to say more about her, but that's what I am mad about: I don't really have much to say about the FL in the same fashion that I do about the supporting cast.
Story-wise, I like the idea of the drama. Still, it felt like... too much? I have finished it in 2 days, yet I felt like it was a week already. Too many events happened, and the second half already felt like Season 2. A lot of questions were left unanswered and things were kind of unresolved (Hye Ri's motivations for causing the arson, how does Seong A feel now about being a shaman, how does Gyeon U feel about shamans now? their parents, how did he carry their misfortune tbg...). It felt kind of too packed and didn't make a lot of sense. Too many plots too. I just wished they could have stuck to one theme or made a Season 2.
The acting was very nice. I found myself tearing up every now and then and cried too, which I was not expecting, the General's sacrifice, the unfairness regarding the baby in the coffin as a punishment for their mom, etc. I wish I could have paid more attention to the OST to be honest!
Very nice, a solid 7/10
Was this review helpful to you?
