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This review may contain spoilers
BEST KDRAMA 2025
"Head Over Heels" was the perfect opportunity to reunite for a second time with the beloved cast of School 2021 (a series I simply adored), this time reunited in a fantastic rom-com just the way we love them!
From the very first minutes, I was completely captivated by the staging of the shamanic ritual, the meticulous visuals, and especially by the luminous presence of Choi Yi Hyun, whom I'm delighted to see back on screen – she's absolutely resplendent!
Then we enter the "school" part, everything I love in K-dramas: funny, incredible situations, a fresh first-love feel, and a warm atmosphere between the characters.
Very quickly, the plot takes hold: the encounter between our lead and the shaman is breathtaking. A stunning entrance – literally – that immediately announces a touch of strangeness and mystery.
What completely made me fall in love with this drama, beyond the cast, which I adore; it's three things in particular:
1) The ghost stories, all different and deeply touching. Each one hides a powerful dramatic dimension: a baby beaten to death, a child enlisted far too young in a military context... Heartbreaking stories that we discover little by little, accompanied by problems to resolve. As a big fan of series like Ghost Whisperer, I was completely captivated by this human and emotional dimension of the drama.
2) The OSTs! Absolutely sublime. Each piece transported me, and the musical ambiance reminded me a lot of Lovely Runner. And what can I say about Choo Young Woo's angelic voice? A real auditory crush!
3) The Korean shamanic universe. I am literally fascinated! The rituals, the costumes, the amulets... nothing is left to chance. The attention to detail is incredible, right down to that human amulet idea (OMG ❤️). I love this universe so much that I even have big personal projects related to it.
The actors delivered remarkable performances throughout the drama!
I particularly loved Choo Young Woo, who was impressive in a dual role. He perfectly adapts his acting and even his voice to match the soul within him. So much so that we naturally end up forming two teams: Team Bong Su vs. Team Gyeon Wu! A truly powerful, masterful, and nuanced performance.
The supporting actors and the BFF are also real gems! I loved them all:
– the one with his little dog (so endearing),
– the slightly grungy girl,
– the other with her big, expressive eyes,
– and especially the best friend, so perfect: kind, loyal, courageous, caring… a true ray of sunshine in the drama!
As for Choi Yi Hyun, the lead actress, she's simply sublime. Still as sweet, radiant, but also determined. Unlike the lead in Lovely Runner (whom I sometimes found a little annoying despite her willpower), she seemed more nuanced and endearing to me. She embodies emotions with great accuracy, and she brought more than a few tears to my eyes.
On the other hand, I had a lot of trouble with the witch, whom I found very selfish. She gets some pseudo-development towards the end, but it wasn't enough for me to like her.
Finally, the mother and the shaman didn't particularly make an impression on me. They spent their time dictating what to do to the lead, as if they were there solely to "move the story forward." It was more functional than emotional, let's say.
THE ROMANCE:
So, between us, this isn't a drama that stands out for its close relationships because it's mostly academic, but it really had a sweet and innocent chemistry, and I really liked all their interactions, especially the first one when he closed his hand over hers—it was a sublime scene!
The actors deliver accurate, passionate, and sincere performances. Added to this are the captivating music, polished visuals, and a range of deep emotions conveyed through each ghost's story as well as the main plot. All these elements combined give this K-drama the success it fully deserves. Choo Young Woo stands out once again: charismatic, nuanced, expressive… He clearly has a long and promising career ahead of him, regardless of the roles he chooses to take on in the future.
Admittedly, there are some hesitations in the last two episodes, which are a little more muddled and less masterful than the rest of the series. But overall, the main plot is well resolved, and several elements make sense in retrospect, which allows for a generally satisfying ending.
“Head Over Heels” is a drama that deeply captivated me. One of those that we watch with pleasure... and that we don't hesitate to watch again. I can only warmly recommend it!
From the very first minutes, I was completely captivated by the staging of the shamanic ritual, the meticulous visuals, and especially by the luminous presence of Choi Yi Hyun, whom I'm delighted to see back on screen – she's absolutely resplendent!
Then we enter the "school" part, everything I love in K-dramas: funny, incredible situations, a fresh first-love feel, and a warm atmosphere between the characters.
Very quickly, the plot takes hold: the encounter between our lead and the shaman is breathtaking. A stunning entrance – literally – that immediately announces a touch of strangeness and mystery.
What completely made me fall in love with this drama, beyond the cast, which I adore; it's three things in particular:
1) The ghost stories, all different and deeply touching. Each one hides a powerful dramatic dimension: a baby beaten to death, a child enlisted far too young in a military context... Heartbreaking stories that we discover little by little, accompanied by problems to resolve. As a big fan of series like Ghost Whisperer, I was completely captivated by this human and emotional dimension of the drama.
2) The OSTs! Absolutely sublime. Each piece transported me, and the musical ambiance reminded me a lot of Lovely Runner. And what can I say about Choo Young Woo's angelic voice? A real auditory crush!
3) The Korean shamanic universe. I am literally fascinated! The rituals, the costumes, the amulets... nothing is left to chance. The attention to detail is incredible, right down to that human amulet idea (OMG ❤️). I love this universe so much that I even have big personal projects related to it.
The actors delivered remarkable performances throughout the drama!
I particularly loved Choo Young Woo, who was impressive in a dual role. He perfectly adapts his acting and even his voice to match the soul within him. So much so that we naturally end up forming two teams: Team Bong Su vs. Team Gyeon Wu! A truly powerful, masterful, and nuanced performance.
The supporting actors and the BFF are also real gems! I loved them all:
– the one with his little dog (so endearing),
– the slightly grungy girl,
– the other with her big, expressive eyes,
– and especially the best friend, so perfect: kind, loyal, courageous, caring… a true ray of sunshine in the drama!
As for Choi Yi Hyun, the lead actress, she's simply sublime. Still as sweet, radiant, but also determined. Unlike the lead in Lovely Runner (whom I sometimes found a little annoying despite her willpower), she seemed more nuanced and endearing to me. She embodies emotions with great accuracy, and she brought more than a few tears to my eyes.
On the other hand, I had a lot of trouble with the witch, whom I found very selfish. She gets some pseudo-development towards the end, but it wasn't enough for me to like her.
Finally, the mother and the shaman didn't particularly make an impression on me. They spent their time dictating what to do to the lead, as if they were there solely to "move the story forward." It was more functional than emotional, let's say.
THE ROMANCE:
So, between us, this isn't a drama that stands out for its close relationships because it's mostly academic, but it really had a sweet and innocent chemistry, and I really liked all their interactions, especially the first one when he closed his hand over hers—it was a sublime scene!
The actors deliver accurate, passionate, and sincere performances. Added to this are the captivating music, polished visuals, and a range of deep emotions conveyed through each ghost's story as well as the main plot. All these elements combined give this K-drama the success it fully deserves. Choo Young Woo stands out once again: charismatic, nuanced, expressive… He clearly has a long and promising career ahead of him, regardless of the roles he chooses to take on in the future.
Admittedly, there are some hesitations in the last two episodes, which are a little more muddled and less masterful than the rest of the series. But overall, the main plot is well resolved, and several elements make sense in retrospect, which allows for a generally satisfying ending.
“Head Over Heels” is a drama that deeply captivated me. One of those that we watch with pleasure... and that we don't hesitate to watch again. I can only warmly recommend it!
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