Let’s be honest. If you’re a high school student juggling math homework and midnight spirit battles, life isn’t exactly average. But for Park Sung-ah, ordinary is just a pipe dream. She’s a teenager by day and a full-blown shaman by night, with a side hustle saving handsome boys from supernatural doom. Welcome to the chaotic, emotionally-charged, ghost-infested world of Head Over Heels.
TL;DR:
- Shaman by night, student by day: A high school girl with supernatural powers wants a normal life and a college dream.
- Cursed cutie: A handsome transfer student is haunted by a curse that gives him only 21 days to live.
- Love at first ghost sighting: The shaman girl falls for the cursed boy and makes it her mission to save him from supernatural doom.
- Supernatural meets high school drama: The series balances ghost-hunting chaos with relatable teen themes of loneliness, friendship, and first love.
- More than just a ghost story: The show uses spirits as a metaphor for the characters’ personal struggles and emotional baggage.
Meet Sung-ah: The Shaman with a Campus Dream
Our heroine, Park Sung-ah (played with quirky charm by Jo Yi-hyun), resides at the bustling Heaven and Earth Fairy shrine. Raised by her spiritual mentor Dongcheon (Kim Mi-kyung, delivering as always) and eccentric auntie (Lee Soo-mi), she’s surrounded by incense, rituals, and spirits 24/7. But instead of embracing her inherited destiny, Sung-ah dreams of something wild and forbidden: normalcy. More specifically, college life filled with crushes, cafeteria food, and the occasional group project.
Why college? Because it lets her pretend, even briefly, that she’s just another girl navigating adolescence instead of battling curses. Sung-ah yearns for dates, drama clubs, and dreamy guys. So when fate drops Bae Kyun-woo (Choo Young-woo) into her shrine one day, looking like he stepped out of a skincare commercial, she’s understandably smitten. That is, until she realizes he’s literally walking upside down in the spirit world.
Kyun-woo: The Walking Red Flag
Kyun-woo isn’t your average transfer student. No, he’s the human embodiment of a final destination checklist. Plagued by near-death experiences and cursed with just 21 days left to live, he radiates disaster. Sung-ah sees it immediately – quite literally, thanks to her supernatural sixth sense. He’s one of the upside-down people: souls dangling precariously between life and death, with doom knocking at their door.
Of course, our girl can’t just let that kind of handsomeness go to waste. When he passes her ideal-type test (handsome, kind, and willing to stand next to a crying stranger), she takes it as a divine sign. Sung-ah makes it her mission to save him, even if it means risking her own life. Because what’s a little mortal danger when you’ve found your dreamboat?
Transfer Student, Spiritual Chaos
Naturally, Kyun-woo transfers into Sung-ah’s class the very next day because, of course he does. When he pretends to recognize her to get her out of an awkward situation, she takes it as another cosmic hint. But here’s the twist: he doesn’t actually know who she is. Sung-ah always wears a mask at the shrine, so their spiritual encounter is a mystery to him.
Meanwhile, she’s swimming in her fantasy world while he’s doing laps in the pool of existential dread. He’s given up, waiting passively for his countdown to hit zero. When a falling signboard nearly flattens him and Sung-ah shoves him to safety, he doesn’t even blink. But just seconds later, he pulls her out of danger when the signboard crashes down. So yes, even the cursed can be lifesavers.
Ghosts, Bathrooms, and Misunderstandings
Things get juicier – and wetter. Sung-ah has a vision of Kyun-woo drowning, and lo and behold, she finds a water ghost chilling in the boys’ bathroom. Attempting to negotiate, she offers the ghost alternatives. The spirit, however, is thirsty for Kyun-woo’s misfortune. Enter: water-hose exorcism. Picture this: a shaman girl blasting spirits with holy water in a boys’ bathroom. Predictably, the school sees a deranged stalker, not a heroic act. Both she and Kyun-woo are punished, and he sternly tells her to stay away.
Yeah, as if that’s possible.
Friends, Medals, and Secret Amulets
Enter Pyo Ji-ho (Cha Kang-yoon), the low-key MVP of this mess. He’s Sung-ah’s classmate and the only one who knows she moonlights as a shaman. Together, they sneak an amulet into Kyun-woo’s phone, score a dinner invite to his house, and end up digging into his past. Turns out, Kyun-woo used to be an archery prodigy with a shelf full of medals.
But there’s always a catch, isn’t there? Rumor has it he was expelled from his old school for starting a fire. Naturally, the students begin to avoid him like he’s contagious. He doesn’t mind. In fact, he prefers it. Less drama, fewer chances to drag people down with him.
Yet, Sung-ah remains unfazed. Her belief system? Actions speak louder than gossip. He served her warm water, saved her from a falling signboard, and didn’t once flinch in the face of a ghost-induced fire hazard. That’s enough for her.
The Fire Ghost Incident
Speaking of hazards, here comes a fire ghost ready to barbecue Kyun-woo in a storage shed. The spirit locks him inside and sets the place ablaze. Cue another supernatural showdown: Sung-ah with her shaman salt, Ji-ho with a fire extinguisher. Teamwork makes the dream work, and they save him just in time.
This time, Kyun-woo thanks Sung-ah. But he still refuses her help, and won’t clear his name when others blame him for the fire. Why? Because he believes nothing good ever comes from getting close to him.
The Truth About Grandma
Kyun-woo’s grandmother has been a warm presence in the shadows, but something feels off. She knows who Sung-ah is. She sees her beyond the veil. Turns out, Grandma is already dead. That conversation? That confession? It was a ghostly goodbye.
The loss hits hard. Not just for Kyun-woo but for Sung-ah, who promised to stay by his side. She shows up at the funeral, ready to follow through. Because she’s not just trying to save his life — she’s trying to give it back to him.
The Hidden Layers of Kyun-woo
Kyun-woo isn’t just cursed; he’s heartbroken. Abandoned by his parents and labeled a walking disaster, he’s built emotional walls thicker than his school uniform. The more you look, the more you realize it’s not the curse killing him — it’s the isolation. As Grandma so poignantly says, when people treat someone like they’re already dead, it’s not the spirits that do the damage. It’s the living.
This is what Sung-ah sees. Beyond the misfortune, beyond the ghostly chaos. She sees a boy who needs a reason to believe in life again. And she’s willing to be that reason.
Ji-ho: The Bestie Who Might Want More
Let’s not forget Ji-ho, the supportive sidekick. He helps without hesitation, smiles through the chaos, and always has Sung-ah’s back. Whether he’s harboring a secret crush or just a sense of loyalty, one thing’s clear: he’s not just a side character. He’s the emotional anchor.
Sure, he could be more assertive when others treat Sung-ah like a weirdo, but he plays his role with quiet strength. He’s the kind of friend (or potential second lead heartbreak victim) that every K-drama needs.
Final Thoughts: Drama, Feels, and Potential
Head Over Heels launches with an emotional gut punch wrapped in comedy and exorcism rituals. It balances supernatural thrills with real-world themes: loneliness, the desire for connection, and the struggle to be seen for who you are.
Sung-ah is an endearing lead who manages to shine, not because she’s quirky, but because she’s real. Her dreams are relatable. Her courage is quiet but unwavering. She doesn’t wallow in pity when classmates mock her. Instead, she focuses on what matters: saving someone who has no idea how to save himself.
Kyun-woo’s pain is deeply felt. His character is less about broody mystery and more about emotional depth. He’s broken, but not beyond repair. There’s a tenderness in him, buried beneath layers of trauma and spiritual interference.
The ghost subplot adds spice without overwhelming the emotional core. Each spirit — water, fire, and possibly more to come — serves as a metaphor for internal struggles. They’re not just spooky enemies but symbols of the baggage each character carries.
The pacing is tight, the character arcs are promising, and the cinematography walks that fine line between eerie and beautiful. It’s stylish but not distracting. Emotional but not melodramatic.
My Takeaway
This show doesn’t just flirt with themes of fate and love — it jumps headfirst into them. And despite all the ghostly chaos, it still finds time to ask: what if someone saw the real you and chose to stay?
If the rest of the series keeps this balance of heart and haunt, Head Over Heels could become the sleeper hit of the year.
Final Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✩ (4.5/5 Stars)
It’s touching, unpredictable, and just the right amount of spooky. I’m in. Let’s see if Kyun-woo survives, if Sung-ah passes her exams, and if Ji-ho ever stops being the best second lead ever.
