High school shaman Park Seong-ah sees Bae Gyeon-woo has only 21 days to live. Her fight against dark spirits begins in this haunting yet romantic K-drama.
⚰️ A Ritual Gone Wrong Sets the Tone
Head Over Heels kicks off with an intense failed exorcism. A prominent family tries to rid their eldest son of an evil spirit, but even the fourth shaman fails. It’s a chilling opener that immediately sets the series apart from typical high school dramas—this is a world where ghosts are real, rituals are powerful, and the stakes are deadly.
✨ Enter Park Seong-ah – The Schoolgirl Shaman
Park Seong-ah (played by Cho Yi-hyun) is introduced not just as a high school student, but as a powerful young shaman with a calm demeanor and old-soul energy. Her classmates see her as aloof, but secretly she performs rituals at night and communicates with restless spirits.
She’s nicknamed the “school fairy,” but behind the cute name is a lonely girl burdened by spiritual responsibilities. One scene shows her performing an ancestral rite on her rooftop, speaking calmly to a lingering ghost and gently asking it to cross over. Her abilities are treated with respect, not gimmicks—a strong start for a complex heroine.
⏳ Fate Intervenes: “You’ll Die in 21 Days”
The turning point comes when Seong-ah encounters Bae Gyeon-woo (Choo Young-woo) in a convenience store. Looking at him, she sees a haunting vision: a dark aura surrounding him, and an ominous message—he has only 21 days left to live.
Shockingly, he transfers to her class the next day.
From then on, Seong-ah silently watches over him. She tries not to interfere too much but can’t help stepping in when minor supernatural events start to occur around him—flickering lights, near-accidents, shadowy figures. Gyeon-woo, oblivious to the danger, brushes off the weirdness with a dry wit and a cold exterior.
💔 Two Strangers, One Curse
Gyeon-woo isn’t just the mysterious new boy. There’s a heavy sadness in his eyes and a wall he’s built around himself. He doesn’t believe in shamans, ghosts, or fate. But Seong-ah knows better—someone, or something, is following him, and his aura screams “marked for death.”
Rather than tell him outright, she begins her quiet mission: placing protective talismans, muttering incantations, and keeping dangerous spirits at bay. Her actions speak louder than words, and through her determination, we see her develop a growing attachment to him.
The two begin to share small, quiet moments—nothing overly romantic, but charged with curiosity and subtle chemistry. It’s not love at first sight, but the possibility of love amid darkness.
🧠 Character Insight: A Lonely Gift and a Doomed Boy
Park Seong-ah is written with nuance. She’s powerful, but not invincible; mature, but still a teenager. She carries the burden of saving others while trying to maintain a normal life. Her gift isolates her, but also gives her purpose.
Gyeon-woo, on the other hand, is a mystery. Why is he cursed? What happened in his past? The episode drops hints—memories of his grandmother, unspoken trauma—but doesn’t reveal everything yet. He’s the kind of character who makes you lean in, trying to understand what’s hiding behind his silence.
Together, they form an unlikely pair: the girl who can see death, and the boy who’s running out of time.
👻 Ghosts, Destiny, and the K-Drama Supernatural Genre
Unlike many K-dramas that use spirits as metaphors, Head Over Heels goes full supernatural. It doesn’t shy away from eerie visuals, chilling exorcisms, or authentic shaman rituals. But what makes it stand out is the emotional weight it gives to these elements.
This isn’t just a story about curses. It’s about how far you’d go to save someone you barely know, simply because it feels like the right thing to do.
🧩 Teaser for Episode 2: The Haunting Begins
The episode ends with Gyeon-woo beginning to sense the strange occurrences around him—and Seong-ah watching from a distance, knowing she’s the only one who can help. A final scene suggests a shadowy presence has already begun to close in.
Will Gyeon-woo accept her help? Or will time run out before she can save him?
📌 Final Thoughts
Episode 1 of Head Over Heels (2025) is a compelling mix of mysticism, teenage awkwardness, and quiet emotional stakes. It’s not loud, flashy, or full of clichés—but it hooks you with its sincerity and atmosphere.
With a strong debut episode, relatable characters, and a dark mystery brewing, this K-drama is ready to steal your heart—and maybe chill your spine, too.
