This is a fantasy romance drama where, Seong-ah, a shaman who knows what will happen in the future, is trying to protect her first love, Bae Gyeon-woo, by changing his ill-fated fate. This kdrama completely surprised me with how good it was!
The Story
The story follows a high school girl named Park Seong-ah who lives a very unusual double life. During the day, she's just a regular student trying to get through school. But at night, she becomes "Fairy Cheon-ji" a famous shaman who helps people with their problems using her supernatural powers. She wears a mask to hide her identity when she works as a shaman.
One night, a boy named Bae Gyeon-woo comes to see her with his mother. The moment Seong-ah sees him, she falls in love at first sight. But then something terrible happens - she has a vision that shows Gyeon-woo is going to die very soon. The next day, this same boy transfers to her high school as a new student! Seong-ah decides she has to save him no matter what, even if it means putting herself in danger.
Gyeon-woo is not a happy person. Bad things always happen to him wherever he goes. People get hurt around him, accidents happen, and everyone thinks he's cursed with bad luck. His own family doesn't want him around because they believe he brings misfortune. He's angry at the world and especially hates shamans because one told his family that he was born unlucky, which made his parents abandon him. Only his loving grandmother took care of him.
Gyeon-woo's parents left him because they believed he was cursed, and only his grandmother loved him unconditionally, until she sadly dies in episode 2.
Seong-ah also has a best friend named Pyo Ji-ho who is always there for her. He's kind, loyal, and secretly has feelings for Seong-ah, though she doesn't know it at first. The three of them form an interesting friendship triangle that becomes really important to the story.
As the episodes go on, we learn more about everyone's sad backgrounds. Seong-ah was abandoned by her real parents when she was just eight years old because they were scared of her ability to see ghosts and spirits. She was raised by a kind woman who is also a shaman and became like a mother to her.
Here comes a villain named Yeom-hwa, an evil shaman who has been secretly causing problems for both Seong-ah and Gyeon-woo. We discover that she's actually Gyeon-woo's real mother, which makes everything even more complicated and heartbreaking. She abandoned him as a baby because she wanted to serve an evil spirit that promised her power, but the spirit demanded she give up her child.
Throughout the kdrama, Seong-ah works hard to protect Gyeon-woo from various supernatural threats. She has to fight off evil ghosts and spirits that try to hurt him while also trying to make him happy and show him that life can be good. Slowly, Gyeon-woo starts to open up and even begins to smile again, especially when he joins the school's archery team.
The romance between Seong-ah and Gyeon-woo develops beautifully. At first, he thinks she's just being nice to him out of pity, but eventually he realizes she genuinely cares about him. Their first hand-holding scene in episode 3 was absolutely magical - you could see how her touch literally brought color back into his world.
But then drama happens! In episode 4, Gyeon-woo discovers that Seong-ah is actually the shaman he's been seeing, and he feels completely betrayed. He thinks she's been lying to him and playing with his feelings. This creates a big misunderstanding that takes several episodes to resolve.
The middle episodes get darker as Yeom-hwa tries to use Gyeon-woo for her evil plans. She wants to sacrifice him to make the evil spirit she serves become even more powerful. There are some really scary and intense scenes where Gyeon-woo gets possessed by this evil spirit and becomes dangerous.
Ji-ho proves what an amazing friend he is throughout all of this. Even though he loves Seong-ah and knows she'll never choose him, he helps her save Gyeon-woo anyway. He's brave, selfless, and becomes like a brother to both of them.
The final episodes are full of action and emotion as everyone works together to stop Yeom-hwa and save Gyeon-woo from the evil spirit. Seong-ah has to use all her shaman powers, and there are moments where it looks like she might not be strong enough. But love wins in the end, and she manages to free Gyeon-woo from the curse.
The ending Is really satisfying. Gyeon-woo is finally free from his bad luck curse, Yeom-hwa is defeated, and our main couple gets their happy ending. Ji-ho also finds peace and remains their close friend. The last episode shows them all as adults, still together and happy.
Why I Loved This Kdrama
What I loved most about Head Over Heels is how it perfectly balanced so many different elements. It's a romance, but it's also a supernatural thriller, a coming-of-age story, and sometimes even a comedy. The writers did an amazing job making all these different parts work together without feeling messy or confusing.
The main characters are all really well-written and feel like real people, not just drama stereotypes. Seong-ah is brave and determined but also vulnerable and sometimes makes mistakes. She's not perfect, which makes her more relatable. Gyeon-woo starts off angry and bitter, but you understand why he feels that way, and watching him slowly heal and learn to trust people again is really beautiful.
Ji-ho is probably one of the best second male leads I've ever seen in a kdrama. Usually, these characters are just there to create a love triangle and make things complicated. But Ji-ho is genuinely a good person who cares more about his friends' happiness than his own feelings. He never tries to sabotage the main couple or do anything sneaky. Instead, he actually helps them get together, which is so refreshing.
The supernatural elements are handled really well too. The ghost and spirit scenes are actually scary sometimes, but they're also meaningful to the story. Each supernatural threat teaches us something about the characters or moves the plot forward. The shamanism parts feel respectful to Korean culture and add a unique twist that makes this drama different from other high school romances.
The acting Is fantastic across the board. Cho Yi-hyun (who plays Seong-ah) is absolutely perfect for this role. She can be cute and bubbly one moment, then powerful and serious when she's doing shaman work the next moment. She makes you believe that this teenage girl really could be a famous supernatural healer. Choo Young-woo (Gyeon-woo) does an amazing job showing his character's pain and gradual healing. His sad expressions in the early episodes will break your heart, but his smiles later on will make you so happy.
The chemistry between the main couple is incredible. You can feel how much they care about each other, and their romantic scenes feel natural and sweet, not forced or cringey. The hand-holding scenes, the hugs, and especially their first kiss are all perfectly done.
The production quality is also really high. The special effects for the supernatural scenes look great, the costumes are beautiful (especially the traditional shaman outfits), and the music perfectly matches the mood of each scene. The cinematography is gorgeous too - there are so many pretty shots that could be paintings.
One thing that impressed me is how the drama handles serious topics like abandonment, family trauma, and mental health. These are heavy subjects, but the show deals with them in a way that feels real and respectful. It doesn't try to make everything magically better overnight - the characters have to work through their problems and heal gradually.
The pacing is excellent too. At 12 episodes, it doesn't feel rushed or dragged out. Each episode ends at just the right moment to make you excited for the next one, but the story never feels like it's moving too fast or too slow. The mystery elements are revealed at the perfect pace to keep you guessing without being frustrating.
I also loved how the drama shows the importance of chosen family. Seong-ah, Gyeon-woo, and Ji-ho all come from difficult backgrounds, but they create their own little family unit that supports and protects each other. The relationship between Seong-ah and her adoptive shaman mother is also really touching.
The school setting works really well because it gives the characters a normal environment to contrast with all the supernatural craziness. Their classmates and teachers feel like real people too, not just background decorations.
If I had to find something to criticize, it would be that some of the evil spirit scenes might be too scary for younger viewers. There are a few jump scares and some genuinely creepy moments. Also, while Choo Young-woo is a great actor, he does look a bit old to be playing a high school student, though this doesn't really hurt the story.
The love triangle aspect Is handled much better than usual. Instead of creating unnecessary drama, it actually strengthens the friendship between all three characters. Ji-ho's feelings for Seong-ah are acknowledged and dealt with maturely, without turning him into a villain or making him do stupid things.
Overall, Head Over Heels is one of the best K-dramas I've watched in a long time. It has everything - romance, friendship, family drama, supernatural thrills, comedy, and beautiful emotional moments. It's the kind of show that makes you laugh, cry, and cheer for the characters all in the same episode.
The ending Is satisfying without being too perfect or unrealistic. All the characters get proper closure, and you feel like their stories are complete. It's a rare drama that sticks the landing and delivers on all its promises.
I would definitely recommend Head Over Heels to anyone who likes kdramas, especially if you enjoy romantic comedies with a supernatural twist. It's appropriate for teenagers and adults.
It's a kdrama that will make you believe in the power of love, friendship, and never giving up on the people you care about.
Watch on Amazon Prime