Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 22
July 16, 2025
‘The Song of Achilles’ Review: Honor, Fate, and Love
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Ah, this is how modern re-imaginings of mythical stories should be: light on the mind through the journey but tugging at the heart towards the climax. Although, for a novel encompassing the ten years of the Trojan War, “The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller can feel too swift, and lacking in depth for readers expecting an intense, blood-laden saga of love and war. But I was content to read something that flowed easily, didn’t tax my brain, and was over in less than three days.
‘The Song of Achilles’ is narrated by Patroclus, a Greek prince exiled from his kingdom as a boy and sent to live under the guardianship of King Peleus, ruler of Phthia. There, he meets Achilles, prince of Phthia, son of Peleus and the sea goddess Thetis, destined to become the greatest of all Greek heroes. The novel centers on the deepening bond between Patroclus and Achilles, tracing their childhood friendship as it slowly evolves into a tender romance, much to Thetis’ disapproval.
Unfolding chronologically, ‘The Song of Achilles’ first focuses on Patroclus’ early life as an unloved son of a king, then moves on to his teen years training and living with Achilles at Phthia. While Patroclus initially dislikes Achilles, mostly because he is incredibly good-looking, golden-haired, carefree, and the beloved child of a powerful king, a constant reminder of Patroclus’ own failures as an exile, it is for those very same reasons that he eventually falls passionately in love with the prince. Thetis plays the role of the classic jealous boy mom in the story, constantly trying to pull Achilles away from Patroclus. She knows her son is destined for greatness and sees Patroclus as nothing more than a distraction standing in the way of his glory.
True to its title, ‘The Song of Achilles’ is part love story and part ode to the Greek hero. The second half of the novel focuses on the Trojan War, where the Greeks are led by King Agamemnon of Mycenae against Troy, to reclaim Helen, a celebrated beauty and the wife of Agamemnon’s brother Menelaus, who has been taken away by Paris, the prince of Troy. The novel contains a generous amount of violence, war politics, ego clashes, blood, and battles.
Why Achilles reciprocates Patroclus’ feelings with nearly the same intensity remains something of a mystery, author Madeline Miller never really explains it. That said, it could easily be chalked up to the mere exposure effect, since the two protagonists spends all their free time together when they’re younger, and are portrayed to be of the same age in this retelling.
Throughout the ten years of war, Achilles and Patroclus remain together, sharing the same tent, even though they see the conflict in very different ways. For Achilles, the war is a path to glory, a chance to achieve honor and be remembered as an immortal hero. Patroclus, on the other hand, is repulsed by the violence and spends most of his time serving as a medical aide, trying to save lives rather than take them. The author blends Greek mythology, romance, and tragedy with an ease that makes this a very breezy read.
“Is it sexy?” a friend asked me when I told her about this book.
“Not really! It’s not like the author is cryptic about the romantic relationship between Achilles and Patroclus like older scholars, but it’s not as sexy or steamy as some readers would expect it to be!”
And that’s probably the only problem I had with ‘The Song of Achilles’, the the romance wasn’t passionate enough, although the war days are violent, intense, and engrossing. Madeline Miller’s writing style is fluid, poetic in some parts, and quite simple otherwise. Readers who don’t mind a quick retelling of a Greek legend’s life, will find this to be worth a read.
Rating: 4 on 5 stars.
Read Next: Butter Book Review: Keeps You Hungry Yet Satiated
Also Read: Should You Read ‘A Man’ by Keiichiro Hirano? (Audio Version Below)
ABO Desire Explained: Who’s Who, Power, Passion, and Manipulation
Follow us on Twitter | Instagram
Introduction What is the ‘ABO’ class systemThe Primary Characters of ‘Desire’IntroductionChinese series ‘Desire’ is pushing fictional boundaries by becoming the one of the first live-action adaptations of an Omegaverse novel.
This is going to be filled with spoilers but only about the first three episodes of ‘Desire’, to help you understand the plot and character motivations, since quite a few viewers are getting confused over the similar sounding names of characters and small font translations.
What is the ‘ABO’ class system
So, ‘Desire’ is set in a fictional country called ‘P’, in a world where a global pandemic triggered by a virus, changes the biological constituency of humans. Humans begins to exhibit behaviour seen in wolf-packs and can be divided into three sub-class:
Alpha: Dominant, aggressive, territorial, and usually leaders. They can ‘rut’, which is a period in which their libido is higher than usual. In ‘Desire’, there are something called the S-class Alphas, who are a rare, elite, or exceptionally powerful Alphas, a cut above the rest. They also can have enhanced physical or mental abilities.
Beta: Neutral, with low fertility rates. Usually inconsequential working-class people. Betas are usually ignored in fiction books set in the Omegaverse or play really minor roles.
Omega: Submissive, nurturing, highly fertile, both male and females can get pregnant. Instead of a menstrual cycle, they go into ‘heat’, which is when they’re the most fertile, it’s during this period that they emanate pheromones, which is meant to attract mates, but they can use suppressants/external medication to control their heat.
Enigma: There are extremely rare, so rare, they’re almost mythical. But Enigma are superior to Alphas and in the case of ‘Desire’, an Enigma has the power to tame an Alpha and turn them into Omega. They can resist or trigger strong reactions in others, often confusing even S-class Alphas
The Primary Characters of ‘Desire’Hua Yong (Huang Xing): He’s a striking young illegitimate heir to a successful empire known as ‘X Holdings’, and also a rare Enigma. He’s in love with Sheng Shao You, a powerful business scion known for his preference for wide-eyed, submissive Omegas. But Hua Yong’s dominant personality makes him realize that approaching Shao You as an Enigma wouldn’t work, there’s little chance he’d fit the type Shao You usually falls for. Which is why, in the first episode of ‘Desire’, Hua Yong uses his money and influence to gather all of Shao You’s ex-partners at his sprawling mansion, to find out his crush’s preferences, in order to seduce him.
It seems, Shao You loves beautiful men and women with the ‘damsel in distress’ kind of personality, those who cry easy and seem helpless. So, with help from his friend Shen Wen Lang, Hua Yong poses as a poor, low-ranking Omega interning at Wen Lang’s company, hoping to catch Shao You’s eye. He even goes out of his way to land himself in trouble, just so Shao You can swoop in and feel in control of their budding relationship. Hua Yong is playing the long game to tame his crush for good.
Sheng Shao You (Qiu Ding Jie): Hua Yong’s love interest, Shao You, is a confident and dominant S-class Alpha who owns a leading pharmaceutical company. His longest relationship lasted just six months. Focused on finding a cure for his father’s cancer, he has little time for serious romance and doesn’t mind dating partners who are only after his credit cards. Once he loses interest, he ends things.
Though not particularly drawn to Hua Yong at first, Shao You is still somewhat attracted to him. But when Hua Yong refuses any financial help during a difficult situation, Shao You’s curiosity is sparked, and his interest slowly begins to grow. As he begins to notice Hua Yong seems to be just his type, he starts to desire him more.
Gao Tu (Li Pei En): An Omega pretending to be a Beta due to family baggage and past trauma. Because Omega are highly sought out by aggressive, powerful Alphas, his mother, who is a victim of an abusive relationship, makes Gao Tu hide is Omega identity by using suppressants, so that he isn’t exploited like her. Gao Tu works as the secretary of his college crush Wen Lang, and the latter is quite vocal about hating Omegas, which only leads Gao Tu to further suppress his identity, making him dangerous reliable on medication. This character is in for the most heartbreak in ‘Desire’ when he gets accidentally pregnant with his boss’ child.
Shen Wen Lang (Jiang Heng): Another powerful Alpha and business tycoon, Shen Wen Lang helps Hua Yong in his plan to seduce and trap Shao You. Meanwhile, he also gets suspicious of Gao Tu’s secret identity and the two are the secondary couple in ‘Desire’.
You can watch ‘Desire’ on YouTube, Youku, iQIYI and WeTV.
Read Next: Pune Highway Review: Serves 90s Style Thrills (Audio Version Below)
‘After the Hunt’ Trailer: Julia Roberts Caught Between Andrew & Ayo
Follow us on Twitter | Instagram
“All your generation, you’re scared of saying the wrong thing. When did offending someone become the preeminent cardinal sin?” Andrew Garfield’s character throws this sharp jab at Ayo Edebiri’s Maggie Price, a Gen-Z student, setting the tone for the trailer for “After the Hunt”. It’s a solid punch at both the perpetually offended and those too afraid to speak their minds.
And then Julia Roberts lands the knockout. In a tense moment from the trailer, when the student says she’s no longer comfortable having a conversation, Roberts coolly replies, “Not everything is supposed to make you comfortable.” Oof. That one stings…!
Directed by Luca Guadagnino and written by Nora Garrett, ‘After the Hunt‘ follows Julia Roberts as Alma, a charming professor who finds herself in a dilemma when her star student, Maggie Price (Ayo Edebiri), levels serious allegations of misconduct against her colleague Henrik (Andrew Garfield). However, the trailer maintains tight suspense over the credibility of Maggie’s claims, leaving viewers wondering who the real victim is – Maggie or Henrik? Also, how Alma fits in the picture is a bit of a mystery too.
Now this is how a trailer should be, sharp, cryptic, and dark. The ironic turn of tables against Andrew Garfield’s character is brilliant. Henrik begins as the one criticizing the younger generation for being too timid, but in a clever twist, it’s Maggie Price who goes on the fearless offensive against him.
Going by the trailer, ‘After the Hunt’ promises to be an intense drama with a talented ensemble cast. The film will be in theaters in October.
Watch the trailer on YouTube, it’s also embedded below.
Uppu Kappurambu Review: Keerthy Suresh Is The Boss in Burial-Crisis Comedy
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
What would you do if your highly superstitious village ran out of burial space, and laying the dead to rest any other way was considered criminally taboo? Keerthy Suresh faces this bizarrely serious dilemma as Apoorva, the newly appointed head of her village, in the Tollywood comedy ‘Uppu Kappurambu‘.
The film, created by Ani I.V. Sasi (director) and Vasanth Maringanti (writer), opens with a quick historical backstory using local wooden dolls to explain why the village of Chitti Jayapuram doesn’t cremate its inhabitants like the neighboring hamlets. Keerthy Suresh is hilariously introduced as a crying mess, playing Apoorva, who watches her father, the village head, being buried by a group of locals led by Chinna (Suhas), the cemetery caretaker. But over the course of this silly-but-fun comedy, the young Apoorva, who has little interest in inheriting her father’s position, becomes a reluctant but reliable village elder.
Apoorva is constantly targeted in humorous ways by the henchmen of Bheemayya (Babu Mohan), a wealthy man who covets her post, and also by Shatru (Madhubabu), the owner of a cinema hall, who try to derail her credibility as a leader. When, at a public meeting, Chinna raises the issue of shrinking burial space, everyone hounds Apoorva for a solution. To make things worse, there are ugly fights over the few lots still left, dividing the village. So, ‘Uppu Kappurambu‘ primarily follows a reluctant Apoorva’s rise to her leadership duties and the comedic antics of the villagers.
Keerthy Suresh is thoroughly entertaining in ‘Uppu Kappurambu’ as the comedic Apoorva, coached by her late father in handling questions to problems in a way which simply postpone the issue at hand and not actually solve them. For instance, he advises her to blame a third country whenever residents complain about the rising prices of food or commodities. But when she is faced with a serious shortage of burial space, it’s a conflict she simply cannot talk her way out of. She turns to Chinna for help, unaware that he is secretly plotting to reserve a lot for his ailing mother, Kondamma (Rameshwari), who wishes to be buried in Chitti Jayapuram.
Refreshingly, there’s no romantic sub-plot in the film, although there is a slight hint of romantic tension between Appoorva and Chinna, which ‘Uppu Kappurambu’ could’ve done without. From going out hunting for burial plots, to tackling superstitious priests, the plot is laden with jokes and gags, most that land, few that don’t.
What really works for ‘Uppu Kappurambu’ is its world-building, packed with quirky lore, oddball superstitions, and rural charm. The first half breezes by with light-hearted humor, lively villagers, and an engaging background score. One of my favorite bits in the movie is when Chinna and his friends go around Chitti Jayapuram, dancing and drawing up a list of those who might die soon, to understand how grave the cemetery problem is (pun intended, obviously).
It is in the final half-hour, things start to drag, and of course, there’s the obligatory speech from a lead character preaching unity and community spirit. ‘Uppu Kappurambu’ may not land any knockout punches, but thanks to its eccentric storyline and goofy but smart female lead, it still delivers an entertaining ride.
Rating: 7 on 10. Watch the film on Prime Video.
Read Next: Pune Highway Review: Serves 90s Style Thrills (Audio Version Below)
‘Jukebox’ Review: Great Tracks, But Misses A Beat
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
‘Jukebox’ is the kind of kids’ book that is too much for a child reader and too little for an adult. But let me start with the best bit about this graphic novel: it’s got super cute, glossy artwork by Nidhi Chanani, making it an easy, entertaining read one can finish in a sitting.
The plot follows 12-year-old Shaheen, who is drifting apart from her father, a music critic obsessed with vinyl records and often too lost in his own world to notice her interests. But when he suddenly goes missing, a worried Shaheen teams up with her older cousin Naz and heads to his favorite record store in search of clues. There, they stumble upon a magical jukebox that lets them time-travel. The only way to find her father is to play the right record and hope they time-travel to the same place he might be trapped in.
The story execution in ‘Jukebox‘ feels rushed, more like a teaser or a pitch for a larger series where two young girls get to time-travel and meet iconic music artists. But here’s the letdown: if readers know little or nothing about the featured music, the book doesn’t really help them learn much either. It had the potential to be something like Brazen by Pénélope Bagieu, a stunning graphic novel where each chapter dives into the life of a trailblazing woman. Shaheen and Naz could’ve interacted more deeply with the artists they encounter, learning about their struggles, impact, or creative journeys. But because they’re on a time-sensitive mission to find Shaheen’s missing dad, the book barely lingers on anything else.
Even toward the end of ‘Jukebox‘, when the girls complete their mission and are given another shot at time-travel, it feels like a missed opportunity. That second half could’ve been a space to slow down, explore the music and icons in more depth, and give young readers a reason to be curious. But nope, that part gets skipped too. The close sibling bond between Shaheen and Naz however is endearing, and their personalities quite fun.
In the end, ‘Jukebox’ feels too complex for its target audience – middle school readers between 8–12 – who are in no way going to understand all the classic music greats and hits featured in the story. On the other hand, it’s far too simple for older readers (like me). But again, the glossy artwork makes it a fun one-time read, which is why I am going with an extra star for the colorful, expressive illustrations.
Rating: 3 stars on 5.
Find the writer on Twitter and Instagram for more pop culture chatter.
Read Next: Shubeik Lubeik Review: Fantastic Blend of Magical Quirks & Realities (Audio Version Below)
July 15, 2025
Sakamoto Days Episode 12 Review: Shin Unlocked!
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
This is how you come back from a break if you’re an action anime: with lots of gruesome deaths, blood, and a bunch of murderous psychos on the loose! Taro Sakamoto is back to catching bullets with chopsticks in part 2 of season 1 of the action anime series ‘Sakamoto Days’, while hundreds of assassins and hitmen look to finish him off.
Also Read: Sakamoto Days Season One Part One Review
Based on the Japanese manga series by Yuto Suzuki, the anime adaptation is directed by Masaki Watanabe and produced by TMS Entertainment. Titled ‘Overload’, episode 12 of ‘Sakamoto Days’ opens with back-to-back brutal killings carried out by a bunch of crazy death row convicts, all of whom are tasked with eliminating Sakamoto and team.
Almost all crucial characters of the show make an appearance in this edition, including the legendary members of the ‘Order’, the super-elite team of assassins that Sakamoto used to be a part of. The primary focus of this episode of ‘Sakamoto Days’ is on the death-row convicts and the carnage they cause. One of them called Saw, a dramatic bulky serial killer, goes after after Shin Asakura and Lu Shaotang, when the two of them are out shopping.
Just like most antagonistic assassins featured in the series so far, Saw is an overconfident killer, but he’s quite theatrical and talks non-stop about how he enjoys giving people an ‘exciting’ death. He humiliates Shin and Lu, hoping crushing them to their deaths would be a blink-and-miss job, but of course, it isn’t.
I think this was a great start to part 2 of the anime, it includes a generous dose of violent action, along with comedic moments. The animation quality remains the same, or if anything it might’ve gotten better, because I didn’t find any reason to complain. Now that all the primary character personalities are well-established for non-manga readers too, this comeback of ‘Sakamoto Days’ was very entertaining!
The episode wraps up with a thrilling twist, as Shin taps into newfound combat potential, setting the stage for an electrifying showdown between Sakamoto’s sidekicks and the deranged serial killer.
Watch Sakamoto Days on Netflix.
Read Next: KPop Demon Hunters Review: Light Sticks Meet Dark Arts (Audio Version Below)
Head Over Heels Episode 8 Review: Ghosts, Grudges & a Love Triangle
Follow us on Twitter | Instagram
Well, things are finally looking slightly bright for fairy shaman Seong-ah (Cho Yi-hyun) now! She isn’t the only one ‘Head Over Heels’ in love anymore, not since her first love, the handsome but cursed Bae Gyeon-woo (Choo Young-woo), candidly admitted his feelings for her. Poor Ji-ho (Cha Kang-yoon) is officially the third wheel now, although he decides to fight for his love. And there’s also the matter of the evil spirit Bong-su possessing Gyeon-woo, who may or may not kill the teen archer.
Recap of ‘Head Over Heels’ Episode 7Gyeon-woo gets possessed by the haunted house spirit, Bong-su, kicking off a chaotic chase to expel him before he does serious harm. Seong-ha’s talismanic touch keeps the spirit in check, marking a resumption of trust between the two, while Ji-ho feels left out. As shamans scramble to contain the havoc-wreaking Bong-su, romantic sparks fly between Seong-ha and Gyeon-woo. Meanwhile, Dongcheon confronts Yeom-hwa in a tense side plot. Surprisingly, Bong-su isn’t a terrifying ghost but a spirit with a mission. The episode ends with Gyeon-woo giving Seong-ha a hug and confessing he likes her.
Episode 8 of ‘Head Over Heels’This edition of the series opens with shamans Dongcheon (Kim Mi-kyung) and Do Ryeong (Yoon Byung-hee) performing a tense cleansing ritual on the unwilling Yeom-hwa (Chu Ja-hyeon). Furious, she vows revenge, and some of the focus shifts to her desperate efforts to turn Bong-su, the malevolent spirit now possessing Gyeon-woo, into her personal deity to carry out her dark ambitions. But it turns out to be a challenging task.
Meanwhile, protagonist Seong-ah is in constant physical contact with Gyeon-woo, so they’re hilariously always holding hands at school, even when Gyeon-woo goes for archery practice, much to Ji-ho’s annoyance, who feels left out and jealous. The main focus, of course, is on the teen shaman’s mission to expel Bong-su from her crush’s body, though this chapter of ‘Head Over Heels‘ also gives the lead pair plenty of cute romantic moments.
Cho Yi-hyun is adorable as ever in this episode as Seong-ah, but it’s Choo Young-woo who really brings the laughs, flipping between straight-laced Gyeon-woo and the cheeky ghost Bong-su. The senior shamans won’t stop stressing how deadly Bong-su is, but honestly, he feels more like a naughty prankster than a real threat. As someone who loves horror, I was hoping for some proper spooky mayhem, but I’ll admit, the goofy antics of Gyeon-woo’s possession is more entertaining and in sync with the tone of ‘Head Over Heels’ so far.
From serving up crucial flashbacks that explain how Yeom-hwa fell out with her former spirit-mother Dongcheon to stirring up some ‘love triangle’ drama between Seong-ah, Gyeon-woo, and Ji-ho, this episode moves at a brisk pace. The final moments deliver a major twist that could mean serious trouble for Gyeon-woo… but then again, when is he not in mortal danger on this show?!
Watch ‘Head Over Heels’ on Prime Video.
Find the writer on Twitter and Instagram for more pop culture chatter.
Read Next: KPop Demon Hunters Review: Light Sticks Meet Dark Arts (Audio Version Below)
July 14, 2025
It’s The Girlfriend vs the ‘Boy Mom’ in Prime Video’s New Thriller Teaser
Follow us on Twitter | Instagram
“This One Is Different”
Olivia Cooke stars as Cherry, the kind of ambitious, enigmatic woman that makes even the most seasoned playboys hit pause on their commitment issues, you know, the kind you take home to meet mom. But what happens when mom isn’t thrilled about the girlfriend or the fact that son might be finally putting someone else over her?
Prime Video dropped the teaser-trailer for its new upcoming series ‘The Girlfriend’, where Robin Wright plays Laura, a classic ‘boy mom’ who’s immediately on high alert when her son Daniel (Laurie Davidson), known for never being serious about anyone, suddenly falls hard. Olivia Cooke is red-hot and dangerous as Cherry, donning a stunning red dress in one scene that channels the classic femme fatale allure.
From the teaser-trailer alone, ‘The Girlfriend‘ looks like a saucy, slow-burn psychological thriller with just the right amount of emotional dysfunction. It’s giving ‘mommy issues’ and Mommy’s issues. “You are mummy’s boy, aren’t you?” Cherry asks in a scene. “Oh… sure,” Daniel laughs. Points to the man for self-awareness, at least.
With Olivia Cooke’s offbeat charm and Robin Wright’s intense screen presence, this could be your next Prime Video stream. The series drops September 20.
Watch the teaser of ‘The Girlfriend’ on YouTube, it’s also embedded below.
Boys in Love Review: Stayed for Chokun-Aston, Zoned Out the Rest
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
GMMTV has tasted so much success with pairing good-looking actors with each other and letting their looks pull the show, that sometimes they don’t even bother with a script. ‘Boys in Love’ is that kind of series, it’s cutesy because of the cute actors and a few fun moments here and there. A lot of it is just a repeat of every teen high-school romance we’ve already seen. Even the refreshing plot about one of the teens being open about his bisexuality and new boyfriend with his teacher mom isn’t as comedic or dramatic as it could’ve been.
Directed by Waa Waasuthep Ketpetch, ‘Boys in Love‘ (เปิดเทอมใหม่ หัวใจหัดรัก) spans 12 episodes and follows serious class topper Shane (Mick Metas Opas-iamkajorn), who is working hard for a college scholarship, as he starts to fall for the rich slacker Kit (Luke Peemsan Sotangkur), whom he has been tutoring for quick money. Yeah, we’ve seen that in 100 shows already, so it gets boring quickly. All the family drama that goes on in Shane’s house with his three other siblings is more entertaining. Another subplot follows Shane’s close friend Kim (Chokun Puttipong Jitbut), a romantic who always has his head in the air, and falls in love at first sight when he sees Mon (Aston Ratiphat Luengvoraphan), a gorgeous new student at their school.
The only reason I stuck around until the end of ‘Boys in Love‘ is because Chokun Puttipong Jitbut and Aston Ratiphat Luengvoraphan made a ridiculously cute onscreen pair as Kim and Mon. Their romance is also comically sweet for most of the series, and their chemistry has an endearing energy. But since there are a total of four couples in this high-school show, Kim and Mon don’t even get adequate screen time. One of the subplots follows an unlikely romance between nerdy math teacher Tan (Papang Phromphiriya Thongputtaruk) and new teacher Nat (Pod Suphakorn Sriphothong), which, although quite nice, didn’t need to be part of the series.
Mick Metas Opas-iamkajorn gives a convincing performance as an overthinking high-achiever, but his onscreen chemistry with Luke Peemsan Sotangkur feels inconsistent (definitely not a pairing I’d be interested in watching again). The last high-school based romantic-comedy BL from GMMTV that was high on entertainment was ‘My School President’. Even their Thai adaptation of high-school romcom ‘My Love Mix-Up’ (the Japanese original ‘Kieta Hatsukoi’ is excellent!) which starred Aston Ratiphat Luengvoraphan as the secondary lead wasn’t as fun.
Well, if you’re looking for a low-stakes, simple romantic-comedy with pretty faces, this show might be worth a watch.
Rating: 5.5 on 10. Watch ‘Boys in Love’ on YouTube.
Read Next: KPop Demon Hunters Review: Light Sticks Meet Dark Arts (Audio Version Below)
Head Over Heels Episode 7 Review: Possessed Gyeon-woo Is Hella Fun
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Demonic possession, evil shamans, lots of chasing, and some sweet romantic moments – this was a pretty entertaining edition of ‘Head Over Heels’, led by the super-cute Cho Yi-hyun as teen shaman protagonist Seong-ah, whose mission to save her “first love,” the cursed Bae Gyeon-woo (Choo Young-woo), is never-ending!
Recap of ‘Head Over Heels’ Episode 6Seong-ah confronts malevolent shaman Yeom-hwa (Chu Ja-hyeon) for tormenting Gyeon-woo relentlessly throughout his life. Meanwhile, Gyeon-woo, who had lost trust after discovering she is a shaman, begins to see her in a favorable light again, especially after reading about her sad past as a child shaman exploited by her family. But since Seong-ah has no idea her crush is warming up to her again, she sends her friend Ji-ho (Cha Kang-yoon) to protect Gyeon-woo as a human talisman.
This episode of ‘Head Over Heels‘ was packed with hilarious moments of Ji-ho constantly touching and hugging Gyeon-woo. But things end on an ominous cliffhanger when classmate Kim Jin-ung (Kim Sung-jung… who some might recognize as the bully in ‘Weak Hero Class‘) enters the cursed haunted house sealed off by the shamans. Seong-ah enters the forbidden enclosure to save Kim Jin-ung, only for Gyeon-woo to follow, which can only spell doom since he is meant to be Yeom-hwa’s scapegoat.
Episode 7 of ‘Head over Heels’Well, well, well! Episode 7 kicks off with Gyeon-woo getting possessed by the evil spirit from the haunted house. The focus is on Seong-ha’s efforts to expel the entity before it either completely takes over, or worse: kills Gyeon-woo! She is, of course, helped in the mission by her spirit mother Dongcheon (Kim Mi-kyung), shaman Do Ryeong (Yoon Byung-hee), and her aunt (Lee Soo Mi). Seong-ha also warns Ji-ho to steer clear of Gyeon-woo, who has no idea that his friend is now possessed.
In a fun twist, the evil spirit, whom Seong-ha names Bong-su, is unable to control Gyeon-woo’s body or mind whenever Seong-ha touches him, suggesting her powers as the human talisman have reawakened now that Gyeon-woo trusts her again. Choo Young-woo is excellent in this episode of ‘Head Over Heels’, delivering an entertaining portrayal of the evil entity inhabiting his character’s body. While Gyeon-woo is usually serious, broody, and moody, his possessed version is far more carefree, not excessively evil, but definitely mean-spirited, running around causing havoc as the shamans scramble to contain him.
This edition of ‘Head Over Heels’ delivers plenty of small romantic moments between Gyeon-woo and Seong-ha, since she has to be in constant physical contact with him to keep Bong-su locked in. The duo might just be on the verge of becoming boyfriend and girlfriend, once they get rid of Bong-su, of course, which is proving to be a very difficult task for the shamans, with even the powerful Dongcheon at a loss. A parallel sub-plot shows Dongcheon crossing paths with Yeom-hwa, and a clash between the two ladies lead to Yeom-hwa fainting. But instead of leaving the antagonist to her fate, Dongcheon takes her home.
Honestly, I was expecting the spirit from the haunted house to be a scary, murderous, spine-chilling ghost. However, it turns out he used to be a young man before becoming a spirit and has his own personal mission. So instead of a terrifying supernatural turn of events, viewers get a comedic-cute new chapter, which ends with the lead pair making up with each other.
Watch ‘Head Over Heels’ on Prime Video.
Find the writer on Twitter and Instagram for more pop culture chatter.
Read Next: Pune Highway Review: Weirdly Comical, Serves 90s Style Thrills (Audion Version Below)
