Head Over Heels Episode 9 Review: Ghosts and Deaths Loom!

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Oh no! Teen shaman Seong-ah (Cho Yi-hyun) has been trying so hard to protect her first love – the handsome, talented archer Bae Gyeon-woo (Choo Young-woo) – from ghosts, spirits, and trouble, but the dark world of deadly forces always finds him.

Recap of ‘Head Over Heels’ Episode 8

Despite being under the watch of senior shaman Dongcheon (Kim Mi-kyung), the evil Yeom-hwa (Chu Ja-hyeon) plots to turn the mischievous spirit Bong-su, currently possessing Gyeon-woo, into her deity. While the ‘good’ shamans worry about the spirit’s danger, Bong-su mostly comes off as a prankster. Seong-ah and Gyeon-woo’s blooming romance is complicated by Ji-ho (Cha Kang-yoon) finally convincing his feelings for Seong-ah too. Surprised, she promises to solve their love triangle after the exorcism of Bong-su from Gyeon-woo’s body. The chapter ends with Yeom-hwa doing a nefarious ritual to bind herself with Bong-su, putting Seong-ah crush in serious danger.

Episode 9 of ‘Head Over Heels’

This episode opens with Gyeon-woo realizing he can now see ghosts, a chilling sign that he’s drifting closer to becoming something supernatural, trapped between life and death. But with an archery tournament to win, he tries to carry on as normal, while Seong-ah, unaware of the full extent of his condition, does everything she can to keep him safe. Ji-ho also takes part in the competition, still peeved at the proximity between his friends.

Chu Ja-hyeon delivers a standout performance as Yeom-hwa in this episode of ‘Head Over Heels’, portraying a grieving mother turned antagonist after her seniors prevented her from reviving her deceased child through supernatural means in the past. While the emotional angle is effective, the “tragic mom turned villain” trope feels a bit recycled, especially since the series already explored similar territory with a baby ghost storyline earlier on.

The romance is thin in this chapter of ‘Head Over Heels’, although viewers do get a few cute moments between the lead pair. Most of the drama is focused on the battle of wills and shamanic powers between Yeom-hwa and the young, bright Seong-ah. The teen shaman starts falling ill, and with more evil spirits lurking around the school, her powers might not prove enough to keep things under control.

At this point, the show is beginning to feel just a teeny bit overstretched, but there are only three more episodes left to go. So hopefully the plot will have to pick up pace soon. Besides, episode 9 ends with a solid game-changing cliffhanger, a supernatural, spooky one!

Watch ‘Head Over Heels’ on Prime Video.

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