Head Over Heels Series Review: Cho Yi-hyun Lights Up Shamanic-Rom-Com
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Teen rom-com fluff and dark supernatural forces find an unusually entertaining balance in the 2025 drama ‘Head Over Heels’, which is all about a teen’s quest to save her ‘first love’ from deadly ghosts. Park Seong-ah is a teenage shaman, busy juggling ghosts, demons, whiny customers in need of talismans, and high school exams. And just when she resolves to study harder, she falls head over heels in love with the handsome Bae Gyeon-woo, a client dragged by his grandmother to see the shaman because he is almost always in mortal danger.
Directed by Kim Yong-wan, the Korean series spans 12 episodes and is adapted from the webtoon Gyeonuwa Seonnyeo (견우와 선녀) by An Su Min. Actor Cho Yi-hyun plays lead protagonist Park Seong-ah, known as the ‘Heaven and Earth Fairy’ to her shamanic clientele, to whom she appears in a veil. International viewers might recognize Cho Yi-hyun from the hit Zombie series ‘All of Us Are Dead’, where she played a pretty annoying character, but is absolutely cute and endearing in ‘Head Over Heels’.
Choo Young-woo is the broody, aloof new student Bae Gyeon-woo, who despises shamans, unaware his classmate Seong-ah is one. With death looming and spirits chasing him, she does everything to protect him, even if she seems like a clingy, unhinged girl. This also sparks a comedic love triangle, as Seong-ah’s only friend at school, the charming Ji-ho (Cha Kang-yoon), is in love with her.
In a refreshing change, instead of acting like a typical jealous love rival, Ji-ho selflessly helps her protect Gyeon-woo from deadly spirits and malevolent forces. Their mission gets complicated when a wicked older shaman called Yeom Hwa (Chu Ja-hyeon) seems intent on making Gyeon-woo a scapegoat in her plans to serve a dangerously evil deity.
Creepy haunted houses, wailing baby ghosts, mischievous spirits, and vivid shamanic rituals: ‘Head Over Heels’ draws viewers into a richly imagined world governed by its own rules of demons, ghosts, Gods, and the underworld. On the sides, we get some high-school comedy, featuring teens haunted by creepy campus ghosts, which quickly begin to target misfortune-magnet Gyeon-woo. Unfortunately, the ghostly stuff rarely gets spooky enough to scare viewers, but it complements the largely light, entertaining tone of this supernatural teen romance.
From episode one to until the finale, Cho Yi-hyun powers ‘Head Over Heels’ as the spirited teen protagonist living a double life. At school, Seong-ah is always tired, sleepy, and quite clueless about what teens her age do, and post school, she is the hardworking, famous ‘Heave and Earth Fairy’, catering to long lines of clients, all under the watchful eye of her mentor Dongcheon (Kim Mi-kyung), a powerful senior shaman. Her crush on the gorgeous Gyeon-woo is hilariously superficial at first, but as slowly learns more about his hard life and talents as an archer, she only falls deeper in love.
Choo Young-woo becomes much more entertaining to watch in the second half of ‘Head Over Heels’, when his character is possessed by a mischievous young ghost. He shifts from a cold, brooding heartbreaker to a fun-loving troublemaker with a dangerous streak. His on-screen chemistry with Cho Yi-hyun is adorable, even though their romantic moments are lightly scattered across the 12 episodes.
Actor Cha Kang-yoon as Ji-ho, however, won me over faster than Gyeon-woo, as he is easily the most likable character in the series. Not only does Ji-ho support Seong-ah in all her shamanic chaos, but he also becomes a pillar of strength for Gyeon-woo during his darkest moments. So, alongside the sweet slow-burn romance between Seong-ah and Gyeon-woo, ‘Head Over Heels’ also delivers a comically heartwarming bromance between Gyeon-woo and Ji-ho.
A significant portion of ‘Head Over Heels’ explores antagonist Yeom Hwa’s complex ties to both Gyeon-woo and Seong-ah. Chu Ja-hyeon is electrifying in the role, delivering just the right dose of wickedness. But Yeom Hwa isn’t your typical one-note villain, her descent into darkness stems from a tragic past. Unfortunately, her backstory feels a bit repetitive, as a similar version of the same trauma is also assigned to a minor character in the series.
Yoon Byung-hee is fabulous in his portrayal of Do Ryeong, a flamboyant Shaman who often helps Seong-ah in her missions, and provides additional comic-relief in the series. Park Jung Pyo who plays Gyeon-woo’s new Archery coach is also very likable in his small role, acting as a much-needed mentor to the new student.
The final episodes of ‘Head Over Heels’ deliver a flurry of twists, including the arrival of an ‘evil deity’ that becomes a constant thorn in the side of the main characters. The spirit is wildly unpredictable and nearly impossible to exorcise, raising the stakes significantly. Some of the shamanic elements don’t always make much sense, it feels like the writers made up rules on the fly, but with supernatural stories, you just have to go along with it, as long as things don’t get too outlandish.
Overall, ‘Head Over Heels’ is a well-paced, consistently entertaining series, supported by engaging visuals and memorable performances. It’s a great pick for anyone looking for a genre-bending romance where dark supernatural forces collide with lighthearted, comedic teen love.
Rating: 8 on 10. Watch ‘Head Over Heels’ on Prime Video.
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