Well made, good writing, good acting. Yang Sẽ Jong is outstanding.
It’s a typical Korean romcom but a good one that wasn’t boring in any part, which is rare. Two good actors in Park Eun Bin and Yang Sẽ Jong. Bin is always good. Yang Se Jong is the real standout in this show. He isn’t the typical kdrama pretty boy, though he’s certainly good looking. He just comes across as so likable and sincere that he’s magnetic. He moves so gracefully and his presence is captivating. The chemistry between the two is very engaging.The story is enough to make me want to watch the next episode. It didn’t fizzle out with stupid writing half way through.
Very solid.
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The Ghosts Were Never the Real Story
As Spooky in Love comes to its finale, it stands out as one of the most entertaining supernatural romance dramas of the year. Blending romance, mystery, comedy, horror, and crime investigation, it delivers a compelling story that is equal parts heartfelt and intriguing. While it may not reach the heights of the genre's all-time greats, it succeeds by creating memorable characters, a strong central romance, and an emotionally satisfying journey.At its core, it is a story about loneliness, healing, justice, and the courage to let someone truly see you. The supernatural elements provide the hook, but the emotional relationships are what ultimately make the drama resonate. The series does an admirable job balancing multiple genres. It can be funny, suspenseful, romantic, heartbreaking, and occasionally creepy all within the same episode. While the mystery cases and ghost stories keep the plot moving, the emotional growth of the characters remains the true heart of the drama. More than anything, the series succeeds because of its leads. The connection between Cheon Yeo-ri and Ma Gang-uk feels natural and mature, making it easy for viewers to become invested in their journey.
Cheon Yeo-ri is arguably the most compelling character in the series. Despite her wealth, beauty, and success, she is deeply lonely. Her ability to see ghosts has forced her into years of isolation and emotional self-protection. Park Eun-bin delivers another exceptional performance. She captures Yeo-ri's loneliness, fear, strength, and warmth with remarkable subtlety. Much of the character's emotional journey relies on small moments and expressions, and Park handles them effortlessly. The role once again showcases her versatility as an actress, balancing comedy, romance, sorrow, and supernatural suspense without ever feeling out of place. Her greatest character arc is learning that vulnerability is not weakness and that accepting help from others does not make her a burden. Watching her slowly emerge from loneliness and rediscover trust is one of the drama's most rewarding aspects.
Ma Gang-uk served as the perfect counterpart to Yeo-ri. Intelligent, compassionate, and fiercely dedicated to justice, he never tries to change who she is. Instead, he accepts her circumstances and supports her growth. His emotional maturity sets him apart from many typical romantic drama heroes. He offers stability without being controlling and support without becoming overbearing, making him one of the most likable male leads in recent memory. Yang Se-jong brings sincerity and charm to Gang-uk. His performance gives the character a grounded warmth that makes the romance believable and emotionally satisfying. His chemistry with Park Eun-bin is one of the strongest aspects of the entire drama and carries many of the show's most memorable scenes.
Kang Min-hwan provided much of the drama's conflict and tension. Ambitious, calculating, and eager to prove himself, he serves as a strong foil to Gang-uk's integrity. While not the most complex antagonist ever written, he adds enough pressure to the story to keep the stakes high and the conflicts engaging. Ong Seong-wu effectively portrays a character who is both frustrating and compelling. He gives Min-hwan enough humanity to prevent him from becoming a one-dimensional villain while still making me want to root for him at times.
I am a stickler for finding a message in every drama I watch, and to me the central message of this one is that our deepest wounds do not make us unworthy of love. Throughout the series, Yeo-ri believes her ability and the pain it has caused make genuine connection impossible. Through her relationship with Gang-uk, she learns that acceptance and understanding are possible even in the face of our greatest fears. I particularly admired how this drama emphasized the healing power of love and trust, the importance of confronting trauma instead of hiding from it, standing up for justice regardless of personal risk, finding companionship in moments of darkness, and most importantly, letting go of guilt and embracing hope. To me, the ghosts often symbolized unresolved pain, regret, or injustice, reinforcing the idea that healing can only begin when problems are confronted rather than avoided.
Without a doubt, the drama's strengths lie in the leads' outstanding chemistry and the excellent performances of Park Eun-bin and Yang Se-jong. Add to that the unique blend of romance, mystery, fantasy, and crime investigation; the strong emotional character development; the memorable, often touching, ghost-centered cases; the satisfying balance of heartwarming and suspenseful moments; and, finally, the mature romantic relationship built on trust, patience, and acceptance.
That said, no drama is perfect, and Spooky in Love does have a few shortcomings that keep it from reaching masterpiece status. For me, the biggest issue is an identity problem. The series begins as a fascinating supernatural romance centered on a woman haunted by ghosts and burdened by an extraordinary ability. The early episodes lean heavily into the paranormal mystery, creating a distinctive atmosphere that sets the drama apart. However, as the story progresses, the focus gradually shifts toward romance, corporate intrigue, and crime investigation. While these elements remain entertaining, the supernatural aspects that initially made the drama feel unique became increasingly sidelined.
Ironically, the drama's greatest strength is also what contributes to this weakness. The chemistry between Park Eun-bin and Yang Se-jong is so compelling that the romance naturally becomes the centerpiece of the story. While that romance is unquestionably the show's strongest asset, it occasionally comes at the expense of further exploring Yeo-ri's ghostly world and the mythology surrounding her abilities. Their relationship is engaging enough to carry the series through its shortcomings, but by the finale, I still felt there was untapped potential in the supernatural side of the story.
Additionally, some supporting conflicts and antagonists are not as memorable or as fully developed as the central characters. While they serve their narrative purpose, few leave the same lasting impact as Yeo-ri and Gang-uk. The drama's shorter episode count also means that certain subplots and character arcs move rather quickly. The pacing generally worked in the show's favor by avoiding unnecessary filler, but there were moments where additional development would have strengthened the emotional payoff. Ultimately, these issues never derail the series, but rather create the sense that Spooky in Love falls just short of greatness. It remains a very good drama, but one can't help but wonder what it might have achieved had it fully embraced the supernatural foundation it established so effectively in its opening episodes.
That said, I fully understand that this drama is less about ghosts than it is about people. The supernatural mysteries provide the framework, but the real story is about two lonely individuals finding comfort, understanding, and love in each other. What elevates the drama above a standard romance is its emotional sincerity. The relationship between Yeo-ri and Gang-uk feels earned, the performances are consistently strong, and the story delivers a hopeful message about healing and acceptance. While it may not fully realize the potential of its supernatural premise, Spooky in Love succeeds where it matters most: creating characters worth caring about and a love story worth rooting for. As the curtain closes on this entertaining drama, I am left with a heartfelt reminder that even those haunted by their past deserve happiness, understanding, and a chance to be loved.
My final rating is 9/10 because Spooky in Love is a charming, emotionally resonant supernatural romance with excellent performances, a memorable central couple, and just enough mystery and fantasy to keep you invested until the very end.
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When you misplace the Spooky
For the most part, this was a very interesting series. Unfortunately, the script lost the main aspect of the storyline. At first, it did a great job interweaving the paranormal storyline into the romantic and family drama storylines. It was also successful in setting up the world and characters which got me invested in it. My main gripe is it lost the paranormal aspect in the middle of the series. There were many episodes that you wouldn’t even know this had one. It was a good thing that the other storylines were interesting which prevented me from dropping it. It’s just that when a series is marketed to involve ghosts, it should have ghosts throughout the series. It was very successful in connecting the multiple storylines, event, and characters together in the end. However, I was able to guess the two main plot twists very early on in the series. This did have a very interesting accidental kiss that I’ve seen in years. The cast was great and did an outstanding job. The CGI, special effects, and cinematography were amazing. Although there was wasted screen time due to many flashback scenes, they did get creative at times showing them.Random Note:
Despite the main weak aspect of the script, I’d watch it again.
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Charming, Emotional Love Story with a Side of Supernatural —Not Perfect, But Worth Your Time
I started this drama for Park Eun Bin—she's one of my favorite actresses, and I have full faith in her talent. Every work of hers I've seen has been great and makes me look forward to her projects. The second reason was the male lead, Yang Se Jong. I've seen him in only two roles, but I was smitten with him in Still 17, so I was thrilled to see him cast here—a welcome comeback for me.Moreover, the premise looked very promising. I personally love stories with themes of life beyond death or where you help the deceased—having seen and loved dramas like "Move to Heaven", "Tomorrow," and "May I Help You". All of this came together as a great mix that spelled a good drama. I watched it as it aired and was completely hooked from Episode 1. Every weekend delivered a great ghost case while progressing the main characters' background arcs and love story with finesse. As expected, the acting was top-notch, the pacing was good, the romance mature and endearing without being overbearing, and the cliffhangers extremely well done. Even with the rom-com cliches, it never felt over the top and fit well into the narrative.
Still, I wouldn’t call it a perfect 10 or a masterpiece—it had flaws. But despite them, it remained engaging, charming, and one of the noteworthy dramas of 2026.
➥ PROs:
(1) Storyline:
The drama balanced ghost cases with the heroine’s curse, her romance, and chaebol politics. None of these threads were left hanging, which is a mark of good storytelling. Midway, I discovered it was connected to the hit movie Spellbound. Rewatching the film reminded me why I loved it, and while the drama shares elements, it takes its own direction. Like the movie, it’s equally charming and deserves praise.
(2) The Acting & Romance:
The main leads—Park Eun Bin and Yang Se Jong—were remarkable. They're extremely talented and able to convey a range of emotions, so I had no doubts it would be great to see them together. Their chemistry and romance were mature—nothing over the top, but rather a quiet love that blooms, which is what I love. There were some cliches, but nothing extraordinary. In fact, the love confession was one of the best I've seen in K-dramas. I personally loved it—mature, sincere, and even with limited dialogue and no fanfare, it gave me butterflies and made me smile so much. Full credit to their acting—I love how they convey so much, especially through their eyes.
Even the supporting cast—the FL's grandmother, secretaries, ML's grandmother, and co-workers—blended in seamlessly with the main story. They were exactly as they were meant to be: supportive without outshining the leads, with their own characters and stakes, making everything harmonious. This was a great facet of the drama.
(3) The OST:
After a very long time, I've loved more than one song in a drama. In fact, all the OSTs were beautiful and fit so well with every scene—emotional, romantic, or when the FL-ML duo solved cases together. My favorite remains "Promised Rings by Kim Tae Rae" —when you watch the drama, you'll get the context, and it will hold more meaning than listening to it standalone. It's earned a place in my playlist. The last drama to achieve this feat (more than one song added to my playlist) was probably "Lovely Runner", as far as I can recall (I added four from that one). Other songs dear to me are "Stay with Me" and "Love and Ghost"
(4) The Styling, Direction:
Given this was a ghost/mystery-solving story, I loved how it was directed. It wasn't scary or spooky, but it kept the element of surprise at every twist and turn within an episode—and, of course, at the end of each episode with a great cliffhanger. The story narrative plus clever direction, going back and forth without confusing the audience, really kept you wanting more of both the cases and the main leads' stories.
FL - Eun Bin's styling was especially great—I loved her clothes, accessories, and hair color (now on my wishlist). Her overall look made her appear super graceful and chic. I was surprised myself; I'm usually not a fan of chaebol styling because I feel it's too blingy and over the top, and such characters are often portrayed as ostentatious. Maybe it felt endearing because we knew the FL was kind—she acted cold but wasn't. There was a vulnerable, sad side to her, so it never seemed flashy. She seemed in control, graceful, and made you want to root for her.
(5) Green Flag ML, Strong FL:
I liked that both the ML and FL were shown to be equally good at their work. No one was dependent on the other, and there was no damsel in distress. In fact, the FL was strong and literally kicked ass—I love such characters. And the ML was such a green flag—caring and honest. There came a point where he had to choose between love and family, and he handled it with such poise, without hurting either party, that it was really well done. Bit of a spoiler: I really liked when it was said that the ML would have to support the FL because her work would be larger in scope than his. This pissed off the ML's grandmother, but the ML handled it super well. I personally loved this—especially in this age, where women in leadership still face many challenges, it was refreshing to watch.
➥ CONs:
(1) Weak Antagonists:
The villains—family rivals and the SML—felt underutilized. They had potential to be cruel and add fire to the story, but were never fully developed. It was as if they were simply there to cause issues for the main leads, like any good story needs a villain - but with low impact. It doesn't affect the overall narrative, but some scenes of their plotting felt like bumps in an otherwise smooth story.
(2) Low Rewatch Score + Not Masterpiece:
While everything about it is incredibly charming, I'm not compelled to label it flawless or a masterpiece per my own rating system. Again, this is because of the comparison with so many other dramas I've watched. So while this run was good, it's not a drama I might come back to or recall specific scenes to rewatch.
(3) Convenient Plot Points:
Certain recoveries, clues, and assists felt too convenient, leaving some arcs abrupt. A few extra episodes might have allowed these elements—and the antagonists—to be fleshed out better. Minor flaws, but noticeable overall.
➥ OVERALL:
Spooky in Love is an enjoyable and charming drama—a love story with an emotional, supernatural angle. It’s not flawless, but its strengths outweigh its weaknesses. For anyone exploring 2026 K-dramas, this one is worth watching.
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Light -hearted rom-com perfect for a chill day
I will start with what I enjoyed most to what I enjoyed less :✅️ The costumes & cinematography :
Park Eun Bin looks absolutely beautiful in all her outfits 😍. I’d expect nothing less from a rich heiress character like hers. And Yang Se Jong’s suave look? Simply gorgeous! I’d say their visuals complement each other so well.
✅️ Acting, character, romance & chemistry :
The entire cast delivered solid performances. I absolutely love Ma Gang Uk character. He has officially earned a spot on my list of green-flag MLs in K-drama land. I really enjoyed watching our Glove Couple. Their romance was cute and sweet, and the leads had such good chemistry. Honestly, their chemistry was the main factor that made me rate this drama higher than I probably would have otherwise.
✅️ The humor :
I really savoured the humor here. I liked that it wasn’t overdone, yet it still managed to make me smile, giggle, and even laugh out loud at times. Notable mentions: the humor in the early episodes, the scenes featuring the ML and his two assistants, and the scenes involving the two grandmothers.
☑️ The plot :
Watching the early episodes of this drama reminds me so much of The Master's Sun, where the FL also has the ability to see ghosts. The plot was indeed cliché, but I still really enjoyed it. I especially loved the first 5 episodes. There were even some scenes that genuinely scared me while watching at night 🥶. However, I still enjoyed the rest of the episodes too—especially after I started using the 3x speed function whenever the family feud drama came on screen. I have to mention this: the bloopers at the end of Episode 12 were pure GOLD! 😂 I wish more dramas would include bloopers in their final episodes too. It’s such a fun way to wrap things up!
☑️ The OST :
While none of the songs stood out as favorites for me, they fit the story perfectly.
🔴 Conclusion :
My rating was between 8 and 8.5, but I settled on 8.5 for the reasons I mentioned above. The plot of Spooky in Love was pretty basic and nothing particularly new you would forget the plot after months but I think what made the drama better was the romance and chemistry between the leads, along with the humor.
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"Good Spooky But Not Great In Love"
Spooky in Love starts strongly with funny and thrilling episodes, while the investigation parts keep the drama interesting.The romance becomes the main focus later, but after the leads become a couple, it doesn't feel as engaging as the beginning.
Park Eun-bin and Yang Se-jong have above-average chemistry, and both deliver good performances throughout the drama.
The romance has some genuinely sweet moments, although a few scenes feel slow and boring.
The final episodes become predictable, but the happy ending still makes the overall experience satisfying.
Overall, it's a good and enjoyable watch with humor, mystery, romance, and some memorable moments.
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Could have been so much more
This was one of my anticipated dramas of the year because its plot stood out to me from various recently released dramas.Its had horror mixed with romance and an interesting premise with the fl solving death cases by finding bodies. And it did start off strong , we got to see her in action and had the ghosts' backstories. The chemistry between the leads is also ever present. It should have worked. But towards the second half we are pulled into the chaebol drama and everything other than the investigation of the ghosts. The romance development also lacked. Through the end i was just dragging myself to finish it .
I wanted more from this and it just fell through.
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Enjoyed it whole heartedly ❤️?
can't believe it's already over 😭 my fav series 😭 i still remember watching the trailer and waiting for it so badly to be released only to be crying and laughing every ep 😭 the chemistry felt so natural between leads 🔥, the storyline was great, the OSTs were so beautiful.... even now i listen to them it brings back nostalgia 😭 the minhwan character was so well played.... I liked it in beginning, i hated it , i cried at the end for him 😭, the characters were so beautiful and all the emotions, expressions were well played by leads 👏🏻 I'M MISSING THEM SO BADLY ALREADY 😭I used to wait for every sat,sun 😔
Also the eye acting of the leads made it even more intense ,their crying scenes too 👏🏻🔥
Thankyou spooky in love director,staff, crew,writer,producer for giving us a great series with good cast 🙇🏻♀️
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A good drama, but a missed opportunity.
Honestly, I'm a bit disappointed. The first few episodes were really good. Curiosity builds nicely and keeps you wanting to watch the next episode, but at a certain point, the initial premise gets lost. The main storyline involving the ghosts takes a back seat to the power struggle. That bothered me a bit and spoiled the experience of watching the final episodes.Still it was a good drama with excellent actors.
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I loved them together!
I really loved this one! The main leads were so cute together and had so much chemistry. The production was high quality and the supporting cast was great. The 2nd ML was great in the story. I wish there were a few more ghost stories in the show but really enjoyed the whole series. Easy to watch and had a well wrapped up ending.Was this review helpful to you?
Not Scary Enough, Not Romantic Enough
**Strictly this Dramas is for Park Eun Bin Fans.**I got mixed feeling for this Drama, as this drama tried it best to blend Supernatural with Romance but fall short as it became regular rom-com of Love of Hotel CEO and Normal Lawyer, The concept is certainly appealing, but it doesn't have the Spookiness and it lacks Romantic Chemistry between the Leads to keep things moving. It felt like it is caught between being a spooky mystery and a lighthearted romantic comedy.
The early episodes shine with team-up banter and clever supernatural mystery-solving. However, as the show shifts toward the middle, it strays into familiar corporate in-fighting and chaebol succession rivalries. The second half relies on overly convenient plot points and rushed resolutions that undercut the story's initial momentum. Some episodes move smoothly, while others seem to stretch certain plot points longer than necessary. The supernatural elements also aren't always explored as deeply as the premise suggests. The romance is Okay , but viewers looking for a truly intense or emotionally powerful love story may find it somewhat predictable.
Park Eun Bin(as Cheon Yeo-ri): did a Great Job as the top conglomerates and the CEO of a luxury hotel She Plays naturally both as an isolated vulnerability and sharp CEO authority which reminds of IU's role in Hotel Del Luna but In this, the story and screenplay doesn't allow her to user her full potential.
Ya Se Jong(as Ma Kang-wook): as Lawyer was okay he certainly brings warmth, sincerity to a prosecutor who is terrified of the supernatural yet continually steps up to protect Yeo-ri.
Ong Seong Wu (as Kang Min-hwan):as Played a Spectacular role as antagonist in keeping the series going on, he brings a smooth, ambitious edge to rival hotel heir Min-hwan. Unfortunately, the writing leaves his character underutilized, making his villainous plotting feel more like a plot device than a genuine threat.
The Support cast also contributes some entertaining moments, however, . it felt like the writers rushed to complete the drama and didn't explore some secondary characters and they aren't developed enough, making their emotional moments feel less impactful than they should.
Jo Hye-joo (as Cheon Ha-ri): Playing Yeo-ri’s competitive cousin, Jo Hye-joo leans well into the classic corporate rival persona. Her dynamic with Kim Do-wan (Park Seung-jae) adds an extra layer of tension, though their subplot often drags the focus away from the more engaging supernatural elements.
The Ghost Crew & Ensemble: The quirky spirits that haunt Yeo-ri and the colorful staff at the prosecutor's office provide much-needed comedic relief. Veteran actress Ye Soo-jung (as matriarch Baek Gyeong-ja) also adds gravitas to the family conflict, grounding the corporate drama even when the writing strays into cliché territory.
Spooky in Love is a decent watch rather than a must-watch drama. It works well as an easy, lighthearted watch. However, under-baked villains, generic corporate tropes, and convenience-heavy resolutions keep it from being a masterpiece. At 6.5/10, it's best described as an average-to-slightly-above-average supernatural romance—good enough for a casual weekend binge, especially if you enjoy dramas that mix romance, comedy, and a touch of the supernatural
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This review may contain spoilers
A Misled Mess: Abandoned Premise, Classist Tropes, and Zero Astrology Logic
I picked up Spooky in Love for one reason: a cool supernatural premise filled with haunting, paranormal mysteries, and occult crime-solving. Sounds great, right?Wrong.
Instead of an episodic ghost-solving mystery, the paranormal plot gets hacked to death—pun fully intended. In its place, we are forced to sit through a painful, zero-chemistry "slow burn" romance where the leads just stare at each other for hours doing a slow waltz of "maybe I like him, maybe I don't."
Then, like clockwork, out comes the same tiresome K-drama bullshit: corporate inheritance wars, boardroom backstabbing, and classist propaganda. If you’re born a blue-blood elite, you’re automatically beautiful, noble, and a saint. But if you’re a commoner or an orphan? Congratulations, you’re immediately written as the parasite and villain of the year (looking right at you, Min-hwan). I am so sick and tired of these tired, elitist tropes. Grow up—it’s 2026. Move past the classist propaganda already.
To make matters worse, the writers tried to sound clever by throwing in Saju (Bazi / Chinese Astrology) via the grandmother’s absurd warning: "Don't get close to anyone born in the year of the Water Monkey (Ren Shen / 1992)."
As someone who has actually studied Bazi for years: this is absolute, uneducated nonsense.
Bazi does not work based on just a birth year. Millions of people are born in a single year—there is nothing uniquely cursed about an entire birth cohort. If the writer actually knew anything about astrology beyond surface-level pop-clichés, they would have at least brought up a Day Pillar clash, which actually explains personality friction and constant interpersonal conflict. It just goes to show how lazy the writing really is.
Final Verdict: Do not waste your time. It’s the same old classist, trope-heavy garbage masquerading as a supernatural mystery. Utterly disappointing.
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