Spooky in Love review: Park Eun-bin and Yang Se-jong make ghosts look surprisingly romantic

By its sixth episode, Spooky in Love has found the sweet spot between ghostly mysteries, romantic tension and the kind of bickering that makes me wonder whether the leads are going to solve a murder or argue about who caused the problem in the first place.

Spoilers ahead!

Based on the 2011 film Spellbound, the ongoing Korean drama follows Cheon Yeo-ri (Park Eun-bin), a chaebol heiress and hotel CEO with a rather inconvenient secret: she can see ghosts. Unfortunately, her supernatural troubles do not end there. Anyone she touches can see them too, which makes romance considerably more complicated. Most people worry about awkward first dates; Yeo-ri has to consider whether holding someone’s hand might introduce them to an angry spirit.

She crosses paths with Ma Kang-wook (Yang Se-jong), a prosecutor investigating unsolved murder cases who also happens to be terrified of ghosts. It is a wonderfully unfair arrangement. Yeo-ri cannot escape ghosts, while Kang-wook would probably prefer to file a formal complaint against the entire paranormal world.

As they begin working together to solve supernatural cases, the two slowly develop romantic feelings. By Episode 6, the drama has captured the feeling of a proper rom-com. The ghosts may be important, but the heart of the series lies in the growing relationship between Yeo-ri and Kang-wook.

I have particularly enjoyed seeing Park Eun-bin play a chaebol heiress. The costume and make-up departments have done a flawless job of dressing her for the role. Her wardrobe is polished, elegant and suitably expensive-looking, while her styling complements Yeo-ri’s position as a powerful hotel CEO. She looks like someone who could approve a luxury hotel renovation before breakfast and then spend the evening being followed by ghosts.

Yet Eun-bin does not allow the glamour to overshadow the character’s emotional struggles. Beneath Yeo-ri’s composed exterior is someone who has spent years living with a frightening ability that has left her isolated. She brings enough vulnerability to the role to make that loneliness feel genuine.

Yang Se-jong is equally entertaining as Kang-wook. His character is a prosecutor, meaning he is expected to confront danger and solve difficult cases. However, the moment a ghost appears, his courage seems to consider taking an unscheduled holiday. That contrast creates some of the show’s funniest moments.

The chemistry between Eun-bin and Se-jong is one of the drama’s biggest strengths. Their back-and-forth bickering is fun to watch, and their arguments never feel like they exist merely to delay the romance. There is an easy rhythm to their scenes, with both actors playing off each other naturally. Their relationship is gradually moving beyond irritation and reluctant partnership, although neither appears especially eager to admit it.

The supernatural cases also add emotional weight to the story. Many of the ghosts are connected to people who died unjustly, ensuring that the horror elements are not limited to sudden appearances and dramatic sound effects. The series generally balances these darker moments with humour, preventing the story from becoming too heavy.

My biggest question so far concerns Kang Min-hwan, played by Ong Seong-wu. He is interesting, but the drama has not yet done enough with him. Is he a villain? Is he simply the second lead? Is he secretly working towards something more complicated? Or is the show keeping his motivations locked away in a supernatural cupboard?

By Episode 6, I still want more information about what drives Min-hwan. The mystery surrounding him may be deliberate, but giving viewers a little more insight into his motivations would make his storyline stronger. At present, he feels important without the drama fully explaining why.

The show’s strangest loophole arrives at the end of Episode 4, when viewers are led to believe that Kang-wook has died. It is a dramatic cliffhanger and briefly made me question how the series planned to continue without one of its leads.

Episode 5, however, quickly reveals that Kang-wook is alive and that doctors have successfully brought him back. The emotional relief is immediate, but then comes the part that left me more confused than the ghost cases: Kang-wook appears to be walking outside almost immediately after being saved.

I could not help wondering whether the hospital had an unusually efficient discharge policy. Someone has just been brought back to life, and the next logical step appears to be allowing him to stroll around outside. Perhaps the doctors were busy, perhaps the supernatural rules are different, or perhaps everyone simply decided that the plot needed him elsewhere.

It is an odd detail, particularly because the Episode 4 cliffhanger is presented with such seriousness. The quick recovery reduces some of its dramatic impact, even if it does provide an unintentionally amusing moment.

Still, this is not enough to take away from what Spooky in Love does well. The series is charming, entertaining and surprisingly comforting despite being filled with ghosts. Eun-bin and Se-jong’s chemistry carries much of the show, while their playful arguments give the romance a lively energy.

Six episodes in, Spooky in Love feels like a classic romantic comedy that accidentally wandered into a haunted building and decided to stay. It still needs to develop Min-hwan further and be a little more careful with its dramatic logic, but the central pairing remains enjoyable enough to keep me watching.

For now, the ghosts may be frightening, the mysteries may be unresolved and the hospital procedures may be questionable, but the romance is working. And in a show where touching someone can make them see ghosts, that may be the most impressive thing of all.