Spooky in Love (오싹한 연애) has been airing weekly on tvN since July 18, and it’s turned into one of the season’s most talked-about K-dramas — thanks largely to Park Eun-bin, who’s quickly becoming one of Korea’s most versatile leading actresses. If you’re after a supernatural romance that doesn’t take itself too seriously, this one’s worth your attention.
Quick Glance
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Rating | 7.5/10 |
| Genre | Horror, Comedy, Romance, Fantasy |
| Episodes | 12 |
| Network | tvN (also on Netflix) |
| Airs | Saturdays & Sundays, 9:10 PM KST |
| Lead Cast | Park Eun-bin, Yang Se-jong, Ong Seong-wu |
| Based On | The 2011 film Spellbound |
| Best For | Fans of quirky, low-stakes supernatural rom-coms |
What Is Spooky in Love About?
Cheon Yeo-ri (Park Eun-bin) is the elegant heiress of one of Korea’s top conglomerates and CEO of a luxury hotel — and she’s hiding a fatal secret: she’s been able to see ghosts since a childhood accident, haunted nightly by spirits who died unjustly. It’s why she wears gloves constantly and avoids physical contact with anyone: touch her, and you inherit the ability to see ghosts too. It’s less a superpower than a curse she’s spent her life quietly managing alone.
Ma Gang-uk (Yang Se-jong) is a sharp, principled prosecutor working to solve cold case murders — and, in one of the show’s better running jokes, he’s genuinely, deeply terrified of ghosts, despite being fearless in the face of actual criminals. Their paths keep crossing because Yeo-ri’s ability to see the dead gives Gang-uk access to leads no ordinary investigator could ever uncover, pulling the two of them into the same unsolved cases again and again.
The show is a remake of the 2011 film Spellbound, expanded from a single movie into a 12-episode series with more corporate drama, deeper mystery plotting, and considerably more room for its central relationship to develop. Structurally, it works as a hybrid: each episode wraps a self-contained ghost case, while a larger mystery — tied to Yeo-ri’s family, a hotel conglomerate power struggle, and a shadowy rival named Kang Min-hwan — builds steadily underneath. A hotel booking mix-up early on throws Yeo-ri and Gang-uk into unexpectedly close quarters, and from there, the show leans hard into “forced proximity without being able to touch” as its central romantic tension — since one accidental touch means passing the ghost-curse on to someone she cares about.
Why You Should Watch It
If you’ve scrolled Netflix Korea’s lineup this summer, you’ve probably noticed most of it skews dark — The East Palace is dense dark fantasy, Agent Kim Reactivated is soaked in action and violence. Spooky in Love is positioned as the palate cleanser in that lineup: ghosts and murder cases are present, but the tone stays light, funny, and low-stakes by design.
A few specific reasons it’s worth your time:
- Park Eun-bin’s performance alone is worth the watch. Since her breakout in Extraordinary Attorney Woo, she’s built a reputation as an actor you can trust blind, and this role plays directly to her strengths — she shifts convincingly between icy corporate composure, real vulnerability, and sharp comic timing, often within the same scene.
- The “can’t touch” mechanic is a genuinely clever twist on a familiar trope. Rather than the usual slow-burn hand-holding, every near-touch between the leads carries real stakes, and the show gets a lot of comedic and romantic mileage out of characters awkwardly avoiding contact.
- It doesn’t overstay its welcome per episode. Each case resolves within its own episode, so the show never drags the way some longer mystery-format dramas can — you get a complete story every time, with the bigger arc quietly progressing in the background.
- Gang-uk’s fear of ghosts flips the usual dynamic. Instead of a stoic male lead protecting a vulnerable female lead, it’s Yeo-ri who’s steady and composed around the supernatural, while Gang-uk is the one who needs reassurance — a small but refreshing role-reversal for the genre.
Our Rating: Spooky in Love
TheReviewShelf Rating: 7.5/10
Since the series is still airing (it wraps August 23), this reflects the episodes released so far.
Pros
- Park Eun-bin is the clear standout. She moves fluidly between chaebol-heiress composure, ghost-haunted vulnerability, and genuine comic timing — several reviewers have specifically praised her range in this role.
- Fun, chaotic chemistry between the leads. The show leans into bickering-couple energy rather than a slow, brooding romance, which keeps episodes light even when the ghost cases get dark.
- The horror-comedy balance mostly works. It doesn’t take its supernatural elements too seriously, making it an easy watch even for viewers who don’t usually go for horror.
- Well-cast supporting ensemble, including Ong Seong-wu, who adds another layer to the show’s love-triangle-adjacent dynamics.
Cons
- Some viewers feel the balance is off. A few reviews have noted Park Eun-bin’s character dominates the narrative more than the marketing suggested, occasionally sidelining Yang Se-jong’s arc.
- Pacing dips in early episodes, with a few viewers noting the show takes a few episodes to really find its footing.
- The ghost-of-the-week structure can feel repetitive if episodic mystery formats aren’t your thing.
Similar Dramas to Watch
- Our Sticky Love — Netflix itself lists this as a companion pick to Spooky in Love, and it’s easy to see why: another romance blending comedy with a hidden-secret premise. We reviewed it here if you want the full breakdown.
- Master’s Sun — An earlier ghost-seeing romance classic that clearly influenced this genre, following a woman who sees ghosts and the man whose touch makes them disappear.
- Extraordinary Attorney Woo — Another Park Eun-bin vehicle, if her performance here is what’s drawing you in.
- Alchemy of Souls — For fans of supernatural elements blended with romance and mystery, on a larger fantasy scale.
Should You Watch Spooky in Love?
If you want a rom-com that doesn’t take itself too seriously, with a genuinely great lead performance carrying it, this is an easy recommendation — especially if you’re already a Park Eun-bin fan. Just go in expecting comedy-forward supernatural fun rather than a slow-burn prestige drama, and you’ll likely have a great time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Spooky in Love on Netflix? Yes — it airs on tvN in Korea and is also available to stream on Netflix internationally.
How many episodes does Spooky in Love have? 12 episodes, airing weekly (Saturdays and Sundays) from July 18 to August 23, 2026.
Is Spooky in Love based on a movie? Yes — it’s a remake of the 2011 Korean film Spellbound.
Who stars in Spooky in Love? Park Eun-bin, Yang Se-jong, and Ong Seong-wu lead the series.
What happens if someone touches Yeo-ri in Spooky in Love? Yeo-ri’s ability to see ghosts transfers to anyone she touches skin-to-skin, which is why she wears gloves at all times and deliberately avoids physical contact — a rule that drives a lot of the show’s romantic tension with Gang-uk.
Is Spooky in Love scary? Not really — despite the ghost and murder-case elements, the show is intentionally light and comedy-forward rather than genuinely frightening. If you want real horror, this isn’t it; if you want spooky atmosphere without the scares, it fits well.
Who is Kang Min-hwan in Spooky in Love? He’s introduced as a rival connected to Yeo-ri’s family and hotel business, tied to the season’s larger underlying mystery that runs beneath the case-of-the-week ghost investigations.
Is Spooky in Love a remake? Yes — it’s based on the 2011 Korean film Spellbound, expanded into a full 12-episode series with additional corporate drama and mystery plotting not in the original film.
How does Spooky in Love compare to Extraordinary Attorney Woo? Both star Park Eun-bin and share her knack for playing distinct, layered characters, but the shows are otherwise quite different — Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a legal drama, while Spooky in Love is a lighter horror-romance-comedy hybrid.
Does Spooky in Love have a love triangle? Ong Seong-wu’s character introduces some love-triangle-adjacent tension, though early reviews suggest the show prioritizes the central case-of-the-week and OTP (main couple) dynamic over dragging out a full triangle.