tvN’s new Monday-Tuesday drama 'Head Over Heels,' starring Cho Yi Hyun and Choo Young Woo, got off to a strong start, garnering an enthusiastic response from its very first episode. With its intriguing premise, immersive direction, and solid acting performances, the drama immediately captured viewers’ attention.
According to Nielsen Korea, the first episode, which aired on June 23, recorded an average viewership rating of 4.7% in the Seoul metropolitan area with a peak of 5.6%, and 4.3% nationwide with a peak of 5.2%. This ranked first among all cable and general programming channels in its time slot, and surpassed the premiere (3.4%) and finale (3.6%) ratings of its predecessor 'Second Shot at Love' by 0.9 and 0.7 percentage points, respectively.
The drama also performed strongly among tvN’s key 20–49 age demographic, recording a nationwide peak of 2.0%, ranking #1 across all channels, including terrestrial networks, during its time slot. With this, 'Head Over Heels' achieved the highest premiere ratings among tvN Monday-Tuesday dramas in 2025 so far.
Based on the popular webtoon of the same name, 'Head Over Heels' is a fantasy romance drama that follows a boy, Bae Gyeon Woo (played by Choo Young Woo), who is born with a doomed fate, and an MZ-generation shaman, Park Seong Ah (played by Cho Yi Hyun), who tries to save him. Their fateful meeting and the mysterious events surrounding them are woven together with the emotional theme of "first love," leaving a lasting impression.
The premiere episode featured the intense first encounter between the two leads. By day, Park Seong Ah appears to be an ordinary high school student, but by night, she transforms into the highly reputed shaman known as “Cheonji Seonnyeo.” One night, she dreams of a “man walking upside down” entering her temple, a sign that someone close to death is approaching. Her dream comes true when Bae Gyeon Woo literally opens the temple door in reverse and walks in. Realizing what this means, Seong Ah immediately senses the looming danger in his fate.
Determined to save him, Seong Ah launches a large-scale operation to drive out the misfortune surrounding Gyeon Woo. However, he remains extremely wary of her. Having been hurt by a shaman in the past, he has built up emotional walls and does not easily open up to others. But when Gyeon Woo unexpectedly transfers to Seong Ah’s school, their bond begins to deepen in unexpected ways. Though Seong Ah tries desperately to protect him, even revealing that she is a shaman proves to be difficult.
The climax of the episode came with a showdown against a water ghost haunting the boys' bathroom. To protect Gyeon Woo, Seong Ah even deploys a water cannon and shouts, “I protected you!” but her words are drowned out by the torrent of water. Viewers praised the fast-paced plot, calling the episode a “blink-and-it’s-over” experience.
As Gyeon Woo’s dangers continue, Seong Ah prepares an ultra-powerful talisman. Still, Gyeon Woo remains emotionally shut off. Born under a cursed fate, he struggles with not just love but everyday life itself. Yet Seong Ah is the only one who can truly reach him. The two are poised to become each other’s savior, and possibly each other’s first and last love.
The cast’s performances also stood out. Cho Yi Hyun trained for around three months to accurately portray the shaman character, receiving guidance from real-life shamans to perfect ritual sequences, mannerisms, and gestures. She shared, “I’ve always had an interest in shamanism, and the double-life aspect of the character intrigued me. I thought if I pulled this off well, it would mark growth for me as an actor.”
Choo Young Woo described his character Bae Gyeon Woo as “someone who accepts death as his destiny,” adding, “Though he pushes people away, he harbors a tender heart underneath. As his emotions deepen over time, he becomes a rewarding character to portray.”
Immediately after the broadcast, viewers flooded social media and the drama’s forums with praise, leaving comments including, “Their chemistry is insane!” “Choo Young Woo scores a fourth consecutive hit with a fantasy romance!” “Can’t wait to see how the chemistry evolves!” “It beat the premiere ratings of He’s a 'My Dearest Nemesis,' 'The Divorce Insurance,' and 'Second Shot at Love'.”
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