You feel it the moment the first ghostly flicker appears on screen: that old-school rush of romance tangled up with genuine mystery, the kind that pulls you in without preaching. Netflix has just dropped Spooky in Love, a South Korean romantic comedy horror series that adapts the 2011 film Spellbound into a richer, longer-form tale. For British audiences seeking entertainment that prioritises craft over contemporary messaging, this one hits the spot.
The story centres on Cheon Yeo-ri, a chaebol heiress and hotel CEO played by Park Eun-bin, who has the unwelcome gift of seeing ghosts. She teams up with Ma Gang-uk, a sharp prosecutor portrayed by Yang Se-jong. Their secret weapon proves simple yet inspired: physical contact between them lets the other person glimpse the spirit world too. What follows is a string of murder investigations laced with supernatural twists, where the pair must navigate both danger and the growing spark between them.
This expansion from a two-hour film into 12 episodes, each running about 70 minutes, gives the narrative room to breathe. New characters emerge, including Ong Seong-wu as Kang Min-hwan, the CEO of a rival hotel. Writers and directors have used that extra space to layer in action, investigative teamwork and plenty of occult flavour alongside the central romance. The result feels expansive rather than stretched.
The idea of turning a film into a drama series really struck me as an exciting new challenge. While the original film runs for about two hours, a 12-episode series gives us at least six times more room to expand the story and introduce new settings and elements. One of the key supernatural elements involves Yeo-ri's hands. Anyone she touches can also see ghosts. That lets us explore the premise in a much richer way and gives viewers something entirely new. Working on this project made me realise how much I enjoy stories that combine multiple genres. Romance makes up a significant part of the series, but it is also layered with occult elements, investigative teamwork and action. Bringing all of those together is what makes the project so compelling.
Park Eun-bin spoke those words ahead of launch, capturing the appeal of blending genres without forcing an agenda. Director Lee Min-soo took a similar approach, focusing on what makes Korean dramas distinctive rather than chasing international trends. He leaned into character-driven humour and those dopamine-hit comedic beats that arise naturally from the relationships on screen.
Rather than layering on contemporary ideological messaging, Spooky in Love trusts its audience to enjoy the classic tropes. The romance builds organically through shared peril and reluctant partnership. The mystery elements deliver proper stakes. The supernatural flourishes never overwhelm the human connection at the heart of it all. In an era when too much television feels compelled to lecture, this series simply tells a story with confidence and charm.
It premiered on Korean broadcaster tvN on 18 July, airing Saturday and Sunday evenings, and became available to stream on Netflix in the United Kingdom the same day. That simultaneous release means British viewers can dive straight in without waiting or hunting for subs elsewhere. The production, which began filming late last year, mixes locations including Singapore and delivers the kind of polished visuals Netflix subscribers have come to expect from top-tier Korean content.
