Spooky in Love Is Netflix's Newest Hit: Park Eun-bin's Ghost Rom-Com, Explained

KPulse Daily · K-Drama
Spooky in Love
Park Eun-bin's ghost rom-com is quietly taking over Netflix

πŸ“Ή Official trailer — Netflix K-Content (YouTube)

If your Netflix homepage suddenly looks a little haunted, here's why: Spooky in Love — a horror rom-com starring Park Eun-bin — has become one of the summer's quietest, fastest-climbing K-drama hits. Two weekends in, it's already sitting inside Netflix's global non-English Top 10 and pulling monster ratings back home in Korea.

It's not the loudest launch of the year. But it might be the stickiest. Here's what the show is, the numbers behind the hype, and why Korea and the rest of the world are reacting a little differently.

What is Spooky in Love?

Spooky in Love (μ˜€μ‰­ν•œ μ—°μ• , literally "Chilling Romance") is a 12-episode tvN drama that streams globally on Netflix. It premiered July 18, 2026, and airs every Saturday and Sunday. It's a remake of the 2011 Korean film Spellbound, written by Choi Jung-mi and directed by Lee Min-soo.

The setup: Park Eun-bin plays Cheon Yeo-ri, a chaebol heiress and hotel CEO who secretly sees ghosts and gets haunted every night by spirits who died unjustly. Yang Se-jong plays Ma Gang-uk, an ace prosecutor whose single greatest fear is… ghosts. When the two discover that a single touch turns them into a weirdly effective crime-solving duo, they team up to crack unsolved murders — and, this being a rom-com, slowly fall for each other. Add Ong Seong-wu (formerly of Wanna One) as Kang Min-hwan, a rival hotel heir and a character created just for the drama, in what's being called his first villain-leaning role.

The numbers: a genuine hit

This is where it gets impressive. In Korea, episode 1 drew around 729,000 viewers, and episode 2 climbed to roughly 1.34 million — enough to make it the number one show in the country that weekend, even against a special news broadcast. By its second weekend (episodes 3 and 4), the drama had risen to about 5.8% in nationwide ratings, which is a strong number for a weekend cable drama.

Globally, the story is just as good. On just two episodes, Spooky in Love cracked the #8 spot on Netflix's non-English chart, racking up around 1.7 million views and 3.5 million hours watched. For a show that isn't a franchise, isn't a sequel, and launched at the tail end of a packed July slate, that's a real signal.

Why it's clicking

Two words: Park Eun-bin. Fresh off Extraordinary Attorney Woo, Castaway Diva, and the superhero comedy The WONDERfools, she's one of the most trusted names in K-drama right now, and international fans followed her straight into this one. Reviewers have singled out her performance as the show's anchor.

The other reason is the vibe. A ghost-seeing lead, a supernatural mystery-of-the-week, and a slow-burn romance — global viewers keep comparing it to Hotel Del Luna, one of the all-time crossover K-drama hits. If you liked that blend of spooky and swoony, this lands in the exact same pocket.

The moment fans are talking about

Momentum built fast in the second weekend. Across episodes 3 and 4 (July 25–26), the story finally let the two leads collide properly: a guard-down moment for Yeo-ri, and Gang-uk experiencing her ghost-seeing ability firsthand and starting to understand what she carries. That shift — from suspicion to real partnership — is exactly the beat these romances live or die on, and it landed. A late twist tied to Yang Se-jong's character is what pushed the weekend chatter into overdrive and helped drive that ratings jump. Episode 5 arrives August 1, so the timing to catch up is perfect.

πŸ‡°πŸ‡· The Korean side vs. 🌎 the global side

πŸ‡°πŸ‡· In Korea: The conversation is about the ratings climb and, more recently, a plot twist involving Yang Se-jong's character that had viewers buzzing over the weekend. There's also genuine affection for Park Eun-bin's return to a weekend drama so soon — she's treated as a reliable ratings guarantee, and the numbers are backing that up.

🌎 Globally: A lot of international viewers are discovering the show cold, through Netflix's Top 10 row, with no prior context. The reaction skews toward the atmosphere and the Hotel Del Luna comparisons, plus curiosity about Ong Seong-wu stepping into a darker role after years as an idol.

πŸ“Š The gap: Korean fans are watching it as a Park Eun-bin event — a known star delivering exactly what's expected. Global fans are watching it as a fresh discovery. Same show, two totally different entry points, and both are fueling the numbers.

Why it matters

July 2026 has been a stacked month for Netflix K-dramas — The East Palace, Agent Kim Reactivated, and now this. Spooky in Love proves that a mid-budget weekend rom-com with the right lead and the right genre hook can still punch straight into the global charts without a massive marketing push. For fans, it's a reminder to check the Netflix K-drama row more often. The sleeper hits are where the fun is.

FAQ

Where can I watch Spooky in Love?
On Netflix in most regions, with new episodes dropping every Saturday and Sunday (KST). It airs on tvN in Korea. Availability can vary by country.

How many episodes are there?
12, running from July 18 through late August 2026. Episode 5 lands August 1.

Is it scary or more romantic?
It's a rom-com first, horror second. There are ghosts and creepy moments, but the heart of it is the bickering-to-loving chemistry between the leads. Think cozy-spooky, not nightmare fuel.

πŸ“‹ Key Details
TitleSpooky in Love (μ˜€μ‰­ν•œ μ—°μ• )
LeadsPark Eun-bin, Yang Se-jong, Ong Seong-wu
Episodes12 (Jul 18 – Aug 2026)
WhereNetflix (global) / tvN (Korea), Sat & Sun
Based onThe 2011 film Spellbound
πŸ’¬ Jamie's Take: I'll be honest — I almost scrolled past this one. A ghost rom-com remake didn't scream "must-watch" on paper. But Park Eun-bin has never once let me down, and about twenty minutes in I got it. It's warm, it's funny, the mystery-of-the-week structure keeps it moving, and the touch-to-solve-crimes gimmick is genuinely charming. If Hotel Del Luna lives in your comfort-rewatch pile, clear a weekend. This is your next one.

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