The new K-drama Spooky in Love, featuring lead actress Park Eun-bin, has quickly become a hit on both the tvN network in South Korea and Netflix globally. Debuting in mid-July, the horror romantic comedy has secured top domestic ratings and a high position on international streaming charts.
From 729,000 to 1.343 million Korean viewers
The domestic launch of Spooky in Love demonstrated rapid growth in audience engagement within the South Korean market. According to the report, the first episode drew approximately 729,000 viewers,a number that nearly doubled to 1.343 million by the second episode. This surge allowed the series to claim the top spot for the weekend of July 18 and 19,despite competing against a special news broadcast.
This domestic success on tvN provides a critical foundation for the show's longevity. With five more weeks of dual weekly releases scheduled, the series is positioned to maintain its grip on the Korean television landscape throughout the summer.
The 3.5 million hours that propelled Spooky in Love to #8
While domestic numbers are strong, the international appetite for Spooky in Love has been equally aggressive. As reported, the series secured the #8 position on Netflix's global non-English language charts for the tracking week of July 13-19. This ranking is particularly notable because the show was only available on the platform for two days during that specific window.
During those 48 hours, Spooky in Love garnered 1.7 million views and 3.5 million hours of watch time.. These figures nearly eclipsed the performance of June's hit Teach You a Lesson, suggesting that the series possesses a viral quality that transcends regional boundaries.
Five of ten: The K-drama dominance of Netflix's non-English charts
The success of Spooky in Love is not an isolated event but part of a broader trend of Korean content saturation on Netflix. Currently, five of the top ten series in the global non-English category are K-dramas, showcasing a versatility that spans multiple genres. This includes the action-thriller Agent Kim Reactivated and the dark fantasy series The East Palace, the latter of which currently holds the #2 spot on the chart.
This trend suggests that Netflix's strategy of investing in both licensed and original Korean productions is paying off. By diversifying into horror rom-coms alongside traditional thrillers, the platform is capturing a wider demographic of global viewers who are increasingly comfortable with non-English narratives.
Park Eun-bin's ghost-seeing CEO and the chaebol twist
Much of the draw for Spooky in Love is attributed to the star power of Park Eun-bin, who previously gained acclaim in Extraordinary Attorney Woo and Castaway Diva. In this series, Park Eun-bin plays Cheon Yeo-ri, a hotel CEO and member of a wealthy chaebol family who possesses the ability to see ghosts.
The narrative adds a supernatural complication: anyone who touches Cheon Yeo-ri becomes haunted as well. This plot point forces the character into isolation, wearing gloves to avoid contact, until she meets prosecutor Ma Kang-wook, played by Yang Se-jong. This blend of corporate power dynamics and spectral intrigue differentiates the show from more standard romantic comedies.
Will Spooky in Love match the cultural splash of Agent Kim Reactivated?
Despite the impressive numbers, a lingering question remains regarding whether Spooky in Love can achieve the same level of cultural saturation as Agent Kim Reactivated,which the report notes had a larger "cultural splash" a month prior. While the viewership numbers are high, it remains to be seen if the horror rom-com elements will spark the same widespread social media discourse as the action-thriller genre.
Additionally, the source focuses heavily on quantitative data from Nielsen and Netflix, leaving a gap in qualitative analysis. It remains unclear how critics have received the chemitry between Park Eun-bin and Yang Se-jong, or if the "haunting touch" mechanic is viewed as a fresh innovation or a derivative trope of the genre.
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