Park Eun-bin's 'Spooky Romance' Rebounds in Week Two, Eyes K-Drama Rom-Com Revival

tvN's weekend drama "Spooky Romance" is showing early signs of momentum, climbing in ratings after just two episodes. The question now is whether it can pull the sluggish Korean rom-com market back to life.

The show premiered on the 18th with a 3.0% household rating nationwide, then jumped to 5.3% the next night in its second episode. That kind of second-episode bump is rare in the current landscape, and it has drawn attention to lead actress Park Eun-bin's image shift and her chemistry with co-star Yang Se-jong.

"Spooky Romance" is an occult romance about Cheon Yeo-ri (played by Park), a chaebol heiress who can see ghosts, and Ma Gang-wook (Yang), a fiery prosecutor who happens to be terrified of them. The drama is a remake of the 2011 film of the same name, which starred Son Ye-jin and Lee Min-ki.

The Saturday-night drama slot is packed. SBS's "Kim Bujang," starring So Ji-sub, recently hit 23.1%. JTBC's "Apartment" with Ji Sung and KBS2's "Completion of Marriage" with Nam Goong-min are also in the mix. "Spooky Romance" is holding its own in that crowded field.

On the 18th, episode 8 of "Kim Bujang" hit its series-high 23.1%. But the next night, with "Kim Bujang" off the air, "Spooky Romance" set its own new high. "Kim Bujang" wraps up on the 25th, which raises another question: will some of its weekend audience move over to "Spooky Romance"?

The project is a meaningful pivot for Park. She started acting in 1997 with MBC's "Love and Farewell" and has spent nearly three decades moving through genres. She played sharp-edged characters in the Disney+ medical thriller "Hyper Knife" last year and this year's Netflix action-adventure "Wonderfuls." With "Spooky Romance," she returns to romance for the first time since tvN's "Castaway Diva" in 2023.

For fans, Park as a chaebol heiress is a welcome change of pace. The first episode leaned into varied styling and a lighter, brighter energy than her recent roles. Her chemistry with Yang, who is the same age, has drawn early praise, along with her steady line delivery and natural vocal tone.

At the show's press conference, Park was asked about her ratings target. "We've never once talked about ratings on set," she said. "I'm just proud of the environment where K-content is loved this much." Director Lee Min-soo took a more direct swing. "I'd love it to start at 5% like the 'oh' in 'ossakhan,' and end at 18% like our premiere date," he said. "I envy shows that pull big numbers." Two episodes in, the show is already close to that early benchmark.

The wider rom-com landscape has been quiet. Currently airing titles include tvN's "See You Tomorrow at Work," ENA's "Dream for You," and Lifetime's "Empathy Cells," but the genre's overall buzz isn't what it used to be. "See You Tomorrow at Work" has split viewers over its faithfulness to the original webtoon, its comedic touch, and its lead pairing, and its ratings are stuck in the 4% range. ENA's "Dream for You," led by Hwang In-yeop and Hyeri, opened in the 2% range and hasn't found a clear rebound yet.

Against that backdrop, "Spooky Romance" is betting on its occult-plus-romance hook. Episode 2 introduced Ong Seong-wu as hotel heir Kang Min-hwan, shifting the story's shape. The show is building out its central relationships and a love triangle from the start, hoping to hold viewer attention through the early stretch.

Not every reaction has been glowing. Some viewers have called the direction a bit cheesy. The occult-romance mix can feel fresh, but if the tone slips, the show risks feeling scattered. Sustaining the early climb will take more than the Park–Yang chemistry. The writing and the direction have to steady the ship too.

Two episodes in, "Spooky Romance" has already flipped its ratings arrow upward and hinted at a possible reset for the rom-com genre. With "Kim Bujang" ending on the 25th and the weekend audience about to shift, the real test is whether "Spooky Romance" can keep climbing and change the mood of a stalled market.