Discover 'Witch's Love': a charming fantasy‑romantic comedy blending identity, mystery, and heartfelt magic.
Why “Witch's Love” Casts a Spell on Your Heart
Introduction
Have you ever felt like letting go of everything and embracing a secret world? I certainly did when Kang Cho‑hong, a modern witch in Seoul, telekinetically flipped a rice soup stall’s tables. That moment sparked both laughter and wonder—and made me question what hidden parts of myself I keep bottled up. Isn’t identity often shaped by the parts we hide? Witch's Love invites you into a magical realism that heals, surprises, and reminds us that authenticity can be enchanting—and that’s exactly why it’s worth watching.
Overview
Title: Witch's Love (마녀의 사랑)
Year: 2018
Genre: Romantic Comedy, Mystery, Fantasy
Main Cast: Yoon So‑hee, Hyun Woo, Lee Hong‑bin, Kim Young‑ok, Go Soo‑hee
Episodes: 12
Runtime: ~60 minutes
Streaming Platform: Viki
Overall Story
We open on Kang Cho‑hong (Yoon So‑hee), a young witch working as a delivery woman for her grandmother’s rice soup restaurant; then we witness her using telekinesis during tense moments—revealing a hidden identity that both protects and isolates her. Her magical secret isn’t just whimsical; it underscores her struggle to belong in a society that prizes normalcy. You sense how every suppressed power mirrors emotional walls built by fear of judgment.
Enter Ma Sung‑tae (Hyun Woo), a cold, wealthy landlord haunted by childhood trauma. As he investigates a past accident, he stumbles into Cho‑hong’s world—and you can feel the tension: desire to connect, but fear of betrayal. Their budding relationship becomes a dance between vulnerability and guardedness, a reflection on how trauma shapes trust.
Supporting Cho‑hong are her two witch-grandmothers, Maeng Ye‑soon (Kim Young‑ok) and Jo Aeng‑doo (Go Soo‑hee), running the restaurant with charm and mysticism. Their culinary rituals—fermenting soup, secret family recipes—carry subtle motifs of heritage and emotional inheritance. This kitchen isn’t just a backdrop; it’s a microcosm of identity passed through generations, delivered with warmth and humor.
The cultural fabric of modern Seoul—tight spaces, community gossip, restaurant life—grounds the fantasy. The drama weaves in societal pressure to conform through side characters, like a landlord suspicious of magic, or a webtoon artist (Lee Hong‑bin) who romanticizes the unseen. These layers highlight how identity can be both hidden and revealed in everyday interactions.
Each episode builds on small discoveries—Cho‑hong’s powers, Sung‑tae’s memories, the grandmothers’ wisdom—threaded with self-discovery, acceptance, and the emotional labor needed to connect. This notion of emotional healing takes organic shape in kitchen rituals, magical mishaps, and honest confessions. The spells become metaphors for self‑expression.
By episode 12, we’re not just enchanted by magic—we’re invested in Cho‑hong’s journey to embrace her powers, Sung‑tae’s path to trust, and their shared quest for identity beyond fear. Witch's Love becomes a gentle reminder: magic isn’t always spectacular—it’s real when it helps you reveal yourself.
Highlight Moments / Key Episodes
Episode 1: Cho‑hong unleashes telekinesis to save her grandmother’s rice soup stall—an unexpected display of power that jolts both her and Sung‑tae, setting up the tension between concealment and exposure.
Episode 3: Sung‑tae revisits the site of his childhood accident; Cho‑hong’s empathy and unspoken magic help him face emotional scars. It’s a quiet but pivotal step toward trust and healing.
Episode 5: A messy magic accident in the restaurant exposes Cho‑hong’s abilities to a curious webtoon artist—forcing her to balance self‑protection with honesty, and revealing the emotional burden of secrecy.
Episode 8: Cho‑hong confronts internalized shame about her witch identity—guided by her grandmothers’ stories, she begins to reclaim power rather than hide it.
Episode 12: The final confrontation blends magic and confession: Cho‑hong uses her powers to protect those she loves, while Sung‑tae finally accepts her whole self—showing how emotional acceptance is the real magic.
Memorable Lines
"Magic is only frightening when you try to hide it." – Kang Cho‑hong, Episode 3 Said during a private moment, this line captures her turning point: embracing identity rather than fear.
"Your power doesn’t make you different—it makes you real." – Maeng Ye‑soon, Episode 5 The grandmother’s words resonate as emotional therapy, helping Cho‑hong accept her true self.
"I remember the pain, but not the accident." – Ma Sung‑tae, Episode 6 He admits vulnerability, marking the start of deeper emotional trust between the leads.
"A secret held too long becomes its own curse." – Jo Aeng‑doo, Episode 9 This warning underscores the emotional consequences of suppression and the need for honest self-expression.
"Would you rather live hidden… or live fully?" – Kang Cho‑hong, Episode 12 Her question to Sung‑tae is both a challenge and invitation—to embrace emotional risk over hidden safety.
Why It’s Special
Witch's Love charms not by spectacle, but by sincerity. While the fantasy elements add flair, what anchors this drama is its focus on identity, self-acceptance, and love that embraces truth over illusion. It's a rare K-drama where telekinesis becomes less a superpower and more a metaphor for emotional freedom—where magic is quiet, domestic, and deeply healing.
Yoon So-hee brings vulnerability and energy to Kang Cho-hong. Her portrayal balances youthful optimism with the quiet ache of a girl hiding her true nature in plain sight. As her journey progresses, you feel her yearning not just for romantic connection—but for the right to be fully seen. That longing is what makes her magic feel so real.
Hyun Woo plays Ma Sung-tae with restraint and aching tension. His performance is all slow-burn: a man constantly on the edge of emotional memory, pulled between trauma and the curiosity Cho-hong awakens. Watching him thaw—not from magic, but from presence and patience—is one of the show’s softest strengths.
The two grandmother witches, played brilliantly by Kim Young-ok and Go Soo-hee, are more than comic relief—they’re emotional anchors. Their kitchen rituals and bickering charm become metaphors for generational resilience. They cook not just food but comfort, showing how identity can be handed down like a family recipe: tested, adjusted, but ultimately healing.
The show excels in using its modest production to focus on character intimacy. A rice soup stall becomes a home. A flash of levitation becomes a heart opening. Each magical incident is rooted in emotional tension, turning everyday settings into spaces for transformation. There are no dark curses here—only the quiet challenge of living authentically in a skeptical world.
At its core, the drama addresses identity suppression: the internal cost of hiding who you are to protect yourself or please others. Through Cho-hong, it explores what happens when you stop fearing difference and begin embracing your magic—your truth. The fantasy, in that sense, becomes emotional realism.
Witch's Love is the kind of show that doesn't just make you smile—it nudges you to consider your own secret powers: your kindness, resilience, your weirdness. And it does so with such lightness and heart that even its smallest scenes feel quietly magical.
Popularity & Reception
While Witch's Love didn’t dominate ratings, it found a loyal audience who praised its blend of warmth, whimsy, and emotional sincerity. Fans on Viki lauded the gentle pace and character-driven plot, calling it a “healing drama in disguise.” Its combination of everyday settings with soft fantasy set it apart from more melodramatic offerings.
Critics highlighted the performances of the veteran actresses Kim Young-ok and Go Soo-hee as scene-stealers. Their chemistry, comedic timing, and unexpected emotional gravitas provided the backbone of the series. Viewers loved their grounded presence, often saying the witches felt like “real grandmothers who just happened to do magic.”
Online forums were filled with viewers relating to Cho-hong’s internal conflict—especially young adults navigating identity and belonging. Tumblr and Twitter fans created edits of the rice soup restaurant, posting lines like “Magic is when someone sees you and stays.”
Hyun Woo’s understated performance also received appreciation. While not flashy, his nuanced depiction of emotional healing through vulnerability resonated with many viewers. Several fans praised the show for presenting emotional intimacy without resorting to trauma porn or overwrought tragedy.
Though it didn’t win major awards, Witch's Love gained slow-burn success through word of mouth. Its gentle tone made it a go-to recommendation for fans needing emotional comfort—proving that even small dramas can leave a lasting impression.
Cast & Fun Facts
Yoon So-hee (Kang Cho-hong) took on the challenge of her first fantasy lead role in this series. Known previously for supporting roles in Memory and Let's Eat 2, she said in interviews that Cho-hong felt “closest to her real self”—a mix of awkward energy and fierce heart. She practiced basic sleight-of-hand magic to better understand the gestures of casting spells.
Hyun Woo (Ma Sung-tae), who rose to popularity through Pasta and The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop, prepared for his role by studying case studies of childhood trauma and memory repression. He also kept a mood journal during filming to track his character’s emotional arc, especially for scenes involving flashbacks.
Kim Young-ok, often called the “National Grandma,” brought decades of experience to her role as Maeng Ye-soon. She reportedly improvised several of her sharp-tongued lines, adding a natural humor that balanced the show’s themes of emotional recovery. She described the role as “a chance to cast magic with heart instead of CGI.”
Go Soo-hee (Jo Aeng-doo), known for her quirky comedic roles, added physical comedy to the kitchen scenes, often surprising staff by juggling props mid-scene. She also handpicked many of her character’s vintage accessories to reflect a playful but rooted magical aesthetic.
Lee Hong-bin (Hwang Jae-wook), a member of the boy group VIXX, played the curious webtoon artist. Fans appreciated his earnest charm and said his character offered a meta-commentary on how we romanticize the unseen. His scenes provided levity and a different lens through which to view Cho-hong’s secret world.
The drama was filmed in a small Seoul alleyway famous for traditional restaurants. Locals later reported increased foot traffic after the show aired, with tourists asking for “the witch’s rice soup place.” The actual stall was remodeled specifically for filming, down to the hand-drawn menu board.
Composer Jung Yong-jo created a breezy yet nostalgic OST. The main theme, “Everyday Magic,” features glockenspiel and soft vocals—meant to evoke the feeling of a cozy spell being cast in your kitchen. It became a surprise hit among drama OST collectors.
The series aired on MBN and Dramax, two smaller cable networks. Despite limited promotional resources, its organic appeal drew a dedicated international audience, especially in Southeast Asia, where its blend of folklore and light romance found cultural resonance.
Conclusion / Warm Reminders
Witch's Love is the kind of drama that casts a quiet spell—not with dramatic twists, but with emotional honesty, quirky humor, and a deep respect for self-acceptance. It reminds us that magic isn’t loud—it’s found in kitchens, in kindness, in showing up with your whole, weird heart.
If you’re drawn to identity healing, emotional therapy, or whimsical tales that feel like warm fairy tales for grown-ups, this drama belongs on your list. It won’t shake your world—but it just might soften it.
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