'Spirit Fingers' Ignites Global Craze as K-Healing Romance
The drama 'Spirit Fingers' is proving the power of K-youth healing romance by capturing the hearts of viewers worldwide, not just in Korea.
Based on the popular Naver webtoon of the same name, 'Spirit Fingers' has been a massive hit internationally since its release. According to global OTT Rakuten Viki, the series immediately entered the Top 10 weekly rankings by viewership in Europe, the Middle East, Oceania, and India during its first week of broadcast. It even secured the No. 1 spot in Southeast Asia, foreshadowing its significant popularity. This upward trend continued into the second week, with the show maintaining its top position in Southeast Asia while also climbing into the Top 10 across the Americas, Europe, Oceania, the Middle East, and India, solidifying its global blockbuster status.
This international success is attributed to the strong global fanbase of the original webtoon seamlessly translating to the drama, amplified by organic fan recommendations and word-of-mouth spreading through social media. The series effectively captured the heartwarming essence of a well-made healing romance and the charm of the original work, resonating with both existing fans and new viewers alike thanks to the fresh performances of the cast.
The drama's main theme centers on the growth of Song Woo-yeon (played by Park Ji-hoo), an ordinary high school student who discovers her true colors after joining the unique art club 'Spirit Fingers' (often shortened to 'Sfing'). The protagonist's journey of regaining self-esteem, the positive influence the 'Sfing' members have on each other, and the budding romance blend together to offer viewers deep empathy and healing, according to critical reception. The recent broadcast, featuring a thrilling mutual confession between Woo-yeon and Ki-jeong (played by Jo Joon-young) after resolving misunderstandings, garnered significant attention.
Social media is abuzz with praise for the drama's quality and positive storyline, with comments like 'A healing drama that soothed my soul,' 'Perfectly heartwarming and fun without love triangles or villains,' and 'It perfectly captured the charm of the original webtoon.'
The production team expressed gratitude, stating, 'We are thankful to fans around the world who empathize with the warm comfort and positive energy of 'Spirit Fingers,' and the fresh performances by our actors who faithfully portrayed the original's charm.' They added, 'The word-of-mouth generated by the global fandom is incredibly meaningful.'
'Spirit Fingers' is exclusively released every Wednesday at 4 PM KST on TVING, with two episodes available. It is also available in approximately 190 countries, including Japan via Remino, the Americas, Southeast Asia, Europe, Oceania, the Middle East, and India via Rakuten Viki, and Kazakhstan and Russia via ivi.
Korean netizens have reacted positively, with comments such as: 'I really felt healed watching this drama,' 'It was so good to see Woo-yeon grow,' and 'I can't wait for the next episode!'