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My inner hopeless romantic has awakened.
Nothing is perfect. This series has a lot of little flaws and plot holes here and there, but without a doubt still deserves the popularity and praise it has received up till now.(warning: includes some specific scenes/details that may be spoiler to some)
I haven't watched very many kdramas so I'm not well versed in its world and cliches, but I have a very refined taste when it comes to what I consume. This series left such a wonderful aftertaste in my mouth that I can't find myself being satisfied with anything else for a long awhile. I started watching this randomly as it was on my bookmarks from a recommendation on some forum, but I never knew it would drastically awaken something deeply buried inside me: the young, hopeless romantic child in me.
CHARACTERS
In terms of character writing, I must say that the male lead has awaken the inner romantic child inside of me. It was my first time watching this actor and I couldn't help myself from staring at his beautiful, godly face. Holyshit he is HOT. I've never had a crush on an actor like this before, mind you. His face was perfect for his role, not to mention the character writing was obviously pandering to young romantics given the cliche nature of this "innocent but strong lone wolf falls in love for the first time" stereotype. But they handled that character really well in my opinion. It wasn't completely unrealistic and there were no extra gimmicks. He's just a very (highly) skilled antisocial man. The female lead character was also well-written to fit the male lead. She wasn't a damsel in distress that needed someone to save her, she was ambitious, enthusiastic, and fierce. I loved her upbeat, relatable personality with the dancing and singing and smiles. There are certain moments where she seems dumb with her choices but it wasn't anything irritating. To be honest I really loved the main characters writing. They seemed carefully crafted in fine detail with lots of thought put into. They were lovable to the point that you just want to meet them too. All the other characters weren't as memorable, but they weren't flat cardboard cutouts either. They did a fine job with the acting that you wouldn't really notice anything bad. You will be sucked into their world in no time.
ROMANCE
I was never interested in romance on kdrama until I watched this show. In fact, I skipped almost all the cheesy and borderline cringy scenes with main characters except for this one. The romance in this series was well-written, with natural depth and gradual development. I found myself getting interested and attached to their relationship, rooting for their happy ending. There were no unnecessary rivals, love triangles, misunderstandings. The love was pure and honest, they tell each other how they feel without beating around the bush or sappily dragging an incident all day long. Their chemistry would suck you in dry but will leave you wanting for more. For me, the way the developed feelings for each other was my favorite (the first few episodes when they met and interacted). Especially the scene where they were being hunted by a group of gangsters and she wanted to protect her junior. That was a very special scene to me out of everything this series had to offer (well, that scene AND the "spend the night under these white bedsheets" scene. Fuck, those two are just... chef's kiss.)
MYSTERY
I think this has the lowest points for me. The first few episodes were intriguing, but got confusing. There were hints scattered all around but I don't think all of them were picked back up again to be explained in the end. One example I could think of was Ji An's backstory. In the beginning it was apparent that she was traumatized after being abused and hit (which she ended up having broken ribs for), but it was never fully addressed in the end how it happened despite the trauma being a part of her while the story progressed (she gets seizures after seeing violence, and a little bit of flashback often appear). Who hit her? who abused her? because of the way the story was laid out, everyone would assume it was someone she knew, but I guess the writers wanted to leave it up to our own imagination. There are a few more instances like this, but overall it shouldn't be too much of an issue and you can just turn a blind eye on some of it.
ENDING
Not quite satisfying because they didn't show much of the characters lives afterwards (eg. what happened to the characters after being caught? The big brother? Ahjumma? Everyone else?) It felt a little rushed, but at least we were still given a lovely romantic scene at the end where the only thing the writers can assure us canonically is that they are now together and happy. That itself will be good enough.
MUSIC
I needed to address this so badly. The first episode hit me with that main soundtrack and I instantly fell in love. It was the first thing that made me want to keep watching because hot damn I can't get enough of that sound. I don't know what it is but I am in love with it. I was a little concerned about the way they overused it though. They used that main track for almost any scene - be it a funny, romantic, or suspenseful scene - often more than three times in one episode. I tend to enjoy my story through the music, because that's how I can reminisce and go back to particular moments in time with the characters. So now I don't know which scene I could associate that soundtrack to. I also need to specially mention their main romantic OST Eternal Love that plays usually at the end, during a romantic scene. The first time I heard it I thought of a band from my childhood that I used to listen to, and holyshit when I looked it up it WAS from them! Michael Learns To Rock! You have no idea how happy that made me feel, learning that one of my most precious favorite bands as a child was used in this precious, precious series. It made me love this even more. Those two were the most memorable ones to me, (maybe the cute little acoustic happy beat as well) but every other OST did its job very well.
OVERALL
I really enjoyed this story for the romance, which was the opposite of what I usually enjoy when watching series with concepts/mystery-driven plots. I've seen low-rated reviews and read them, and I think they have great valid points looking at this series in an objective manner (and perhaps it was simply not their preference). But for the most part, for everyone else who enjoyed this story, we were able to get past those little flaws and the series took us by the emotional level. Because of this series I wanted to draw Webtoon again. I wanted to write stories again. I even wanted to dedicate my own story heavily inspired by Healer as a character himself. His writing (the personality, looks) is just too... beautiful for me. It was all my fantasies in a full package tied neatly with a red ribbon and I never thought I'd find it. I never thought I'd the find the most fitting story for my taste in a korean drama.
Even as a writer myself, all the flaws and plot holes I noticed, I ignored happily. I can excuse whatever tiny bad details it has and give this series a shining, shimmering perfect score because of the way it made me feel.
I binged this show in two days, but I know it will stay in my heart for years to come.
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Park Min Young is cute! I watched her in What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim and Her Private Life. I have a chance to see her younger years. I can see why she is a great actress. She has no problem acting as Chae Yeong Shin. I am impressed at Ji Chang Wook’s acting. He has no problem with two personalities: Healer and Park Bong Soo. Yo Jo Tae is not bad, either. My important question is that why the hell Tae Mi as Kang Dae Yong barely have scenes? Her character is badass and strong woman who can fight! It is shameful that she doesn’t have a backstory as to why she joins with Healer.
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I really enjoy the way how things happened in the story and how the characters are solid and strong. My major disappointment here was the character Kim Moon Shik (Park Sang Won). I thought they could develop better his plot and close with more emotion. Sadly his ending was kinda tasteless considering how much he interfered in so many lives. But, put this behind, I liked the possibilities that the ending can give to us, what was different in "The K2" with your rush ending (I'm comparing a lot because I thought the male lead pretty similar in both dramas). But I expected that they could resolve the things with more details. I think this plot was so freaking insane and the end kind let an empty feeling, don't enough to call as a "gap" but that taste of "I could see more".
It was a great time of entertainment and I'm happy that I finally end this drama that so many people talk about. I'm happier because we have more that one song here! This is amazing! LOL. If you are looking for something cute and funny but also exciting and interesting, this will be a good choice for you.
P.S.: I already say that I love Ji Chang Wook? Aigooo, this cuteness!
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This is one of the best dramas I've ever seen in terms of directing. And it was not an easy one, since the genres are a little mixed and undetermined: action, journalism, melodrama and romance. You need someone qualified for this job: to get the right pace to make the action scenes thrilling and racy enough; to make the melo scenes touching and the romance scenes not to sappy. And director-nim did great at all those things.
About the cast. Well, Ji Chang Wook was definitely the man for the part. That mixture of Superman and James Bond really suited him. He's an amazing (and swoon worthy) actor.
Park Min Young was also great and her character is a lovable one. She's an easygoing yet brave and strong woman, which I appreciate every once in a while in a drama. The relationship between her and Healer feels natural and real.
And Yoo Ji Tae's charisma and presence fill the screen.
Everyone in the supporting roles is amazing, but I want to mention Woo Hee Jin, whom I loved in Moon Lovers, although she doesn't have much time on screen. And above all, Kim Mi Kyung. Actually, I don't know why her role is considered a supporting role, when her character is the key to Healer's success.
The music is good; maybe not extraordinary, but its use is so spot on in every scene that it feel great.
Not much more to say except that this is highly recommendable. Don't miss it and enjoy it.
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Healer or Ji Chang Wook always delivers
It's a good drama but, naturally, it has its flaws.The story was interesting and engaging up until episode 15. This could have easily been a 16 episode drama. The back story was sometimes confusing.
What put me off the most was the increasing eagerness to make Chae Yeong Shin afraid and/or repulsed by Seo Jung Hoo. She was the one who believe in his good side from the start, even before she met him, it makes absolutely no sense that she would be afraid of him after knowing him. It didn't seem natural to the character and so it made absolutely no sense to me to lead the story that way.
I liked the yearning, that's something I find myself missing in the dramas I've recently watched.
The OST is of its time, you can definitely tell it's an older drama because of that. It's very cringy at times but the start of the main theme and ending theme still get me excited.
Driving people to change for someone else will lead to resentment. I'm glad they put the parallel between being a journalist and a truth seeker, it's something that is missing in journalism today, they report without informing and without putting the truth above all else. Maybe watching this drama could inspire some journalists.
It disappointed me a little that they went with such tropes as asking the father for permission to date. Their meaning of being normal turned out being boring. You can be interesting and exciting without committing crimes. At least I'd like to think that I am. lol
I know he's supposed to be somewhat the best at everyhting but it didn't add up him being bedridden without any strength to push her out the door and in the next moment they have what seems to be hours of intense love making. He could barely open his eyes! Be for real! It took away the supposed "magic" of the moment.
Some other things don't add up but we'll leave it at that. It was a good watch nonetheless. The action was fantastic, Ji Chang Wook is one of the best in kdrama land.
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Watch it now! Thank me later
Finished Healer in 4 days. Why did I wait so long to watch this amazing drama ?! Every single thing about it is 10 stars - story, acting, music ... Still fighting the urge to watch it again right away :)It has everything - action, drama, thriller and romance, and all of that is packed perfectly into 20 episodes. No dull moment at all.
Most important thing is that the ending is not rushed and you don't have to wait until the end to see the love relationship forming. The timing is just right so you'll have a lot of time to enjoy it.
Also, I would like to add that I don't pay attention about the year of release. It was 2014 but it looks like it was filmed this year. It will never get old :)
This is now my No1 kdrama I would recommend people to watch first.
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My Favorite Drama Of All Time
It's hard to put my finger on just what made this drama so special. The writing, directing, and acting were all good, but it shouldn't have been revolutionary. I just finished my third rewatch of this show and have found that there is just something electric about it, from the chemistry between the leads to the fight scenes, there was always something to be endeared to. No other drama has connected with me the way this one does. I cannot recommend it enough, particularly if you like action, mystery and a little melodrama, its absolutely perfect.Esta resenha foi útil para você?
Hot Mess
This is the only TV Series that made me write a review. Everything is just perfect. The actors did their part very well. The OST omg, I've replayed it over and over and over again. And most of the JCW! I'm hooked! If you're here reading reviews to see if this is worth the while, go..Though I wished they'd expand more on the ending but still everything's really really good. If the productions planning for Season 2, please go ahead!! See the reviews and I'm sure you won't miss a dime for this.
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Call me biased but yeah I admit I'm slightly obsessed with this show. There's just something about it, the chemistry, the leads, the acting, the story, the romantic tension. I feel like in lots of ways dramas were better back in 2011-2015ish, they may look outdated now but their stories were more unique and gripping with every single episode and the chemistry was fire. And this one is the best of the best. It's my top "comfort drama" that I know I can always go back to for good feelings and romance, I could seriously re-watch it again and again.
If you haven't gotten the hint yet yeah you definitely NEED to watch it. Do give it a few episodes to get started. I actually didn't like the first episode the first time I watched, but I was definitely hooked by episode 5.
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Addictive and fun classic
When people talk about action/romance dramas Healer is often mentioned along with others like City Hunter and Descendants of the Sun. The difficulty of blending romance and action is that it seems like inevitably one or both parts feel underdeveloped, unrealistic or boring. City Hunter - which is the drama probably the most similar to Healer, given that it's about a vigilante, centres around getting revenge for a wrong committed in the past, and has the same actress in a lead role - has a lot of invigorating, well choreographed action sequences (and a weak plot) but the romance was lifeless, repetitive and full of cringe-inducing moments. Descendants of the Sun, while deeply flawed, had I think a more compelling romance which felt more central to the plot, and completely ridiculous and laughable action sequences. It's a tricky genre. How much screen time do you give the romance vs. the action? How do you incorporate them both into the main story and make both satisfying? How do you achieve a cohesive ending without sacrificing either the action or the romance in the final episodes?Healer is one of the few dramas that I think nails both the romance and the action and is able to blend them together to create a pretty seamless whole. All the independent parts of this drama - the settings, groups of characters, flashbacks, main leads, action sequences, emotional beats - they all work very well together to create a very tight, fast-paced and comforting watch. I wouldn't say it's the most emotionally moving drama and it does have cheesy moments, but the characters are great and everything zips along so deftly that you're always entertained.
I think earlier in my drama watching days I would have ranked this one higher in my list of favourite dramas, but I still love it. I have seen more things and my taste has changed, but this will always have a place in my heart. It is still one of the dramas that I love to recommend to people (I think a lot of people feel this way, given the amount that it appears on lists of favourite dramas) because I think it's a very accessible and enjoyable watch. There are dramas that I like more, or think are greater technical achievements, but they're not as easy to digest as Healer is. This is really one of those charming dramas that is greater than the sum of its parts, and which shows off the greatest qualities of that era of dramas.
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Definitely Good but Still Has It's Faults
I really liked this drama but maybe compared to the other ratings on here, it looks like I didn't hahaha. I definitely think it deserves a high rating but I personally don't think it was an overall 10/10.The Story:
This was really good and jam-packed with drama! I loved every second of the 'Healer' scenes and found everyone's backstory really fascinating. I definitely think there were a couple unclosed plot points and that they ended up sacrificing a satisfying end with a whoooole lot of build up. Plus, I don't know if I just wasn't paying attention but I swear Yeong-Sin's mother found out that Yeong-Sin is Ji-An really suddenly and, again, it was so anticlimactic for all the build up that was there. Also, I'm curious as to what exactly happened from when Kim Mun-Sik found Yeong-Sin and when he decided to abandon her again? ALSO - what was that scene where she was hiding in a closet and someone came up to her with like a bat or something??? There was just so much story that I think the writers forgot to clear everything up. As I got to the last 10 minutes of Ep20 I had to double check it was the last episode because it just didn't feel like it.
The Characters:
Absolutely love love love the characters and everyone played such an important part in making this show the hit that it is. I definitely think the writers can thank the actors for the high ratings!
Again, overall I the enjoyability of the show deserves an 8.5 but there were a lot of points which I would have liked more clarification on and a lot of points that I don't think were necessary for the development of the main plot.
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One thing that attracted me to this was the Arrow vibe this drama gave. (If someone has watched Arrow Season 1, then they will know what I am talking about, the vibe is similar in both).
This drama has everything- edgy thriller, exciting music, interesting characters, mind-blowing gripping plot, believable romance, suspense, action & comic relief. It's a package in short.
Story is great but I gave it 8.5 because I felt the ending rushed. I could have easily used 2-3 episodes more to give it a proper closure & cover all plot holes. I liked how the show wasn't draggy at any point. Somethings that could have added to make it the best-
1. A little more focus on backstory of the villains.
2. On 5 friends journey of being pirate reporters. This could have made the villains more layered.
4. MoonHo's relationship with his colleague & a little focus on his "First love thing".
5. Female lead's story along with her mother.
6. Childhood of the leads since it had some troubling things & Healer-Ajhumma arc.
7. Some other little inconsistencies- like the one with Moon Ho's minion who was working as a double agent.
Acting is great. Ji Cang Wook transforms smoothly from being sassy, bad-ass man to socially awkward, stammering BongSu while still showing glimpse of Healer in his behavior.
Park Min Young is cute, brave & beautiful. I loved how she breaks the mold of typical kdrama lead & is everything I love about female leads. She is brave, vulnerable, yet positive. I love her portrayal of PTSD & her way to deal with it by singing songs and dancing. She takes things at face value and is willing to show empathy & courage whenever it is needed. She chooses to show empathy for other instead of drowning herself in self-pity about her troubled past.
Moon Ho is one complex characters. He keeps you conflicted for a long time. He has a dark side but also a caring one. And the actor portrays him so brilliantly. His acting does half the job to reflect complexity of Moon Ho.
Ajhumma is brilliant. The fact that a middle-aged lady with superb hacking skills & knack for knitting is so good to see. The characters elevate half the story because they break the stereotypes of K-dramas.
Rest of the cast is just fluid in its acting be it teacher, Healer's minion, Jian's mother, Jian's adopted father. Even villains are great enough to literally make you hate them- be it creepy secretary, Moon-Shik (He isn't absolute villain throughout the show & I wanted to see more grey shaded in this villain), Boss.
I loved the music. Especially the suspense filled music. It creates the perfect environment to keep you in toes. Actions scenes are nicely shot & I officially became a fan of Chang Wook with his action scenes. The portrayal of romance is so nice. I liked for the fact that they didn't have any 2nd lead thing here even though there was a confusion about Moon Ho being second lead. The love story is believable from interest to curiosity to protective feeling to romance & did I mention the jealousy of BongSu with Moon Ho & his alter-ego & the also the chemistry which was evident from their first scene together (Wook's intensity of gazing, sly smiles and that handsome face, GOSH). Even though Jian falls for Healer, I loved how it's BongSu who fell for Jian first.
I can re-watch this show every once in a while just like I can watch Arrow Season 1-3 countless times. Such shows are rare & it's rating is definitely well-deserved.
I am willing to overlook the plot-holes because the good simply outweighs the flaws in this drama. If you want my recommendation for this show-
JUST WATCH IT ALREADY.
Show like this is rarely made & I will keeping an eye on Wook's work from now on.
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