This review may contain spoilers
this series was amazing, the suspense, mystery, and action kept it very interesting. The ultra-cute couple was amazing and added so much to the show. I loved the character arc of the main characters and especially liked how badass Jeong Hoo was, but at the same time, he was very cute!!!! loved itttML was protective afff!. watching over her at night, spying, tells ppl to keep her safe when he can't. Fighting the bad guys so they don't hurt her, etc
Their families' backstory was also very interesting to watch and every single actor played his/her part to perfection
I recommend watching it.
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Perfection.
Healer is a perfect combination of romance, mystery and action.
When i watched healer’s last episode, i felt numb. Why? Because i understood that i had just finished one of the best dramas i have ever seen.
Healer gets it’s unique parts from the actors. Their chemistry wasn’t the best i’ve seen but it was still cute and interesting!
The things i like,
Ji Chang Wook, Interesting plot, romance that is in balance, funny scenes and the mystery in this drama that makes you wanna watch all the episodes in one night.
The things i dislike,
Everything that keeps me away from those things.
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Lived up to the hype!
Healer was lighter than expected! I don’t know why I though it was going to be a heavy dark drama, but I couldn’t be happier when I found out I was wrong! I mean it wasn't a comedy but it managed to balance all of it's genres well with out one overpowering the other.After finishing the drama I totally understand the hype around Ji Chang Wook, totally swoon worthy! (This is the first drama of his I watch) His swifts between badass healer and awkward clumsy reporter were seamless and amazing (although the more I watched the more I was convinced that that this goofy-clumsy awkward guy is his real personality-he just happens to have a badass job).
One of the things that pleasantly surprised me, were that we got to see a three-dimensional FL that was not a damsel in distressed and fought for what she wanted and was not a cry baby! Another pleasant surprise was the fact that the two Main Leads actually communicated. Who would have thought that something like this can happen in a Kdrama! Where do the writers come up with this staff? Ground-breaking!
Also, the chemistry between them was on point! Although I felt that the feelings were a bit sudden, out of the blue and there wasn’t enough build-up to them, they totally made it work!
Although I did feel that the drama got a little bit draggy towards the middle it wasn’t to the point that made you get bored or took you out of the action. One think that also worked here and usually is a drama's downfall was the flashbacks, they really used the well and weren't overwhelming! One of the few occasions where I did not feel that 20 episodes were too much!
All in all I have to say that Healer for me really lived up to the hype, something that never really happens, since I am often disappointed by hyped/ high rating / highly acclaimed dramas!
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Good Mix of Genres
So, I have a tendency to "save" dramas - to hold off watching them in fear that once I watch them, my expectations will be set way too high and it will ruin all other dramas for me. And Healer was the #1 drama I was saving - this drama was so hyped up I was so convinced that once I watched it, I would never be able to move on from it (as so many posts all over this site show). And now I finally watched it. How do I feel? Really, yes, it is a really good drama and I completely understand the hype (especially considering the time) but because the expectations for this drama are set up impossibly high, they are well, a little impossible to meet.It is a good story. One thing this drama does well is it's mixing of genres - spy, action, comedy, romance. The story, for the most part, was pretty well laid out with no glaring plot holes. I mean, there is some suspension of disbelief given it's premise but things generally flow well.
The actors all did a good job in their roles and their was good cast chemistry. There was a wide range of enjoyable characters aside from the main case - the hacker ajumma, the FL's dad, the Someday News gang, the detective and even the SS guard guy - that kept the story entertaining. The main trio, of course, did an excellent job and had a fresh set-up. The romance was really very sweet and I can totally see why this drama is the standard used when asking for good romance or couple chemistry recommendations on the forums. I have a thing for super-devoted male leads with a puppyish side to them so I loved the male lead. While the female lead wasn't as dynamic as the male lead, I though they did a pretty good job with her. While I do appreciate the shift these days to write strong female characters, a lot of dramas are so focused on giving the FL ultra kung-fu skills or whatnot, they fail to write an actual character or make that character have an influence on the plot. CYS is a well-rounded character with likes, dislikes, goals, quirky traits, strength, flaws and is it her actions that help move the plot forward.
The music helped, a LOT. The OSTs on their own were hits but they complimented and enhanced the drama really well - I probably would not like it as much if not for the music (which typically does not affect my drama watching experience that much).
Overall, this is a very good drama that I highly recommend, especially if you want a cute romance. Just take all that astronomically, unrealistically high hype with a little bit of salt.
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-Honestly I drop this series long back as I got bored on episode 1, but yeah I've read some comments that it was good so I gave it a second chance.
-And my verdict for this second chance is GREAT. Someone had already mentioned it, but I also almost miss one of the most GREAT kdrama out there being released.
-Ji Chang Wook is such a great actor especially when he's Park Bong Soo, which also reminds me about his weakling role in Empress Ki.
-It's like a realistic version of Super man and that's damn good. At first you'll thought that the leading lady will be the usual damsel in distress, but she's not. She's weak yes, but she's not DAMSEL IN DISTRESS.
-The plot is also well written, and I think what got me bored when I first tried this series is that the first two episodes were very plot driven that they weren't able to focus on main characters, but after going further I then understand why it has to be that way. They build the story so people will understand the roots of the main charas, and then when they collide all of them, the mixture was PERFECTION.
-Honestly I haven't completed my TOP 5 Best Korean Drama yet, but this series just snatched my Top 4. I'll just let you know which are they in not particular order, Goblin, Reply 1988 (watched this 6 times already), and Signal.
-And so yeah, Healer was next.
-Lesson learned: Sometimes it's really good take second chances.
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Action-Romance Blend Done Right
Healer is a uniquely, well-executed blend of action and romance that you should definitely check out. I think this show will stand the test of time and continue to be a beloved series for years to come.Story: Although there are some Kdrama tropes in here, the plot is really well-done. Many Kdramas suffer from a lack of story consistency where the narrative might contradict itself or even forget about story lines that they have setup, but Healer is not one of these. It starts off crafting a mystery between characters in the past and present, and then slowly unravels the connections between everyone. While this plot is unfolding, the show develops the relationships between all the characters, whether that be a love interest, a mentor, an enemy, or an ally. I found all the protagonists likeable and all the villains' motivations sensical. This is a rare show that establishes a complex plot and fully takes it to the end with a satisfying conclusion. My main, minor complaint about the story is the action -- I just feel that Kdramas can't execute action sequences that well because the fighting never looks clear and has a small element of the "shaky cam" phenomenon. However, if I had to pick a drama for the best sequences I've seen so far, it would be Healer, so it is only a minor complaint.
Acting: I felt all the acting was top-notch and brought on a discrete style to all the characters. Kim Mi Kyung showed that she could go from being a mute, caring caretaker (Heirs) into a sassy, funny hacker sidekick in Healer. Yoo Ji Tae brought the caring smugness to life and you could really see his arrogance, yet understand that he was really concerned about his friends and family. Ji Chang Wook and Park Min Young were stellar as the main leads and I think accolades have to be given to Ji Chang Wook's stunt double, too, who undoubtedly brought some of the action sequences to life.
Music: I found the production quality to be high and I think the main, instrumental theme deserves a shout out for being catchy and well-used inside the drama -- it starts off with this mysterious quality that develops into a phrenetic sound that always gets you pumped up during a scene. The rest of the songs were good, although I have to ding the soundtrack a bit for having some full-English songs -- as a native English speaker, I find full-English songs a little awkward when they appear in dramas.
Rewatch value: It is definitely a fun re-experience even if you know what happens already. Some of the earlier scenes can be framed in new light now that you know what happens at the end.
This is an excellent show -- don't hesitate to check it out!
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This review may contain spoilers
Take a Hike Batman - Healer has it Covered
10/10 is my rating. This is a 2014/2015 South Korean Drama with 20 episodes (~60 minutes/episode).Seo Jung-hoo/Park Bong-soo/Healer (Ji Chang-wook) does illegal jobs as a "night courier." Jung-hoo is an exceptional martial artist who utilizes cutting edge technology and a partner who specializing in computer technology and hacking. The night courier work is a way Jung-hoo plans to purchase an island off the coast of Panama to live on solo. One of his clients, Kim Moon-ho (Yoo Ji-tae) is a famous reporter who asks Healer to locate and protect a girl named Chae Young-shin/Oh Ji-an (Park Min-Young) from people that want to harm her. The three come together to discover the truth of a tragedy that occurred in 1992 which resulted in the crippling of one friend in a group of five best friends and the death of two. There are those who are determined to insure that past is not uncovered and who will harm anyone who gets in their way.This show had everything I love in it. There was amazing action scenes, suspense, a sweet romance, love of family, good winning over evil - just all the elements were there. The characters were so compelling that I was sad when my time in "Healer" world was over. This one shoots right to the top of my favorites list.
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6 years have passed i still haven't moved on from this masterpiece
every time a friend or online acquaintance asks me for a kdrama recommendation... this is the go-to kdrama i would recommend - that is how good this drama is. i have watched it over 25 times and still am not bored of it. occasionally, i go onto youtube and watch the little cuts of the drama too and still squeal in amazement. 6 years have passed since i first saw the drama for the first time, and how i wish i could rewind time to watch it for the very first time again and again.story: 9/10
the plot was GREAT. the story was so refreshing... a night courier? falling in love and protecting the girl he was supposed to investigate? it already sounded AMAZING right off the bat. subplots were super interesting as well, i cried at quite a few parts, it was really touching. i loved how they incorporated hacking and like those action scenes too... but this is the only category that didn't get a 10/10 for me because of certain parts i guess. the airport scene was pretty abrupt for me... but then again, i still enjoyed every moment of it.
acting/cast: 10/10
ji changwook's best work, imo. i've watched him in k2 and suspicious partner and backstreet rookie as well... but none of it quite matches up to his performance in this show. perhaps it's his role, or maybe his chemistry with park minyoung but it WORKED. it didn't just work, but it was truly an astounding execution on his part. i don't think anyone else in the industry could have executed his role quite as perfectly.
as for park minyoung, this was the first time i saw her act... and I LOVED IT. i think it's her role too, because i've watched her in other dramas as well like what's wrong with secretary kim and sungkyunkwan scandal but... her healer role just hits different. again, i think it could be the role or chemistry. the casting was truly perfect for this drama.
music: 10/10
i still have the songs in my spotify playlist. you by ben... omg. her voice is crazy, it sounds like chae youngshin is singing it because it's like from her pov you know what i mean?? plus the BGM they play when healer jumps from building to building... OUTSTANDING, truly. i get goosebumps EVERYTIME even when listening to it rn. eternal love too... urgh i have neverending praises for the bgm of this drama.
rewatch value: 10/10
i mean i watched it 25 times so... i don't think anyone is quite as obsessed about this drama as i am. ah, but if only i knew from the start exactly how good it was gonna be... i would have savoured every moment of my first watch. but then again, the rewatch value is still wayyyy up there. i still feel the same emotions or even more intensely with every watch.
overall: 9.5/10
not a single drama gets a 10/10 in my list, but if i ever had to give a 10/10, this drama would be it. YOU GUYS HAVE TO WATCH IT I SWEAR, PLEASE TRUST ME ON THIS I LITERALLY CREATED AN ACCOUNT JUST TO WRITE THIS REVIEW FINALLY AFTER 6 YEARS.
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THE PLOT was pretty interesting. If I had to complain about anything it would be the flashbacks with the parents. I know they were put in to reveal more about the past but I just didn’t find them that compelling. It was the dynamics of Kim Moon Hoo and his brother and Healer and their possible connection that kept me tuned in.
THE MAIN CAST was very good. Ji Chang Wook did something to me after K2, so naturally, I went from Suspicious Partner to this. I still think his best role was K2, but he was still pretty good here. He is a very talented actor and his good looks just add to his greatness. It was funny seeing him go undercover as a shy person to get closer to Yeong Shin. Chae Yeong Shin was strong-minded and independent, which is something you don’t see often with female leads in kdramas. She wasn’t cheesy and she seemed believable, so that’s good. Ahjumma was a nice balance to JCW and played off of him nicely. The chemistry from the two leads was very nice. Their romance is slow but sure. JCW can easily convince you that he’s in love with anyone with his acting skills. The most interesting character to me was Kim Moon Ho. He was the cool and charismatic celebrity reporter, however there was just enough mystery around him that made me want to find out more about him and his sinister brother. I also felt the action scenes, although good, could’ve been better.
THE MUSIC was good. I really like Ben's "You." It has the perfect amount of emotion. "Eternal Love" gives a feeling of nostalgia and I like that.
OVERALL I give this an 8/10. Although this was good I felt like this how didn’t give me the emotional climax I needed. I felt like something was missing but I can’t exactly say what it is. Even though this drama didn't make it on my favorites list I still enjoyed watching. Rewatch value is low, but I'd be open to watching this sometime maybe in a few years.
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A Kdrama that got it all
I have finally completely rewatched this drama over two years after first watching it, and I have to say, it really holds up. The story is very interesting, and at first I was skeptical if they could fill 20 episodes without drawing everything out forever, but other than a few minor moments in the last episodes, that didn't really happen.I really liked the combination of action scenes, romance scenes but also the strong plot about corruption and the media. The chemistry between the leads was good, and I especially liked Yoo Jitae's character's interactions with the rest of the cast, his character was played very well and constantly kept you on the edge about his true colors.
My only real point of critique would be about the music, I know a lot of kdramas have their one love song they alwaaaaaays play for romantic scenes, and "Healer" is no exception, Eternal Love got on my nerves towards the end.
Other than that though, I really loved it and would definitely recommend it!
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This drama is so-so
I liked this drama because of its storyline, production. It's mostly based on action and romance with a hint of comedy. I felt this drama was pretty slow sometimes but nothing too bothersome. Characters played by Ji Tae, Min Kyung, and some supporting casts were awesome!Now I should talk about why I dislike it. Honestly, I never felt solid chemistry between Ji Chang and Min-young. She received a corny female lead character who would love the protagonist no matter what he does. Some parts of the story also don't make any sense. I guess they were not going for a realistic one and that's okay.
Overall, it's good.
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