Bromance
The first time ever I write a review about a series.So the plot is kinda common, about a cop who hate drugs and try to clean the city from drugs dealer. Then he met a doctor in an incident and both become friends to deal with the master of the drugs dealer. The thing that attract me the most is the bromance between the two main leads. You can say its almost like BL, just got censored. Even so, I still like their bromance as they trust each other so much even when they just met.
So far the story is good enough, lot of things that makes you want to watch more and more. The only problem for now is the subs. From what I read, I think the subs just copy paste from google translate. Even the name sometimes translated. I think this series will have lot of international fans if they could advertise it well and also put proper english subs ASAP.
Two thumbs up. This is one of the drama that i really love and will rewatch it later.
Was this review helpful to you?
The listener and the speaker
Republican era, around 1930.Rain is pouring down that fateful night in Jingcheng City. As we watch the good-natured Dr. Chen Yuzhi cycle his way home, seeking shelter under the eaves, we're diving headfirst into a plot full of viscious crimes and interhuman relations.
-It's the moment Chu Ran and Chen Yuzhi step into Jiang Yuelou's life and decide to stay, that we realize that Jiang Yuelou is the unspoken center of the story. -
It didn't take me long to light ten stars, as I got so attached that I might be devoting my first written preview to this drama.
Background music
One of the reasons to call this a classy drama is beautifully drawn tapestry of sound. The show decided upon subtle background music, the original soundtrack composed of very decent melodic ballads and only a couple instrumentals that are very well timed, accompanying sequences quietly, giving more importance to emotions and spoken dialogue. This gives it a pleasant, mature vibe.
Production
Omnium-gatherum summary of everything that caught my eye from episode one.
•Killer and Healer is free from overdrawn sequences and cheesy-slowmotions.
•The cinematography brings in gorgeous shots, developing into beautifully framed sequences here and there.
•As we're situated in the republican era, we get to see tailored suits and beautiful attire. Women are wearing gorgeous dresses and every single citizen that we see roaming the streets of Jingcheng has their own, beautiful outfit of the day. Even upon close proximity, the costumes look thoroughly authentic and high in quality.
•The drama leads us through a collection of sets that are very well thought through (however wow, it is cold!).
Plot & Characters
The plot itself is relatively solid. Various other points make up for the ones lost to a common storyline. The plot isn't particularly new, yet unravels a beautiful story of faith. It's told by steadfast characters, and also introduces a brave and clever female lead, Chu Ran, that wonderfully concludes the trio alongside Police-Chief Jiang Yuelou and Doctor Chen Yuzhi.
Every other character that gets introduced throughout the story isn't any less holistic and just as vital.
While the storyline itself contains alot of criminal action, it pays special attention to interhuman relations.
With a strong focus on the steadying relationship between Jiang Yuelou and Chen Yuzhi, it opens up on more then just bringing peace to Jingcheng City. We follow Jiang Yuelou, as he learns to regain his trust in the people around him and finds his safe-place within Chen Yuzhi, who meets him with unconditional faith. With every episode, the picture grows bigger, as we slowly get to know Jiang Yuelou and Chen Yuzhi as a person and start to sympathize with the characters introduced to us.
The ending: The ending comes around very unexpected. Yes, initially, it is bad and very tragic. This might be a spoiler. However, the ending lies in your power. For a happy ending, hop out from ep 37 at timestamp 29:15 and click here for a seperately uploaded end
https://youtu.be/FC696_RYeEw
Acting
Completing this with the strongest asset.
It's the actor itself that eventually shapes the character, forms it and introduces it to the audience. The characters I see are consistent and compelling, each drawn with their own unique features. The acting is impressive, the whole cast stunning. Every single actor within Killer&Healer convinces with performance. The chemistry between the leads grows extremely palpable as they enter each others lives and naturally learn to trust. Eventhough, due to censorship, scenes got shortened (not harming the plot), emotions are portrayed beautifully through micro-expression, faces full of emotions and long lasting glances. So much so that more isn't needed and it lies in the perception of the audience to view their relationship.
This drama is and was a very, very pleasant watch. I would rewatch it all over again. The biggest joy lies within the unfolding, unspoken emotions between the leads and the quirky supporting characters.
Was this review helpful to you?
For full enjoyable experience, PLEASE watch the cut/trimmed scenes and the second ending
If anyone have watched any dramas from MGTV, you'll know that they suck, especially when they put it on YouTube. MGTV doesn't always provide Eng subs, they will cut audio if it means avoiding music copyright issues, and they also edit and cut/trim down scenes a lot. Sadly, they're not like the wonderful YOUKU with "Word of Honor." YOUKU has been giving such an wonderful experience for fans of Word of Honor. MGTV could never because they're too cheap.With all that said, Killer and Healer is still an enjoyable drama despite being butchered like that but if you want the full experience, please make sure to watch the cut/trimmed scenes and watch the second ending. You can find all of those clips on YouTube if you search "Killer and Healer highlight" and "Killer and Healer ending."
Killer and Healer is a Republican Era, cop/doctor action detective drama with the cop, Jiang Yuelou, trying to solve and get rid of opium in Jing City. By chance, he meets the doctor Chen Yuzhi and they form a cooperation and then an unbreakable friendship/relationship helping each other while trying to break through the cases and find out and stop the main villain of the drama. At the same time, Chen Yuzhi tries to help Jiang Yuelou with his PTSD and bipolar disorder which has begun to affect Jiang Yuelou's reactions/decisions in the field.
YES, THIS IS A SOULMATES DRAMA. Look, if you know anything about Chinese dramas by now, you know they censor LGBTQ+ content. That means that directors and scriptwriters etc. have to find a way around it and I think this drama did it wonderfully. The main leads, Jiang Yuelou and Chen Yuzhi, have an incredibly deep relationship with so much loyalty and trust, along with warm and tender exchanges and interactions. ESPECIALLY IF YOU WATCH THE CUT/TRIMMED SCENES, you can witness that even more. There is so much explicitly said AND implied, you have to know how to read between the scenes/lines. And I want to clarify that, though yes they have a female character here and she does catch feels for one of the main leads, she is never used to block the two guys nor is she ever an annoying character. She's so wonderful and I will fight anyone who hates on her. Her character was used in some way to downplay the LGBTQ+ vibes but you can always tell how important and critical Jiang Yuelou's and Chen Yuzhi's relationship is to each other.
Anyway, it's fairly fast-paced and yet also does very well with angsty and sad scenes that makes you cry. The OST is also really good too and truly makes you feel the emotions of the scene. There are some plot choices that I question, but overall, I still enjoyed this drama a lot.
Mao Zijun as Jiang Yuelou and Ian Yi as Chen Yuzhi were such a delight! I hadn't really seen them before in their previous dramas (and I believe Killer & Healer is their first real drama as leads), so watching them here was refreshing but also so enjoyable! Mao Zijun is my absolute favorite because he is able to balance looking cool and handsome and also painful scenes where he's hurting and is crying so much. I am seriously impressed with Mao Zijun as it can be difficult to pull off a character who can be aggressive but also sympathetic too. He's able to show off how Jiang Yuelou can be tough but also be so vulnerable. Such great acting and good character.
Ian Yi did a perfect job of being the gentle and caring doctor Chen Yuzhi. There are other supporting characters that are pretty great too, such as the female character Chu Ran, who wasn't annoying at all and was just so level-headed, calm, smart, and cute. I adore the supporting characters like Song Rong and Sun Yongren.
There's the second "couple" characters--Zhan Junbai and Yu Tangchun--who are so fascinating but sadly don't have as many scenes as the main leads. However, their relationship is intriguing still and quite heartbreaking. I adore both of the actors for these roles and enjoyed watching their interactions and relationship.
To summarize, you might like this drama if you like these things:
-Two complex and competent male leads who value and care for each other so much that it's practically romantic (but due to censorship, it's "bromance"). (Even MyDramaList tag this as "homoerotic subtext" and they're not wrong.)
-A competent and smart female character who is never made annoying or as a "block" to the main leads
-A complicated and intriguing relationship between the supporting "couple" characters
-Endearing supporting characters who serve as comedic relief and also as commentary to the two male leads' relationship
-HURT/COMFORT!!! This is one of the best things about this show. It's about the angst and hurt and being taken care of by the other!!
-UNWAVING FAITH AND LOYALTY of the main leads!!!!!
-Suggestive and flirting looks (what can I say, Mao Zijun just oozes such casual flirtatious style, okay.)
Things that you might not like or feel comfortable with
-Depiction of mental illnesses. Personally, I think they did a decent job with Jiang Yuelou's bipolar disorder and PTSD but I don't know too much about bipolar disorder. I know PTSD though and Jiang Yuelou definitely have a lot of that from his difficult background. However, I know some viewers may feel it difficult to watch when Jiang Yuelou is going through this.
-Deaths. This is a Republican Era drama, so typically, a lot of people will die, especially in this line of work as a cop/detective working to fight mob bosses.
Possible content warnings:
-depictions of addiction behavior and trauma-related behavior like aggression and violence
-depictions of domestic violence and abuse
-depiction of PTSD and bipolar disorder
Was this review helpful to you?
Most Underrated Series! It deserves more love and appreciation!
This is the series I have been waiting for nearly 1 and half years and it finally dropped without any announcement so understand how surprised I was when the episode 1 aired!Plot- This series takes place in Chinese Republic Era when Opium was really a big issue in China. This story is about a police man whose life turned upside down when his father become opium addicted. Losing his father to the drugs and his mother to cruelty his father made her go through to buy drugs initiated her to "take her own life" Jiang Yue Lou's life was very difficult until he was adopted by Commissioner Bai thus pursuing the career of police to free Jingcheng from drugs. Then we have Chen Yu Zhi a benevolent doctor whose only purpose is to save people regardless of their background. This is a story of a determined yet unstable violent cop and a kind doctor coming together to bring peace to their town that has become victim to the drugs along the way they healed and redeemed each other.
Characters- Jiang Yue Lou seeing his happy family shattering to pieces in front of his eyes due to opium made him hate anyone who is link to the smuggling of the drug. At the very early age he had become the prominent figure in the Police Bruere however he is very arrogant, emotionally unstable, violent and cold in nature. He is intelligent, and righteous but when he loses his temper (very easily I may add) and does things without even caring for the consequences . He is even ready to sacrifice his own life if it means opium smuggling will come to an end. He is very determined and very hard to get along with, only handful people are close to him but even those don't know many pains that Jiang Yue Lou hides to himself due to Jiang Yue Lou having trust issues.
Chen Yu Zhi is completely opposite of Jiang Yue Lou. He is calm and collected, in control of his emotions and very kind and always try to help anyone he can. To him the world is not black and white rather there are lots of shades of grey even then Chen Yu Zhi is willing to help others. Through out the series we see how clever and deep understanding he has of people. He is not naïve, he knows he is living in a Era where China is going through very rough time economically and politically. He is aware that many people had no options but to opt to illegal ways to make a living. He knows the world is cruel to people especially to the poor that is why he tries to be kind to the people even though some may take advantage of his kindness. Through out the series we see how forgiving he is to the people even to those who deeply hurt him.
The relationship between our main leads started in a misunderstanding but slowly it turned into something beautiful and healthy relationship. They trust each other, confines in each others about the pain and secrets that no one one knows. For Jiang Yue Lou Chen Yu Zhi is the lucky star and a blessing. We see that it doesn't take much time for our cop to become smitten with our doctor. From episode 1 we get to see Chen Yu Zhi has a different effect on him. Through out the series we see how slowly Chen Yu Zhi helps Jiang Yue Lou with his bipolar disorder and helps him to learn how to trust others, how to care for others and that loving someone caring for someone is not weakness, showing your true emotions is not a weakness , showed him that the world is not black and white, that it's okay to let go of his anger and his tragic past for a better and peaceful life. Slowly Chen Yu Zhi healed our angry and lonely cop. To a certain degree it felt like Chen Yu Zhi's fate was to heal Jiang Yue Lou. His life mission. The ending at least gave me that impression.
Chu Ran the best Female lead!! I loved how clever and independent she was considering the Era she was in. Despite being in one sided love with Jiang Yue Lou not even once she acted selfishly or did anything bitchy that we usually see in bls often. Rather she was being helpful and respectful to our main leads. She was such a brave woman!!!
The Pros- The acting especially Mao Zi Jun. He is Outstanding actor and its pains me that he is so underrated! A true crime! He had done a phenomenal job portraying such a complex 3 dimensional character. You can see with different character he had different chemistry and his different acting in different scenes. He deserves recognition. Ian was 21 when he filmed this series he very young and it kind of showed. His acting was good but he needs more training and experience. Still his acting in some of the scenes were very good.
The cinematography was so beautiful my god! This show is aesthetically pleasing to the eyes. The prop team did an excellent job.
The music!! All the songs are good !
Dubbing was perfect and accurate!
No bitchy female lead trying break up or interfere between the boys! Chu Ran is the best female lead I have seen in a while in C-dramas
The Cons- MGTV and their ridiculous editing! I understand why some scene got deleted but the rest *sigh* The thing with MGTV is that they pick up projects that they can't do justice to!
The inconsistency in the script writing. There are some scenes that really doesn't make sense. Tbh I don't know who to blame because I have listened to audio drama and in that version the inconsistence is basically gone and is more detailed than the drama version. So is it editing fault or what I don't know!
Also I hated how they portrayed Bipolar disorder. I may not have enough knowledge on bipolar but I know for sure the writer has zero idea how a bipolar disorder person functions what struggles they go through and what occurrence makes them have a episode. Seriously I wish especially Asian script writer does their homework before portraying any kind mental illness.
The director! He is not an competent person that's all I will say.
Honestly people watch this series! It's delight to see how Chen Yu Zhi and Jiang Yue Lou slowly falls in love each other! Two different people with completely different characteristic and personality and ideals falls in love! I know some people see this a bromance and I respect that but for me it's clear that these two are in love with each other romantically! The plot is nothing new but the acting and the chemistry between actors is superb! I have deeply fallen in love with this wonderful series! This series really shows how bad some humans can become and for some there is no redemption! Just give it a shot guys!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
"There is nothing wrong with liking someone, even if that person is totally different from you."
I completely fall in love with this drama and with the beautiful love story between Jian Yue Lou and Chen Yu Zhi. Whether it’s romantic or platonic, rarely I have seen before such a lovely, healthy, well-balanced and mature relationship.STORY:
If the background of the drama is a classic mafia versus police story taking place in the Republic of China era, the originality of the drama can be found in the treatment and in the development of these characters. Everything here is about duality and how the image that we have on a person is not necessary who they really are. The cinematography and the way scenery props are arranged in this drama really support this concept and the director will often film the actors through mirrors reinforcing the idea that some people are not who they seem to be, just a reflection. Also, thanks to the complexity of all the characters, this drama will make us wonder what defines a bad or a nice person and how far is the distance between good and evil.
CHARACTERS:
The beautifully written two male leads are the real strength and the core of this drama. Their chemistry is beyond expectation. I was so into their relationship and I was completely addicted to it to the point I still cannot moving on.
For Jiang Yue Lou it was love at first sight. The moment he saw Chen Yu Zhi, he felt attracted to him, attracted to his kindness and to his calm demeanor. Even if at the beginning Jian Yue Lou still has some trust issues, really rapidly he is happy to have Chen Yu Zhi in his life. Chen Yu Zhi became his anchor as he’s giving him love and offered him a sense of comfort and belonging. The way he stares at him and feels the need to touch him and be close to him all the time is also very romantic. Jiang Yue Lou, you are way too obvious.
Chen Yue Zhi has also a deep and profound affection for Jiang Yue Lou but show it in a more discrete and subtle way. He is really worried about him and only cares about his happiness. I think at some point of the story someone asked Chen Yu Zhi what will make him happy and he answered something like “I just want to save a person that I care about” and that sentence describes exactly how he feels about Jiang Yue Lou.
The level of trust and understanding they have for each other is a delight to watch. This is a really honest and mature relationship. They’re really equal. They both have their own job, their own personality and none of them is dependent on the other. They don’t share the same opinions on several things but they always listen what the other has to say before taking a decision. This kind of relationship is really refreshing to see.
During the course of the drama their relationship will be tested one big time when Chen Yu Zhi lost a really important person to him indirectly because of Jiang Yue Lou’s actions. But thanks to Chen Yu Zhi’s personality this event will make their bond even stronger. And after that, nothing, NOTHING, will be able to tear them apart. They will stand for each other and protect each other until the very end of the drama and for that I am so thankful! This couple is so beautiful!
JIANG YUE LOU played by Mao Zi Jun: Outstanding performance from this actor.
It’s my first time seeing him in a drama and I was so amazed how he wonderfully portrayed this 3-dimensional and very complex character. Also, the way he moves, the way he jumps and sit on a table or on a sofa like the place belongs to him really screams “cat energy” and I found this really funny to watch. Duality is the best way to describe Jiang Yue Lou. He is a very powerful, intelligent, and righteous man, ready to fight the bad guys and bring justice but at the same time he is so arrogant, short tempered, has little empathy to anyone and doesn’t care too much about the consequences of his actions.
Trough the drama Jiang Yue Lou will get one of the most beautiful character development. At the beginning of the story, he was completely lost, lonely, angry, sad, blind to others, unable to trust anyone or to control his emotions due to his tragic and painful past. But everything changed after he met the kind doctor. Chen Yu Zhi was his blessing and thanks to him by the end of the drama Jiang Yue Lou is able to open himself to others, able to trust, to love and to forgive people.
Everyone has his own interpretation of a story and for me the drama was all about Jiang Yue Lou’s journey to be able to love and trust again. That’s why even if I am happy that we got two endings (a happy one and a very sad one), I still loved the “meaning” behind the sad ending. Because at the end of the drama, Jiang Yue Lou is “saved”, he is healed and so he “doesn’t need Chen Yu Zhi anymore”. So even after he tragically lost him, Jiang Yue Lou can accept this lost as he is now ready to face the new life that the meeting with Chen Yu Zhi offered him.
CHEN YU ZHI wonderfully played in a very subtle way by Ian Yi.
He is my favorite character of this show and for me he represents “HOPE” in this drama. He is truly one of the greatest, strongest, faithful and noble character that I have ever seen in drama land. He is a very clever, very calm and collected person. He also has a deep understanding about how society works. He is also well aware about the trouble time they are living with during the period of the drama and about the consequences this trouble time have on people’s life. We barely know anything about his past but with the few words he said about it “I was born in trouble times, the day is rich, the day is poor, right now it’s already not easy to survive let alone being rich and successful” we can understand that he also went through a difficult past but he managed to live with it and accepted it. I also really love how his quote truly reflects on his life philosophy.
For him, the world is not just black and white with good and bad people. For him circumstances matter, people are allowed to make wrong choices and everyone deserve a second chance. His personality is so beautiful. He was always ready to help and trust people, and not in an innocent and naive way but in an understanding way.
Yes, sometimes he will be betrayed, some people will use his kindness against him but still even knowing that he prefers to give a chance to everyone first rather than giving up on them without even trying to understand them.
I am so happy Chen Yu Zhi exists and I think the message the writers delivered through his character is really important.
YU TANG CHUN and ZHAN JUN BAI:
As I said before in this drama everything is about duality and this couple can be seen as a dark version or as the other side of the coin representing Jiang Yue Lou and Chen Yu Zhi relationship. They represent what would have happened to our two man leads if they didn’t trust each other.
Zhan Jun Bai is a very powerful man coming from a healthy family. He is really mysterious and secretive and it’s really hard to understand what he really thinks. But he has a passion for singing and acting and because of that he will fall in love with Yu Tang Chin, a singer and an actor who has a terrible past that is somehow connected to Zhan Jun Bai. So, knowing that, Yu Tang Chin will use the affection and “the image” that Zhan Jun Bai has of him, to be able to get close to him and get revenge. Unfortunately for him, in the process, Yu Tang Chin will also start to develop feelings for Zhan Jun Bai which make their story really tragic. Their relationship was so toxic and so sad but at the same time so interesting to follow as you’re always wondering if what they showed are their true feelings or if they are faking it to get what they want from the other.
CHU RAN: A very interesting female character to follow. She is a very strong and independent woman and was always ready to help the male leads. By her, we can also understand how hard it was to be a woman at that time and how much she has to fight to have the right to choose is own destiny but still she did it perfectly. Hands up for her!
Through the drama she also falls in love with Jiang Yue Lou but unfortunately for her it’s a one-sided love. But despite knowing that he only sees her as a friend, she is not pestering him and she is still ready to help him and that is very nice to see.
About his love for him, I think more than being in love with the “real” Jiang Yue Lou, she loves the “image” she has of him, the image of the strong knight in shining armor always ready to fight evil guys.
Also, interestingly, in many scenes, it seems that the script will use her as a “counterpart” of Chen Yu Zhi to make us understand in a subtle way (and probably also to bypass censorship?) who Jiang Yue Lou truly loves in this drama.
All the others support roles are also really well written and I couldn’t find any unnecessary character. Every one of them was interesting to follow and was used as a counterpart of another character to make us understand how environment and circumstances have an impact on people’s life. Again, it’s all about mirrors and duality.
Special mention to Song Rong, Sun Yong Ren and Wang Meng. I truly loved these 3 guys, and was super happy to see them every time they were on screen.
REWATCH VALUE: Definitely high for me!
I am so in love with the plot and the beautiful relationship between Chen Yu Zhi and Jiang Yue Lou. And I can tell you that you will spend be a wonderful time watching them facing adversity together and falling in love with each other.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I should have drop this series before...
Yes you read it right in the headline!!! I don't have great experience watching this you know what??? I got emotional while watching this after a fun long ride there's something I didn't expected... (Oops I don't want to spoil some events that might get off the excitement..)Story time.... It's starts with a strong episode tho (at least for me) I can really feel their chemistry although we all know this is chinese drama "Censorship activate!!!"... Everyone of you might be know the ending...but for me it's not that SE is it just REALISTIC.... They gamble too much for their goal and I can't blame Jiang Yue lo for it but if you're asking if he won? Probably yes he won but not for him for the people of Jing City. He lost everything in the end.. I don't want to specified it I want you to figure this out. SO WATCH THIS ONE!!!!
Acting? Hmmm I'm speechless about this one. They really played the role on point!!!
Music? Oh my ghad if you're wondering who sang the opening, they both performed it Mao ZiJun and Ian Yi!!! 10/10 perfecto!!!
Rewatch value? I've been watching 5 times so 10/10
I'm just joking about my first paragraph XD.... i have great experience with this one and SUPER HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO WATCH THISSS!!!! This is too long to read but thanks for reading this have a Great day/night... I love you
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Surprisingly great drama!
I first saw this on youtube while watching Word of Honor. After finishing WOH all episodes from an unofficial source, I gave it a try. I didn’t expect much. Part of my reason to watch it was to kill some time.The story itselt is somewhat not very the one and only unique type yet still fresh, interesting and exciting. Every single episode will not make you want to drop it. The editing from scenes to scenes may sometimes be abrupt and hard to follow but it is negligible. You can see how much they put efforts to make this with its production setting. If you pay attention to streets in the series, you can find people from different economic classes featuring their different costumes and styles. The styling of the male leads is calm, cozy and cool. Plus, The cinematography is so beautiful.
Almost every character has its own decent development with personality and substance. Not only the chemistry between the two leads, but between their family, friends and colleagues is great. It depicts strong friendships and bromance. They don’t even need to speak much. Their vivid eyes are reflections of who they are and what they feel. Acting-wise, this is by far one of the bests in Chinese bromance genre. It is like we are witnessing the real time heart-warming romance during rain or snow. Jiang Yuelong, Chen Yuzhi, Chu Ran, Executive Zhan, Boss Yu and other supporting characters have done their work top-notch.
The music score is gorgeous. I find about five songs that are so beautiful, meaningful, relevant to the story. The melodies are so soothing and ear-catchy. Not even The Untamed has this amount of great songs. Not even one single ost of Word of Honor reaches this level. This is how much I appreciate “Killer and Healer” original sound tracks.
The series should be named “Kill everyone around Jiang Yuelong and make him suffer”. Lol! Each death is so sad, tragic and makes me heartache. I know many people are against its ending. The sad ending doesn’t mean the bad ending. It doesn’t make a series bad. It doesn’t matter for me if one of the main characters dies or not unless they don’t make it in ridiculous and inconsistent way. Like what one of the main actors said, that was republican era and lives there were not guaranteed. What matters is they did love and cherish each other. They could have gave us happy ending though. I would prefer that.
I am not exaggerating. This is by far one of the best (yet underrated) bromance series ever produced in China. Don’t take it wrong. I like both the Untamed and Word of Honor. They are masterpieces but may be I am the only one to say this, I like KAH more to he honest. (not with a wide gap but by a few points) I’ve never thought that I would prefer this one.
This is once in a while rareness with fresh setting. I am still on my withdrawal period. Haha!
Thank you for reading.
Was this review helpful to you?
Underrated masterpiece
This drama, really hit me out of nowhere. I was really looking for something to pass the time while waiting for Word of Honor to be released but, the storyline, the characters, the chemistry between the male leads, the music, everything sucked me in and i'm so glad that it did. It actually took me a couple tries in the beginning. I didn't like the editing at first and the sound getting cut off from time to time really threw me off but, i stuck with it. I don't know what lured me in. At this point, I think i'm so trained now that when I see 'Bromance' in the tags of any drama, I'll be immediately interested. I have to admit, in the beginning I couldn't tell what the relationship between JYL and CYZ was at first, were they just two good friends helping each other out or...? The further I got into the drama though, the clearer it became. Kudos to Mao Zijun, he is such a beautiful actor who can emote through his eyes and you can see the love and emotion in them, he did such great job! The two males leads had such amazing chemistry, at times I felt like I was intruding on their relationship lol.I did initially come for the bromance but, I think I enjoyed the overall story, sets, cinematography, etc as well. I love oldies (movies, music, etc) but i've grown up on American oldies, it was nice to see the fashion, the sets and everything else from a different country.
Granted, there are so many things I can't stand about this drama but, I love it just the same. I haven't even completed it with English subtitles available (i saw the last 7 raw) but i'm already re-watching. I'm really sad it's not as popular as Word of Honor but, I hope that with my review, high(ish) ratings on MDL and promotions, that it will bring more fans to this great series, they deserve it.
Was this review helpful to you?
more than just bromance!!
most underrated drama!it has all the great casts and acting. it has the great story line and good plots.
if i may compare this to "woh" which is currently airing the same time around, i honestly think this drama is way better.
probably because i'm not really into wuxia series anymore and i'm kinda bored with jianghu heroes and all.
just when i needed something fresh then came along killer and healer.
the main leads couple are awesome. even the second couple are amazing.
someone said BL drama should not have a girl in it to make it close to bl, then she is wrong. even with the girl presence this drama doesnt lose the BL vibes. fyi, chinese BL drama should have girl in it to pass the censorship.
the romantic interactions between the leads may not so BL for some people as they wish for some kissing scenes or more vulgar dialogs. but for me the smooth and gentle mature touch of the leads are more than kisses! it never fails to give me goosebumps everytime. you can see and feel their love without having them to say "i love you"
i highly recommend this drama. i'm glad i found this drama. people never mention anything about it. it's like a hidden gem❤️
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Please stop sleeping on this masterpiece!
I really don't understand why people still sleeping on this super good series. I know it has heavy genre that isn't common, but it has really brilliant actors, wonderful cinematography, good storyline, and perfect OSTs! I know it's not pure BL, but the chemistry between the male leads is beyond BL. I can feel their love even if they only stared at each other without touching. I can feel their strong feeling even without kissing. The original ending is sad ending, but they provided alternative ending; a happy ending. You won't regret watching it! Please give it a try!Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Bromance? ?
The ending was really heartbreaking to be honest but somehowit also depicts certain 'romanticism'. I really want to applaud the whole production crews and casts, though not sure how the passed the censorship board but GLAD they did. NO kissing or whatsoever but that did not let the "BLs" moments die out in any second. Frankly speaking, this is more bromance and I find it more "BLs" than many of the claimed BLs series. Generally, the two main male leads have really great chemistry, lots of body languages, exchanging glances and most of all, I love their convo/ words they say to each others. The translation may be not too accurate, but they are words which you only say to your 'lover'. Thus, I feel..LOL..Bromance my a**..Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
When you fall, you will fall hard...
I'm not talking about the characters, I'm talking about you!I truly did not expect to get so emotionally invested in this series. The characters, the story (despite its flaws) and the music really grew on me throughout the 37 episodes. The main draw for me though was the palpable chemistry between the main OTP. Their interactions were littered with a platonic but almost homoerotic subtext. Whether I'm reading too much into it is up to you, but whenever Yue Lou turned his intense and crazily flirtatious gazes on Yu Zhi, and Yu Zhi returned his gaze with an innocent, slightly quizzical but very accepting look totally melted my heart.
If you're hesitating to watch the series, don't! There are so many touching and enjoyable moments to experience in the series. If you have been spoilt about how it ends and don't think you can handle it, just stick to the alternate ending and you won't regret devoting your time to this amazing series.
Warning: the following contains major spoilers so don't read ahead if you don't want to be spoilt. Plus this is really really long… forgive me.
The story starts out simply enough with Jiang Yue Lou, a hot-tempered policeman on a mission to rid his beloved hometown Jing Cheng of the threat of an opium influx. He meets the kind-hearted and selfless doctor Chen Yu Zhi in a raid and mistakes him for a criminal. Luckily the misunderstanding is quickly resolved and the pair part ways, though Yu Zhi isn't totally partial to Yue Lou's violent ways. The pair coincidentally meet again in Hong Kong and through a series of situations they gradually grow closer. The story develops with the pair united with common goals of rooting out several moles, protecting their loved ones (particularly each other!), and identifying the mastermind behind the opium den and discovering his end game. There are a few plotholes and the story definitely feel rushed in certain places (hello easily dissipated rebellion), but I have to say that I was hooked with each new twist and turn in the story. The fact that Yue Lou and Yu Zhi always stood by each others' side and never wavered no matter what definitely made it a more enjoyable watch.
My love for the characters also extends to the supporting cast, which does not always happen in a drama! Chu Ran is everything an awesome female character should be - independent, smart and loyal. She stands up for what she believes in and also for anyone who is wronged, and is willing to sacrifice her own happiness to help her loved ones. She loves Yue Lou, but puts her feelings aside when she finds out that there is little chance if it being requited. She helps Yu Zhi and Yue Lou in any way she can, as a journalist and with her privileged status in life. This is why out of all the tragic endings I feel like hers was the least deserved.
I felt a little less convinced about the 2nd OTP's bond. Dont get me wrong, I did root for a happy and peaceful ending for them both (even though I knew that had about a 0% chance of happening), but their relationship was a bit more convoluted by their backgrounds and true agendas. Boss Yu was unfortunately destined to have a tragic ending as he was consumed by taking revenge and Jun Bai was not willing to give up his desire for power for anything or anyone. Despite being the ultimate villain, I didn't actually hate Jun Bai. Sure I cursed him several times as he continually schemed against and caused pain to my favourite OTP, but he wasn't completely evil or devoid of compassion. He actually seemed to consider Yue Lou a friend, deliberately giving him waaay too many chances to squirrel his way out of danger, he allowed Yu Zhi to reunite and leave with his sister even though killing them both would have been a breeze, and he couldn't bring himself to get rid of Boss Yu, even letting him go when all common sense screamed that doing that would come back to bite him in the end (which it did). I saw him and Boss Yu's relationship as a way he could have redeemed himself, a way out to be a good man, but he didn't take that opportunity, which lead to a tragic end for the couple.
Commissioner Bai and Jiang Sheng Nan are the parental figures in the various stages of Yue Lou's life who have helped shaped Yue Lou into the person he is. They both bring extreme pain to him, but at least they have some form of closure with him before they succumb to their respective demise. Plus Yu Zhi is always there to comfort Yue Lou in his grief when he loses them. "You still have us (ie. me)" he says with those loving eyes.
Song Rong and Sun Yong Ren are subordinates any police detective would be proud to have, with Yong Ren providing comic relief and Song Rong being steadfast and capable. Da Cheng and Yi Ren seemed like flaky, one-dimensional characters at first, but both played a part in major plot developments as the series progressed. As a side note I couldn't help laughing in the last episode when Da Cheng became the unexpected hero of the quelling of the rebellion, chasing after the bad guys with guns he didn't have to reload and bringing an end to bad guy Commissioner Zhan.
I was surprised by how high the body count was by the end, but boy was I glad the couple who rescued Yue Lou from the river did not experience a tragic end (one less stab in the heart for our precious Yue Lou).
This leaves me to comment on the relationship of our lead characters. To be honest, I didn't find Yu Zhi and Yue Lou's first meeting in the warehouse too impressionable, nor was their first encounter in HK. I only started feeling the stirrings of something deeper when Yue Lou showed the first signs of trusting Yu Zhi, relying on his help to contact his men when he was in hiding by tracing with his finger a secret symbol only known to his subordinates onto the doctor's palm, and proceeding to closing his hand with his own oh so gently. Their first real skinship marked a big step in the relationship, with the usually untrusting Yue Lou relying on someone he had only really just met but who had saved his life. What sealed the deal for me was when he failed to persuade the good doctor to return with him to Jing Cheng for his own safety, so he resorted to knocking him out and kidnapping him back with him. The self-satisfied look on Yue Lou's face when Yu Zhi woke up on the trip back cracked me up so much... he looked extremely pleased with himself, confident that his actions had saved Yu Zhi from certain doom. Their relationship never stopped developing from there, with Yu Zhi discovering and helping to treat Yue Lou with his bipolar disorder, and Yue Lou secretly helping Yu Zhi establish his clinic and in his search for Ke Ying. The trust and unspoken understanding between the two went from strength to strength, transcending both friendship and brotherhood. No matter what was thrown between them, they had unwavering faith in each other, and only thought of the other even when their own life was in danger. It was so pure, I thought even romantic with the title reference to an old Chinese love poem highlighting what their relationship truly was. Not only their verbal interactions were a joy to watch, the longing glances, the visible pain of separation and the more obvious physical contact - the hand on the wrist, the heartfelt hug and Yue Lou's tendency to grip (and caress!) Yu Zhi on the back of the neck all lead me to believe they had something deeper than any normal bromance. I loved all their scenes together, but the scene where Yue Lou proceeds to try Mo Qing's gift to him of a tie on a dumbfounded but cooperative Yu Zhi right in front of her was priceless!
If you need more proof, the commentary and jokes by side characters indirectly allude to the true nature of their relationship. Chu Ran joking about intruding when dropping in on them having wontons for example, or more overtly Da Cheng's remark about how their relationship did not seem innocent (he hit the nail on the head there!). Then there are their positive reactions when in separate situations each denied having an interest in anyone of the opposite sex... So. Many. Hints.
All in all the acting was solid, with Mao Zi Jun being a standout due to the number of different faces he had to put on, and the range of emotions he had to go through with his character. His protectiveness of Yu Zhi wasn't overbearing or aggressive like a lot of characters sketched out to be the hot tempered of a pair and was well tempered by MZJ. I loved the contrast of Yu Zhi's soft demeanor and cool-headedness and thought Ian Yi did a great job with nuanced expressions that wholly suited the character.
On the technical side, I also fell in love with the soundtrack, not just the title and insert songs but the bgms as well. The same songs get played throughout the series, but I never got tired of listening to them, each piece evoking the sought after emotion in the viewer as it played in the background. My only gripe is with the editing - the parts that were censored out lead to some discontinuity in the sound and story, not to mention that these contained some juicy moments. Thankfully they have been released as a clip to be watched outside of the episodes.
Now the ending - I was actually prepared for it when I was only a quarter way through the series as I accidentally spoilt it for myself by reading a spoiler comment. Maybe that was a good thing as I may have been too shocked if I hadn't had prepared myself mentally for it. I also watched the happy ending, but because it felt like a cut and paste job it wasn't as satisfactory as I would have liked. The sad ending was truly that - the positive was that IY and MZJ acted it out so beautifully (extra kudos to MZJ for acting out his grief in such an intense and heartfelt way). Think about it this way - it's only because you care so much about the characters that it hurts so damn much!
It's been such a pleasure watching Yue Lou and Yu Zhi develop such an epic bond, with utter devotion to each other. I love them both individually and as a couple and will never forget them. The journey that is "Killer and Healer" is rough - you will laugh, you will cry and you will suffer terribly from withdrawal when the ride is over, but believe me it's all worth it. I'm planning to do it all again soon!
Was this review helpful to you?
