So Disappointed

This drama, to be perfectly honest, made me feel disgusting after I watched it. The best words I can use to describe are maybe ... incestuous? This could have been good. It really did have so much potential. I loved the first couple episodes. I loved the Dads, I loved the dynamic between the kids, I even loved the depressing backstories and painful scenes. When the kids grew up and were in high school I still enjoyed it. I felt like they did a good job of portraying teenagers who were figuring themselves out and trying to plan their futures and being shitty at it. I love coming of age stories. I thought this would be like A Love So Beautiful or Reply 1988.

Boy was I wrong.

This drama goes from being an emotional, heart-warming family drama to being emotionally manipulative and rancid so quickly. Logic flies out the window, as do relatable emotions, as does self-respect from ANY of the characters (or basic human decency), and suddenly what was a sweet story becomes a bunch of patriarchal, tropey bullshit.

WHY would the two boys leave home for that long? It doesn't make logical sense and it makes their return feel like it's being built on lies. You're asking me to believe that they left home for almost a decade, didn't see their Dads (adopted or otherwise) for that ENTIRE time, never came home for a visit, nothing ... for no good reason? Because they were ashamed? Because they were busy? It felt like the writers were slapping me in the face for believing in the family dynamic they'd established with the first few episodes. What the hell was this?

Then, upon the two boys' return, I realize that they've both become controlling, immature, creepy, dickheads. They both have this fixation on the female lead, and seem convinced that they're both in love with her. In fact, they've both separately made these elaborate schemes to try to win her over in the future (for example, one 'brother's' career is baking, which he only got into because, apparently, she loves sweets? what the fuck??). The only positive with their meeting was that she didn't really want anything to do with them and found them both incredibly awkward. That was enjoyable. Them stalking her and pressuring her and guilting her... was not.

Things only went downhill from there. Both boys became more possessive, the drama got weirder, and I felt like I was watching two siblings kiss. The chemistry could have been there between the leads, but the complete bullshit story and creepy vibes just ruined everything for me. I couldn't even thirst after the hot main lead in peace!

So, yeah. I don't know why the hell everyone loves this one so much. In my opinion, you'd better off watching other coming of age dramas (literally ANYTHING else) instead of this one. At least they won't make you want to bash your head into a wall.

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Far better than almost all other Chinese dramas

Joy of Life is the rare Chinese drama that manages to be succinct, thematically cohesive, well-plotted and populated with well-written characters. It has a fairly long episode count but it makes use of each of them and doesn't drag. When I was watching this for the first time I was astounded by how many firsts I was experiencing. It is the only Chinese drama I have ever watched that has truly compelling scheming. The only drama with an emperor whose scenes I don’t want to skip. The main lead is so three-dimensional he seems to be coming alive. The world itself feels huge, but also deep — and Chinese fantasy worlds almost never do. They show a restraint with the CGI that makes it more immersive, rather than cheapening the story with poor quality graphics. When I finished it I was satisfied, but I was also very sad because I realized that I would probably never see another drama like it. With the exception, hopefully, of season two! Joy of Life is so well realized that it makes other dramas feel flat and thin in comparison.

The drama would not work nearly as well if that hadn’t cast Zhang Ruo Yun as Fan Xian. This character has to embody the show. He has to feel like a relatable everyman while also being super intelligent and charming. He has to be powerful while also feeling vulnerable, so you’re scared for him. He has to surprise his opponents and overcome obstacles set against him time and time again, seemingly against all odds. ZRY absolutely pulls it off. He is enigmatic and energetic and very funny while also handling the darker and more serious aspects of the drama.

A particular side note for Chen Doaming as the Emperor. This is hands down, bar none, the best performance I have seen of an emperor in any tv show I have ever watched. He is powerful, intimidating and sometimes cruel without ever resorting to being a tyrant and having a scene where he cuts off a peasant's head, or something. He feels like he's emperor not because he was born into the royal family, but because he was meant to be emperor. It feels like no matter where or when he was born or what status he was, somehow he would end up becoming emperor. He is so imposing and exudes so much weight on screen that you hang on every word he says. But he's not just scary, he's also funny and can be strangely warm. He is always a few steps ahead of everyone else and always seems to know what's going on, in a way that makes you love him more and also be more frightened for Fan Xian. I also love that he is almost always in what appears to be his pyjamas? Or at least his lounge wear? and in his private chambers. We never see him in his full emperor's attire or in his big hall or prancing around -- he is so regal and so clearly in charge that he just reads documents in his study and the whole kingdom comes trembling in when he calls. INCREDIBLE stuff. Truly magnetic.

The rest of the cast is also excellent, filled to the brim with upcoming and new talent as well as seasoned, legendary actors. Everyone is bringing a spark to their role, making even guest appearances meaningful. Wu Gang is wonderful as the tricky, slippery Chen Ping Ping. He, the emperor and Fan Xian make up the central trio of the show, three powers that are not necessarily in opposition, but are constantly They give legitimacy and depth to their roles and storylines, and they up the stakes tremendously. There are also supporting characters that really shine, Wayne Wang as Teng Zi Jing and Tian Yu as Wang Qi Nian are especially wonderful, but really there are so many great characters that I can't name them all. It's because they are all so great that you become so emotionally invested in the show. You never feel the need to fast-forward so we can 'get back to the main character'.

The story really rips along, upping the stakes and increasing the complexity at every turn. As it does so, the great cast fills everything out and makes you really care about the characters and their plights. As the story unfolds things get weirder and weirder, and the consequences become greater, and yet the story never really loses its joy and comedy. I am often left frustrated by historical dramas that start off very light and fun and become gloomy and tragic by the end. Even though I love a good tragedy, I also often feel that the drama isn't as good the darker it gets. However, even though Joy of Life CERTAINLY has strife, tragedy and darkness in it, the brightness we get at the beginning never goes away completely, no matter what's happening. Tonally, that's a juggling act that few dramas can pull off, but this one did. It can be deeply moving and emotional as well as incredibly funny all in the same episode.

A few things that weren't as good or that I know bothered some other viewers: The character of Lin Wan'er feels flat and underdeveloped, which is sad because she is a good actress who deserves a good role. In season two I hope that her role gets expanded and her character can gain some depth so that she will feel like a better match to Fan Xian. I do love their romance, which I think is magical and sweet, and they have good chemistry, but she becomes a bit redundant. I don't just want a weak, one dimensional invalid as basically the only woman in the show! Give me some better writing please!

Additionally, I think some people weren't expecting this to be as fantastical as it is, and were put off by it. This world feels like a heightened reality. The weird secret societies, people with incredible powers, the time travel (??), the encounter with heaven (??) -- all these things feel natural and enjoyable if you're prepared for them. If you go into this show expecting a Serious Historical Epic you will be disappointed. That is not what this show is. It's a fantasy comedy drama that is honestly more enjoyable, intelligent, well-acted and suspenseful than 90% of the dramas that I have seen in the last five years, regardless of country or genre.

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This is one of those wonderful Chinese dramas that is low-budget, has fairly inexperienced actors as the leads, and is set in a historical period (supposedly). There is a political plot line, but it's mostly for show -- the actual scheming is paper-thin and fairly uninteresting. At the end of the day this drama is a vehicle for the leads to fall in love, kiss, and do all kinds of sweet things onscreen. There's no need to read more into it, because there's really nothing else to say.

I liked the leads quite well. They were pretty green at times, but I felt like they did a good job with their characters and they had good chemistry onscreen. This isn't exactly a drama that requires extraordinary acting chops, either. Are you pretty? Are you NOT annoying? Can you fall in love with someone on-screen? Can you kiss well? Then you're ready! But all jokes aside, I did think they were quite entertaining and made the drama enjoyable.

This is not very emotionally moving, certainly isn't serious, has none of the intelligent plot lines that one might look for in a historical drama, and has a fairly low budget. But it's perfect for if you want to watch plenty of funny and sweet moments onscreen, just remember the power of the fast-forward button.

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Tonally uneven, poorly structured, with an insanely sweet lead couple

I wish this drama was better. There's a lot of potential in the premise, which is fresh and fun, and you've got two great looking and quick good actors as your leads, but the execution just isn't there.

Tonally, this drama either doesn't know what it wants to be (ultra sweet romance or dark thriller or farcical comedy?) or wants to be all of the things mentioned and doesn't know how to meld them together into a cohesive whole (there is only one drama that I've ever seen that can blend super sugary romance, serious and dark themes and pure comedy together and that's Joy of Life, but that drama is such a masterclass in writing, acting and directing that it's unfair to judge anything else against it).

What you end up with is a drama that has some great romance, some good action, a hell of a lot of baggy and unnecessary scenes and some comedy that is either deeply disrespectful and homophobic, or gives you whiplash. The ongoing gag of the gangsters that were beaten up by the female lead is funny at first, but when you've got it paired next to a scene where her best friend is in the hospital after being kidnapped and possibly tortured and raped by a serial killer, the gangster stuff starts to feel cheap and ugly.

This drama is a mess. It's all over the place, it has uneven acting and is very draggy in some areas and very rushed in others. I like rewatching it for the lead couple, but I find myself fast forwarding like crazy. That's really the only way I can watch this show -- treat it like a highlight reel. Keep about 30% (the romance! The fighting!) and throw out the rest.

Greatest Weakness: The homophobic 'comedy'
Greatest Strength: The romance between the leads

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I don't have the nostalgia that a lot of people have with this show. I eventually watched it because it was recommended by so many people and was deemed such a classic, and when I did I found that I really enjoyed it. Other classic dramas like Full House or Autumn in my Heart really rub me the wrong way -- those tropes from the early and mid-2000s are so grating. The shouting, the absolutely awful main lead, the usually dumb female lead, the repetitive and over the top plot points... I don't find it charming, I just find it to be bad writing, directing and acting.

But! Coffee Prince has charm, a thoughtful story and good acting from a dynamic ensemble cast. Sure it's got plenty of the tropes of the era (and some of those do bring down the rating for me), but it also its central premise (girl pretends to be boy, falls in love with arrogant boss) to tell a thoughtful story full of romance and self-discovery that actually rings true.

Coffee Prince is built around the premise of a poor, hard-working, not very romantic girl (Go Eun Chan) who is often mistaken for a boy because of the way she looks and dresses. She is in fact mistaken for a boy by the male lead (Choi Han Gyul), who is rich and arrogant and who hires her to pretend to be his gay lover so that he can stop going on the blind dates his grandmother sets up for him. She is supremely responsible for her mom and younger sister and is just scraping by, he is irresponsible and lazy and yet rich as hell. It's a classic setup that is initially played for laughs. But as the drama progresses and Eun Chan's lies get deeper the actual implications of the situation become clear.

This is where I think Coffee Prince really deserves its classic status. Both of the main characters start to fall for each other, but feel that they can't express their love -- Eun Chan is afraid to tell Han Gyul she is a girl because he might hate her for lying to him, and Han Gyul is having a crisis as he falls in love with Eun Chan, who he thinks is a man. The longing, heartbreak, repression and unsaid feelings of that are really delved into as the show goes on. I think its that exploration of the inner turmoil of the characters that really gives this drama its lasting impact.

On a more superficial note, Gong Yoo is incredibly handsome and charismatic as Han Gyul and Yoon Eun Hye is very funny and relatable as Eun Chan. The rest of the cast at the coffee shop are very fun and have great chemistry. I think the success of the show is partly also due to the hilarity and sweetness of that ensemble.

The reason this doesn't have a higher score is because I don't think the storylines with Choi Han Sung and Han Yoo Joy (Han Gyul's best friend and former love) are very interesting and I think the semi love triangle that develops between Sun Chan, Han Gyul and Han Sung has very little tension. It's one of those love triangles that just feels like a waste of time. I also think that Eun Chan's mother and sister are very one-note and annoying and that most of the scenes at her house are dull and repetitive. It's very typical of that period of dramas to have the family of the female lead be somewhat stupid, useless and annoying, because it makes her seem like even more of a toiling saint for taking care of them.

All in all, although the show has its weak points its so entertaining and emotionally moving that I think it firmly deserves its classic status. I highly recommend it to anyone who feels like all the dramas pre-2010 are full of nothing but shouting, hysterical sobbing and sudden amnesia.

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I found this movie really entertaining. I really loved the leads and I thought that their romance was actually really moving. There were some genuinely heart wrenching scenes (the one in the rain! Where she falls down! AHHH!) that actually surprised me. I think the lead actress is definitely the stronger of the two in terms of acting, but her costar does a fair job.

The nostalgic feeling to the movie is great and I think the funny moments are often actually funny, which is a good. In terms of a coming of age movie there were some great moments that were cliched but charming and reminded me of something out of 10 Things I Hate About You. The rollerskating scenes were great, the school auditorium scenes, etc. I also thought that once the love triangle really got going things were really cooking, and the painful tragedy of unrequited love/miscommunication in first love was well played.

Things that I don't think worked so well are the cliched medical plot lines (including the reason that he had to move away? And they lost contact?), the dumb tragic backstory, the ENDING WITH THE CHARACTERS GROWN UP, and some of the more intense gang-related scenes felt pretty cringey and ridiculous. I think this movie is enjoyable because of the connection between the leads and the heart-ache and sweetness of their relationship, but it is certainly a flawed film with whole parts that really just don't work.

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Predictable and tropey with charming leads

This is a remake of an older drama from 2003. As such it has many of the tropes that are considered classics in the land of dramas: fake dating, a sum of money as part of the contract which becomes something of a mcguffin, jealous x-girlfriends, a dramatic kidnapping incident, a rich man and a poor woman, etc. A drama from the early 2000s that's filled to the brim with these familiar story set-ups is usually forgiven because it's 'of its time', the trouble when adapting is that people don't necessarily want that in a modern drama. A good example would be the 2018 remake of Meteor Garden, which struggled through some of the more problematic plot points taken from the 2001 version while having none of the original's charm.

However, Something about 1% manages to be light, fun and surprisingly earnest. It leans in to the tropes of its story while imbuing them with more sweetness, heart and gentleness than the original. Sure we've got the ridiculous shenanigans of a fake dating contract and shareholders scheming to try to get back at the ML for edging them out in the hotel business, but we never forget what the real heart of the story is: two people falling in love with each other. The chemistry between the leads is incredible and the kiss scenes were refreshingly passionate rather than reminding me of two dead fish touching their lips together in surprise. The story is cliche, the costumes and setting feel low-budget and simple, but the leads have such bright and crackling chemistry that the whole thing feels fun and fresh rather than tired and boring.

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emotional, endearing, one of the only perfect dramas

It's difficult for me to write a review of Reply 1988 because it's so close to my heart and has been for so long that I've lost any objective distance from which to review it. Even if I love a show I can usually see where it had flaws or weaknesses and rate it accordingly, but with this show I just need to give it that perfect 10/10 rating. It would be sacrilege not to.
This was the first (and one of the only) truly great dramas I have ever seen. It is also one of the few dramas I have recommended/shown to people in my life who do not watch asian dramas (like my mom). This is such a great showcase for the strength of a typical k-drama format: 20 long episodes, released consecutively, makes the show feel lengthy and significant (because it is, at almost 30 hours? of runtime) while still being self-contained. The themes can also stay very pure, entering around family and growing up in the most emotionally fulfilling possible way.
The cast is very good. Both the kids and the parents are so enjoyable to watch, both on their own and in those large and complicated group dynamics. There are no scenes to skip, no glaringly weak acting that brings down the ensemble. Everyone ranges from solid to excellent and there are more than ten very memorable and well-acted scenes I can think of off the top of my head. This great cast is supported by great writing and directing. There are so many understated, subtle moments that have a huge emotional impact, they don't need to rely on unrealistically high stakes for there to be these incredible dramas in the show. The show doesn't manufacture comas and car accidents and divorces and long-lost twins because they don't need to. They're bringing out the drama and emotion of daily life, and all the trials and joys of regular people and their relationships.
I would say my only quibble is that I'm not very fond of the focus on who Deok-sun ends up marrying. The Reply series always has some variant of this question built in to the fabric of the show, be it Reply 1997, 1994 or 1988, but I think it feels most glaringly out of place here. It seems cheap and unnecessary and if I could edit out the 'future' interview-style scenes I would. The show stands perfectly well without them. That said, they are not terrible or anything, I just think it puts undue focus on a love triangle that would've probably felt more organic otherwise.
Overall, this is the show that I recommend to people who don't watch dramas. Period. Everyone I have shown this to has enjoyed it, and there is a reason that it always ends up on those 'greatest dramas of all time' lists. It may take an episode or two to get used to the pace and the setting and characters, but once you do you'll be a fan for life.

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Really wanted to like it!

This drama started off well, and had the potential to be really good. It has a great cast to work from, and leads with great chemistry who are acting their asses off. Unfortunately the weight of the plot started to fold in on itself around the halfway mark, and the characters to progressively worse. Their decision-making skills tanked, the romance got toxic and the plot started to just not make sense.

Overall, this was sad because I wanted this to be really good. If you are a fan of this type of drama or these actors, give it a try. You might get some enjoyment out of it. Unfortunately it left me with a sour taste in my mouth.

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Such a fun reimagining of the zombie genre! I love the idea of setting a zombie apocalypse (of a sort) in a historical period because it increases the sense of unknowable and unimaginable horror. There are no medical or scientific explanations available to break down what is happening, and it can't be summarized by the characters as a viral epidemic, etc. I'm not saying those types of zombie movies don't have their own strengths, but I really enjoyed seeing the historical Korean monarchy paired with zombies, it was scary in a way I hadn't been expecting.

The cast is great. I don't think that the acting is necessarily the biggest draw here (Historical. Zombies.) but I think that they do a good job of making you care about the people involved. Of course, Bae Doona is her usual awesome self.

The writing and directing is very good, keeping a breakneck pace while also keeping the stakes digestible enough that it feels personal. The survival of this specific group of people is the focus of the first season, which gives room for the scope to be expanded in season two. I think that the twist is very well done, the zombies are well done (their strengths and limitations are well matched to the show, they're not TOO powerful and do have some weaknesses, but they also very much feel like a threat).

Overall, a well-made and enjoyable horror tv show that will be entertaining for people that like gore, action, some horror and also a solid historical setting. Definitely worth checking out. It may sound gimmicky to pair zombies and period dramas (some Pride and Prejudice and Zombies type shit), but actual I think that the setting is used really smartly to actual increase tension and horror, while still feeling like it's speaking to modern issues.

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Despite everything, I enjoy this show. I don't love it and I don't think it's very well written, acted, or directed, but somehow the combination of all its flaws and strengths together makes for a big mess that's still impactful, at least for me. The ideas of the show I think far outweigh its execution, but the ideas are so grand and sweeping that I always get caught up in them and can look past the problems of the drama.

The scope of the show feels enormous, even if in reality it isn't that grand. The cast is huge (and very good-looking) and there is a complicated and convoluted plot for the throne that basically takes up the entirety of the show. If you're looking for a female-centric historical drama, you've come to the wrong place. A huge part of the plot is the female lead being pushed and pulled between the most powerful men in the kingdom, all vying for her heart and attention at some point or another. There is violence, death, drama and, ultimately, a tragic bloodbath that leaves you wondering (as most tragic historical dramas do)... was that really worth it? I think that depends on the viewer. I don't think the bloodshed is that effective or upsetting because I don't care about most of the characters, but there are certainly moments that work and I think the tone and themes of the show are gripping and entertaining.

The female lead isn't really anything special. She's not very well written or well acted, but she's not the worst, either. I would take her quiet flatness, over a lead who is annoying and stupid. IU isn't terrible in the role, in fact I think she does a fair bit with what she was given, but I don't think she shines here and I certainly don't think it's her best work. At her best she is pitiable and relatable in that she is a small, empathetic, sincere person in a very overwhelming, cruel and dangerous world. Is that the greatest central trait for your lead? No, but I'll take what I can get.

Of course, Lee Joon Gi is really the person everybody wants to talk about when it comes to this drama and I think he does a good job as the tortured, brooding and loyal Wang So. We all love a good bad boy prince and he certainly is that. Again, muddled writing and bad pacing undermine the character and flatten out what could have been truly great. Instead I am usually left not feeling satisfied by the redemption or downfall of this character and am instead confused about character motivation.

Honestly I liked the tragic, dismal ending. It felt rushed and didn't entirely work character-wise, but I think it fit squarely with the themes of the show. Power corrupts. Good people do things for the wrong reasons and pay the price. Even good choices can have bad consequences. We've seen it all before -- and seen it done better -- but I think it still works here. I think if you view the drama through the lens of an opera or a tragic love story it all goes down a lot easier. The miscommunication and the heart-ache and the illness and the jealousy and the regret is all a big sad stew of romance and bitterness that I quite enjoy.

Overall, not for everyone. Not very well executed. Still enjoyable with the right expectations.

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I'm not giving this a failing grade because I always enjoy watching it, even if it has zero plot, poor acting, uninspiring chemistry between the leads and is very, very cheesy. There's something delightful about watching a drama be so boldly and confidently ridiculous, with none of the toxic undertones of something like Boys Over Flowers or Heirs. It has so much bravado and over-the-top action and drama that I always find myself laughing through it. There's something enjoyable, too, about watching two people be so consistently ready to die for each other, with no complications, ifs or buts.

All in all, this is a wild glorification of the military, a comedy that's not that funny, an intense romantic drama that isn't any of those things, but it is a good time. People's mileage may vary, but I was all in as soon as I watched that unbelievably silly fight sequence in the opening episode.

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I was excited to start this drama because I really love both of the lead actors and felt like they would have interesting chemistry onscreen. In that sense I was completely correct. This is one of those rare dramas where the age gap really works. The dynamic is certainly stern, commanding older male lead and bold, bubbly younger female lead, but I feel like they do a great job of showing how that can be a really joyful and beautiful dynamic. In reality, I'm not so sure if this would really work, but in the magical world of dramas I think it's very successful. Rosy Zhao has this infectious energy and earnestness that's very charming, and Lin Yu Shen brings a moody, intense, and weightier presence to the screen. Together I think they make a great pair.

But while their scenes together are some of the loveliest and most intense romantic scenes I've seen in a drama in a while, I feel like the rest of the drama is a lot weaker and really drags down our leads. There are certainly bright moments. I like the focus on social class, I like the sort of fish-out-of-water aspect of each of the leads stepping into each other's worlds, but I think that there are too many repetitive aspects of the rest of the plot. There is a lot of scheming family members, misunderstandings, and even fights between the leads that are really hard to watch as a viewer. I was really invested in this couple and the plot brutalizes their characters in a way that wasn't very enjoyable to see onscreen episode after episode. It's not that I don't like a dark or tragic or serious plot, but I think this one was just too melodramatic and clunky for the drama.

Overall, great leads with exceptional chemistry, but an uninteresting and sometimes painful plot that gets more repetitive and draggy the longer the drama goes on. A nasty brother bent on revenge and using the unsuspecting female lead in his schemes is very 2005, and I wasn't interested in it in the least.

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This is it. This is THE sappy, melodramatic, romantic rollercoaster movie that I watch when I want to just cry and look at beautiful people. It's a classic setup that I'm a real sucker for (tough guy becomes soft and sweet around the woman he loves who needs protection), and I love the way that it quietly and predictably unfolds. I also think that I like it because although it has plenty of sadness, it's ultimately a happy ending, unlike some of them where one character just dies and that's that, the end.

Despite the romance there is a grainy, dismal look to the movie -- broken by the ray of sunshine in her apartment when he fixes it up and opens the window and she traces his face, which always gets me -- and the ending as the predictably gloomy quality that switches to being uplifting at the very, very end.

The leads are both very beautiful people and they do a good job. They have chemistry and they are very, very sweet. In the grey feeling of the movie they are intentionally a very bright spot and by the end I'm always really rooting for them. They are both pretty broken people that were sidelined by the world and I want them to have happiness.

If you had the energy, I'm sure there are lots of criticisms you could make about the way that the female lead's blindness is portrayed, and the message its sending by having her eyesight cured at the end, etc. etc. but frankly I just don't have the will to analyze this movie to that extent. It's a tearjerker. It's meant to be full of romance and strife and beautiful people falling in love in heart wrenching circumstances.

Greatest Weakness: The rushed climax where she gets her eyesight back? And he hides from her out of... shame? I guess??
Greatest Strength: Those sweet, sweet domestic scenes when they have their little slice of happiness.

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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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