The story is a typical shoujo plot and the film follows the manga closely. That may or may not be boring if you have already read the manga. I have but I still ended up enjoying it. It is not a masterpiece nor something that I would rewatch from the beginning to end because there is no depth - I mean, a cute girls falls for a guy, he is already in a relationship that seems more like a friendship and it has become a routine, he falls for her too, there are also some supportive characters and that's it.
The cast is perfect. They are like the manga characters come to life. The acting consists of typical Japanese cute expressions and outbursts which you should have got used to if you have watched enough Japanese films. It's just their thing.
Music is also perfect consisting usually of instrumental piano tracks which fit the romantic school setting perfectly . I cannot stand the cliched sugar pop songs that seem like they are coming from a game machine or sth. I would also like to praise the production because it seems they did put more effort into editing.
The overall impression is - I liked it. I knew what to expect and that is what I got. Would I recommend it? Only to shoujo fans and those who like a light and fluffy story.
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1DO NOT WATCH this useless drama
If you’re considering watching Heesu in Class 2, do yourself a favor and SKIP it. This drama is a perfect example of WASTED potential. The dialogue is painfully awkward and unnatural, making even simple conversations feel forced and cringeworthy. The script writing is equally WEAK, filled with clichés and characters who seem to exist only to fill space, without any meaningful development.The storyline is POORLY constructed — it lacks direction, coherence, and emotional depth. Too many UNNECESSARY scenes drag down the pacing, adding nothing to the plot or character arcs. It often feels like the show is trying too hard to be dramatic or quirky without earning those moments.
Overall, watching this drama felt like a WASTE OF TIME. It could have been an interesting coming-of-age or youth romance series, but it fell flat in almost every aspect. There are far better dramas out there that respect viewers’ time and intelligence.
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1
1Absolutely worth the watch
As someone else has already mentioned, this isn’t a fluffy or cute show, that’s true. Maybe down the line it will be a little lighter, but right now it’s a bit intense. Even with only two episodes out, the tension between You Shu Lang and Fan Xiao is already so addictive. Their dynamic is messy, complicated, and honestly kind of thrilling to watch.The chemistry works without being forced. The characters already feel layered, with hidden sides that make every interaction unpredictable. The visuals are cinematic, the vibe is dramatic but grounded, and the story has a quiet tension that makes it hard to stop watching. I’d suggest waiting until more episodes have aired, because some people tend to enjoy shows or get the full experience of a show better that way.
I’m definitely sticking around to see how their relationship develops, this one’s already way more compelling than I expected.
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Things I loved in this drama:
- Lee Junho as Yi San/The King: The first time I took note of Lee Junho was in Good Manager where I loved how intense his character could be, yet hidden behind that mask was a kooky weirdo that just needed to find his people. In Red Sleeve, he did a solid job of portraying an emotionally layered Crown Prince who was raised by an emotionally abusive grandfather (who was responsible for his fathers death if you know the real life story). The amount of trauma that alone would instill in any kid gives you a deeper appreciation for the King he grew to became and an understanding of *why* he was so adamant in following the law and made certain choices. He is by no means a flawless character but I think he did such a great job playing out the various aspects of San's emotions and struggles.
I also think he carried the love story mostly on his back and it was through him that we really saw the depth of emotions in the OTP. We saw his pain, doubt that the FL returned his feelings, his joy when he thought she did and his sadness when she was repeatedly aloof with him. I like that he was a flawed character -- there were times when he was really possessive and that lead me to understand why, in the beginning the FL might have been wary of showing her hand when it came to her feelings for him. I also loved that while he was so very in love, he never lost sight of his larger goal as a King and what he wished for his people. All in all, a character that I walked away liking.
THINGS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:
*Writing/Plot and Pacing: I initially thought this was a love story, but after watching the show I felt it was more about following Yi San through his journey from Crown Prince to King, which also included his love for the FL. The writers spent a great deal of time during the middle/late end of the show drawing out the time period where the FL avoided committing to the King which I guess could have worked if they had written her to be a more nuanced character and had given us insight into her inner turmoil, but they pretty much had her repeating the same conversations to her friends or herself with no further insight. It's almost as if when creating her character avatar the writers highlighted "girl King loves who got away and he pines for" as one of her characteristic and forgot to flesh out what about Deok Im justified this almost decade long avoidance of committing to the King. We are given the whole "I want to make a choice in my life" front, but her personality and motivations are never as fully fleshed out the way it is for San and how he became the man he grew to be. So it ultimately felt like she was a female character written in with the express purpose of being the woman that hooked san for the amount of time she did.
I also think the pacing of the show from the midway point to the last episode was confusing and pointless. They again, maximized the period of time they were not together for a longer period than they needed to and then squashed in everything that could have happened into literally 1.5 episodes. Like, they literally timed jumped the shit out of everything that happened when she finally became his concubine and fast forwarded through everything we, as an audience who literally waited to see happen, only to end again with more solo time with San and how he processed everything emotionally. Which is why I would rate this higher if it was written specifically as a biopic that focused on San -- because then it did a pretty good job.
THINGS I'M CONFLICTED ABOUT:
*Sung Deok Im (the character and also maybe the actress? perhaps there could have an actress that could have saved Deok Im's character, I don't know) - Conflicted because in the beginning there was a fair bit of things that I loved about Deok Im's character. It's very rare that we get a FL that thinks quickly, talks back and actually does some saving of her own so I was very much here for it. However as the show progresses, you begin to realize that she herself is a very flawed character (fair, no one is looking for perfection), with a fair bit of ego and self centeredness. Some people like characters like this, so if you do, perhaps she could be your cup of tea.
She's more than comfortable subtly leveraging San's feelings for her to get what she wants, or doing something that would literally get anyone else killed but because of San's feelings for her (that she knew about) she knew she'd be safe. However, you point this out to her -- as Hong Deok Ro did when they were both outside the palace -- and she did the thing that made me start to seriously dislike her. Turned her nose up in the air and proceeded to stick her head in the clouds of self denial. And that's when you get confirmation that yes, this is a flawed character, but it's one that refuses to see her own flaws. In cases like these, I never know if the character was written this way intentionally or if the writer themselves believe what they have the characters saying. I guess we'll never know.
*the OTP: conflicted because I really loved San's half of the OTP but Deok Im was just like. Not it for me. the first half or so maybe, I could have worked with that, but as the show progressed and you got to see it's like. Man. I just feel bad for the guy. I don't think San was every fully sure if she loved him and to be honest, watching the show, you can't blame him. Given everything he went through in his life, it was kind of sad that the one person who could have offered him some sort of safety and security when it came to human connection ... kind of didn't. I mean he kept her around anyways, but it got to a point where he would cut himself off from asking her how she really felt because I think he really didn't want to hear the answer.
All in all, the OTP was lopsided and poorly written on one side. It was given the rating it has mostly because I think Lee Junho delivered on his role and carried the OTP. I'd really like to see him act in another sageuk with a better script and FL. ::crosses fingers::
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This review may contain spoilers
not what I was hoping for
Overall: I was hoping for a fun mess like the first one, but even setting the first season aside I had struggles with the characters/plot. Viewers do not need to have watched the first season. 12 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/6274/only-friends-dream-on-2026Content Warning: vomiting around 43 min of episode 1, non con recording/sharing, punches, blood, past alcoholism, intimate partner abuse/violence, victim blaming, non con touching that turned consensual
What I Liked
- so many GMMTV actors in one series
- different dynamics (exes, hookup, secret crush)
- sweet moments
- Raffy and Rome
Room For Improvement
- Jack should have apologized multiple times and Dean shouldn't have apologized multiple times, you can't have boyfriend expectations when the label has not been agreed upon (and even vehemently rejected)
- intimate partner abuse response was terribly handled. She said she was repeatedly physically abused and Jack's response was "Whoa that's not okay Dao. How did you put up with a cheater like that?"
- made no sense to set this during/at university, could have been a play production post-university age
- the non con hugging with Arnold and Tua was awkward to watch and not romantic
- the interviews/tried to be edgy like Real World but shied away from being edgy
- I don't normally take off for production value but GMMTV has money and years of experience, the slower background music clashed with another beat on top of it
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Terrible
This series was definitely not what i expected. The only decent part of this series was the ML costumes and his character.The thing that annoyed the most of this series was the FL she was so annoying and highly irritating! I'm all for strong women and independent women, but she was a more nosy character and one that just did whatever she felt like, yes there was parts where she stood for doing the right thing, but as always she would go overboard.
The other thing that was really annoying was that she never seemed to trust her husband and yet he bent over backwards for her. Whenever he asked her to stay in a place she defined him. The scene where she tried to climb a wall during her pregnancy was also another part that was just so wrong, im sure any pregnant woman would never to try and climb a wall or tree in the first trimester of your pregnancy.
Sadly this series was disappointing for me.
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Healer is an example of a story that knows where it is going from begining right to the end. The writers, directors and actors all contributed in executing the plot with utmost care and consideration in order to make it a thrilling and compelling viewer experience.
There was nothing about this drama that didn't work. The characters, their relationships, the sub plots and the overarching plot all fell into place perfectly. There is a perfect balance between humour, romance (the romance was so adorable) and drama. Each element is tightly interconnected making it near-impossible for there to be any plot-holes (as far as I can recall, I don't think that there any plot-holes). The tension is both extrinsic and intrinsic - with characters having to deal with their own internal conflicts as well the many external conflicts that surround them. And the pacing is absolutely wonderful: we never reach that 15 episode slump that commonly plagues most 20+ episode dramas.
Where most dramas succeed plot wise, they tend to fail character and cast wise. This isn't the case with Healer. As well as there being three exceptionally well-developed and performed leading characters, the chocolate box collection of supporting characters are also wonderfully developed - each with their own unique flavour. I was finding it difficult to decide who my favourite character was: often stuck in a rut between the boss hacker Ahjumma Min Ja, Healer, mini-Healer and Healer's Teacher. (Min Ja clearly won my heart, though. I would love to be friends with that woman.)
Even the villain was nunaced and had his own backstory and reasons for his actions. Yes, his reasons weren't as justifiable as he believed them to be, and yes he had reached a point of delusion, but I did genuinely pity the guy. Everyone, except for the Godfather-esque Elder and his OCD, pushover crony had a backstory and depth.
Above all else, though, we have Ji Chang Wook - Healer/Park Bong Soo/Seo Jeong Hoo - who managed to convey all the different emotions that our hero was going through with what seemed like no effort at all. Yes he's undeniably beautiful, but so are 9 out of 10 of the men we see K-Dramas, the difference with JCW is that the guy is a natural actor. When JCW was playing Jeong Hoo playing Park Bong Soo it was 100% convincing - he pulled of the nerdy and awkward character perfectly, and let the mask of Bong Soo unwittingly slip off WHEN IT WAS NEEDED. IT DIDN'T FEEL LIKE ACTING AT ALL! I believed his pain, I believed his sincerity, I believed his happiness because JCW played Healer/Park Bong Soo/Seo Jeong Hoo so naturally it was like watching a real person progress and develop over time.
I can't talk about how great Healer was without talking about his leading lady: Chae Young Shin. I'm not really sold on Park Min Young being a great actress, but the role of Chae Young Shin definitely did suit her. She managed to pull off the quirky heroine, who tries to overcome her own personal trauma in order to be brave and succeed in her goals without making her seem too headstrong or too weak. She successfully portrayed both the strenghts and weaknesses of Chae Young Shin, whilst also empahsising her emotional growth as a character. Her chemistry with Ji Chang Wook was also incredibly sparkling.
Which brings me onto my next point: the OTP. Healer has probably one of the most convincing, adorable and affectionate romances in dramaland. You can genuinely understand why Chae Young Shin and Park Bong Soo are drawn to each other and care deeply for one another. This going to sound cringey, but they are actually made for one another: they complete each other and both help the other to overcome their fears and flaws. Both understand each other, and any conflict that comes between them is quickly resovled - not because the writer threw in some crappy misunderstanding - but because the two understand each other enough to dispel any doubt over the other's morality. True, it's usually Young Shin that does the doubting, but Healer never gets angry with her over it because he - and the audience - know that her anxiety often leads her mind to tread in places that can cause her resolve to waver.
I could go on for days about our OTP, but then I wouldn't be able to mention her third leading character: Kim Moon Ho (Yoo Ji Tae). His character could have easily been overshadowed by the powerful OTP, but he turned out to be a man with some of the deepest personal conflict. Yoo Ji Tae gave us a nunaced performance of a man who wants to protect everyone he loves, whilst also attempting to repent for past sins that he did not commit. He was a great guardian-like figure to our OTP and he was a necessary push factor in order for both of them to grow.
I think now is the moment where I'm supposed to talk about the things I didn't like...Hmm...Well...I guess I bloody hated the OST - especially that Destiny song which was awfully cringeworthy and could disrupt the tone of some of the more emotional scenes. But the sucky song still does not prevent me from giving Healer that perfect 10.
In fact, the only problem with this drama is that NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE WATCHED IT IN KOREA. I don't think it was a wise decision to have Healer go up against Punch - which was always going to be stiff competition because of the people who were at the healm of the drama. It's obvious that JCW is not nearly as much of a star Kim Rae Won, and Healer was Song Ji Na's come back drama after that horrible fiasco that was Faith. Healer definitely deserved a higher viewership, but I'm glad that is succeeded in getting a cult following because that will prevent it from falling into K-dramaland oblivion for a long time to come.
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It was captivating early on and they paid attention to details with the environment which is key. The acting was fantastic for almost all of the actors, especially for Lee Dong Wook's character, as he was very believable in his charismatic role. And while it wasn't overly gory, let's just say munching on snacks was fine but I didn't choose to eat a hearty meal while watching this.
Although it was only ten episodes, it felt longer. Not because scenes were dragged on, but because some of the episodes just didn't add much depth. They did provide some background on the residents but not enough to empathize much with anyone. It barely touches the complexity of a human mind and it doesn't take you through the journey of how everyone became who they are. Because of this, the ending felt rushed and it didn't trigger much emotions.
Nevertheless, I still quite enjoyed it for its suspense and those strange residents no one should ever have to live with.
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I fell in love with their story
Where to even start? I absolutely loved this drama! The plot might seem very basic, but it hits some of my favorite tropes – secret crush, age gap, brother’s best friend… My expectations were quite high, and I am incredibly happy that the drama really delivered!Duan Jia Xu & Sang Zhi: the two are so adorable together! Sang Zhi is so sweet and caring. She has had a crush on her brother’s best friend for years and she has at some point lost hope that it will ever be possible for them to be together. But when her hope started to dwindle, Duan Jia Xu started to fall for her. He went through a lot in his life, but Sang Zhi seems to be the ray of sunshine that brightens his days. I was a bit worried about the age gap as the two first met when Sang Zhi is very young, but I really like how they handle that and avoided making it creepy. I think the two are a great fit for each other. The two actors did amazingly in their roles, their height difference was cute. Even the actress who played young Sang Zhi killed her role!
Sang Yan is probably my favorite character. From calling his sister a little demon to always complaining about her and teasing her, there is also not a single thing he would not do to make her happy and to make sure she is safe. I loved the way the two kept bickering, no matter their age, and yet they missed each other when separated. He is also a great friend to Duan Jia Xu, I really had a lot of fun watching the two interact, especially once Duan Jia Xu and Sang Zhi start to date.
I really liked other side characters as well. Sang Zhi’s parents were really supportive of both of their children and always tried to make sure the two were happy, even when the two were driving them up the walks. Sang Zhi’s roommates were a lot of fun too. I enjoyed the fact the four of them were so different from one another, yet they really developed a close relationship with one another. And while I didn’t like Jian Ying as a character (which was also the point), the actress who played her did an amazing job in the role.
The story progressed nicely from episode to episode. It wasn’t rushed, they took their time with it, but it also didn’t drag on. The story takes places over several years, so giving it time to develop at a slower pace made it easier to follow and to truly understand how their feelings started to grow and change.
The cinematography was beautiful as well. The locations, the soundtrack, the styling of the characters… everything was on point. I honestly don’t think I have any complaints about it.
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Not for the Anti-fans
This is the second series I’ve seen in real time. Usually I binge-watch all the Asian dramas I want to watch. The series makes me think and I try to review my knowledge of Greek Mythology as I view the storyline every week. I enjoy the romcom elements. I relish watching Park Shin-hye being so kick-ass with her combat skills bad-ass with her pink guns. Despite being such a hardcore female, Kang So-hae still has a soft and vulnerable core. Despite his genius, it’s great to see Han Tae-sul being so playful, witty and funny. Just seeing the range of Cho Seung-woo in this drama is a treat. Maybe I should check out an episode of Stranger.As for the story, all the questions seem to have been answered. The leads belong in a different time-space, it would be a stretch to expect a happily-ever after. This is not straight-up Makjang or full-blown romcom as others prefer. It makes you ask questions, formulate theories, draw conclusions. It makes you appreciate Park Shin-hye and Cho Seung-woo even more, propel you to check out their past and future projects.
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Acting. So-so. You can clearly tell that they don’t have much experience since they act so scripted/directed and not natural. But it’s still okay and tolerable.
Music. The ost is good and memorable even if I can’t understand Thai.
Production. I think this series has a low cost production and it shows. TeeMork and GordMorn have so much potential. They deserve better storyline and production.
I think the reason I watched this is because I don’t have so much option when it comes to BL series. I’m a sucker for BL series. Most likely I will not watch this again.
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Started strong, ended really bad
This drama was very underwhelming. For the positives, Kim You Jung's acting was amazing, she just has the face of someone that can act like a sociopath. The OST and the production of the drama were also really good. For the negatives, Kim Young Dae's acting could be better, some scenes the viewer couldn't understand his emotions at all. For the argument itself, the story is bad. A girl that was abused, abandoned, tortured since a child ends up being the bad guy of the story. It is true that she used the first man to cover up her father's murder, however the rest she wasn't the one to be blamed at all. And the end was terrible. Jun Seo acknowledged that A Jin was in an abusive relationship and still his first thought was how evil she was and how he could blame her, no sympathy at all for her situation. In fact, if we analyze the entire story, we understand that she was a victim of the circumstances. Her stepmother drowned her, her father beat her up every time he was with her. Re Na bullied and physically assaulted her, In Gang was already deep into his depression before committing suicide. Grandma fell of the stairs, her high school stalker stabbed her and Jae O wanted to die for her. Honestly, she can be barely blamed, at all.Was this review helpful to you?
Rollercoaster of Emotions!
No drama before has ever made me feel such conflicting emotions before, I feel upset with the ML for the most part probably as FL is in a foreign land and being a female it's easier to relate to her. I feel she should not end up with him. But, at the end of each episode, I again end up back at square one conflicted that maybe they belong together. Because they are not bad people, just humans at the end of the day making decisions that are probably best in their perspectives. Both seyoung and Sakaguchi are portraying their characters brilliantly, you feel their angst and depression and that they moving with the flow rather than living according to their own wishes. Sadly, very close depiction of how people really are.Was this review helpful to you?
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The back-up story would have been there, but the willingness to actually tell it was limited
So here it is, the second season. The historical coat is stripped away and the story transforms into a modern thriller, the theme of which revolves around a horror that only humans are capable of.Pleasing and pithy: Some script scenes from the first season were hinted at and entertainingly mirrored in the present day mise-en-scene. That´s fun to watch. The confrontation with the longing for power and immortality also has its moments and insights. Additionally: the leads give their all, again.
On the other hand, someone in production probably didn't really feel like it anymore... There is only minimalist suggestion of what may have happened during the past 80 years. This could actually be a substantial story, yet they are not going to tell us. This serves merely for shaping a coarse (albeit promising) framework, unfortunately remaining pretty lean. Thus it is raising more questions than it feels like answering, its only mission being turning the two leads though the mill of horror once more. Accordingly, the story almost constantly takes place in gloomy night, dark rooms or sinister underground.
For season 1, the dramaturgical technique of hinting at historically shaped, individual fates may have had an effect, enhancing identification with characters. For the second season, continuing with this method only works to a limited extent, because by now we are already closely identified with them.
All in all, the second season comes across somewhat indecisive. The back-up story would have been there, but the willingness to actually tell it was limited. On the other hand, it is still fast-paced and emotionally dense. Nevertheless (at least for me) it is somehow unsatisfying, almost unnecessary. Second seasons for Netflix-KDramas haven´t really convinced me yet. Neither does this one.
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Fun, dramatic and mindnumbingly stupid Season 2 of the Makjangiest Makjang on the block
Even though I enjoyed this A LOT, I have mixed feelings about this show so I'mma break it down into pros and cons. Read till the end before getting triggered.Cons:
▪︎The first half:
"Can this show get any more ridiculous?" asked my tired brain after it finished yet another episode full of repetitive, pointless misery that was only half as entertaining than what it used to be.
Don't get me wrong. The shock value is still high albeit it gets more and more predictable with every episode. The black comedy is still top notch, I was morbidly laughing my ass off 90% of the time. It's still a fairly easy to watch show. Kinda like junk food, you know it can't possibly be healthy for you but you're still watching. Almost begging for it to get better.
This is a Makjang. So, I trust that if you like those and you've watched season 1 you already expect this to be over the top and exaggerated.
However, despite how OTT it was, season one had a solid direction and the characters were actually built nicely.
Behind all the noise, if you looked, you could find some nuance and thought behind the way characters functioned. So, by all counts it was a well made show and it wasn't a surprise that it became a household name in Korea. That's great but then obviously the drama creators got greedy and they wanted to prolong the victory for two more unnecessary seasons.
By ending the last season the way they did, they found a sure shot way for us to continue. Surely, we were all angered by the triumph of the bad guys and wanted to see justice prevail. Going to watch season 2 was the easiest decision for all of us. Unfortunately, in just a few episodes, the drama writers made me effectively stop giving a shit about everyone in the show.
The writing was just terrible, nonsensical and laughably bad in this one. It's like they ate a bunch of plotlines and then vomited it out on screen. There's no point of this show because things happen just for the sake of happening. During most of the drama, there isn't a single character you can root for and the evil characters that were interesting and charismatic asf in season 1 start to seem hollow and one dimensional in this.
It's the same old thing over and over and over again. Bullying, murder (but not really), revenge (but not really) and Repeat. And we are getting no where. It gets tiresome to watch a repeat of season one with none of the wow factor.
The worst thing is that for most of the show, the protagonist is Yeon Hee who is the single most brainless character to ever appear on tv. She was horrible in season 1 and unfortunately, worse in season 2. She functions on half a braincell and only knows how to whine and scream my ears off. That's it. Not a single ounce of sense in that woman.
There are a few hilariously unfunny plot twists that the writers pulled out of their ass and they stank of bullshit.
Yes, the antagonists did deliver their best. Cheon Seo Jin killed her performance as always. The acting didn't suffer and remained at the top but what's the point when you've stopped giving a fuck about the story and the characters?
It's just a cycle of seeing miserable and mindlessly evil adults and teenagers be pointlessly cruel, greedy and annoying for 13 hours straight.
The direction is still crisp, the drama exudes luxury of the Hera Palace and I love the brilliant music pieces but we already saw all that in season 1.
For a show to function, the good guys need to be on equal footing as the bad ones but here the antagonists >>> protagonists. Even when the bad guys suffer it's mostly because of their own stupidity and infighting. Hardly any badass good guy moments in 70% of the show and at one point, you're just wishing for them all to just kill each other and save you the frustration.
▪︎Pros:
So, I wrote all that and you're like um, is there anything left to say? Yes, there is. The show finally picks up in the second half. Don't get me wrong, the writing is still completely bogus and the plot is very silly and unrealistic BUT you finally get a character you want to root for.
This is the 30% of the show that absolutely makes you want to power through sitting right at the edge of your seat.
I don't want to give spoilers but I'll just say a badass bitch is back in the house and once she comes, watching the show becomes much easier.
Episode 12 is literally one of the most satisfying episodes as slowly but surely our good guys get ready to whoop some major asses.
Throughout the show there are some very touching moments in the way the parent and child relationship is portrayed. Some scenes were really nicely executed and I got some major feels even when overall the drama lacks emotion because of the inconsistency in pace and writing.
The ending is also very satisfying but annoying in equal measures.
Overall, is this drama WACK? Yes.
Is it trying to be anything else? No.
Will I be watching season 3? Fuck yes.
This is the crack I run on. You don't have to use your brain while watching it and it's strangely addicting.
So, keep your expectations low, turn off your brain and enjoy it to the maximum!
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