Healer

Healer – A Timeless Classic That Still Hits Hard

Every now and then, I get this urge to rewind time—not just by a year or two, but deep dive kind of rewind. And this time, I landed squarely in 2015 with Healer. Let me just say… what a time capsule of brilliance. Watching Ji Chang Wook, Park Min Young, Yoo Ji Tae, and the forever-iconic Kim Mi Kyung in one drama before they each went on to headline half of Korea's hit dramas? It's like finding vintage wine in your grandma's attic and realizing it’s still better than anything you’ve tasted in years.

This cast? Absolute power squad. Between them, they've starred in enough hit shows to start their own drama universe. Seeing them together before Welcome to Samdalri, What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim, Money Heist: Korea, and It’s Okay to Not Be Okay was both nostalgic and surreal. You don’t always get a lineup like this, and when you do, you feel it. Even ten years later, their energy still crackles through the screen.

What makes Healer different is that nothing about it feels outdated. Not the action, not the suspense, and definitely not the chemistry. Every scene serves a purpose. There are no boring side quests, no unnecessary drama just to fill the runtime. It all clicks together like a well-oiled watch, and honestly, even the pickiest viewers would have a hard time nitpicking this one.

And let’s not forget the sheer effort that went into making this. Back then, the industry wasn’t leaning heavily on CGI or green screens. They closed down actual streets, actors ran across real rooftops, and yes—Ji Chang Wook really did most of those insane stunts himself. That rooftop leap? Still gives me secondhand vertigo.

Kim Mi Kyung, the eternal scene-stealer, is once again in her element here. I swear, that woman has appeared in more dramas than my neighbor’s cat has lives. And Park Min Young? At this point, she’s practically a fixture on my screen. I’ve seen her face more times than any International Channel’s breaking news banner. And I’m not complaining.

Healer is the kind of drama that sticks with you. The pacing, the mystery, the quiet tenderness between the leads—it’s all so beautifully balanced. No flash for the sake of flash. Just solid storytelling with heart and grit. It’s a reminder of how good things were before everyone got obsessed with multi-verses and AI robots.

So yes, they say old is gold, and Healer is that kind of gold you don’t trade in—it stays locked in your emotional vault forever. If you’ve never watched it, you’re missing out. And if you have? It might be time for a rewatch.

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Sometimes in action or mystery stories, less is more when it comes to explanations because the more they try to explain things, the stories become less fun and it’s easy to find the plot holes. Healer definitely did not take the less is more approach and I think the story suffered for it. I almost dropped this drama so many times in the first half because I was so bored by the backstory. It took probably until episode 7 until I was more invested.

The action itself is great and it’s clear that Ji Chang Wook had a great time doing all of the stunts. The romance was also very well executed and Ji Chang Wook and Park Min Young had such good chemistry. Her character getting into a love triangle with Healer and one of his other aliases was hilarious.

I ended up skipping a lot of the scenes with the main villains because it just did not feel interesting or make a lot of sense. The second male lead was also one of the weaker parts of the show as it seemed like they didn’t know what to do with him.

Everything with Healer and his team was great. The team dynamics, humor, and caring for each other. Her dad and the ex-cons he’d hired at the cafe were fun to watch and the dad was one of the sweetest drama dads ever.

I wish the show had found a way to be more mystery of the week rather than focus on this big convoluted conspiracy that’s gone back decades. Every time the show would focus on the mystery, I just wanted to go back to the main leads or see some more action sequences.

I would have dropped this drama if the romance didn’t hold my attention like it did. Ji Chang Wook really is great in both action and romance, and Healer showcased his skills in both.

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Healer!

Loved it!

Don’t wanna say Park Min-Young carried this show because there are so many other aspects to it I love, but her as the FL in this is so alluring! She’s so quirky and charming… every scene she’s in she just kills. She really brought a great and unique personality to her character. And the short haircut ☺️😍🥰 that’s all I gotta say.

Looking back after finishing, I’d say the first half is far better than the latter… it has so much more going for it, as the first focuses more on the blossoming relationship between the FL and ML as well as developing some interesting plot points we’ll desperately want resolved, the latter half is honed in on unraveling the plot and reveals. I certainly lost a bit of interest, and the ending felt sadly rushed. The mother daughter reunion/reveal wasn’t as potent emotionally as it should have been. The identity reveals for our main characters wasn’t handled the way I wished it was.

But overall this show is amazing. Again, Park Min-Young killed it… made me go check out more of her work. Ji Chang-Wook is also great as the ML, he also brings some great charisma to the screen. Their chemistry together is so great.

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This is my first time watching Ji Chang Wook's drama and I have become his fan.  This drama has a lot to offer. From action, love, thrill and dramatic scenes. I would say this is one of the best Korean drama that I had watched and I don't mind watching it again and again. Nevertheless, I find the pace of the drama starts kind of slow in the beginning and after half of the series, it started to gain some momentum. I think because the momentum was slow in the beginning, it became to fast to digest at the end. I think It's better to start the climax earlier and make the ending stronger and powerful.  In addition, I think the drama lack mystery part. Maybe it is better if the audience also involved in guessing what happened in the past which can make it more interesting, like the way I Hear Your Voice. This may be can add the suspense more. Overall it was a great journey. I love the couple. They are really really cute together. There are also a lot of romantic and cute scenes that will make you melt.

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It is timeless.

This is created in 2014. And now it’s 2020 . Yet, this drama can hold on its own even all these years. Why? I’ll reiterate, it is TIMELESS. Yes, a classic, beautifully-made drama that will leave you spellbound up to the very end. It is does not rely mainly on one theme but it perfectly manages to knit varied genres. This I think made the story one fascinating. Hence, I am still wondering why it is not that well-received in Korea during it’s airing. Anyway, I personally dig this show because it somehow reminds me of “La Femme Nikita”. It is like “West meets the East”. It feels like a Hollywood TV show but has Asian touch. Well, maybe it is just me. Overall, I want to give “Healer” a perfect rating. Like seriously, even my husband who is not so much into this kind of thing, seriously finished this show. Dang!!! I am even utterly in love with how JCW portrays his characters. Hope you give it a try too!!!

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Romance with action right up my alley!

The beginning started out a bit boring as they fleshed out the different characters individually. But it soon got exciting for me as I enjoyed the interactions between Healer, his hacker handler and the FL.

The acting was great for so many of the characters but the standout for me was Ms Jo who was this quirky hacker who makes gimbabs and also knits all while keeping an eye on the various screens in front of her! Her conversations with the ML are hilarious as she doesn’t hold back, frequently calling him a mutt!

The ML was cool in the way he manages to carry out his various jobs, nimbly climbing up walls and effortless taking down many bad guys - the stunt work was good and choreography of the fighting scenes well done. His acting was very good especially seeing him switch between his real self and his bumbling assistant reporter disguise. His chemistry with the FL was wonderful and their love was beautiful to watch.

Style of cinematography and choice of music was not as good as the more recent dramas but if you can overlook that (considering it is 8 years old), this is a good drama that has a nice romance with some great action sequences.

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Healer is the most wonderful and incredible k-drama I've watched this year for sure. I was amazed watching every episode.
The actors and actresses were on point! I like the characters, specially Young Sin. I liked her personality, the fact that she wanted to do some things for her own. I liked how brave she was even if she had this panic attack every time she saw a violent act.
Healer's hacker (Ahjumma) MY FAVORITE WOMAN EVER. LOVED HER. She was so pro! Always helping my guy to solve things. Wow. I was really impressed everytime.
And HEALER, my precious boy Seo Jung Hoo. I'm gonna miss him! This guy is BADASS. I really, really loved all his action scenes, I felt really bad about his story, but I'm so glad he found this awesome girl to take care of him because even if he is the one who protects, he truly deserves the best of the world and most important: love.
The scenery, the action scenes, THE OST. Omg, the OST was the best, best part. I ADORE IT. It's so beautiful.
This is my first action drama and I'm really happy I watched it. Thanks to my friend who recommended me. I cried, I laughed but specially I ENJOYED all the drama. Honestly, my favorite kdrama from now on. This is one I want to recommend always. Everyone HAS to watch this history. It was really touching and heartbreaking. I liked the funny scenes, they warm my heart.
Basically, I'm looking foward to watch it again and again.

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Never thought I would enjoy

I never thought I would enjoy this drama so much. I didn’t have any expectations from Healer—I only started watching it because of its huge fanbase and curiosity about the hype. But after finishing it, I completely understand why so many people are obsessed with this drama.

Spoilers
What makes Healer so engaging is that it doesn’t just stick to being an action thriller—it’s also a healing romance. Jung Hoo begins as a loner who distrusts everyone, but Young Shin’s warmth and resilience slowly break down his walls. Ji Chang Wook’s dual performance as Seo Jung Hoo and the awkward Park Bong Soo was a delight to watch, and his transitions between characters were really impressive.

The movie date scene was my favorite and most memorable moment—it was from that point that I couldn’t stop watching. The thriller aspect is equally strong, with the central mystery of the “illegal broadcasting team” from the 80s, their tragic fate, and how it ties into the present-day characters keeping the tension alive. The villains, especially the manipulative Elder and the creepy Secretary Oh (his OCD habits and unsettling smile were chilling), added to the suspense.

I also appreciated how the leads trusted and supported each other instead of dragging out unnecessary misunderstandings. There were many emotional scenes that were truly heart-touching. Healer’s teacher was another amazing character—his presence was short-lived, but impactful, and I wished we could have seen more of him.

That said, the drama isn’t without flaws. The final episode felt a little rushed, the Elder as the main villain was underdeveloped, and some side characters like Moon Ho and the hacker could have been explored more. A few mid-episodes dragged with repetitive chases, and at times I felt confused by some details, especially regarding the Elder’s side plot and the last water research subplot—it felt like something was missing.

Even with these shortcomings, Healer remains a must-watch if you enjoy thriller-romance dramas. And if you like a bit of nostalgic K-drama magic, you’ll definitely fall in love with this one.

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JCW and KMK Duo Forever

Starring Ji Chang Wook and Kim Mi Kyung absolutely delivering “loved ones in every lifetime” vibes. This was such a fun role to see KMK take on after being introduced to her through her motherly character in Welcome to Samdal-ri. She absolutely bodied it and I’m thoroughly impressed.

BIG fan of the overarching plot and getting to view all of it from the perspective of a gutsy reporter with integrity. I think viewing it from a journalism lens allows us to be more honest about corruption in the justice system and the story is so much better for it. Bonus points for villains that were truly despicable and slimy enough to make you nauseous. It’s extremely easy to see why this receives so much praise.

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Best drama of Ji Chang Wook for me! His chemistry with Park Min Young is very natural. I have a bias with good-looking main characters, so whenever they're on-screen, I can't help but fall in love with them.
Love the hacker, ahjumma! I wish I have a genius friend like her, who loves knitting and gimbap lol. And Reporter Kim Mun Ho is sooo handsome! This is the first time I've liked an "older" character. His eyes are very expeessive, so his role as a passionate reporter suits him perfectly. I was just slightly disappointed with the ending, since it did not show what exactly happened with Kim Mun Sik, Yeong Sin's mother, and Boss. It may just be me, but I always like to see what happened with everyone on the last episode. If I compare this to a book, I'd describe it as a page-turner! I spent 4 sleepless nights ????

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