This one is a strong eight. What a lovely drama with a wonderfully charming and loveable male and female lead. They have one of the most balanced and understanding relationships I've seen in a long time. It was really heartfelt.
Other elements kept me from giving this a higher score. The story was a bit mismatched, though it was obvious they planned it out from the beginning, which is nice. I didn't really like either of the Deok-Mi's side character friends, either, and felt their romantic storylines were a bleak contrast to the leads.
Those main leads, tho... I could watch a full-length weekend drama just about them. I'll miss getting to see into their world.
This drama was very beautiful. It was like a love-letter to Taiwan, both the people and the environment. It explored themes related to grief and finding your place in a world that is not inherently kind. How you have to be a reflection of the life you wish to live. Like Cheng Nuo, the male lead, says at some point (paraphrased): "You go through life, and maybe people are around you, maybe not, but nobody is going to grow up for you. It's up to you to face the world head-on."
All of the characters had strong arcs that were very touching, and I loved the opening that ended with quotes by Chi Po-Lin that tied into elements of that episode - everything was just done very meaningfully and thoughtfully. (And I definitely need to watch the documentary Beyond Beauty: Taiwan From Above now).
If you like slower, character-driven dramas, definitely give this one a try. It has a much different tone from the usual Taiwanese drama. It has a similar atmosphere to a Korean "Healing" drama mixed with a heavy emphasis on slice-of-life and everyday life.
What an excellent drama. It is well-paced, thoughtful, and executed brilliantly. I was genuinely surprised at some of the twists and felt for all the characters: good, bad, and all the shades in between. It also had an interesting commentary on the state of corruption in Korea and how often loyalty clashes with morality within the legal system.
Hwang Shi Mok has become one of my favorite characters ever. Jo Seung Woo played him brilliantly; it takes serious skill to make such an emotionless character sympathetic. Shi Mok had a very believable character arc and I loved his scenes with Lieutenant Han; they had a very endearing friendship.
The only reason I didn't give a 10 is that the ending felt a little rushed. They could've used at least one more episode to dole out consequences more effectively and have a more satisfying wrap-up.
Still, definitely give this drama a watch if you like crime/who-dun-it type stories and want something that doesn't put romance at the forefront.
It's not over yet, but can't say I haven't been disappointed. It seemed like such a different and interesting concept, but so far it's followed the same lackluster tropes that most every saeguk has. I at least wanted more fantasy! What's the point of setting it in a prehistoric time if the setting doesn't influence anything? Just replace Neanderthals/Igutus with the "low-class" in dramas like Jejoongwon, and it's pretty much the same story. (Not that that's bad per se, but I feel like it wasn't what the audience was promised, and isn't what the story was hyped up to be.)
The first two episodes were exciting, but after that, it hasn't done much to make an impression. Here's to hoping it at least gets a better storyline now that all the groundwork's been laid, but I think the ship's sailed for it to do anything truly new and groundbreaking.
The acting's superb, though. Credit where credit's due.
Nicely put! I like how balanced your review is. I dropped this drama pretty early on because the main leads (character-wise and actor-wise) just weren't doing it for me (despite loving My Girl), and this review reinforces that I probably made the right choice. I had an inkling it would be a bit of a repetitive storyline. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Upon my fifth rewatch of this series, I'm tempted to bump it up to a 9 (I had it at an 8 from the first time I watched it. I actually thought it was overhyped then, and didn't understand why people were gushing over it.)
To me now, watching Healer is like comfort food. You know it's going to taste good, you know exactly what goes into it, but everytime it goes down so smoothly and leaves you feeling refreshed. Not to mention everytime I watch it, I pick up on more little hints the writer parsed throughout that tie in later on in a manner that's not shoved in your face. It's a joy to rewatch, and whenever I get to the end, I always get withdrawal symptoms and want to immediately watch it over again.
Even if it's not very complicated or especially contemplative, the thought that went into the story and the life breathed into the characters by these actors just gets me each time I watch it. I'm just really glad this drama was made.
A decent family drama, and I thoroughly enjoyed the male lead's growth, but sometimes - especially towards the end - it felt like it was trying to give the audience feels without giving enough build up for it to pay off. (aka I started to get annoyed at all the crying even though I knew in my head it was justified. It just didn't hit the right notes at the right time).
Lee Tae Hwan is in the supporting cast list. But I can't remember seeing him at all. Anyone knows which episode…
I think he played Gi Seok, and briefly appeared in the story line about Hye Joo and Cheol Soo. I don't remember exactly which episodes, but whenever they were at work, he would appear. He also had a dinner scene with Cheol Soo in ep. 23 if I'm not mistaken...
Summary from Wikipedia (translated): Zhao Wu Xian, Zhao Yuan Man, Hou Zi Cheng, and Lin Mei Xin are good friends who grew up in an orphanage in the countryside. They pursue their dreams as they get older. Wu Xian and Yuan Man are fated to be together. On the path of love, there are sure to be some missteps and tumbles along the way, but you'll graviate back to the correct path in the end.
The commercials for it look entertaining and promising, but we'll see if it does anything interesting with its premise.
Yeah, that wedding scene killed it for me, too. >< That and how they took care of the second male lead, who was /such an interesting character/ until that ending. Jumping in the water was also dumb as heck.
I agree, there were a lot of wtf scenes, but Wang Kigone was just so good, I had to watch til the end.
I enjoyed this drama overall, and much better compared to the 2003 version, but...
They still left out the best part of the manga. The build-up to Takeshi and Sumire's romance is good, but it's only half the story! For me, the second half of the manga resonated much more resolutely because it tackled the issues inherent in noona dramas - society's reaction to the off-pairing.
The manga did an excellent job of exploring the challanges that came after the accepted confession, and I was really, really hoping they'd put that in this drama because it was supposed to be a more faithful adaption. But, nope. What a disappointment.
Don't get me wrong, I liked the drama overall and the chemistry was strong, but I just feel like that missed out on an opportunity to really explore the relationship in more depth. If they had done that, my score'd've been much higher.
Not satisfied with the ending - I cannot stop thinking how they got a huge company bankrupt and hundreds of employees…
My thoughts exactly! They should've just at least gotten the CEO fired but kept the company. The way they were all cheering so happily at the end really left a bad taste in my mouth :/
This was definitely an interesting drama, but worth the watch I think. I agree with everybody - it takes a few episodes to really find its footing and take off, but once it does, it's as light and fluffy as any rom-com should be. It had some draggy parts, especially near the end, but I felt it always picked itself back up nicely and was able to engage the audience again. And, if anything, episodes 15, 16, and a little of 17 had enough overload of cuteness to make up for anything *.* I swear, I was practically melting in my chair from all the squees :p Anyway, this isn't an extraordinary drama, but it's absolutely an entertaining one. And besides, it has Push, what other incentive do you need, really? ^-~
Sweet, adorable, refreshing and not complicated romance and I must say that it feels so good for the heart to…
Flying Valley is a made up place, but the location they filmed at is called Yun Xian Le Yuan (雲仙樂園), a place you can actually visit ^^ Their English website: http://www.yun-hsien.com.tw/m/index_e.aspx
Wow, this is a really well-written article! You managed to hit every point precisely on its head in a very articulate manner. One way I try to get over the overwhelming empty feelings after watching a really good series is looking for fan-made music videos on YouTube. Not only will MVs usually focus on the best parts of the drama, there are also soooo many extremely talented editors out there. It's like being able to experience and admire the drama all over again. That works best for me, at least. Also, it's a good way to find the next best thing to watch, or plan to watch ^^
Started out good, but got sooooooo preachy there in the end about "following your dreams." It's good advice as long as it comes with a dose of reality and living in a world where things don't always go right or magically fix themselves, something this drama ultimately forgot to deliver on, unfortunately.
The Qi Feng and Yi Fen couple was adorable and definitely my favorite. They had an air of natural attraction in their interactions, which was cool. Other couples were okay, but their development was sooo by-the-book, it kinda felt like it was missing something...
Overall, 6/10 from me. More about romantic relationships than how hard it is to pursue your dream (that theme lasted for maybe a quarter of the episodes).
Other elements kept me from giving this a higher score. The story was a bit mismatched, though it was obvious they planned it out from the beginning, which is nice. I didn't really like either of the Deok-Mi's side character friends, either, and felt their romantic storylines were a bleak contrast to the leads.
Those main leads, tho... I could watch a full-length weekend drama just about them. I'll miss getting to see into their world.
All of the characters had strong arcs that were very touching, and I loved the opening that ended with quotes by Chi Po-Lin that tied into elements of that episode - everything was just done very meaningfully and thoughtfully. (And I definitely need to watch the documentary Beyond Beauty: Taiwan From Above now).
If you like slower, character-driven dramas, definitely give this one a try. It has a much different tone from the usual Taiwanese drama. It has a similar atmosphere to a Korean "Healing" drama mixed with a heavy emphasis on slice-of-life and everyday life.
Hwang Shi Mok has become one of my favorite characters ever. Jo Seung Woo played him brilliantly; it takes serious skill to make such an emotionless character sympathetic. Shi Mok had a very believable character arc and I loved his scenes with Lieutenant Han; they had a very endearing friendship.
The only reason I didn't give a 10 is that the ending felt a little rushed. They could've used at least one more episode to dole out consequences more effectively and have a more satisfying wrap-up.
Still, definitely give this drama a watch if you like crime/who-dun-it type stories and want something that doesn't put romance at the forefront.
The first two episodes were exciting, but after that, it hasn't done much to make an impression. Here's to hoping it at least gets a better storyline now that all the groundwork's been laid, but I think the ship's sailed for it to do anything truly new and groundbreaking.
The acting's superb, though. Credit where credit's due.
To me now, watching Healer is like comfort food. You know it's going to taste good, you know exactly what goes into it, but everytime it goes down so smoothly and leaves you feeling refreshed. Not to mention everytime I watch it, I pick up on more little hints the writer parsed throughout that tie in later on in a manner that's not shoved in your face. It's a joy to rewatch, and whenever I get to the end, I always get withdrawal symptoms and want to immediately watch it over again.
Even if it's not very complicated or especially contemplative, the thought that went into the story and the life breathed into the characters by these actors just gets me each time I watch it. I'm just really glad this drama was made.
The commercials for it look entertaining and promising, but we'll see if it does anything interesting with its premise.
I agree, there were a lot of wtf scenes, but Wang Kigone was just so good, I had to watch til the end.
They still left out the best part of the manga. The build-up to Takeshi and Sumire's romance is good, but it's only half the story! For me, the second half of the manga resonated much more resolutely because it tackled the issues inherent in noona dramas - society's reaction to the off-pairing.
The manga did an excellent job of exploring the challanges that came after the accepted confession, and I was really, really hoping they'd put that in this drama because it was supposed to be a more faithful adaption. But, nope. What a disappointment.
Don't get me wrong, I liked the drama overall and the chemistry was strong, but I just feel like that missed out on an opportunity to really explore the relationship in more depth. If they had done that, my score'd've been much higher.
The Qi Feng and Yi Fen couple was adorable and definitely my favorite. They had an air of natural attraction in their interactions, which was cool. Other couples were okay, but their development was sooo by-the-book, it kinda felt like it was missing something...
Overall, 6/10 from me. More about romantic relationships than how hard it is to pursue your dream (that theme lasted for maybe a quarter of the episodes).