Action-Romance Blend Done Right
Healer is a uniquely, well-executed blend of action and romance that you should definitely check out. I think this show will stand the test of time and continue to be a beloved series for years to come.Story: Although there are some Kdrama tropes in here, the plot is really well-done. Many Kdramas suffer from a lack of story consistency where the narrative might contradict itself or even forget about story lines that they have setup, but Healer is not one of these. It starts off crafting a mystery between characters in the past and present, and then slowly unravels the connections between everyone. While this plot is unfolding, the show develops the relationships between all the characters, whether that be a love interest, a mentor, an enemy, or an ally. I found all the protagonists likeable and all the villains' motivations sensical. This is a rare show that establishes a complex plot and fully takes it to the end with a satisfying conclusion. My main, minor complaint about the story is the action -- I just feel that Kdramas can't execute action sequences that well because the fighting never looks clear and has a small element of the "shaky cam" phenomenon. However, if I had to pick a drama for the best sequences I've seen so far, it would be Healer, so it is only a minor complaint.
Acting: I felt all the acting was top-notch and brought on a discrete style to all the characters. Kim Mi Kyung showed that she could go from being a mute, caring caretaker (Heirs) into a sassy, funny hacker sidekick in Healer. Yoo Ji Tae brought the caring smugness to life and you could really see his arrogance, yet understand that he was really concerned about his friends and family. Ji Chang Wook and Park Min Young were stellar as the main leads and I think accolades have to be given to Ji Chang Wook's stunt double, too, who undoubtedly brought some of the action sequences to life.
Music: I found the production quality to be high and I think the main, instrumental theme deserves a shout out for being catchy and well-used inside the drama -- it starts off with this mysterious quality that develops into a phrenetic sound that always gets you pumped up during a scene. The rest of the songs were good, although I have to ding the soundtrack a bit for having some full-English songs -- as a native English speaker, I find full-English songs a little awkward when they appear in dramas.
Rewatch value: It is definitely a fun re-experience even if you know what happens already. Some of the earlier scenes can be framed in new light now that you know what happens at the end.
This is an excellent show -- don't hesitate to check it out!
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Clever Dark and Funny Show that is Occasionally Uneven
This show is difficult to cleanly categorize into a fixed genre which makes it very unique. It is a blend of a serious, revenge story and a comedy that isn't shy to draw on different strategies, including meta references to other Korean dramas. I feel the series' main strength is how clever the writing is: there are some very, very funny little moments and there are some very, very, tightly written storylines that have clear setups and payoffs -- I never felt that anything didn't make sense within the constraints of the Vincenzo world nor did I feel like a particular plot ending was overly contrived and random, as is unfortunately the case with some other Kdrama shows.The symbolism and meta commentary of this show is next level. It's impossible to get into specifics without talking about spoilers, so I won't, but the way that certain things play out show a mastery of fiction writing that I think belongs in a novel.
However, because the drama doesn't consider itself 100% serious nor 100% funny, it does create some unintentional ridiculousness and pacing issues. For example, episode 1 establishes Vincenzo as a serious Italian mafioso to be reckoned with, but does so in kind of a semi-ridiculous Godfather kind of way that makes you wonder whether it is supposed to be funny or serious -- having finished the series, I still don't quite know, so my conclusion is "kind of both" which weakens the seriousness of the Vincenzo character, which is important because his expertise as a criminal is leaned on heavily as a plot device throughout the show. Furthermore, the most jarring sin related to this pacing issue is when you are watching a very serious plot line and show decides to throw in a scene that is only humorous -- in that moment, it's sort of like "I don't really care" because I REALLY need to know what happens with X or character Y.
Speaking of pacing, I think the first three episodes are the weakest point. You don't really know what the show is about until the first major event happens which takes place at the end of episode 3/beginning of episode 4. This is a short time but I think it's an important for a show to show you "what it's all about" right off the bat. However, this series opts for more world building and backstory instead. I also felt the conclusion of the story to be slightly hollow after it resolved everything -- it gave me the feeling of "everything as expected" without anything particularly pithy or unique if that makes sense.
Regarding actors, we have to give Song Joong Ki a lot of accolades. He clearly spent a LOT of effort to prepare for his role -- his Italian has been commented by native speakers to have flaws and word choice occasionally unnatural, but understandable without subtitles. This is an amazing feat considering how little time he has had to learn Italian. The other actors are very good too and I especially wonder why Jeon Yeo Bin has been such a well kept secret in the drama world (maybe because she has been working with movies all this time?). Her scenes playing "ridiculous mode" Hong Cha Young were easily the highlight of this show for me.
Overall, I think this series was a positive and enjoyable watch. You may think that review is overly critical for such a positive score, but I think there is a LOT of hype surrounding this show and I don't believe it is without flaws, so it is intentional to show a contrast to all the praise showing that I'm sure is everywhere. At the end of the day, give it a watch and decide for yourself.
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A Cozy Melodrama about Finding Happiness
This series is a slow-burn romance that isn't afraid to take time to show you little moments like watching the main character make coffee. But don't be mistaken: these scenes don't feel like wasted time and instead feel like they are immersing you into the slow pace of country side life and showing you the methodical level of care that the characters in the story have for their passions in life.Story: At its core, the drama is about finding happiness in the midst of exploring love, finding understanding and forgiveness, and living with mistakes and challenges. Each episode shows the viewer just a little bit more about the situations that the characters have to face or the key events that have shaped their personality. My only complaint is the ending: it wraps up everything ALMOST nicely, but it feels like they could have used just one more episode to fully flesh out the transition to the conclusion of the story. Other than that, everything falls into place.
Acting: Subtlety is the name of the game for this show. The characters have really "normal" conversations with each other, and although the show does indulge itself with some dramatic monologues, all of it fits into a construction of the melodrama. To this end, I feel the actors did a great job -- Kim Hwan Hee especially deserves a shout out for being a very convincing free-spirited, capricious, young girl. But otherwise Park Min Young and Seo Kang Joon played their characters well -- you won't see them agonizing over some Makjang plot but you will see them be appropriately sad, happy, and frustrated.
Music: The OST is very fitting for this kind of show. One track uses an accordion, which I felt somehow gave me a rural feel, which is fitting for the setting. You won't find any fast paced, KPop idol songs here, but more ballads and slow tracks.
Rewatch Value: I don't think this show is the type where you will instantly go back and rewatch it, but I think you will indulge yourself if you are in the mood for a "feel good" show.
Overall, I think this series was very good. It's hard for me to find serious faults with it -- it knows what it is and it delivers a satisfying melodrama.
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