Healer is a 20-episode
Korean TV series that ran from December 2014 to February 2015, but I’ve just
finished binge-watching it. The TV
series focuses on a young “night courier” – a sort of thief/retrieval
specialist for hire – code named “Healer.”
Healer, whose real name is Seo Jung-hoo (played by Ji Chang-wook), is
highly proficient in martial arts, acrobatics, and field craft. He is the best in the business, and is highly
sought by clientele. Being an introvert
and due to the nature of his occupation, Healer maintains a secluded, lonely
existence – only coming out of his hideaway when there’s a job to do. His ultimate dream is to buy his own private
island where he can live alone.
But everything changes when a client, the famous reporter Kim Moon-ho
(Yoo Ji-tae), commissions him to spy on Chae Young-shin (Park Min-young), a
bubbly and willful entertainment website reporter who dreams of becoming a
legendary journalist. This leads to Healer
going undercover in Young-shin’s workplace and adopting the alias “Park
Bong-soo.” Consequently, by being
constantly in the presence of Young-shin’s sunny personality, Healer’s icy
personality begins to melt and he eventually falls for her – radically changing
his life goals and worldview.
As the story progresses, Healer struggles to juggle his alter egos and
his feelings, while at the same time, work with Young-shin and Moon-ho in
unraveling the secrets of their past and bringing down a shadowy conspiracy of
powerful people.
Healer isn’t perfect, but I
had a good time binge-watching it.
Despite its flaws and cringe-worthy writing in some parts, Healer has a decent amount of smarts and
its narrative is generally immersive. And
though it’s not as well-plotted or intriguing as Kill Me, Heal Me, there are still a lot of moments wherein I was very
impressed by the storytelling. Furthermore,
Healer is the first Koreanovela that I’ve
seen wherein fight scenes are integral to the story. They aren’t spectacular, but they’re solidly
choreographed and definitely contributed more appeal to the show.
The characters are fun and amiable in general – Healer, particularly,
is a cool and unforgettable “spook” character.
But there are times when I found them frustrating and inconsistent. I was annoyed whenever a character makes a
dumb decision when he or she has just made a smart one a few scenes back.
It’s the same with the editing, writing, and direction – they aren’t
always good. There are some scenes and
plot sequences that I find unnecessary, pretentious, dumb, or sloppily executed. But, thankfully, most of the time, the story
does flow in a smart, organic manner, which I find extremely satisfying and worth
appreciating.
It’s also with Healer when
Koreanovela clichés finally made me groan.
For example, in all the Koreanovelas that I’ve watched so far, all of
them require an absurd amount of “small world coincidences” to make the plot
and drama work. I’ve learned to accept
and expect this from Koreanovelas, as long as they’re enjoyable enough, which Healer is, but I’m starting to get tired
of excusing this cliché. Aside from this,
I’ve also noticed these two clichés in all five Koreanovelas I’ve seen: 1.) the
male and female leads are acquainted during their childhood or teens; and 2.)
there’s a sequence wherein the female lead gets drunk, creating a comedic
moment. Maybe it has come to the point
wherein I’ve already seen enough Koreanovelas to make me sensitive of these
clichés. And, with Healer, my tolerance for them is starting to wane. I’m still forgiving at this point, but I’m
not sure I’ll still be for the next Koreanovela.
Healer’s strongest aspect is
the romance. I really like the “love
triangle” approach. And, no, it’s not
among Healer, Young-shin, and Moon-ho. Any
indications in the early episodes that it’s going there are mere red herrings. The real love triangle is made up of Healer,
Young-shin, and Healer’s undercover persona, Park Bong-soo. The whole thing is comparable to the appealing
dynamic of the romance between Clark Kent/Superman and Lois Lane. There is genuine chemistry and magnetism, and you can’t help but root for the couple.
Lastly, another great aspect about Healer
is the music. From what I got from I Hear Your Voice – being my ultimate standard for Koreanovelas – the best drama music are those that could enhance the
mood and atmosphere of the story. And the
“Healer” theme and Michael Learns to Rock’s “Eternal Love” do just that
perfectly.
So to wrap this up…
Healer does have missteps, there
are some frustrating and cheesy parts, and it’s not as intelligent or as impactful I
wanted it to be. But it’s fun, engaging,
and memorable nonetheless, and I’m pleased with the series all in all.
(The next Koreanovela that I will be binge-watching – and then
reviewing – is Girl Who Sees Smells)
No comments:
Post a Comment