Hen Jun Bu Si Jiang Lou Yue (2021)

When you fall, you will fall hard...

I'm not talking about the characters, I'm talking about you!
I truly did not expect to get so emotionally invested in this series. The characters, the story (despite its flaws) and the music really grew on me throughout the 37 episodes. The main draw for me though was the palpable chemistry between the main OTP. Their interactions were littered with a platonic but almost homoerotic subtext. Whether I'm reading too much into it is up to you, but whenever Yue Lou turned his intense and crazily flirtatious gazes on Yu Zhi, and Yu Zhi returned his gaze with an innocent, slightly quizzical but very accepting look totally melted my heart.

If you're hesitating to watch the series, don't! There are so many touching and enjoyable moments to experience in the series. If you have been spoilt about how it ends and don't think you can handle it, just stick to the alternate ending and you won't regret devoting your time to this amazing series.

Warning: the following contains major spoilers so don't read ahead if you don't want to be spoilt. Plus this is really really long… forgive me.

The story starts out simply enough with Jiang Yue Lou, a hot-tempered policeman on a mission to rid his beloved hometown Jing Cheng of the threat of an opium influx. He meets the kind-hearted and selfless doctor Chen Yu Zhi in a raid and mistakes him for a criminal. Luckily the misunderstanding is quickly resolved and the pair part ways, though Yu Zhi isn't totally partial to Yue Lou's violent ways. The pair coincidentally meet again in Hong Kong and through a series of situations they gradually grow closer. The story develops with the pair united with common goals of rooting out several moles, protecting their loved ones (particularly each other!), and identifying the mastermind behind the opium den and discovering his end game. There are a few plotholes and the story definitely feel rushed in certain places (hello easily dissipated rebellion), but I have to say that I was hooked with each new twist and turn in the story. The fact that Yue Lou and Yu Zhi always stood by each others' side and never wavered no matter what definitely made it a more enjoyable watch.

My love for the characters also extends to the supporting cast, which does not always happen in a drama! Chu Ran is everything an awesome female character should be - independent, smart and loyal. She stands up for what she believes in and also for anyone who is wronged, and is willing to sacrifice her own happiness to help her loved ones. She loves Yue Lou, but puts her feelings aside when she finds out that there is little chance if it being requited. She helps Yu Zhi and Yue Lou in any way she can, as a journalist and with her privileged status in life. This is why out of all the tragic endings I feel like hers was the least deserved.

I felt a little less convinced about the 2nd OTP's bond. Dont get me wrong, I did root for a happy and peaceful ending for them both (even though I knew that had about a 0% chance of happening), but their relationship was a bit more convoluted by their backgrounds and true agendas. Boss Yu was unfortunately destined to have a tragic ending as he was consumed by taking revenge and Jun Bai was not willing to give up his desire for power for anything or anyone. Despite being the ultimate villain, I didn't actually hate Jun Bai. Sure I cursed him several times as he continually schemed against and caused pain to my favourite OTP, but he wasn't completely evil or devoid of compassion. He actually seemed to consider Yue Lou a friend, deliberately giving him waaay too many chances to squirrel his way out of danger, he allowed Yu Zhi to reunite and leave with his sister even though killing them both would have been a breeze, and he couldn't bring himself to get rid of Boss Yu, even letting him go when all common sense screamed that doing that would come back to bite him in the end (which it did). I saw him and Boss Yu's relationship as a way he could have redeemed himself, a way out to be a good man, but he didn't take that opportunity, which lead to a tragic end for the couple.

Commissioner Bai and Jiang Sheng Nan are the parental figures in the various stages of Yue Lou's life who have helped shaped Yue Lou into the person he is. They both bring extreme pain to him, but at least they have some form of closure with him before they succumb to their respective demise. Plus Yu Zhi is always there to comfort Yue Lou in his grief when he loses them. "You still have us (ie. me)" he says with those loving eyes.

Song Rong and Sun Yong Ren are subordinates any police detective would be proud to have, with Yong Ren providing comic relief and Song Rong being steadfast and capable. Da Cheng and Yi Ren seemed like flaky, one-dimensional characters at first, but both played a part in major plot developments as the series progressed. As a side note I couldn't help laughing in the last episode when Da Cheng became the unexpected hero of the quelling of the rebellion, chasing after the bad guys with guns he didn't have to reload and bringing an end to bad guy Commissioner Zhan.
I was surprised by how high the body count was by the end, but boy was I glad the couple who rescued Yue Lou from the river did not experience a tragic end (one less stab in the heart for our precious Yue Lou).

This leaves me to comment on the relationship of our lead characters. To be honest, I didn't find Yu Zhi and Yue Lou's first meeting in the warehouse too impressionable, nor was their first encounter in HK. I only started feeling the stirrings of something deeper when Yue Lou showed the first signs of trusting Yu Zhi, relying on his help to contact his men when he was in hiding by tracing with his finger a secret symbol only known to his subordinates onto the doctor's palm, and proceeding to closing his hand with his own oh so gently. Their first real skinship marked a big step in the relationship, with the usually untrusting Yue Lou relying on someone he had only really just met but who had saved his life. What sealed the deal for me was when he failed to persuade the good doctor to return with him to Jing Cheng for his own safety, so he resorted to knocking him out and kidnapping him back with him. The self-satisfied look on Yue Lou's face when Yu Zhi woke up on the trip back cracked me up so much... he looked extremely pleased with himself, confident that his actions had saved Yu Zhi from certain doom. Their relationship never stopped developing from there, with Yu Zhi discovering and helping to treat Yue Lou with his bipolar disorder, and Yue Lou secretly helping Yu Zhi establish his clinic and in his search for Ke Ying. The trust and unspoken understanding between the two went from strength to strength, transcending both friendship and brotherhood. No matter what was thrown between them, they had unwavering faith in each other, and only thought of the other even when their own life was in danger. It was so pure, I thought even romantic with the title reference to an old Chinese love poem highlighting what their relationship truly was. Not only their verbal interactions were a joy to watch, the longing glances, the visible pain of separation and the more obvious physical contact - the hand on the wrist, the heartfelt hug and Yue Lou's tendency to grip (and caress!) Yu Zhi on the back of the neck all lead me to believe they had something deeper than any normal bromance. I loved all their scenes together, but the scene where Yue Lou proceeds to try Mo Qing's gift to him of a tie on a dumbfounded but cooperative Yu Zhi right in front of her was priceless!

If you need more proof, the commentary and jokes by side characters indirectly allude to the true nature of their relationship. Chu Ran joking about intruding when dropping in on them having wontons for example, or more overtly Da Cheng's remark about how their relationship did not seem innocent (he hit the nail on the head there!). Then there are their positive reactions when in separate situations each denied having an interest in anyone of the opposite sex... So. Many. Hints.

All in all the acting was solid, with Mao Zi Jun being a standout due to the number of different faces he had to put on, and the range of emotions he had to go through with his character. His protectiveness of Yu Zhi wasn't overbearing or aggressive like a lot of characters sketched out to be the hot tempered of a pair and was well tempered by MZJ. I loved the contrast of Yu Zhi's soft demeanor and cool-headedness and thought Ian Yi did a great job with nuanced expressions that wholly suited the character.

On the technical side, I also fell in love with the soundtrack, not just the title and insert songs but the bgms as well. The same songs get played throughout the series, but I never got tired of listening to them, each piece evoking the sought after emotion in the viewer as it played in the background. My only gripe is with the editing - the parts that were censored out lead to some discontinuity in the sound and story, not to mention that these contained some juicy moments. Thankfully they have been released as a clip to be watched outside of the episodes.

Now the ending - I was actually prepared for it when I was only a quarter way through the series as I accidentally spoilt it for myself by reading a spoiler comment. Maybe that was a good thing as I may have been too shocked if I hadn't had prepared myself mentally for it. I also watched the happy ending, but because it felt like a cut and paste job it wasn't as satisfactory as I would have liked. The sad ending was truly that - the positive was that IY and MZJ acted it out so beautifully (extra kudos to MZJ for acting out his grief in such an intense and heartfelt way). Think about it this way - it's only because you care so much about the characters that it hurts so damn much!

It's been such a pleasure watching Yue Lou and Yu Zhi develop such an epic bond, with utter devotion to each other. I love them both individually and as a couple and will never forget them. The journey that is "Killer and Healer" is rough - you will laugh, you will cry and you will suffer terribly from withdrawal when the ride is over, but believe me it's all worth it. I'm planning to do it all again soon!

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Not that good.

I just lost my faith in 'Immortality' because these two dramas have the same director (do hope they prove me wrong).

I am surprised to see all these positive reviews honestly. The main CP is good & that's about it. It was boring most of the time and I had to push myself to watch it for the sake of finishing something I started. I did not feel anything for the characters at all.

From the beginning itself this drama gave me 'Guardian' vibes. Even though the setting and props were good it just somehow looked low in quality. The story is sloppy at most and the execution is not that good.

And don't get me started on the ending, I almost threw my phone across the room.
It's the classic 'bury your gay' trope and we've got enough of that already.

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The story lacked and left me disappointed

Story: The story starts with a bang and picked my interest right away. Within a couple episodes I had my hands full with some characters I got attached to already. I feel grateful that the viewer gets a strong female character with Chu Ran that doesn't act silly or jealous even though she has feelings for one of the male leads.
What I disliked was the story development. There's a lot of dead ends because people who have information on the bad organisation repeatedly die without revealing anything. At some point it's getting predictable and frustrating. Also because the "good side" suffers setbacks often, maybe even too often to still look realistic.
Closer to the end the cat and mouse play between the evil mastermind and Jiang Yuelou gets overwhelming and by that point I could already predict with 100% accuracy what will happen next which left a real bitter taste.
Also, the story does not do the characters justice, the least for the main leads. In the end it leaves you disappointed or even enraged, depending on how much you rooted for certain characters. Personally, I think this drama should come with a disclaimer to not get emotionally attached to ANY character in the drama unless you like to see your favorite character suffer.

Characters: This drama has lots of interesting characters. It starts with Jiang Yuelou who's a character with a backstory that shaped him to the person we see in the drama. (I have to say though, I don't buy the psychic component of Jiang Yuelou's character development. His past is affecting him a lot, so his psychic condition in the end leaves quite some doubts to me.)
In the beginning it's like black n' white to see Yuelou with Chen Yuzhi, a kind and dedicated doctor who does not differ between good or evil when it comes to his patients. Their relationship progress and forming bond of brothers/soulmates becomes a joy to watch throughout the drama. I mentioned Chu Ran before, she's a smart, mature character.
Jin Dacheng comes off as arrogant and shady at first but he was the one responsible for the funniest moments in the drama.
To avoid spoilers I won't mention names. Let's just say that the villain was indeed a twisted/complex character and one you could actually feel sympathy for because there's no clear black or white.

Acting/Cast: The cast did a good job and I think the actors/actresses where well-chosen for their roles. I just wish the script would give them justice because to me it seems like great talent being wasted to a storyline that could've been so much better.

Music: One of my favorites in the drama. It has really beautiful background music and melodic theme songs. Definitely an OST I will keep listen to.

Rewatch Value: Really low because once you know who's the villain the fun of guessing and combining clues is gone. Since the drama contains lots of (emotional) suffering for the characters and the audience I'm not really fond of repeating that.

Overall: 7/10 This could've been such a great drama if it wasn't for the lack of story progress and logic here and there and the disappointing plot in general that lead to an unsatisfying end. Without this flaws I could've easily given the drama a higher rating because I liked the characters, the setting in Republican Era (the costumes), the OST, the acting.

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Underrated, Un-explored, Power Bromance... without annoying female lead.

Story: The story is the first thing that had hooked me in this drama. As I watch the first episode, I can't helped to compare it with the Tientsin Mystic, but after few more episodes, I noticed that it has its own rooted story. Aside from that, the chemistry with the two leads were phenomenal! It is palpable with the way their eyes meet and when they are having conversation with each other. Add to that the frequent hand-to-hand contact and your fujoshi mind will probably convince you that this drama you are watching is BL rather than bromance.
However, although the story is good and the bromance is phenomenal, the drama suffered from the rigorous censorship and had resulted into hacked-and-slash scenes. Its a good thing that Mango TV still post those snippets, albeit, without subs. And I just hope they will push to advertised this drama because it is sooo goood.

Acting: As I have said, the actors were great. The two leads were very good and stayed in character all throughout the series. Even the second lead and supporting characters really played their part and resulted into memorable characters. And thank god, there is no annoying, dumb female lead in this series.
The female supporting actor's character is the most progressive one in this drama in all the plethora of CDrama that I had watched.

Music: The scoring and OST matched the story and genre of this drama. It was the first time that I had to pause and rewind a scene just to re-hear the song play in the background and match the mood of the scene being played out.

Rewatch Value: I might watch again some time in the future. However, given the number of episodes it has, it might take a while. And since the story and cast are memorable, add to that the censorship circus this series had undergone, I feel that it will be a while for me to come back and watch it as a whole. For now, snippets and subbed cuts will do.

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The most underrated friendship drama airing now

I don't usually write reviews until I finish watching the drama but this one needs more attention
This drama grabbed my eyes from episode 1 ,, the trailer was amazing full of action sequences ,, two male leads who are equally handsome and charismatic .. also equally new to my eyes didn't see them in anything before
I felt from the trailer and the song of the intro that it's so close to the Guardian drama has the same vibe
same Bromance ,, same relationship between the leads also the same era or time of events
I've began watching it and I was hooked ,, the policeman has mental issues and the doctor befriended him and is treating him with so much care as a brother or a really good friend also both of them have their own problems ..sad family past and issues with their own lives ,, they try to help each other overcome their issues in a good friendly way
the story doesn't only include them there is another friendship but between two enemies in this drama and it's as interesting as the main lead relationship
also there are a lot of action scenes and fighting drug cartels it doesn't have one dull moment ,, so exciting
there are no BL scenes not even the cut scenes it has nothing romantic in any way ,, the female lead act as an extra
they sometime hug each other or treat each other from injuries as any friend do especially a doctor friend
the policeman treats the doctor as a younger sibling so he sometime put his arm around didi *younger brother
&the gab between the actors age is 10 years so it shows sometime in their dynamic but both are playing their characters really well also behind the scenes the younger actor who plays the doctor treats the main lead as younger sibling really proud to work with him and really fond of him
Pros
If you like Bromance without BL and friendship stories this drama is the best for you and you will enjoy it
Highly recommend it
Cons
The only downside that it's airing on a channel that doesn't care much about promoting its dramas or subbing it for the international fans but lucky us they subbed it little late but did it any way
also
there are problems with sound on youtube because of copyright issues with the official channel
also there are a lot of cut scenes that has nothing inappropriate in them I've watched them all
they are available on the discussion box here
I hope you like this drama as much as I do
I'm enjoying it so much

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Its a romance fr!!!

Okay, so I have been watching the show. This is definitely not bromance to me. Since I have been watching BL for so many years, I can clearly distinguish K&S from what a bromance is supposed to be. There are so many hints in the show about the leads having romantic interests in e/o specially JYL. I admire how nicely Mao Zijun is pulling off this layered character. The set/costumes are very nice. One thing I found a bit annoying is the editing of the show. It feels slightly out of order at times, could have been improved. The story is just fine. I can take both HE & BE but plz these two deserved a HE.

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Best Republican Era Bromance and Crime fight drama

This drama is so Addictive and Underrated Bromance drama
It's official channel on youtube didn't care much to promote it properly and it aired the same time as word of Honor drama with it's promotions and Multi lingual subbing ,,, it was foreshadowed by Word of Honor's popularity
they are Both amazing don't get me wrong but this drama really didn't get the same attention and fame and it really is a hidden gem
The drama has amazing cast that did an amazing performance
the two male leads are equally handsome and equally interesting in characters
you wouldn't notice that the first male lead the policeman is ten years older than his friend the doctor in real life
they looked the same age in the drama
the younger actor YBC is brilliant portraying his role with so much affection .intelligence and respect to his older colleague
also Mao Zi gin is a veteran actor who is brilliant portraying a psychologically hurt Cop whose actions sometimes extreme and unpredictable but cares so much about his city , duty and his best friend
Their Bromance or friendship is so strong that even when one hurt the other ,, the other one forgive him and understand his reasons without doubt
You will be shocked at the second half of the drama of how fast based it is and How the events rapidly went to extreme level of anxiety and destress to all the characters
It doesn't have one dull moment also it doesn't only revolves around the two male leads ,, it has another two with their own story that was unique as well and of course the supporting cast to complete the story really well
I highly recommend this drama if you want an exciting story with a lot of ups and downs and amazing Bromance and one of the most amazing friendship too much that it hurts

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Exciting and Riveting

Each episode brings a new dynamic to the series. This episode is one of the most touching. Each character is dealing with deep personal issues. The graphics are so beautiful. More and more questions arise. Who is the real mole? How does the opera singer figure in with the case? Will anyone find true love? This is a beautiful production showing the Chinese culture. The music adds to the mystery. Seeing the opera reminds us that the men played the female roles. The actors are stunning. The lonliness of the characters plays so well as they try to live normal lives. This is a must watch series if you are interested in a love story set against a backdrop of corruption and betrayal. I also must commend the set designers and the costume designers. Impeccable and exquisite attention to style and detail. I wish Netflix or Vicki had picked this up .I
myself am not upset about the ending. In fact I have looked at it twice. Who would have thought that the craziest cop on the force would come through at the end and prove he’s no punk. I also loved that the last minutes of the last episode focused on just the two of them. That left no doubt about their relationship and their devotion to one another. And that last shot with he and the little girl holding the cat was enough for me. He is not alone. Even the ending with the beads was to me exquisite. This is worth watching again. The entire production team deserves praise.The music was perfect. Whether sad or happy it was
the perfect compliment to that scene.

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Most Memorable Drama & CP of 2021 So Far!

I have more than a decade of experience watching asian dramas and nowadays I don't really get hooked on a drama anymore before moving to the next one. Killer and Healer managed to do the impossible and I have been unable to forget it since I watched it last month. The cast, acting, music, and production etc. together make this one of most impactful and memorable drama for me (and the best in 2021 so far).

Acting:
I can't praise the acting of the main leads enough. Mao Zi Jun and Ian Yi were both amazing in showing the complex emotions of their characters. They also have amazing chemistry and were able to convey the "soulmate" relationship of their characters so well through their eyes, expressions and gentle touches etc. This is quite difficult to do given the strict censorship in China. Even though a lot of their scenes together were cut, it didn't diminish their chemistry at all. All the supporting cast also did really well for their roles especially the actors for Jun Bai, Boss Yu, Chu Ran, Song Rong, Sun Yongren, Jin etc. I was drawn in by all the performances and hope this underrated drama gets more popular because the cast deserves it.

Story/Production:
The background of the story is based on the opium trade in the turbulent Chinese republican era so the story has quite a lot high stakes. Each character is multi-dimensional (even the main villain). The director and producer were able to show the complex relationships of the characters quite well. The story was a bit rushed in the end but that was because of time constraints and low budget. Still these flaws in the story didn't reduce the impact of the drama for me. Even though the drama did not have a high budget, the production did really well with the sets and the costumes (I love the fashion). The drama was originally filmed in 2018 so I believe the entire crew and cast had to put in a lot of work to finally manage to bring it to the viewer. Really appreciate their efforts!

Music:
The OST for this drama is superb and really brings out the underlying theme of the drama and the complex relationships between characters. I still listen to the songs often.

Re-watch value:
I haven't been able to move on since I watched this drama so I go back to re-watch different moments in the drama everyday.

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Overall, enjoyed it better than "Guardian"

Completed - 12/30/2021

When I watch "Killer and Healer", I can't help but compare it to the more popular drama, "Guardian" (2018) starring Bai Yu and Zhu Yi Long. I have not read either novels, so my reviews and thoughts are solely based on my enjoyment when watching the dramas. "Guardian" is a lot more popular and probably due to the two male leads. Mao Zi Jun and Ian Yi might not be as famous, but I really enjoy their (b)romance. If you are only looking for true bromance, this is not the drama for you. It is very obvious that our main leads are in love with each other.

The main selling point of this drama is the chemistry between our male leads. Zhou Yue Lou (played by Mao Zi Jun) and Dr. Chen Yu Zhi (played by Ian Yi) are obviously in love with each other. The way Yue Lou looks at Dr. Chen is full of love and affection, and you see that within the first episode of the drama. On paper, they might have very different personalties and family backgrounds. However, deep down, they have the same beliefs and ideals. They understand each other, and have a very honest and trusting relationship. Their trust for each other never wavers even when life's circumstances challenge them.

I also enjoy the overall acting of the whole cast, compared to "Guardian". In "Guardian", aside from Bai Yu and Zhu Yi Long, I did not like the acting of anyone else. In "Killer and Healer", aside from the leads, I really like Zhan Jun Bai and Patrick Quan, who played the tragic secondary couple. Our female lead is not annoying and did a pretty decent job. We have two characters who provide comic relief and they are funny in their own ways. The characters are pretty smart and didn't make any dumb decisions, and there isn't any annoying character.

The general plot of the drama is decent. It's nothing too out-of-the-ordinary. I do enjoy a Republican drama that is not about spies, the revolution or Japanese occupation. The big villain was not exposed until toward the end of the drama, though it's not hard to guess who that is. However, I do have a problem with the pacing and felt that some of the crime investigations felt repetitive. I lost my concentration in the middle of the drama, but I think it finishes strong in the last 10 episodes.

One big reason why I like this drama more than "Guardian" is that it doesn't look cheap, even though both dramas are not big budget productions. I was very annoyed with the flimsy sets in "Guardian". Here, aside from some questionable gun fights, everything looks decent and the costumes aren't bad. Our leads look dashing in their suits and uniforms. I would compare the production quality to be similar to "Fall in Love" (2021).

p.s. When watching this drama on MangoTV YouTube channel, the sound keeps on going in and out. It's very, very annoying!!
p.p.s. I heard there's an alternate ending somewhere.

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Don't watch the ending

Okay, so. I have watched all 37 episodes.
Story: The story is very interesting. I didn't skip any parts which is what I tend to do for a lot of dramas. It is suspenseful. I HAVE A COMPLAINT. BRUH. The main cp is seperated, and then they reunite. They spend like 30 seconds with each other and then the CYZ gets killed in the stupidist most anti climatic moment ever. Just watch until 29:55 and stop there. But, if you like crying and seeing the main lead die, than continue watching. I still watched until after and cried a whole lot

Acting/Cast: The acting was pretty good. That's all I have to say.

Music: The music was pretty good. I'm probably gonna save it to me soundcloud playlist after its available

Overall: a good suspenseful drama. the chemistry was there, and there are a lot of cut scenes to watch, that are pretty good. I just didn't enjoy the ending.

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Watch it!!

OMG what is up with this low 8.3 star rating? Literally the best cdrama and BL I've ever watched (at least me top two) and way better than WOH in my opinion. Doesn't drag (short episodes and only 37), AMAZING ACTING (Mao Zijun never disappoints and his chemistry with Yi Pochen is on point)! OST is bomb, plot is wicked interesting. Seriously y'all just because they don't have long flowy hair, robes, and can't fly doesn't mean you shouldn't watch this.

There are a lot of plot twists, the characters are all really well developed, and overall everything that happens makes sense. Jiang Yuelou and Chen Yuzhi have the most wonderful relationship which makes me so happy because I'm so sick of toxic relationships being romanticized in film. Due to Chinese censorship, a lot of good scenes between the leads got cut, but I recommend that you all watch them after you finish the series. And the alternate endings!

The editing is kinda weird with strange cuts in some places, but that's because they had to cut so many scenes out to pass censorship. Overall, don't be scared off by spoilers about the ending. Remember this is a Republican era drama, and loss and suffering are just as important parts of life as trust and friendship and happiness. In fact, the latter become meaningless without contrast from the former.

10/10 should watch, then rewatch.

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