A Well-Balanced Romantic Show About Family and Community with a Side of Crime

This show is delightfully unique. At its core, you have a typical Kdrama, featuring a traditional love story that explores family values and community loyalty. And then, the show successfully embellishes these themes with some unconventional twists, such as featuring a single mother and a main plot about a criminal that is surprisingly well-done for a show whose main focus is love.

The main story line and plot is relatively straightforward, yet it had me binging the series until I was done. Basically, you just have a mother who is struggling to carve out a life for herself and her son in a small town where everyone knows each other. And then, you add on some neighbors who ostensibly hate the main female lead, an annoyingly persistent policeman love interest, a former love interest, some side characters, and an unsolved mystery about a killer. Although it sounds like a mess, the pacing is so-on-point and plots are weaved together seamlessly. You may find an episode that is completely focused on one character, and yet all the other relationships and storylines are developed at the same time within that episode. I was really impressed at how clean the overall thematic feel of the show was.

I had some minor gripes that were blips that didn't decrease my enjoyment of the show, but were noticeable flaws for me: there are certain scenes where characters make some obviously dumb choices and walk into clearly dangerous situations that is similar to how a lead in a horror movie might intentionally walk into a dark room for no good reason. I found the male lead to be overly perfect sometimes: he has an unrelenting stubbornness that may be romantic but also took me out of the story sometimes because the characterization was just too perfect and unlike any person you would see in real life. I also found the female lead to be a tad annoying at times: she's struggling to be strong, yet there are a LOT of scenes where she is simply just crying.

However, the pros far outweigh the cons. Definitely give this one a watch: you can see why it won several Baeksang awards, including the grand prize.

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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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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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