Review: Healer

Overview:

Seo Jung Hoo has a secret identity as a courier– he will do any job for money, so long as it doesn’t involve murder. In this field he is known simply as ‘Healer’. When one day he gets the task to track down a second-rate reporter named Chae Young Shin, he is forced to step out of his life of solitude. He gets more than he bargained for when he begins to uncover an intricate hidden past between himself, Chae Young Shin, and famous reporter Kim Moon Ho.

Genre: Action, Thriller, Comedy, Romance, Drama

Overall Rating: 9/10

Storyline: 8.5/10

Relationships: 9.5/10

Feel: Intense, serious, thriller

Characters: 9.4/10

Soundtrack: 8.5/10

Production (acting, cinematography, etc.): 8/10

Most redeemable quality: The heart-pounding romance

Personal enjoyment factor: 9.5/10

I was a trainwreck when I finished this one. Healer was a complete roller coaster ride, and I can’t believe I didn’t watch it earlier. This one temporarily became my religion, energy source, and life. Why isn’t this more popular? What happened to the ratings? I am heartbroken. The characters, the acting, the romance, and just everything in general...

Let me talk about how wonderful this one was…

Relationships: 9.5/10

OMFG CHAE YOUNG SHIN AND SEO JUNG HOO, FML THEY’RE JUST PERFECTION. Whenever I think of them together I just want to burst out of my seat and twirl around in a field of flowers. They are the sweetest, cutest, most genuine couple… Anyway, the progress of their relationship had my heart pounding a thousand times a minute (I may need to see a specialist to heal me). The romance is all gradual, and even though you can predict that they’re going to be a couple, the whole thing is so subtle that you don’t even realise how gradual it is until you look back on what they were before! I love the whole protectiveness Jung Hoo has over Young Shin, yet the protectiveness Young Shin has for Jung Hoo (or more specifically, Park Bong Soo). They protect each other. The relationship Young Shin has with either of Jung Hoo’s alter egos brings out a different kind of excitement.


AND they don’t let the small details get in the way of their relationship: they doubt, they question, they’re scared… but they trust. They trust in each other and they move on past the obstacles.

+ Their romantic scenes are in a WHOLE new realm of heart-racing. It’ll have you:

a. melting

b. grinning

c. squealing

d. hugging your pillow

e. all of the above.

Every side character is also woven into the storyline with the most interesting connections to each other. And each interaction is captivating in its own way. I particularly like Shin Young’s father, and the ex-criminals that work at his cafe.

Characters: 9.4/10

Jung Hoo/ Park Bong Soo/ Healer: What kind of love interest pulls at your heart strings?
A badass, rebel who can fight and protects the female lead?

Or a gentle and thoughtful guy who does the subtle things to support the protagonist?

Perhaps you like the innocent, cute, bubbly one who’s maybe a bit clumsy?

Thing is, this drama gives you all those roles wrapped into one gorgeous character, who is Healer, Jung Hoo and Bong Soo – all the same person, so many wonderful traits… So he’s every possible version of any girl– or boy’s– perfect guy. Also, he has an attractiveness that just oozes masculinity, with that strong jawline and ultra broad shoulders, as opposed to most flower boys in mainstream dramas. It’s also important to add that his character development is exceptional.

Chae Young Shin: Such a refreshing female lead! She’s a vivacious, strong character who still has empathy and a brain. She’s that bright sunshine figure that always thinks positively, and manages to thaw Jung Hoo’s heart. Although her hairstyle is annoying at first, you’ll find that it suits her bubbly personality.
















Kim Moon Ho wasn’t all that captivating of a character for me, but he has his own depth and story behind him which was delivered perfectly. In addition, the ‘villains’ are hella complex, and you can see both the bad and good in them. Everything in the drama has an authentic feel that brings life to all the characters.

Feel: Intense, serious, thriller.

I’m not going to lie: Healer is really, really intense. It’s like an army machine gun with filled ammunition: it’s heavy, loaded, and will kill you (emotionally). Most importantly it is NOT melodramatic. It is exciting and thrilling like you wouldn’t believe. Although much of the drama is serious, the developments and situations are going to make you smile like crazy. You’re going to watch this drama and not realise it’s got you addicted until you’re forced to do something (like brushing your teeth, showering, or going to work/ school– pft what are all these things?) while you’re halfway through an episode. And there is always Chae Young Shin and Jung Hoo/ Bong Soo’s clumsy, loveable character to breathe comedy into the story to save it.

One of my all time favourite scenes (though there are so many)... Chae Young Shin's dancing and singing just gives me life, omfg.

Storyline: 8.5/10

Holy faeces, the intricacy of the story line is astounding.

Firstly, I’m going to be honest and say that initially I wasn’t all too captivated by this drama until about episode 4. For myself, it was too confusing with the way characters were introduced and connected in the story as first, because the screenwriter was being evil. Basically, if drama viewers were customers at a restaurant, and the drama Healer was a dish of rice that you had to finish, then the equivalent of what happens is this: Imagine the screenwriters grabbed the entire bowl, and shoved it down your throat– bowl, spoon, rice, all of it at once. I guess you could say the story was just a bit hard to… digest. Basically, it’s hard to understand at first (or maybe I’m just retarded), and hence not that interesting, but you get into the groove of it as you continue. And boy, is it worth it.



It’s fast-paced, and it transitions from one sub-plot to another seamlessly. It took directions/ pathways that I never expected, but the change was so subtle that I didn’t notice until I started writing this review. Every episode, has a redeemable, interesting quality (but mix in the first few episodes with confusion). It’s only weakness is its consistency. The thing about Healer is that it’s a lot like a roller coaster. You get extreme, extreme moments of excitement and shock, but you also get some short ‘low’, somewhat slow parts where there’s just talking and explanation. These ‘low’ bits are put most evidently in the first few episodes to set up the drama for the real stuff. Still, they drag on the good parts a bit.

Unfortunately, the ending was a bit rushed an open ended, but the mini conclusions for sub-issues throughout the drama prevented their own loose ends.

Production: 8/10

Acting - 10/10: Can we talk about how well Ji Chang Wook characterised each facet of his character? Looking at him, his features are so endearingly masculine that you would never think he could act like the innocent, timid, clumsy Park Bong Soo. Apparently, the actor did most of the action scenes himself– even more impressive. Legitimately, this drama was acted by the elite of the elite of acting. Never once did I doubt the credibility of the character's emotions or portrayal. They were– are– real.

Cinematography - 6.9/10: I know this is an action drama, but at times, the really quick flicking and editing of fight scenes or action manoeuvres were too disorienting for me. When I wanted to see the full move, flip, etc., the screen would switch onto a different angle. I just wanted to see the whole smooth movement of the manoeuvre for me to appreciate the action more.

Soundtrack: 8.5/10

Ji Chang Wook sang one of the songs, and his voice is impressive. On the other hand, I don’t care much for the lyric-based songs. However, the instrumentals have been on replay for me for weeks now. These songs are so pretty, and make all the good memories come rushing back.

Just listen to them, and you’ll know what I mean by ‘pretty’.

Here's the main theme song, and it's beautiful...

Other Mentions:

What drove me to watch this initially is because I heard about its similarities to City Hunter. Although the premise seems similar, they are quite different. The vibe you get from Healer is so much more mature in its approach to certain issues, and the romance in each has a very, very different interaction. City Hunter has the typical independent girl/ teasing rich boy feel (but it executes it well), while Healer goes for a more authentic and multi-faceted romance (just as thrilling). It's an added bonus that there is more physical intimacy in Healer. I did enjoy the action scenes in City Hunter more, though. I got clearer shots/ views of super awesome moves, while Healer does the same but delivers it with confusing editing.

Post-drama Withdrawal Symptoms

Current condition: Drifting without purpose after a good drama.

I swear, finishing a good drama is like saying goodbye to a lifelong lover.

Realistically, it only takes a few days to binge watch a series… but once you finish it, it’s hard to imagine what life once was without it. Sometimes it gets so bad that you have to question all the fundamentals of your lifestyle…

How do I eat?

How do I sleep?

What do I do when I’m bored?

What joy is there in life when you don’t have an episode to watch?

How do I live?

How do I human?

How do I freedom?

How do I happy?

For the past few days, I’ve been watching a particular Korean drama, and have been living and breathing the drama. You see, when I watch something, I become so emotionally invested in that medium. When anything slightly good or bad happens, my entire being is jolted. A character is betrayed? I’ll be lying on my bed on my back clawing at the air in front of me, while kicking all the space around me. Two of the characters finally kiss? I’ll be rolling and grinning and pumping my fist in the air and punching my bed and squealing. Character A finally figures out Character B's identity? I’ll stop breathing and start gritting my teeth in immense anticipation. Someone stumbles embarrassingly onto their face? I’ll be pausing the episode, and giving myself time for my snorting and chortling, possibly accidentally falling off my bed while I get carried away. Someone gets kidnapped? I’ll be immobile, while my eyes dart across my laptop screen hurriedly consuming those subtitles to find out what’s happening next while I struggle to breathe in my fetal position. The show ends? I’ll start to write a ranting article about that enduring pain in my heart– that hole left gapingly open, stinging and stinging. Then you look back on all the laughs, the tears, the fist pumps you’ve experienced with that drama… and you simply feel…

E

m

p

t

y

.

.

.

Really, finishing a drama is a type of heartbreak. It’s not just withdrawal symptoms this time: it’s Series Shatter Syndrome. It will leave your life in shattered pieces of happiness and sadness, repeatedly, and makes you go off drifting into oblivion with a hollow, echoing ache. It’s a mixed feeling. You’re grateful and ecstatic that this drama was in your life, but you’re devastated the journey is over. I always find myself wishing that you could erase your memory and re-watch the entire series to relive all those emotions and thrills again.

After I finish a show, I generally spend the next few hours rampaging the internet, change my desktop wallpaper, watch my favourite scenes of the drama again, and listen to the OST for the next week. (I find the OST is a simple but powerful way to live particular scenes of a series. You have no idea– I flicker through all the feels with a mere 3-minute song, it’s crazy.) Then maybe… just maybe, I’ll dabble my toes into another drama when I feel like that plunging despair has passed.

Review: Descendants of the Sun

Overview:

Yoo Si Jin, captain of the Special Forces army unit, has a chance encounter with surgeon Kang Mo Yeon. While they are attracted, their attempts at dating fail due to the restrictions in their professions. Eight months later, Kang Mo Yeon is sent to Uruk as a medical volunteer… also the place where Yoo Si Jin’s unit is stationed. With the army and medical team combined, they work towards a common goal: to keep the people of Uruk safe.

Genres: Romance, Melodrama, War, Medical

Overall Rating: 9/10

Storyline: 8.9/10

Relationships: 9.4/10

Feel: Light-hearted, serious (counter-intuitive, but yes...)

Characters: 8.5/10

Soundtrack: 8.5/10

Production (acting, cinematography, etc.): 9/10

Most redeemable quality: Male lead's charm

Personal enjoyment factor: 10/10

This drama has received a lot of hype, broke a lot of records in all fields, and is well deserving of all its praise. There is nothing explosively different about it, except that it takes a great premise, executes it beautifully, and enhances the individual aspects that make up a drama to intensify the whole drama experience. I would give each episode an 8/10, consistently, for every second. And because it has such consistency of enjoyment in its episodes (which I've never, ever seen in a drama before), its overall rating is much higher.

Storyline: 8.9/10

The story line is great, and moved with good pace, spanning medical and military endeavours which were complemented with the romance. I appreciate that they take you to through so many places and different dilemmas that can occur in a military scenario, and portrayed each scene realistically. And I can happily say that this drama had one of the best and most engaging first episodes I’ve ever watched in any TV series– I was hooked from then on– and this great feeling is replicated in every episode following it down to the very last minute of the finale (which, by the way, concluded things very nicely).

Relationships: 9.4/10

Omfg that romantic tension.

Yoo Si Jin and Kang Mo Yeon– whew! From the very first episode, I was cheering for their romance. There are two possible reasons why someone would support a romance in a drama: either the couple is adorable and perfect for each other, or the viewer is completely in love with one of the characters themselves. What completely made up this drama for me, was Yoo Si Jin, with that adorable face and overwhelming charisma! I instantly fell for his character: a complete smooth-talker (and flirt) who does not treat the protagonist like shit, but is a sweetheart from the first encounter– he's playful, funny, confident. While there is insecurity in their relationship, it didn’t hold back Si Jin’s charming character and humour and still allowed for cute interactions. However, what worries me the tiniest bit is that, as great as their romance was, would things have progress the same way if either one was slightly less attractive? It was love at first sight… some of the things Si Jin does for her are honestly irrational for an initial physical attraction. Even so, it all makes your heart flutter.

I swear, I'm just using this page as an excuse to post some seriously heart-punching pictures.

The romance between Seo Dae Young and Yoon Myeong Joo was lovely. They're really the biggest melodramatic aspect of the drama. They tugged on my feelings a little bit, but their relationship was a tad bit repetitive and didn’t capture me as much as the Si Jin and Mo Yeon– not that their relationship was boring, but because Si Jin and Mo Yeon are just fantastic. I’ve heard many people adoring the Dae Young and Myeong Joo interaction more though, so who knows?

What’s also very impressive is Si Jin’s relationship with his entire unit: they had so much respect for his leadership but equally treasured him as a friend. Si Jin is the best kind of leader. As a contrast, the relationship development between Mo Yeon and Myung Joo was done gradually and expertly. I also love how there is no seriously considered love triangle in the drama. (I found the jealousy scenes so, so hilarious, though.)

Feel: Mix - Light-hearted, serious (existential)

This drama explores serious themes of life, death, war and patriotism… it’s classified as melodrama, but it’s also amazingly lighthearted. Especially at the beginning, you feel cheery when you watch it because of the witty humour– this drama is surprisingly really funny. There are, sad undertones in this drama that kick in later. There is seriousness/ contemplation about life and humanity. Later, a lot of people I know did some crying (although I didn't channel the despair at all for some reason and felt guilty that my eyes were dry), it'll be good to take note that you might indeed need some tissues.

Characters: 8.5/10

Yoo Si Jin: The charismatic, cheeky gentleman who has all the charm and humour of everyone’s ideal guy, and has an impeccable body, face and fighting skills. His negative trait is perhaps his tendency to lie (even if it's to protect people). Also, the fact he sets the bar so high for real men to compete. I loved him in every stage of the drama and is easily, easily one of my favourite male leads (the only other one at this stage being Seo Jung Hoo from Healer).

Kang Mo Yeon: Her character is fairly typical but is different because she isn’t useless: she has skill and a brain, knows how to use them, and has humour to back her up. It was satisfying to see her take charge of emergency situations like a boss. She just has her share of insecurities but knows how to control herself and when to stop.

Seo Dae Young: He does a good job as our main character’s support and teasing, but he doesn’t seem to have many interesting characteristics other than his relationship with others. Yoon Myung Joo: It’s so interesting to watch a cold, stoic woman be in such passionate pursuit for love, and it's quite refreshing. It’s an element of complexity that the character deserves.

The whole unit had such personality and humour amongst them. Particularly a set trio, and Private Kim Gi Bum, the Colonel, and the Commander… Everyone shone. Oh, let’s not forget the medical team and how hilarious some of their interactions were, and the development that occurred in each character.

In terms of Agus, I don't think we got enough of his backstory. Yes, we get he is evil, but we don't have a solid reason as to why, and didn't get much of a feel on who he was before. Because I didn't know his 'before', I couldn't find the empathy or shock for his 'evil'ness.

Soundtrack: 8.5/10

This soundtrack is wonderful. Before I even watched the drama, I heard the soundtrack first and fell in love with it. Hence, I watched the drama. The OST perfectly supported the emotional and fun scenes, and really contributed to the warm fuzzy feeling I got in every episode. The slow songs are good, but I adore the two really upbeat songs that give that perfect feel of sweetness and energy. It flawlessly brings me back to the cute, fun romance between Yoo Si Jin and Kang Mo Yeon.

Seriously, as I’m writing this, I’m listening to the soundtrack and having this sharp hit of nostalgia and happiness.

My favourites (have a little listen while you read on):

'Talk Love':

'Everytime':

Honestly, the whistling part of the song gives it that little extra endearing, free-spirit quality.

And the slower but equally beautiful 'Always':

Production: 9/10

Acting - 8.5/10: Everyone is beautiful, so it’s pleasing to the eye, and things are well acted. Song Hye Kyo conveyed her character in a way that was not that annoying, despite the character’s traditionally annoying traits. Song Joong Ki brought the character Yoo Si Jin to life perfectly. But scenes between Yoon Myung Joo and Seo Dae Young, some stages it felt a little bit– just a little bit– stilted. Some of the romantic scenes didn't look comfortable for them (but it was still sweet to watch).

Cinematography - 9/10: Despite being shot in a war zone, a place of natural disasters, and illness, etc., it’s amazing how visually pleasing this was. Of course, you get the good looking actors, but the use of lighting, space, and shots are cleverly used, and the locations were superb. I would agree with other reviewers on the internet that the way this drama was shot is of the same quality of a movie, and of the same maturity/ style. Also, the budget for this drama was astronomical: essentially, each episode produced for this drama costed more than double the episode of the average drama. Hell, that was a massive gamble considering it was all pre-produced, but it sure as hell paid off.

I mean, it's a field after a natural disaster, but somehow the shot is GORGEOUS.

Every time I see a picture of the drama on the internet, my heart still twists. This picture is currently my desktop wallpaper, and I have no intention on changing it for a long time.

I would agree with other reviewers on the internet that the way this drama was shot is of the same quality of a movie, and of the same maturity/ style. Also, the budget for this drama was astronomical: 13 billion won to produce (2 billion of which was used for the set and art production). Essentially, each episode produced for this drama costed more than double the episode of the average drama. Hell, that was a massive gamble, especially considering a lot of broadcasting stations turned the drama down because of the risk. But hey, it sure as hell paid off and I sure as hell am super happy that our world was blessed with this drama.

Other Mentions:

Note: If you cannot deal with blood, proceed with caution when watching this drama. Not like it's in every scene, but Si Jin is a soldier, and Mo Yeon is a surgeon.

Here's another picture, just because.

The ethnical diversity, like many other people have mentioned, is highly commendable in this drama and I’m proud of the writer and director for this. There is also a considerable exchange occurring in English that caught me off guard a few times. I’ve watched so many Asian dramas with english being spoken by the protagonists which ended up with me being unable to identify what they were saying. It’s understandable because it’s a completely different language, and if I were to attempt Korean, I’d probably sound like I’m a spastic fish, but the English spoken by the protagonists here was actually quite good. I could understand it, most of the time.

One thing that was particularly unrealistic was the number of gunshot wounds that were completely disregarded within the next hour. How can you be shot so many times and still sit up straight let alone run around immediately after a wound that bad? I know they’re all soldiers, and it’s a drama, but come on.

I mean, I can’t even run around normally, whether I have a gunshot wound or not.

Introducing: Drama-Light

This blog Drama-Light is dedicated to my reviews, rants, and ravings on Asian dramas, and general drama/ dramatic situations in life. So if you see the occasional personal post just going on about something seemingly unrelated– it's still drama, but drama of a different kind!

I’ve had enough of crying in a corner without an outlet for the ramblings I just need to release after a drama, good or bad. Seriously, my normal way of dealing with drama withdrawal symptoms is by ranting on to all my friends that they need to watch the drama. I get really scary when that happens. You cannot control me when I start, and the only way it ends is if that friend watches the drama and then we gush about it until I’m all drama’d out. Well now my friends are sick and tired of my ranting.

So, if you're someone who is also into Asian dramas, be sure to stay alert on that section of my blog! I'm someone who becomes very emotionally invested in my dramas. So I will be writing in-depth reviews about them, and will be addressing the following aspects of each drama:

• Overall Rating
• Overview; genre 
• Overall Rating 
• Storyline 
• Relationships 
• Feel (what kind of vibes it gives off) 
• Characters 
• Soundtrack (OST) 
• Production: camerawork, editing, art direction, etc. 
• Most redeemable quality 
• Personal enjoyment factor 
• Other Mentions 

I might later find different ways of categorising each drama so that people can find the next thing to watch. Perhaps either by my ratings, genre, year, or other dramas that I thought were similar to it.

Here’s to a hopeful success!

The Chronic Habit of Leaving Things Unfinished

I have a chronic habit of getting caught up in a whirlwind of ideas, getting overly passionate about those ideas, allowing my head to be swept up in that tornado that is excitement… and then come plummeting to the ground, face first into the gravel that is exhaustion.

(This image is a pretty good summary of where I'm at in life right now.)

In other words, I get caught up in an idea, but I rarely follow through with it.

Don’t misunderstand: if it’s to do with another person or a promise, that is my priority. That stuff is plastered onto my brain cells with the persistence of an obsessed fangirl pining for every 3-second update on a boy-band. What I’m addressing in this post is motivation for myself to do extra tasks, for myself.

You see, I’ve had a few attempts at blogging, starting websites, building something, beginning a Youtube channel, initiating a podcast, writing a novel, creating an app… and I’ll let you know, some of these things I barely even began planning for, let alone got them up and running. In fact, this is probably my 4th attempt at blogging. Who knows– maybe this time it’ll work out, maybe it won’t. That’s sort of the thrill of this.

It’s so easy to start things. What distinguishes us is how, and if, we finish. So this time, I want to properly make an attempt at creating life in this blog– whether life means readers, or the life and personality I give to unread posts. Whether this blog gets noticed or not is out of my hands, but it’ll be a fun, interesting project to work on.

I know I’m going to keep the ideas whizzing around in my head. It’s fun to imagine, fun to speculate, fun to wonder. But I’ll bet it’s more fun to actually implement those ideas. To finish things. To take a step back and nod, marvelling at your creation.

What about you?

Are you in the same position as me? If so, let's make our ideas count, and prove to ourselves that our ideas actually have weight, and actually bear the possibility to become a real, physical result that other people can lay their eyes on!

Seriously, get started.

(Side note: Please only proceed if the idea is one that won’t hurt people. For example, if your idea is to slap someone in the face, you may have to reconsider, so long as the target is not a total asshole.)

If you are the kind of person who knows exactly what you’re doing, and when, where and how, it’ll be a success, I'm pretty sure you're an alien. I’ll really have to sit down and have a chat with you to teach me your ways.