Is Healer Any Good? Worth Your Time? A Complete Review

Healer is a rare K-drama that manages to combine adrenaline-pumping action with an intimate love story while also managing to sprinkle in some bits of comedy.

The writers have created an immersive and engaging storyline and which hooks the viewers’ from the start. It’s a show that is all action and macho from the outside but possesses an intricate story and intimate relationships from the inside.

1. Quick Review

Healer wastes no time in introducing the characters and throws you straight into the action. Switching between the past and present, the storyline manages to give you a backstory while developing relationships between the characters.

The action is intense, and the romance lovely as it all comes together with great camera work and background score.

2. Info

3. Grade

4. Is It Worth Watching?

Healer is better than your average Korean drama because it manages to successfully combine various themes and blend them into its storytelling narrative.

The actors do a fine job, and although the series initially received low ratings, it has since then generated a cult following. If you’re a fan of K-Dramas, this should be on your list.

I. Plot

The series revolves around Kim, a reputed journalist trying to make amends for mistakes he made while investigating an old murder case. Racked with guilt, he intentionally hires a tabloid reporter Chae, who is linked to the case but is unaware of her past to investigate. He also hires a “night courier” Jung-hu code-named ‘Healer‘ to protect her from danger and bring the truth to light.

The Healer is not only a tech expert with a genius hacker as his sidekick, but is also an exceptional fighter. Together he and Chae struggle to unravel the secrets and realize how both of them are connected to the deaths of 1992. As they unravel the truth about their past, they grow closer and discover that they share a history.

Kim is also searching for Oh-Ji-an a child believed to be dead. When the investigation reveals that Chae is Ji-an, her traumatic past comes to the forefront as she realizes her dreams of abuse are repressed memories.

II. Cast & Performances

Ji- Chang-Wook is the Healer, a protagonist who has completely removed himself from society. He displays great emotional depth when depicting that his recluse character has developed feelings for a girl. He is ravishing in the fight sequences overwhelming many enemies at the same time, and the fluid parkour shots are breath-taking. Leaping of building and into the heat of a fight to protect Chae Ji puts on a great performance. As the show progresses, his inner angst and vulnerabilities also come to light, adding depth to the character. 

Park min-young plays Chae, and her character provides a breath of fresh air to the show. Not the typical helpless damsel in distress, Chae is a complicated character with a traumatic childhood. She is a fearless investigative reporter, and her aversion to bloodshed often puts up a barrier between her and the Healer. She is bubbly and witty at times in scenes that bring a smile on one’s face.

Yoo Ji-tae as Kim Mun-ho is perfect as the seasoned reporter trying to atone for the sins of his past. He blames himself for the death of his friends and has been searching for the lost child Oh Ji-an to rectify his mistakes. He serves as the link between the incidents of the past and the current investigation.

III. Visuals, Story & Music

The cinematic and stylish camera work, quickly throws us into the disorienting world of Healer. There are brilliant tracking shots, parkour segments and the storyline constantly shifts between the past and the present. The cinematography adds to the fast-paced narrative.

The OST for Healer is effective and helps in binding the story together. While progressing, the story doesn’t forget to develop relationships between the characters and bind together loose ends. The story’s main conflict arises from the lead couple discovering their true identity and their fathers’ fate and how it impacts their fated love.

The fight sequences don’t stand out from the usual stuff you see in Korean dramas, and the backstory does get a little melodramatic and predictable. The lack of unnecessary side characters keeps the storyline clutter-free, and the fast pace works in favor of the show.  The cast is good, and the narrative keeps you engaged, producing an above-average show.

5. Final Thoughts

This K-Drama has something for everyone, with pumping action sequences, a sprinkle of comedy, and sizzling chemistry as fate and love entwined to produce an intimate love.

The story is engaging as the characters confront their enemies in the relentless pursuit of justice, becoming better journalists along the way.