Healer

Welcome back to *Hallyu Reviews*! We hope you enjoyed Sabrina’s review of "Descendants of the Sun" last week. If you missed it, be sure to go back and have a read!
This week we take a look at “Healer.”

**SPOILERS AHEAD**!!

I forgot how intense and intricate “Healer” was until I started watching it to do this review. There are so many reasons I love “Healer” and why it is my ultimate favorite K-drama; it has romance, suspense, mystery, nostalgia, family support, and what K-drama wouldn’t be complete without political corruption. It’s hard to describe what “Healer” is about because it honestly feels like 2 plots in 1 series. There is the corruption and murder/mystery plot and the secretive romance plot.

Healer, or Seo Jung Hoo (Ji Chang Wook), is a “courier” or errand boy, who has been working the same job for 8 years. He basically does what needs to be done as long as it doesn’t involve killing anyone and he gets paid for each service. He wants to raise money for an island to escape too, but he seems that he really doesn’t want to escape because he talks about the need for various things on his island and how he needs to keep working for a few more years. He works with Min Ja “Ajumma,” Detective Jo (Kim Mi Kyung), an expert hacker, and uses various levels of equipment to spy and track and record things to get the job done. When he was a child, his mom left him because he looked like his dad. He was later picked up from school by the original Healer, whom he calls “teacher”, a friend of his dad, after getting in trouble. He turns into Park Bong Soo at the reporting office to keep track of Young Shin and pretends to have a hearing aid and limp as well as a lack of confidence and stutter.

Chae Young Shin/Ji An (Park Min Young) is an adopted child who wants to be a famous reporter and find her biological parents. She is currently an entertainment reporter for Someday Daily News. As a child, she was left at the trash on a cold winter night and then passed through various orphanages and foster homes before her “dad,” Chae Chi Soo (Park Sang Myun), a criminal lawyer and café shop owner, adopted her. She has post-traumatic stress due to childhood trauma which causes her to have panic attacks when she witnesses acts of violence. I find this ironic because she is friends with some of her dad’s clients which are all ex-convicts. She is smart and trusts her intuition, she also has experience picking pockets and picking locks. She doesn’t like sleeping with other people close to her, but easily falls asleep when Park Bong Soo/Healer is beside her. Healer describes her as brave even though she knows the danger. She doesn’t back down from a dangerous situation and tries to keep those around her safe, especially Park Bong Soo.

Kim Moon Ho (Yoo Ji Tae) is a famous reporter and Young Shin’s idol. He does honest reporting even if it causes him to get in trouble with his chief. He is an honest and straightforward person. He has been looking for Ji An/Chae Young Shin and presumes her to be alive when he receives word about having to move her burial plot and the grave is empty. Naturally, he is curious and begins to investigate what really happened. He is her “uncle” and throughout the series you see flashbacks about how much he loves her and how much she means to him. Once he purchases Someday Daily News, he really does become a doting uncle and it is so sweet to see the relationship develop between him and her. She doesn’t know that he is her uncle. He requests the Healer to protect her. One day, as Kim Moon Ho is leaving, Park Bong Soo’s coat falls on the floor and in it is Chae Young Shin’s old cell phone from the elevator, this is how he learns that Park Bo Song is really Healer.

These are the three key main players in Healer. One day Healer gets a request to obtain a DNA sample from Young Shin, so he follows her. While following her around he catches Kim Moon Ho watching her, and so he also follows him. After breaking into the house of Moon Ho’s brother, he learns that he shares the same picture of people as the person who owns the house. He becomes intrigued in the situation he is being dragged into and really wants to find out more. These three players work to unravel a mystery of what happened many years ago during a “friendly” outing that caused the death of a father, friend, and loved one. They also unravel a corruption plot that has lasted several decades. This, in my opinion, is the main story in “Healer.” Everything is centered around this picture - who the people are, their back story, and what happened to them.

There are 5 people in the picture - Kim Moon Sik, Choi Myung Hee, Oh Gil Han, Ki Young Jae, and Seo Joon-Seok. They were all college friends and ran an underground traveling reporting/news van. Myung Hee was dating Gil Han and they had Ji An/Young Shin. Joon Seok had Jung Hoo. Kim Moon Sik is obviously in love or obsessed with Choi Myung Hee. Kim Moon Sik is Moon Ho’s older brother and owner/president of the Je Il Media company, he eventually marries Myung Hee and takes care of her. Myung Hee asks Moon Sik to find Ji An/Young Shin. He does but lies to Myung Hee about it and makes Myung Hee think Ji An/Young Shin has died. Myung Hee suffers from seizures and is in a wheelchair, you can tell she cares for Moon Sik, but it doesn’t feel like love. She misses Ji An/Young Shin and celebrates her birth and death every year. Ki Young Jae is the teacher, or the original Healer. He teaches Jung Hoo all of his Healer-like methods and ways. Young Jae allows himself to get captured by the police department as “Healer” to protect the real Healer, and is poisoned while he is there. Joon Seok and Gil Han are dead at the start of the story. Allegedly, Joon Seok murdered Gil Han and then committed suicide. Young Jae tells Jung Hoo that his dad would not have murdered anyone and to find the real culprit, because his dad did not have the spirit to murder anyone.

Turning Point!

Healer breaks into Kim Moon’s apartment to find the story about what happened to his dad. While there he confronts Moon Ho and discovers that Moon Ho knows Park Bong Soo is Healer and that Healer is really Jung Hoo. Jung Hoo asks him about the picture with the five people in and what happened to his father, Joon Seok. Moon Ho tells him that his dad is a murder suspect not a murderer, that there is a difference. His dad died before he was able to have any charges proven or cleared. He asks if he wants to clear the false charge of his father. They become close friends. He tells him what he knows about the story in 1992. The two friends Gil Han and Joon Seok where going to get an exclusive report and went to Moon Sik to borrow a car (and a driver), he was the CEO of a car junk yard at that time. At Moon Sik’s house Myung Hee tells Jung Hoo that she does not believe his dad murdered her former husband and that he is brave, and she hopes he gets to the bottom of it. It is here that Jung Hoo realizes Young Shin is Ji An when he sees a picture of Myung Hee with her daughter.

The other plot in “Healer” is the corruption of Je Il Media owned by Moon Sik and President Hwang. Young Shin brings this to light when she notices a lady being beaten in the car and watches her one day. She then notices her bag left alone in the elevator and goes to search for the woman. Young Shin finds the woman trying to commit suicide on the roof of the building. Young Shin listens to the woman’s story and writes an article about her abuse, unraveling the corruption of the system. All of the people exposed in Young Shin’s article report to someone called the “Elder.” The Elder looks like he runs a bar, but really, he is running Omega Holdings, a corrupt organization that controls many powerful people, including Moon Sik. This is where the story gets confusing and feels like it doesn’t fit, but oddly enough it works. The Elder orders Moon Sik’s butler to kill Young Shin and when Kim Moon finds out about it, he confronts his brother and confesses that Young Shin is Ji An. Moon Sik goes to the Elder to speak about the girl and the Elder speaks about the various businesses that he owns and how Moon Ho is following him, so he needed to send a message. Moon Sik advises the Elder that we will handle his own problems himself and gets a call from President Hwang who confesses his trouble. Oddly enough, President Hwang mysteriously “commits suicide.” With President Hwang and the mayoral candidate out of the way, now the Elder wants Kim Moon Sik to run for Mayor. Again, the Elder is the one pulling all of the strings in this corrupt world as CEO of Omega Holdings.

Where the two worlds collide!

Back in 1992, there was an incident with 3 of the friends in the above-mentioned photo. All three went out, but only 2 came back. One, Ji An/Young Shin’s father, was killed; one, Healer’s father, was deemed a murder and was arrested. Moon Sik witnesses Gil Han’s murder at the hands of the Elder’s men, and pulls Joon Seok away before they, too, are killed. In the process, Joon Seok was framed for murder. Moon Sik knew that Joon Seok was innocent, but he traded his friend’s life for a life of comfort as one of the Elder’s men, head of Je Il News. Jung Hoo learns that there is a tape of his father’s witness testimony of Gil Han’s murder from 1992 and rushes to find it.

Meanwhile, Young Shin is finds out the story of what happened from Myung Hee. Myung Hee says she received a call to leave the house from Moon Sik and she and Ji An/Young Shin ran away from the people she refers to as “farmers” who felt they were cultivating the world from “weeds.” Myung Hee attempted to hide Ji An/Young Shin in a pile of trash, and lure the pursuers away from her. The “farmers” in her story were the Elder’s men.

Back in the present, the Elder admires Healer’s skills and tries to recruit Jung Hoo, using blackmail and even threatens Young Shin to coerce him. Ultimately, an elaborate plot is hatched by Healer, Young Shin, Moon Ho, and Ahjumma to trap the Elder and all of his thugs into a biochemical warfare trap, unraveling the Elder’s organization. The trap also results in the “death” of Healer, that allows him to live safely as Park Bong Soo with Young Shin.

It ends weird. I know. But it’s a Happily Ever After for all our main players and that is important.

“Swoon Worthy” Moments – This drama is full of fast paced intense action, but it is also romantic too, and seriously, Ji Chang Wook, or “Wookie,” is a serious hottie! His acting is amazing and the depth of his various characters in this series is beyond compare. I introduce you to Swoon Worthy Moments…Moments that make this drama and/or Wookie memorable and well let’s be honest here make me swoon for him. Haha. “My hearts a flame and it’s burning in your name – my eternal love”.

“Swoon worthy” moment #1 – Young Shin falls backwards into his arms on the bus before they first meet face to face. At this point he is following her because he is trying to get a DNA sample, but the way he catches her, so she doesn’t fall backwards on the bus – swoon. It’s the look on his face that just sort of says, “Whoa, it’s okay, I caught you…I’ve got you in my arms”.

“Swoon worthy” moment #2 – When Healer sneaks back into her house and pretends to be asleep on the couch as her “hoobae,” Park Bong Soo, after bringing her home drunk and basically kicks him off the couch and grabs his arm. She cuddles his arm all night and there is a flashback of Ji An and Jung Hoo sleeping together on the floor in the same position as small children. (Jung Hoo’s mom finds the old pictures)

“Swoon worthy” moment #3 – Right after Young Shin posts an article about the mayoral candidate and Hwang Jae Kook and illicit sexual deviousness with unwilling females, Kim Moon Ho, who knows who she is and wants to protect her, shows up at her office. Surprised by the sudden presence of her idol, Young Shin drops her coffee cup. Healer catches it, and when he notices Kim Moon Ho stands a bit taller. It’s not much, but it starts the act of “Who are you?” in my book. Healer unknowingly drops the stuttering of his character/act of Park Bong Soo for a second and becomes intently focused on keeping Young Shin safe. She is being followed and he protects her, even making sure she takes her panic meds. Seriously when he is doing the acrobatics on the bars, it’s hot! The music in the background is amazing too.

“Swoon worthy” moment #4 – Young Shin and Healer/Park Bong Soo go to meet with Hwang Jae Kook, the President of Empire Entertainment and the “owner” of the females who are being abused. They get stopped by the Double SS Guards - who are complete trouble. She gets visibly shaken upon meeting him and starts to panic. Healer stabilizes her by placing his arms on her shoulder and holding her hands, which gives her some courage to try to go through the interview. Jae Kook starts getting handsy with her which visibly upsets Healer. The President assaults a girl in front of her. Healer pretends he’s scared, and says they need to leave. As he sees Young Shin become “shell-shocked”, Healer expertly kicks the plant stand out, creating a commotion, and they escape. His tenderness in this moment is so sweet - the way he holds her and tries comfort her as she is visibly shaken. His visuals are amazing. And the way the music comes on at just the right moment, is amazing! His backup plan is really funny too.

“Swoon worthy” moment #5 – Young Shin just admitted to Park Bong Soo that she had an unrequited love with Kim Moon Ho and asked for his help with this news story. He seemed to refuse, but the next day it appears he has bought the company and the building and is creating a news station out of Someday Daily News. The look Healer/Park Bong Soo gives him - Ohhhh…jealous much?! So hot. He also breaks character and gives her two pills when she starts having a panic attack. He then switches back and tries to dig into her personal story. Really ya’ll, his ability to switch characters is amazing, it’s in his facial expressions and eyes.

“Swoon worthy” moment #6 – Healer kicks butt! It may be slightly graphic, but as Park Bong Soo he is given the chore to find out what bar President Jae Kook frequents, so he breaks into his house and beats the crap out of him with a golf club. He says, “you like to hit, but you’ve never been hit”. As he leaves, he not only gets the information he needs, but he also tells President Jae Kook not to hit anymore, especially girls. It’s slightly graphic, but really sweet, because you know Healer is beating the crap out of Jae Kook because he cares about Young Shin, and Jae Kook scared her the last time they met.

“Swoon worthy” moment #7 – K-dramas have this thing about the first snow…it’s truly beautiful and romantic. Young Shin receives a call from someone she thinks is Kim Moon - it’s not, but instead a plot to have her killed by the Elder. She goes into a building to meet “Kim Moon” and gets caught in an elevator that has been tampered with. Of course, Healer saves her before she plunges to her death by suspending ropes from the roof and rescuing her through the elevator shaft. Instead of thanking him, she chastises him for risking his own life to save her, but then says thank you. She feels foolish because she grew to like him and feels like he is only there because he was paid to protect her. There on the roof they share a kiss in the falling snow. Wookie is a bon-a-fide amazing kisser – the King of K-drama kissing. It doesn’t hurt that the music kicks in at just the right moment and the whole scene is amazing - the kiss, the snow, and the amazing soundtrack. Swoon!! (Even Layla, my 7-year-old cheered for this one – haha)

“Swoon worthy” moment #8 – Healer/Park Bong Soo and Young Shin get dressed in fancy clothes to sneak into a press conference by acting like they are attending an adjacent engagement party. He sees her and instantly drops his jaw and the act. He becomes Healer and takes her hand and escorts her into the press conference. Later he asks her out to get drinks and grab something to eat to celebrate their successful first venture in the media field. While taking her up to a rooftop, she has some anxiety in the elevator, so he holds her hand. He gets so close to kissing her when the elevator doors suddenly open. He takes her to a rooftop hideout, and they have a few beers. While sitting there watching the stars, she talks about their stories. He asks her if she could be attracted to him, and she thinks he is joking or brushes it off as a joke. He says he wants to stay close to her, confessing that he likes her. She admits that she likes Healer and “Park Bong Soo” drops it, because he is Healer. Hehe. His smile in this scene when he looks at her after confessing is so sweet. It’s like, “I know something you don’t know.”

“Swoon worthy” moment #9 – Healer goes on a date. Young Shin emails him and asks him out. He meets her at a movie theater and watches the movie two rows away from her. She thinks he stands her up, but instead he pulls out all the stops and lights up the path to a theater. He prearranges a stuffed bunny in the chair beside hers and leaves a phone for her to communicate with as if he is there beside her. As she is leaving, he grabs her hand and holds it. Even though she can’t see his face, she can feel his sincerity in his presence.

Swoon worthy moment #10 – Healer gets discovered. Young Shin goes to rescue Park Bong Soo after receiving a weird call from a mysterious woman “Ajumma” – and she finds him bleeding and unconscious. In the hospital, he grabs her hand and holds it, and a flood of memories rush in as Young Shin connects the dots between Healer and Park Bong Soo. At the coffee shop, she gives him the opportunity to confess again and admit that he is Healer, but he doesn’t do it. Right after his teacher died, he goes back to his hiding place and unplugs from existence for 6 days, with the intent of dying. With the help of Ajumma, Young Shin goes to the address of his hideout, figures out the key to gaining access, and discovers him freezing in bed. She lays down with him to warm him up and forces him to eat. He tries to force her to leave, and instead they confess their feelings, kiss, and share a romantic embrace. Every moment after this with Young Shin and Healer is swoon worthy because they start dating, especially the café kiss in front of her dad.

Overall –

The two plots are super confusing sometimes. It is way more detailed than I remembered, but I love this drama. It will always be my favorite and I definitely recommend it. The acting is superb and fun when it needs to be and sensitive and emotional when it needs to be, but most of all it’s just my favorite.

So there it is, our review of “Healer.” What did you think?! Thank you for joining us on this journey. Have a favorite K-drama you think we should review, comment down below!! We look forward to seeing you back again next week!

Up next, “Crash Landing on You”

Crash Landing on You

Descendants of the Sun

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