When a mysterious night courier, code name – Healer, is hired to track a spunky, tabloid writer, the two become embroiled in a decades long mystery that puts their lives at risk. In the 2014 action/romance Kdrama, Healer, Ji Chang-wook (Welcome to Samdal-ri) stars as the title character. Employing wicked parkour skills and advanced wearable tech, Healer carries out secretive missions for clients. Aiding him is his handler, Ahjumma, a sassy computer/tech genius (Kim Mi-kyung of Mr. Queen).
A loner, Healer’s goal is to buy a deserted island where he can live in peace. That dream is threatened the moment he meets Chae Young-shin (Park Min-young of What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim and Her Private Life), a young woman with a knack for getting into trouble. To complicate matters, his client turns out to be star reporter, Kim Moon-ho (Vigilante’s Yoo Ji-tae), a man looking for the missing daughter of his sister-in-law. He is also Young-shin’s new boss. As Healer and Young-shin draw closer to each other, can they overcome the forces threatening to keep them apart?
- Series Title: Healer (Korean: 힐러)
- Starring: Ji Chang-wook, Park Min-young, Yoo Ji-tae and Kim Mi-kyung
- Written by: Song Ji-na
- Directed by: Lee Jung-sub, Kim Jin-woo
- Network: KBS2
- Where to watch in the US: Viki
- Year Released: 2014
- # of episodes: 20
- KafeNook Rating: 4.8 sips
Healer — !! Spoilers Ahead!!
Whenever I perform a search of must-watch Kdramas, Healer is consistently on the list. I now understand why. It has all the elements of a great series: compelling story, intriguing characters, top-notch acting, exciting action, and great music. I loved every minute of it.
Watching Healer, I get vibes from a lot of American TV shows and movies like the science fiction drama Dark Angel. In the show, Jessica Alba stars as Max, a badass heroine acting in the shadows. Dark Angel was one of the first shows to feature technology that later became commonplace both in shows and real life. Or the Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness) character from Criminal Minds. Penelope uses her vast computer skills to support the team from behind the scenes. Then there is the 2007 drama Moonlight with Alex O’Loughlin as vampire/private investigator, Mick St. John who fights his feeling for reporter Beth Turner (Sophia Miles).
Sprinkle in amazing parkour reminiscent of the 2006 James Bond flick, Casino Royale, a little Louis Lane/Clark Kent/Superman dynamic, plus the old childhood friends to lovers trope and the ingredients for Healer are there. And yet – Healer is uniquely it’s own with a suspenseful story and a romance for the ages.
Healer / Park Bong-soo / Seo Jung-hoo
My twenty-year-old self would have a huge crush on Ji Chang-wook’s character in Healer no matter what name he goes by. As Healer, not only does he look super-cool in his gear, but he is also mysterious, athletic, smart, stealthy, and protective. Kind of like a modern-day ninja. (And boy do I love ninjas!) The fact that Ji Chang-wook did most of his stunts in this series is amazing – running across rooftops, scaling buildings, fighting off thugs – wow!
Then there is alter ego Park Bong-soo, a jittery cub reporter with great listening skills who is not afraid to tell a girl how he feels. Bong-soo provides many of the best comedic moments in the series. But at his core, he is Seo Jung-hoo, a young man abandoned by the people he loved most: a father who is thought to have committed suicide, a mother who left him with his grandmother when he was young, and his father’s friend – the person who taught him how to be Healer. Needless to say, Jung-hoo has a lot of trust issues. Putting these three personas together creates one complex and compelling character.
Chae Young-shin / Oh Ji-an
While Healer is not Park Min-young’s first major role, it is one of her most famous. She shines as fledgling reporter Chae Young-shin who can be fearless despite her overwhelming fear of violent situations. Young-shin has no memories of her life as Oh Ji-an, the child she was before ending up at an orphanage. Adopted and raised by a lawyer/coffee-shop owner who helps out ex-cons, she has her own set of unique skills.
When Healer saves Young-shin from a gang of thugs, she finds herself drawn to him. At the same time, she finds her new mentee at work, Park Bong-soo, easy to talk to and is not afraid to admit to him the crush she has on someone else. Who can blame Young-shin for being hurt that Healer/Bong-soo lied to her. But she is one resilient gal. Once she wraps her head around the fact that Healer and Bong-soo are the same person, she is drawn to him even more. (Right there with you, Young-shin!)
A Romance for the Ages
Healer and Young-shin’s romance is one of for the ages. Sparks fly between them starting with their first encounter when he steals her backpack. Later, when Young-shin is attacked by thugs and suffers a panic attack, Healer fights them off but not before covering her head to save her from the worst of it.
Their first steamy kiss occurs after Healer saves Young-shin from a sabotaged elevator. Showing that she won’t give away his identity, she covers her face with her knit hat and tells him she wishes she could repay him for saving her. As he walks away, Healer realizes he has never cared whether people looked at him or didn’t look at him until Young-shin came into his life. With snow falling around them, he returns to her and lifts her hat to expose only her lips. Move over Spider-man upside-down kiss, Healer and Young-shin have you beat on this one.
Eager to get to know the mysterious Healer, Young-shin boldly arranges a date. He responds with a big gesture by renting out a movie theater. Sitting in different rows, the two enjoy a movie together. (Why did it bug me that he set out all those snacks for her, but she didn’t seem to have any? Maybe she got refills.) As they leave, he stays in the shadows, then grabs her hand at the last minute. It’s this gesture that later leads to her realization of his identify after she and Bong-soo touch hands several times.
Following the murder of Healer’s teacher, Jung-hoo withdraws to his warehouse home. Fearing for him, Ahjumma sends Young-shin to his place, knowing she is the only person he will let in. Jung-hoo repeatedly tells Young-shin to leave but she refuses. In one of the best tear-jerker moments, he finally admits to being afraid she will be hurt because of him and cries in her arms. Which leads to – steamy kiss number two. (No wonder these two actors are considered kissing masters!)
Star Reporter Kim Moon-ho
Yoo Ji-tae is all charm and heart as star reporter Kim Moon-ho. He is the link between the past and the present. When Moon-ho learns that the body his sister-in-law’s deceased daughter, Ji-an, is missing from its grave, he suspects his brother, Moon-sik, had something to do with the girl’s disappearance. Even more than that, he believes Ji-an may still be alive. Ashamed for helping his brother cover up the deaths of two of their friend’s years earlier, he vows to find Ji-an and set things right. Once Moon-ho finds Young-shin/Ji-an and then learns who Jung-hoo is, he goes out of his way to mentor the children of his old friends. He also has a fun and flirtatious relationship with his ex-girlfriend (perhaps future girlfriend?) Kang Min-jae (Woo Hee-jin of Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo).
Hacker Ahjumma / Jo Min-ja
Actress Kim Mi-kyung is known as Korea’s mom (for her portrayal of a mother in countless Kdramas). After seeing her as former cyber-crimes detective turned hacker Ahjumma, her talents may be wasted in just playing moms. (Then again – she is amazing as Sam-dal’s mother in Welcome to Samdal-ri.) Her dry humor and comedic timing in Healer remind me of her Heirs/Inheritors role. I completely bought into her skills as a premier hacker. As a detective, she put her job before her terminally ill son, then watched her superiors push the corruption she uncovered under the rug. It’s not surprising she left that life to become a hacker where she can fight corruption from the shadows. Is her affection for Healer related to the loss of her son?
Mysteries of Past and Present
One of the things the show Healer does well is sprinkle the mysteries of the past throughout each episode. Back in the 1980’s, five friends, including Moon-ho’s older brother, Kim Moon-sik, risked their lives as reporters searching out corruption. One of those friends was Jung-hoo’s dad. Another, Ki Young-jae (Oh Kwang-rok), Jung-hoo’s teacher and the previous Healer Young-shin/Ji-an’s parents are the final two.
On the same day her father was killed while covering a story, Ji-an went missing. Her mother, Choi Myung-hee (Do Ji-won), also became crippled due to an accident. Moon-ho’s brother, Moon-sik, seeing his chance to gain power, worked with the Elder’s organization to cover up the deaths of his friends. Temporarily reunited with Ji-an after she went missing, he fails to go after her when she wanders away. After years of harboring a crush on Myung-hee, he takes care of her after her accident and later marries her.
In the present, brother Moon-sik is the CEO of a major news agency where his position is the result of working for the Elder. As Moon-ho, Young-shin and Jung-hoo get closer to the truths of the past, the Elder and Moon-sik work harder to stop them – even going so far as to ordering Young-shin’s death. (Thankfully Healer and Moon-ho thwart that plan!) The Elder wants to use Healer’s abilities for his own organization and does the one thing that will turn Jung-hoo to him – threaten Young-shin’s life. Heading into the ending, things look dire for Jung-hoo and his chance to be with Young-shin.
Healer Ending
There is nothing better than when a good series sticks the ending. The final episode of Healer continues building on the suspense and intrigue from the previous episodes. Jung-hoo needs a plan to clear his name when the tape of his coerced murder confession is sent to the police. He wants nothing more than to have a life with his girl (is my heart the only one melting?) and is willing to do what it takes to bring down the Elder. It’s up to team Healer to come up with a Plan B to do just that and – get Jung-hoo off the wanted list.
But before that, Jung-hoo answers questions to a camera (for Young-shin, I assume) where he awkwardly and adorably tries to answer truthfully. Myung-hee leaves her husband and finally learns Young-shin is her daughter. CEO Moon-sik, having lost the woman he loves, seems to have lost his mind as he has imaginary conversations with his deceased old friends.
The final showdown comes at the airport where Moon-ho has set up a meeting with a whistle blower concerning corruption within the Elder’s organization. Team Healer diverts attention of the thugs on their tail as Young-shin streams a live interview with the whistle blower. Healer then stages the abduction of the whistle blower and feigns an assassination attempt before being “shot”. Ahjumma, working with her former cybercrimes buddy (Jo Han-chul of Vincenzo), replaces Jung-hoo’s identify with that of a deceased criminal, freeing Jung-hoo from the warrant hanging over his head. With the Elder and his organization facing prosecution, Young-shin and Jung-hoo can now safely be together.
I have only had one problem with the ending. I didn’t want the show to end. The series runs at 20 episodes but I could happily watch more. More of team Healer, and a whole lot more of Young-shin and Jung-hoo. Sigh. I suppose I will just have to make my way through Ji Chang-wook and Park Min-young dramas.
Random Things I Liked
Young-shin and Bong-soo’s dazzling makeover before the press conference. Even better is the look on their faces when they first see each other.
Healer showing his kick-ass skills in front of Young-shin’s father. Up until this time, her father views Bong-soo as kind of a wimp.
Ji Chang-wook in turtlenecks. All the iterations of his character wear a turtleneck in one scene or another. I love how he pulls it up to his chin to hide part of his face. I thought turtlenecks were a thing of the past, but if they are on Ji Chang-wook – more turtlenecks please!
Healer Soundtrack
The Healer Original Soundtrack contains several great songs including the title song Healer, by Park Jongmi and Watch Over You sung my Ji Chang Wook himself. But there is one song I could not get out of my head while watching the drama: Eternal Love by the Danish band Michael Learns to Rock. The song was first released in 1993 as part of their Colours album and later used for Healer. Here is a fun Michael Learns to Rock music video of Eternal Love featuring Phoebe Yang.
