K-Drama Flashback: ‘Healer’

An illicit ‘night courier’ So Jungho alias ‘Healer,’ (Ji Changwook), an aspiring journalist ‘Chae Youngshin’ (Park Minyoung), and a famous journalist Kim Munho (Yoo Jitae) are drawn together by a 10-year-old occurrence of 1992. In their quest to unearth the truth regarding the past incident and subsequent murders of the present day, they transition into honest reporters fighting and challenging the media elites.

The common thread between the characters is in their previous experiences of abandonment which forms a major part of the drama, but it isn’t dark. I love the way the characters cope with their struggles for a better tomorrow. There are 20 episodes of thrill, excitement, and high-end action that hardly subsides. You will enjoy like how the plot unfolds and takes you back to the incident of 1992. It has multiple layers each revealing an exciting episode giving way to the other.

A perfect blend of action and romance makes Healer a perfect K-drama. In the words of IT Consultant Sudeshna Das, “I came across Healer during my initial days of watching K-dramas. An exceptionally handsome man as the Clarke Kent/Superman-ish vigilante took my breath away instantly. The plot unfolds a mystery and the characters are linked cleverly. The toggle between the past and the present blends well and doesn’t confuse the viewer. The fluid storytelling, the pain of the past, the blossoming romance, and finally every character finding closure will only keep you hooked until the end. Also, “Eternal Love” (Healer OST) by Michael Learns To Rock found a permanent on my playlist. This drama is one of the best works of Ji Changwook and one to rewatch to uplift your mood anytime.”

Korean dramas have become a prominent subculture among Gen-Z and millennials for the last few years. With Covid-19 wreaking havoc, compelling people to stay indoors, stay isolated, K-dramas have come to the rescue for sure. Just like Healer, these dramas have encouraged many towards self-care and encouraged people to explore and try new things. For Product Owner, Madhumanti Sengupta, “So profound was the impact of Healer on me that I took the plunge to learn Korean. It is categorized as a romantic action thriller. It is all that & a great one but also so much more. The characters are lovable, to say the least. The cute comic moments plus the action sequences brought it all together. Loved it! I’m waiting to be fluent enough to watch it without subtitles”

As mentioned earlier, the healing properties in healer are many. The stellar cast only adds to it, especially Ji Changwook in his dapper, all-black ‘Matrix’ look. He brings life to So Jungho and excels as an action hero. At the same time, he is rational, funny, cute; extremely protective about his loved ones, and will go an extra mile for the woman he loves. Quoting IT professional Sampurna Lahiri, “Ji Changwook shone in Healer. The story was not easy to follow especially at the beginning. But he kept me hooked! I think the kind of stunts he did and the vulnerability be showcased was one of a kind!” HR Manager Sonali Bakshi adds, “I will forever remember Healer for Ji Changwook alone. Another thing I love is the piano background score that provides the required ambiance for the story to develop. If you have just discovered the magic of K-dramas, Healer should be in your must-watch list”

In trying times like these, when we’ve been forced to embrace the new normal replacing physical and real-time communications with virtual interactions, stay isolated and work from home and take recourse to web streaming portals for entertainment, K-dramas like Healer do help in learning how to survive losses, love ourselves and rise from ashes. This is probably why it stands out as a K-drama, and even after seven years of its release, the series still has a profound recall value.