Nearly every episode flows perfectly and most left me in denial that I had to wait a week for the next set. However, that's the genius of the writer and, to her, I give props. This is the third drama/movie of hers that I've watched and I loved them all.
I have to put an entire paragraph here on the acting. I expected to see good acting from many of the cast members, most are very respected and experienced. What surprised me the most was the acting ability of Lee Jong Suk. I've recently watched School 2013 and knew the kid had talent, but I never would have guessed he was this good. He made me laugh at his goofiness, smile when he was happy, and just cry my eyes out when he hurt. No matter how well written a story may be, if you don't get the right actors, it will never work. This choice, for this role, could not have been any better. As much as his acting ability left me breathless, he wasn't the only standout. Several episodes I had to give the best acting award to Jung Woong In, Yoon Sang Hyun and Lee Da Hee. Both very experienced actors that pulled even more out of their bag of tricks in this drama. The versatility of all the main and supporting cast was excellent. FYI, Jung Woong In was made for evil roles! That man can be downright scary as hell.
I can tell you I will be watching this again and not only for the feel good moments. Just like owning your favorite books to re-read over and over, I'll be enjoying this drama for years to come.
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I Hear Your Voice got me hooked right from day ONE due to its unique and original plot. There are quite a few cases in the drama, which is not surprising given its genre. However, the amazing part is how the scriptwriter manages to weave all these cases into a seamless drama comprises of elements of romance, comedy, suspense, thriller and friendship. There is never a single episode which is draggy and if not for my work commitment, I believe i could have marathon this show within 2 days.
Everyone acted superbly in the show and are truly lovable and realistic in their roles, even the villain has his own story (I won't reveal more on this though). The OSTs are excellent and catchy and they just make the whole experience of watching the drama even better.
I am sure I will rewatch this show in the future as it really warms your heart and makes your day. Give it a try and I am sure you won't regret the time spent, it is truly one of those rare breed among kdramas.
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Up front I am going to say I have no problem with an older woman having romance with a younger guy. True he's younger, in high school, but that doesn't even become a factor as there's a love triangle. Our leading lady is in fact in love with someone else. There's time jumps. So people calm down. (Plus, I've seen dramas TV and movies with the younger GIRL still being in high school. Heck one was in Junior High.) Oh, and what a love triangle indeed. It's one that shows you why it's used so heavily. Because when done right it's pure emotional torture. And you love every second of it. Especially when you've picked a team, you're still torn as to who the lead should end up with!
The writing and story of IHYV is exceptional. Many things that could have been too much for the drama weren't an issue. With Soo Ha actually being a leading man, the young one, and being able to read minds I was nervous. However, it felt so natural and realistic. True there were a few inconstancies, but it was never a real problem. Mixed in with the love story, the court cases, and so forth it was a well utilized and realized fantasy element. Don't worry about it feeling like a fantasy though, because IHYV is a genre fusion blend. The kind only great writing like this can pull off!
Great writing. I said that a lot in my episode reviews, and I meant it. Every aspect of the story is thought out. Everything ties in, nothing is wasted. Which means there are NO fillers. Amnesia, perfect fit for the story. Only enhanced things. That's how you use it other dramas! Time jumps, flawless. In fact the second to last episode does some fancy and adrenaline inducing time jumps/flashbacks that will leave viewers in awe. The cases and law used IHYV is clearly looked into. Sometimes I thought they had slipped, but after looking it up and waiting for the next episode I was just jumping the gun. (So even though it IS a drama, there is a very solid foundation for it.)
The acting here is impeccable! Especially when accompanied by such solid writing. Every character develops throughout the show. Ones that viewers may have expected to loath become human. The ice queen Prosecutor Seo actually became a favorite of mine. The writers even make one of the most chilling villains into a human. Understanding his motives after being scared, and hating him, for so long is well done. All of the actors have earned my respect here. The emotions I felt where so intense.
Jang Hye Sung is one of the most well developed female characters that I've had the pleasure of watching in a drama. Sure at times it bothered me how she wouldn't learn her lessons. That it would take many repeated times before she would see the light! I got frustrated many a time. However, she was real. I could relate and when she did develop it was amazing to watch. As she realized that she should chose to make herself how she wanted. That life is too precious to be hung up on dark emotions and regret.
Both male leads are amazing. Soo Ha and Cha have both earned top places in my heart. Both are fantastic people. And like with all the characters watching them develop is a treat. Even more so since they both have amazing chemistry with Hye Sung. What a lucky girl!
The music is fantastic! Probably one of my all time favorite OST! It's so different and unique and I love that they went there for it. Because it fits IHYV perfectly. It was so much a part of the show that without it a lot of the moments and feelings may have been lost.
Forget what you've heard about I Hear Your Voice. Forget that synopsis!! Everyone should try this out. There's a reason why there was so much buzz around it. Go in with positive thoughts. It's a wonderful genre fusion. Don't worry about people calling it a fantasy. The mind reading aspect of Soo Ha is very realistic and so well done that it never hinders the story. (If you don't like fantasy.) The courtroom triumphs and struggles are amazing. Not only does it show the negative side of the law, but the positive. How laws that save a murderer can also be turned around and used to save the innocent. The acting here is a amazing! Not to mention how well the characters are realized and developed. Some might start out as stereotypes, but they quickly develop into actual people!! I Hear Your Voice will probably be cemented as a fan favorite . . . forever. I know it will always be one of mine. The message(s) is beautiful. The emotions are intense. But this is a dramas that despite the darkness, you will always feel warm and fuzzy. Best of all the ending is perfection. And yeah, I ended it feeling warm and fuzzy. Here's hoping this great team behind I Hear Your Voice will make more amazing shows.
Thank you. I know my review can't do this show justice.
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This show has definitely worked up to the expectations, just by reading the plot and also checking everyone's reviews and ratings of course.
I can see why this show has managed to keep the highest viewer rating among dramas airing at the same time slot.
This Show it A MUST WATCH. It has a Great story, Wonderful directing, Awesome cast, addictive music, everything!
Here's my humble review:
The story:
A VERY VERY WELL written story. Good stories can sometimes fall victim to inconsistent events, over-done plots, lack in details, and even plot holes. Some stories end up with such disadvantages but still be considered great stories, because they manage to attract the viewer and receive his empathy. I Hear Your voice I strongly believe succeeded in escaping from ALL those disadvantages.
It was a very rich story, meaning to say that all the little details concerning all of the main characters' background was given the utmost care so as to bring them out to the viewer believable, convincing and also quite touching.
The characters were all so convincing and well written, so even the villain who at first just seemed as the classic nemesis, in time when you know the full picture of what happened, you start to understand him to a certain point and even sympathize with him somehow.
Directing:
The Story covers the span of 11 years, so there was the need of course for the use of flashbacks, those were always given at exactly the right timing, not too long so as not to distract the viewer.
There is not ONE character which was not given enough airing time, and also not one scene that felt unnecessary. So even scenes that at one look seem as a filler and a bit meaningless, if you look closer you'll find it was the director's method of delivering the viewer with an important information but in an indirect kind of way so as not to force a certain idea or notion on the viewer.
Soo Ha's ability to hear one's thoughts, was used to just the right level, so it wasn't reading minds all time like one would think. And the use of pausing the scenes when Soo Ha was hearing someone's thoughts helped show how such thoughts normally take parts of a second to form inside one's head.
Also I loved the use of flashbacks to show a certain event from a more-detailed different point of view so as to help view the whole picture behind something. Also doing that at just the right timing, so not like other shows where you keep watching the same flashback hundreds of times every time it's believed you should be reminded of it, it was rather showing the flashback multiple times but each time serving a different cause so it never felt boring.
The Cast:
Awesome cast. You will end up warming up to every one, sometimes you feel like you want to penetrate the screen to hug, stroke, poke, shake hands, wipe away tears, and kiss one of them. It's a proof that all the cast delivered a very well acting.
The love triangle was very lovely too, so you end up cheering for everyone, might have a bias to one side but still wish the other all the luck.
Music:
Both the vocal songs (very few I have to admit) and also the instrumentals were addictive, Love all of them.
I have yet to download the OST so am not sure as to exact number of tracks, but though it felt like it was just a few of them used throughout the drama, it never felt the tiniest bit repetitive, at least for me.
I can't think of a single reason why anyone would not watch this show.
It had just exactly the perfect dose of all the following aspects and even more, it formed a beautiful very well balanced formula....The perfect Example of a multi-Genre drama
It had thriller but it was never nerve breaking.
It had fantasy but it was never far fetched.
It had romance but it was never cheesy.
It had comedy but it was never cliched.
It had revenge but it was never too scary.
It had drama but it was never over tragic.
It had humanity but it was never too serious or dramatic.
And above all, it had a very deep and meaningful message to deliver, and sure it succeeded at that but not in the naive to the point corny kind of way.
I found myself clapping my hands when the finale ended, I think I don't need to say more.
Watch it, you sure won't regret it!
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Storywise, this was a great drama. Lots of twists and turns. It also broke a lot of stereotypes.
The actors and actresses did a terrific job on this drama.
The music was pretty good. I probably won't listen to it too much now that i've finished the drama, but the songs fit each scene perfectly.
As for rewatch value, i don't rewatch dramas generally, but this is one I could see myself rewatching in a couple of years.
Overall, this drama was a solid drama that had me on the edge of my seat, and severely lacking sleep these past few days. I can fully say I understand why this drama is currently ranked #1 on MDL.
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There is suspense, romance, a little action and the trials aren't boring. The way the writers use the fact that So Ha can read minds is excellent. I enjoyed the small things like when Hye Sung's mom wrote on her hand and then later in the drama we see Hye Sung writing on her hand. There are morals to the story as it tries to convey a way to live life. I like what Hye Sung's mom says about not hating and that from birth we have a limited time to love (paraphrasing). Even though it is intense at times, I still came away with an over all good feeling. The character growth is the highlight as all the characters stayed true to their personalities as they learned hard lessons and go through some pretty horrible traumas and grow. Even though there was an extension of episodes from 16 to 18, it was well done and the ending was great.
The acting is daebak!!! Lee Bo Young as Hye Sung was perfect. She plays an excellent flawed character. She is really pretty too. I think her chemistry with both the leads was good. Lee Jong Suk as Park So Ha is a character that I will remember for a long time. I think he really came into his own as a male lead. His chemistry with Lee Bo Young although she is older (I don't know why so many people have a problem with age difference) was good. He was definitely a man. I have read that a lot of people don't like Yoon Sang Hyun. I don't really understand that. I have loved him since Take Care of the Young Lady. His portrayal of Attorney Cha was right on. Lee Da Hee as Do Yeon was also good. I was prepared to hate her, but ended with respecting her. I think Jung Woong In as Joon Kook would rival Yoon Je Moon in the bad guy department. He is really good at making a person hate the character.
As for the music. Even if you don't watch this drama, then check out Jung Yup's "Why Did You Come Now?" and Echo's "Every Single Day" and Shin Seung Hoon's "That Word You Cannot Hear".
I will probably rewatch this at some point.
I recommend this drama for everyone...no matter what genre you prefer.
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The story is great and it makes this drama amazing. I was taken by the idea from the beginning. I love some romance but it's always good to have little plots to make the drama come alive and this had it all from court to family drama. I appreciated the age gape too because I think it made their relationship more dramatic and I've seen age gapes done greatly in some of my favorite dramas (Dal Ja's Spring and Biscuit Teacher Star Candy). The cases they had were very interesting too and I loved how the writer connected everything down to characters and situations together. It was like a big spider web to me.
I was very impressed with Lee Jong Suk. This is the first drama I've seen him in and I know I'll be watching School 2013 after this. I thought his acting was amazing in this drama. He conveyed a lot of emotions in all of his scenes and I thought he was perfect match for Lee Bo Young. The chemistry between these twos are amazing! I so brought their love for each other. The chemistry between the cast is great as well too. Jang Hye Sung is such an awesome character. She has to be one of my favorite female lead characters now. I love how snotty and witty she was and her attitude about certain situations. I think she is a very relate-able character. I loved all the characters, even secondary characters too. The characters are well fleshed out.
To add on, the best thing about this show is the character development. All the characters are developed towards the end in there own way. Even Min Joon Kook had character development and I loved it.
There is only one TINY problem that I had with the drama and that is the extension. It was very noticeable that the drama was extended when it reached episode 17. There was so many flashbacks scenes in that episode that it took up the first half of it. But it's only tiny so it might not be that noticeable to some. It still didn't take away from how great I think this drama is.
Overall, I think this drama is amazing and definitely will be added on to my favorites list. It's downright hilarious sometimes and has great chemistry between all the leads. You have great secondary characters and you overall have a great story. I definitely see myself watching this drama in a couple of months.
PS, I think I said "loved" a least twenty times in this review so it must count for something :)
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The story was...captivating; it had AMAZING moments of romance, comedy, action, thriller, drama. Everything was well balanced, and well though out (WELL DONE SCREENPLAY WRITERS!!).
The cast, my oh my...need I say more. They all had amazing chemistry and made it seem realistic. I even found the anti-hero compelling! Everything worked really well together. I thoroughly enjoyed it, I really did.
If you're seeking something that is not easily predictable, with a good plot, and adorable/cute/fantastic actors then this show is for you!
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It is definitely well-deserved in my opinion.Therefore, my review is not for the purpose of persuasion, but I would like to discuss, why I LOVE this drama.
Story: First of all, I love that the general premise of the story was the perspective of a public defender and not the elite prosecution side. Many may not want the court proceedings but it has a lot of heart that I felt it’s not the cases the writer wants us to understand, but something beyond it and she wants is to understand the other side of the coin, “the voice” not only victim but the accused. It felt more humane, conscientious and will make one think the other side of a person. What something viewed as a good thing cannot be necessarily feel the right thing. I gave the story a 10 not because it’s a perfect story, it has some issues on legal aspects, however, it does a brilliant way of grasping and playing my emotions on different levels while maintaining an excellent pace that every minute counts as every character’s story unfolds. For a while I saw myself giggling, then a moment after, I’m holding my breath because of the suspense and before I knew it, I found that I cried before the credits roll. I love how the writer made little things significant and how will it matter as the story progresses. I think the fantasy element of the drama was interesting enough, but what I love most here was the message the writer would like to deliver – the spirit of forgiveness as an attribute of the strong people, and revenge will only make one weak and pitiful. She delivered it well, it made me felt good, best, sad, and worst of the characters.
Taking side on the characters, again, the writer did a great job of putting not only the leads but almost everyone of equal importance that make the story more engaging and for the viewers to love most of them. I love all the characters here perhaps the right word was I became attached to them., even the villain, I feel bad for him in the end. Majority of the characters are flawed- which is realistic, the good thing is, they eventually develop and grow as mature person that made the story even better.
For the romance, woooahhh.. Let’s all squeal for I’m sold for the noona-dongsaeng pairing the moment I had seen the first episode. I don’t have any indifference on age-gap because the leads carried on their acting well, chemistry was very evident, it’s very easy to root for them as a couple. The ending, – one of the best out there.
Acting/Cast: Lee Bo Young was excellent, Lee Jong Suk too and Yoon Sang Hyun of course, this drama made me a fan of them. The couple looked so great and comfortable with each other on screen. As I said, I love all of the characters, not only they are written well, they are convincing too, how I wish every side characters I will see the next drama after this will be the as adorable as them. Oh well.
Music: Echo by Every Sing Day was very fitting on the ending credits, it’s may favorite soundtrack as well as Why Did You Just Came Now by Jung Yup. When it’s time for suspense there’s a good instrumental played that can increase the tension of the scene.
Rewatch Value: I rarely rewatch and the more that it a suspense-drama, the more I like it, everything was fresh and clear in my memory so far, therefore, not likely soon.
Overall: I loved this drama, it has a compelling story with an unusual fantasy element, great characters, excellent acting, will grip your heart like no other, has very good ending and most of all, it delivered an inspiring message for its viewers.
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first, the story is different from other dramas that sometimes make you hate it, it doesn't drag and it always keeps you at the edge of your seat and it always makes you want more and more of this outstanding drama, i can say that the writers did a great job they even added 2 more Eps. (it was 16 Eps at first) and it made the drama even better (i can say that this is the first time i like an extension ), also the mind reading part in this drama is a vvery good addition to the story.
second, the cast of i hear your voice was amazing, the main lead will make you fall in love with them at first sight and i still hate the evil guy so much i don't know if i will be able to watch any dramas he is in from now on because i will remember his character in i hear your voice and i will hate him even more, also the chemistry in this drama is amazing.
third, the music in this drama was very good i loved every single song.
forth, i am sure that i will watch this drama many many times because it is worth re-watching.
so in the end i have to tell you this WHY ARE YOU STILL READING IF YOU DIDN'T ALREADY WATCH THIS DRAMA YOU MUST GO WATCH IT RIGHT NOW AND YOU WON'T REGRET A SINGLE MINUTE.
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From start to end your bounded on your seat(atleast me).
The Thriller,The Ride,The romance,the action this series has everything and thats why for me this is one of the best dramas out there!.
The Story is so well written that its almost impossible to write what actually happend in here.But it basicly comes down on fight over LAW and justice.
This Guy who can read peoples mind makes this series totally epic,Since he can see exxactly hear what the culprit is thinkin in his mind and know whether someone is guilty or not.
You will see that in some episodes someone has to deal with the Fact that the Killer is out there luring to attack you + you have to deal with your own personal life/work and cases.After each episode you will find yourself thinking whats next ? and before you know it you go to sleep the next morning without any breaks haha :D atleast that happend with me xD.I am so exxited from this drama that i wanna Spoil badly but i cant do that.I just tell you watch 1 episode or 2 and you wont be able to pull out anymore..! A MASTERPIECE! DESERVES AN 11!
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