Story
Same old, same old, 2 police officers whose relatives get murdered by the same person, are teaming up to create a new division based on the emergency call police department and their end-game is to catch that bastard.
Been there, done that, so what did Voice do to break the mould of crime dramas?
First of all, the concept of Voice profiling. Not sure if this is a thing, but even if it’s not, we accepted a crime drama about a walkie talkie that could make a 2 guys living in different timelines to communicate, why can’t we accept a woman who can hear extremely well? The voice profiling was original for me, gave a different vibe and an innovative twist to the all-too-usual police procedural recipe.
Furthermore, the impressive cinematography and music. The drama is gritty and dark in all the right ways. Creative directing, haunting dark colors and soulful music just came together perfectly and clicked, making a drama that not only gives off ominous vibes but it is also sinister only by looking at it.
Continuing, the incredible side stories. Every two episodes or so there is a new crime story introduced for the “golden time team” –the aforementioned new division created- to resolve. This is where the writing along with the directing and montage click together doing miracles. All of the side stories were intense, engaging, thought-provoking (although the first two ones were my favourite), well-written and did not drag at all.
Finally, the most important one, the marvelous core story. Cliché done right. The concept of putting a psychopath as the main villain isn’t foreign to dramaland; however the drama’s atmosphere, world-building along with the casting literally did miracles. More specifically, I appreciated that there was not a lot of red herring involved –crime dramas seem to think that we enjoy being led astray every 2 episodes for some reason; while, it felt like there is a whole story going on in the background making this drama look like a part of a whole. Effectively, we were focused on the police side of a bigger narrative - plot twists, havoc and despair ensued.
Furthermore, it’s worth noting how every character, plot device and potential twist are beautifully connected and intrinsically linked to the bigger picture. Good writing - the drama is actually so good even when you see the twist coming, you're still gonna like it anyway cause the whole aura of the drama won't let you a moment's rest.
Lastly, It would be a serious negligence, at this point, to not mention the exquisite Serial Killer. Undeniably, the drama owes how well it worked to its main villain. As far as I’m concerned we’re talking about the best villain I’ve ever witnessed creepy, scary, disgusting and disturbing, the type that crawls up your skin only by seeing his smirking smile. He enhanced the drama while simultaneously we do get the environment in which a serial killer is born that was spectacular to watch.
Honestly, not many drawbacks can be cited by me. If I could address one it would be the somewhat conveniently written side stories. But, come to think of it, isn’t every kdrama ever like this? Rich hot arrogant chaebols falling for poor innocent girls, silly coincidences and other cliches and we accept that but can’t accept a crime drama with stories being a little far-fetched or exaggerated here and there? This is dramaland, if everything was absolutely rational there would be no drama to watch!
Additionally, it was claimed that the drama had gruesome scenes and a lot of blood. Having grown up watching American TV shows this felt like child’s play to me but I do understand if some scenes were too much for some people. Everything is censored (actually, too much censoring going on to be honest), but be aware if you are sensitive to such scenes. Moreover, I read comments saying the side stories were boring and dragged, which contradicts completely what I said. I obviously disagree. Frankly, the side stories might be the best part of it all.
What's more, people argued that the drama takes a hit after a strong beginning. Strong starts bring high expectations too. I think the drama did well in keeping up pace, not dragging and staying strong plot-wise. Yes, middle episodes weren’t as strong as the first 2-3 but still a solid drama overall.
In general, Voice isn’t perfect, but it is time well-spent for sure. It is extremely thrilling; the side stories addressed interesting issues like child abuse, rape ect and were generally on the humanistic side of society, definitely struck a chord with me. The drama deserves a 9 for its flawless story line (side+main) +0.5 for the fact that it was utterly stimulating and increasingly intense with fleeting moments of strong sentiments and despair that just make the whole thing feel that much more real and emotional; I was at the edge of my seat during pretty much every episode either being thrilled or feeling hopeless.
Acting
I admit I was purposely avoiding Lee Ha Na. I only saw her once before Voice, didn’t like her. That being said, thank god I picked this because she redeemed herself completely. I couldn’t even recognize her here and I drew the conclusion that she just doesn’t match cute rom-comy characters, but rather darker ones. Her performance was impeccable here and she had great chemistry (as co-police officers) with Jang Hyuk. I’d love to see her in a similar role, or even in a melodrama in the future.
It is established how good Jang Hyuk is, and here is no exception to his unending talent. Fearless and brave character with a broken and emotional side, he pulled off his role immaculately and he was a perfect fit for it. Such a well-rounded actor, he can do everything. Respect.
Where have Kim Jae Wook been all this time? Flawless and creepy, an absolutely perfect match for his role, I need to keep an eye out for him in the future. I can safely say he made the drama!
Recommend
Concluding, I’d say don’t turn a blind eye to this drama, it’s really good. Crime and thriller drama fans I call out to you, viewers who enjoy intense and provocative dramas/stories that aren’t extremely complicated this is for you. I can’t see how someone wouldn’t be entertained by Voice if you disregard the convenient part and you don’t have a problem with some violence ect.
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The main story is of a serial killer, using an iron ball to satisfy his sadistic pleasures. When Jin Hyuk's wife is murdered in the opening scenes, the game is strong and you watch him (Jin Hyuk, not the serial killer^^) team up with Gwon Joo, who's cop father was also murdered by the same guy, as she heads the "Golden Time Team" at their local precinct.
A team that is dedicated to reaching any crime scenes within the golden period before it ends for the worse - 10 minutes.
With this set in place, we have to sit through this team being put into use, with my favourite side story, of a foster kid behind abused by his mum, in a repeat cycle of what happened to her so he called 112, to my least favourite set in a mental centre, where homeless people are being fleeced and then killed. Seemingly random, but providing leads to the serial killer. I didn't know whether to be pissed or happy. Happy, is what I went with. Imagine if I had sat through all those cute, protracted spin-offs and there wasn't a point?
The serial killer does not hide.
No, he is almost luxurious in the way he hunts and reveals himself. Extremely arrogant of being untouchable (typical privileged Korean kid, lol^^) However, he was willing to lose that power, just so it would create maximum torment within the two he was obsessed over. Jin Hyuk and Gwon Joo. One of the best scenes including Mo Tae Gu (and there were many) was when he was wheeled out of hospital, escaping, but yet he roared because he didn't want to escape, but be back in their clutches. Wow!
Kim Jae Wook is excellent, the best thing in the last four episodes.
Lee Ha Na has this breathy style of speech she adopted here, which I grew used too, so I was cool with the girl by the end.
Jang Hyuk was in the middle of these two, somewhere in terms of acting talent and commitment.
I could see myself rewatching the first two episodes, and the last four alone. That's it. For that, I will give a high rewatch score.
If you like crime/detective dramas, this is the best one out of 2017 for sure.
But the year is early yet 8D
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The whole crew created this drama beautifully. Powerful and finishes with an "oomph!". I highly recommend this!
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- A female character with very little personality, bravery and cowardice, intelligence and stupidity and the superpower of visualizing very faint sounds.
- A male lead who strongly respects the law but curses, threatens, yells and physically hurts people a lot.
- A "psychopath" murderer with a very superficial diagnose and very adventurous symptoms.
- Corrupt people with power and informative side characters with somewhat of a spark.
This drama contains a lot of blurred gore and insane deaths. There will be blood and what they claim are "smashed heads", a lot of fighting scenes, stabbing, shooting and punching. There is no romance, and chances of crying are low. Medium if you're sensitive.
Not very bingeable. I got tired of it easily when some episodes felt dragged out and predictable.
Some scenes were very powerful and dark and really made it hard for me to sleep. They had some very creepy elements and the director did a good job sparking discomfort in the viewer. I liked the concept that every episode had a new, smaller case, that lead the main characters closer to the person they were trying to catch. Although some scenes were very unrealistic and this drama contains a ton of mistakes, some cases were very exciting to watch and kept me at the edge of my seat.
I have to say though, this is not the best crime drama I've ever seen. Most of the time, I was annoyed with the characters, disappointed with the twists, and calling plot holes. I can't praise the actors too much either. The only person I think did an amazing job, would be Kim Jae wook. He played his role perfectly until the end.
If you want a daring crime drama without romance, but don't care too much about details. I guess this drama is for you.
ENJOY!!
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The summary sounds like every other crime drama out there and I won't say it's different from others either. But in the end it depends on the script writing and the execution - and the acting, of course.
So Jang Hyuk's and Lee Ha Na's characters team up to catch a killer that murdered their family members. Both of them work at the emergency call center. That doesn't sound quite thrilling now, but let me tell you that the producers did a great job to get you excited about it immediately. Because the Golden Time (the first hours after a crime occurred and is reported to the emergency center) is one of the most crucial parts in hopefully solving a crime or prevent worse ones (i.e. kidnapping cases). And what is special here, is Lee Ha Na's character's ability to hear more than others. Due to an accident she developed some kind of supernatural hearing that allows her to hear more than others - even through headphones.
Right from the beginning the drama holds the suspense on a level that definitely makes your heart race. Fast camera movements and a good timing of scene editing ensure that.
I can't say that this drama doesn't have any problems. It's still a k-drama and there are some flaws and again sometimes the police just looked stupid. You also have those characters who you want to punch because their behavior is so wrong when it comes to being professionals. But! There are also characters that I didn't like but who grew on me during the story, no matter that their behavior went into opposite directions.
I also must admit that the story had some problems in the middle and lost some of its speed. I also think that the killer's identity was revealed too early in the drama which caused a big slow down as the story went a bit into some shady business themes. Although this doesn't mean that the killer's charisma wasn't engaging. He was a great psycho who gives you goosebumps.
The whole acting of the cast was fantastic. From the leads to supporting characters to guest roles. Especially the latter. They captivated me during their short appearances in the drama and made every single case into something special. I never found them boring. They were thrilling and emotionally moving. At some point they were even more interesting than the main plot.
The finale completely made up for the the middle part though. It picked up the speed and suspense again and let the drama end in an enthralling way.
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This review may contain spoilers
How this show got multiple seasons is beyond me.
I go into detail about the plot here so this review is full of spoilers. You've been warned.Oh, boy. This one was a journey. I'm glad to say I've survived it.
I'll start by saying that crime shows are my all-time favorites and after finishing Beyond Evil a few weeks ago, I stumbled upon VOICE and the premise sounded nice (they are nothing alike besides the fact that we have a serial killer, but I was on a roll). An overall score of 8.5 here was also a plus. What I've learned, however, is not to trust scores too much. I've gathered all my strength to give a 7.5 although as I write this I keep feeling it deserves an even lower score. I feel I'm being too nice because of Kim Jae Wook. He's messing with my head.
Speaking of him, let's start with the good stuff.
A good crime show needs a good villain. It should make you feel disgust or fascination, or both. I think Kim Jae Wook was successful in achieving both. His voice, his looks, his facial expressions, were all on point. Towards the last 2 episodes, he carried the show on his back. And that's the reason I could finish it.
I also liked his MO, I don't remember ever seeing a killer using a kettlebell before. That got us some gruesome (although blurred) scenes, at least for kdrama standards (which doesn't show too much, let's be real). What I didn't like were the random killings. At first, I thought he focussed on killing women, that that was his "thing" but there was nothing specific about his killings besides the fact that he wanted to (as a good psychopath). The ones with a motive were people who got in his way, which, okay, I get it. This is not an inconsistency of the writing whatsoever, it's just personal preference. You couldn't do a profile of him considering his victims alone (not at first), because sometimes they didn't have anything in common. Again, personal preference regarding serial killer shows. I like the "he kills girls with dark middle part hair because it reminds him of his ex" like Ted Bundy or something. KJW wasn't like that, he didn't have a type. But you do you, booboo.
But overall, he's a highlight in the show, at least when it comes to acting, plot holes aside. And you get to see him in a bathtub at least 3 or 4 times. I swear every time I've said "I'm about to drop it", there he was in the tub again. Jesus.
Another highlight was the cases the team had to solve. I think the guest actors deserve all the praise in this show. They did everything they were supposed to do and more. You could feel their pain. Unlike the main duo who both had big traumas but failed to show the amount of raw emotion the guests showed us. Props to Choi Seung Hoon who was only 8 or 9 years old when the show aired and did amaaaaazing in his case!! This kid is so, so good. Can't wait to see him nailing main roles when he reaches his 20s. :) But honestly, all the guests deserve praise here, they were all great.
Now for the ugly part.
The main characters - Moo Jin Hyeok and Kang Kwon Joo - were really lackluster. Jin Hyeok was rude most of the time, hit the same note the whole show and it was hard to... I don't know, like him? The same goes for Kwon Joo. She's soft-spoken, which I think was a great contrast between her character and the job she has, which needs to be very fast as it is literally a race against time. But it also made me very frustrated while watching, her "nervous" tone didn't differ much from her normal tone except that she talked faster. I know she needs to be calm while talking to the victims, but you want her to be more active and she never is. She has "super hearing" which should be the main point of the show because that's what makes it different from other crime series but the only thing you know about it is the fact that she suffered an accident as a kid that made her that way. What about showing her accident through a flashback and give us a little of how was for her to get used to this new "ability"? How hurtful it was a first, how it changed her life? We get none of that!!
As for Jin Hyeok, we see 2 flashback scenes of him with his wife. Tops. I know they loved each other because, well, they were married so that's that! I mean, okay then??
I want to root for them because I care about them as characters and not because they are the good guys and that's the right thing to do. Give me something more than that. Give me development.
The way they investigate things was such a joke sometimes. We have countless scenes of the policemen running like a bunch of morons, without any success whatsoever. I swear to god that I almost throw my remote control at my TV when they started chasing Kim Jae Wook's character, who was INJURED AFTER BEING SHOT AND SORT OF DRUGGED AFTER THE HOSPITAL SHANNENIGANS, and he managed to escape!!! With 15 fucking people chasing him!! How useless can the police fucking get? I kept watching because it was the last episode but I swear I was done episodes ago.
That scene when they arrive at his beach house and both of them notice there's fresh blood in the ground right at the entrance and they are like "look, fresh blood!!" and instead of going inside the house where there's probably a very serious thing happening, they start talking to each other about things they can talk about later! I mean, didn't you just saw fresh blood in front of a serial killer's house? Maybe go a little faster and you might save someone? You've just let Dae Shik get his head smashed, congrats!
For a show about how time can save lives, you guys sure like to waste a lot of it.
Jin Hyeok's avoiding the gunshots by doing tumbles was just laughable. Oh, but at least they used their guns this time, which is better than nothing considering that part where the killer goes to Kwon Joo's house (and she knows about it because Jin Hyeok warned her) and she grabs a KNIFE to defend herself. You have a gun, why are you using a knife? Like, why? I'm not even going to talk about Jin Hyeok talking to her through the phone without leaving the police station during this very dangerous situation. Oh, I think I just did. Anyway, can't you talk to her and run to your car at the same time? Is that too much for you? But you can avoid being shot by rolling like a ball. Sure.
Did they ever explain why the hell there are 3 characters with the same weird mouth sound? Did I miss something? Was that really necessary?
I could go on and on about the bad and weak points of Voice and writing this is making me remember all of them, but this review is already long enough. I've said in the beginning that I gave this a 7.5 but now I'm changing it because I was being too generous (I feel like I still am). Kim Jae Wook and the guest actors deserve all the props for managing to make me watch this til the end. Too bad the main plot did them dirty, making this show with high potential at not-so-solid 6.5 at best.
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This review may contain spoilers
This review might and will contain spoilers: This drama has a lot of violence in it. But it's a crime drama, violence needs to be a part of it.
I'll not focus on the plot this time. It was ok, almost brilliant. There weren't black holes, everything fit perfectly together so I have nothing to complain about the plot.
The most interesting thing about this drama is its characters.
Some of them were written really well, some of them were too plain for me to like them.
Let's start with Jin Hyeok.
A pretty skillful cop, he chases criminals and murderers like a crazy dog chase a car.
Clever, never disappointing when it comes to his way of dealing things and troublesome situations. He seeks revenge toward the psycho who killed his wife, he's a protecting father yet his son has never been a pain in the ass (Like SY has been in Duel).
At first he can't team up with his new team, he just wants to do his job alone like a lone wolf. But after some episodes we see that he's actually stronger while being in a team.
Kwoo Joon is the tough female cop that works as his sidekick.
Both seeking for the murderer who killed their darlings, Kwoo Joon is the brain of the team.
She has a really good hearing, almost a supernatural power I might say.
She knows how to handle things, but, most of all, she knows how making a team work.
She's not the best female character I have ever seen in Kdramas but she was a really strong woman.
REASON TO WATCH IT.
The villain is one of the most interesting and creepy villain I ever saw.
I'm not just talking about how he kills people, a really gruesome way, but I really enjoyed his personality and his background story.
A villain is a villain and a well made villain doesn't need to have a sad background story to being with.
Taegu grew up with a mental illness. His father didn't want to cure him so his father made TaeGoo become that kind of adult.
I really enjoyed the way they killed him off.
Maybe it was too unrealistic, but he was killed the way he used to kill people.
And, in the end, he was scared.
Great drama, I'll give it a 7.5 out of 10.
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I always look forward to when another OCN drama comes out, lets just say, I get excited and giddy. As one of my favorite stations in South Korea, OCN always brings out the brutal and scary sides of cop dramas.
The way Voice was shot, was amazing. Dark alleyways, mysterious figures and bloody crime scenes. Typical in an OCN drama, but always needed and wanted from a fan like me.
From other thriller dramas, the choice of weapon from the killer was freaky and strange. If I ever see one in real life, I know to stay far away. I know I'll never see them the same way again.
Of all the acting, Kim Jae Wook's really got me. I saw him in Who Are You (the newer one), and Voice was a complete change over. I don't want to spoil anything, so just watch Voice if you like to see how his acting plays out. Superb!
So yes, big fan of Voice. Really really loved it! My mom isn't a fan of OCN dramas, but this one I recommend.
(Now, waiting for "Tunnel"!!)
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I love the actors especially Jang Hyuk who portrayed a good character. His acting was splendid and so were the other characters such as Lee Ha Na (love her), Lee Jae Wook, Baek Sung Hyun, etc.
This drama, in my opinion, is a drama worth to watch especially the plot and the message of this drama to the viewers.
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In my opinion, the beginning few episodes were a bit hard for me to get into. Truthfully, I ended up skipping a lot of parts in eps 1-3 but once ep 4, I don't think I skipped any parts. I thought the first couple of episodes were decent but was still slightly lacking. I wasn't able to connect to the characters immediately which was a downfall for me. But once you got over the first few episodes, you will be glued to your seats in anticipation for what's going to happen next.
The acting by the actors were superb. I'm a huge fan of Kim Jae Wook after watching a previous drama of his, so seeing him in this role was definitely a positive sign. Also a fan of Baek Sung Hyun, he's an absolute cutie pie.
Overall, the drama did have some hiccups in the first few episode, but it was ironed out well in the later episodes. This drama might not be everyone's cup of tea but I do believe that if you're a fan of crime, you should definitely give this drama a try. The OSTs that played were a nice touch and complimented the drama nicely. Too often, I see OSTs that come out of nowhere and don't belong in a particular scene but I do like the placement of the OSTs in this drama.
As for re-watch value, I gave it an 8.5 specifically for the fact that if I were to rewatch it, I wouldn't watch the first few episodes. But that's just me personally.
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