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The Storyline:
Cliche after cliche with little to no action, it's hard to actually write anything about the storyline because there isn't all that much that actually happens, instead you get 16 episodes of lackluster talking.
The Acting:
As per most Korean "action" series, the cast is full of pretty pretty people which ruins any and all immersion you may have to the hardly existent storyline. The only saving grace is Jung Won Joong who doesn't feature much. Over dramatised to all hell and shades of being a really horrid b show.
The Music:
Nothing spectacular, fits with the theme of the show.
Rewatch value:
None.
Overall:
Want a good show to watch? Well this isn't it. Got an hour to waste? Find something else that is actually half decent.
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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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Why you should watch this?
It's a great stress reliever and good way to spend your time while you wait for the next episode of another drama. If you want a light drama to lift some weight off your chest after a heavier one, this is absolutely it. The drama itself is only 9 episodes and pretty well paced out, so don't ever get the feeling that it's going too fast or too complicated. The length is great, too- not too long, just enough for the material in the episode. The friendship theme is adorable (as always) and makes you go 'awww' many times.
I like Takei Emi, so watching her character not much of a problem, except when she was pretty mean to her well-meaning grandfather (who rocked!) sometimes. In my strict Asian household, that wouldn't fly for a minute. The acting of the boys were pretty meh, as most of them were supporting characters anyway. I've watched Kaku Kento before, and his character was pretty awesome, so no problems there.
Why shouldn't you watch this?
MASSIVE second male lead syndrome. Like, REALLY massive. Most of the time, I didn't understand why she would go for the First Male Lead over the Second Male Lead, when he was clearly there for her more than the other guy. At one point, I even contemplated stopping the drama because it kept getting worse and worse as the show went on. Thankfully, the romance bit is very light and infrequent compared to the other themes.
Overall: Though my individual ratings are pretty average, my overall impression is largely positive. A good drama to get out of your slump- but just dont expect anything more than that.
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This review may contain spoilers
I watched this in the cinema and it was superb!! The creatures and cinematography looked convincing and the acting...it's too good...just beautiful... especially Damon Matt :) The main highlight of this movie is to tell us to trust...trust people...trust in yourself etc. I know..I'm talking about the movie like I'm writing an assessment or something XDSo, that was just like a introduction. Now, I will move on to how I think of the story, acting/cast, music and re watch value (I'm kinda copying what other people are doing for their reviews but.. let's move on XD)
STORY:
Thrilling. I loved it...because I love thrilling movies hehe. In this movie, there was always something happening that thrills us, whether it's a creature gonna attack them, preparing for a battle or even just explaining what the Taotei's are is thrilling!! I will not make this paragraph long so I'll just make this short...if I extend the paragraph, I might add spoilers and I know you don't want that ;)
NOOOO!!!! I just wrote a really good review but somehow got deleted T_T
So, this second half is my second time writing the review...(it took me a lot of time!)
ACTING/CAST:
..........I feel so blank after all that writing is deleted T_T Anyways, Damon Matt's acting is the top of the top. I can't describe it but it's too good lol. At the very start of the movie, he had really messy and long hair that I didn't even realise it was Matt. Until, when he fixed it, I was like, "OMG! It's him...." (I actually don't know who damon matt is but now I know :) He's an actor who played as William Garin in The Great Wall :D) The movie was already better with Matt (and luhan and karry!*fangirls*) but it was even better with JingTian too! I've never seen her before but she's a goddess...Just beautiful..I'm speechless.
MUSIC:
You know, usually, when I make reviews, I talk about how emotional that ost was or how powerful his/her voice has! But this time, no voice...just instruments XD But I liked it. The music really fitted in with what was happening in the movie. Impressive.
REWATCH VALUE:
Have you experienced this before? Whenever, I go to the cinemas, the movie always seems to go very fast! It's like BAM! DONE! LET'S GO HOME! But, I don't want to. I just wanna watch another movie! (for example, Beauty and the Beast) 9.0 I might have rated it too high, since I went to the cinamas to watch it-
actually..... the movie would have gone really quickly if I watched it online too! lol
OVERALL:
Superb. Thrilling. Convincing. Impressive~~ I loved this movie-I mean I love this movie and still love it lol. It really makes your day more interesting! Definitely Recommend it! (espcially for a boring Sunday afternoon) I watched it on a Sunday afternoon but that sunday afternoon wasn't sunny...it was raining...really badly....bu that doesn't mean my day was bad! I love the movie, The Great Wall and I'm actually going to The Great Wall next year.....will I see those creatures (taotei)? XD......hopefully not...
P.S. "Trust (???” Trust in your people, yourself. You can do it. (yep! Motivation Quote! Fighting! )
lololololololol
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The couple was cute. They had an immediate attraction, but they took their time becoming a couple. They never broke up over stupid reasons. They never took the Noble Idiot route. No one got amnesia. There weren’t any evil relatives or exes conspiring to split them apart. Even the second lead was adorable, but not an actual threat at any point. I mean, was this even a K drama?!
Why yes, yes it was. Because there was cute, there was drinking, and there was lots of Koreans speaking Korean. Plus, just because the relationship was a healthy one without plot devises messing them up, that doesn’t mean that there wasn’t drama.
There was lots of drama. Interesting drama that I was invested in. And I loved that it didn’t make me want top throw my phone across the room. (Ahem…Heirs)
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I watched them all because they were each like 15 minutes long. But my favorite was choice B and then B1.
Anyways, it was cute and short and perfect for anyone who has ever wanted to have the girl choose the RIGHT guy! And also perfect for the girls out there who like the annoying guy. Cuz he gets a cool story too. Why not take the time to watch each short episode and then pick your favorite? Best part is, it is available on Netflix too, so it is an easy short one you can recommend to newbies! Put it on the list!
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But put it this way, this drama doesn’t make my top 20 and I have only watched 25 dramas. So yeah, not THAT great. I wouldn’t recommend it for a newbie unless they have low standards and a short attention span. But if you are looking for a weekend marathon of cuteness, this will do the trick.
If you watched it and loved it and are wondering what my problem is, I recommend watching One Percent Of Something. It is a very similar drama with a better plot line (no unexplained kidnappings) and a cuter guy.
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And as crazy as Shi Won was about H.O.T, that is how I probably would have been about N*Sync had I been 16-18 instead of 10. So, if nothing else, I would have liked it for those reasons. Lord knows how much of a fangirl I have become...just for Korean Idols instead of American ones...and I am not a teenager, so that is kind of embarrassing sometimes.
The lowest score they got was for the significant lack of eye candy. I like some of the actors, but in this show, they did not look good. But you grow to love them as you get to know them. So, all in all, solid B.
see my full review on:
https://shadowoftheoperaghost.wordpress.com/2017/03/13/sick-on-the-weekend/
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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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Acting/Cast: There weren't many new major people but some. I hated so much that Shigeru person and Umi as well. Their actors both played it well tho to be the hated person. Jun Matsumoto and Mao Inoue just perfect together.
Music: ugh the music here wasn't as good as the music in season 1. I preferred wish and Planetarium much better than the ones here. OST still good at the right times.
Rewatch Value: Of course you have to watch season 2 over again to get the happy ending.
Overall: I enjoyed that first episode it was pretty a great start and the ending well I'll tell you it's a happy ending of course. Makino and Domyouji are the best couple in the world!
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Acting/Cast: the four main actors returned in season 2 but for one they didn't last through the end. I only enjoyed Beast's actor because he was more cool to watch. The rest of the terrosits actors ehh didn't enjoy, didn't seem to be bad enough guys. Again acting was excellent for the sad parts.
Music: I enjoyed the music in season 2 than season 1. The music here makes you feel about this season with all the events happening. It's a perfect match to the drama especially after a big loss to a character.
Rewatch Value: Yep I would of course watch it over again.
Overall: I wished it had maybe one or two more episodes because 9 felt too short. Bloody Monday became a favorite drama of mine and I'm also reading the manga too. Falcon looked ridicules holding a gun at times, he should of trained more to protect himself.
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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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Story:
I enjoyed the story the most out of all the aspects in the webdrama even though it is very archetypal. The story revolves a young jewelry designer suffers from socialphobia and having troubles with self confidence and uses magical powers to help succeed in her career and learns not to use the magical powers in order to have important business meetings. I'm lovin' the contrast between the two disparate personalities of Ruby. The wish fulfillment aspect of the story achieves the story's purpose very well. I love the idea of being a successful assistant to a success like Ruby gives her the assurance and confidence to be the best she can be.
Acting/Cast:
Seohyun's distinct two personalities were fun to watch. I liked the male lead and how he was the understanding, supportive character for Ruby. The rest of the characters for me weren't there and on the back burner.
Music:
The music was all over the place and there was a mix of English songs and Korean songs (currently popular and non-popular ones). I wasn't a fan of any of the music presented. I felt that it was randomly picked and used. It was not the main point for this webdrama.
Rewatch Value:
Once is enough. No motivation to watch it beyond the first time.
If you like cute and romantic rom-coms that can be watched within a hour, don't miss this one. It's clearly a hit compared to other ones I've seen lately.
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