Title: Voice Country: South Korea Released Year: 2017 Episode: 16 episodes Genre: Thriller-crime, Police Actor:
Jang Hyuk as Moo Jin-hyuk
Lee Hana as Kang Kwon-joo
Kim Jae-wook as Mo Tae-gu
Baek Sung-hyun as Shim Dae-shik
Now I start to question myself why bad to so-so dramas give rise to more urge to write something than a drama that I really love and adore? It makes me feel like I’m such a complainer. Heh. Like this one too, Voice is I think the example of the so-so drama that inflict the urge to write something about that needs one whole post rather that part of an post.
From the promotional material I knew that this drama is led by Jang Hyuk. (Does he even take rest?) He jumped in it right after finish Beautiful Mind. He plays detective, named Moo Ji-hyuk, who stop for nothing in pursuing the criminal. One day his wife got killed, he gets even crazier. In the way solving the mysteries of his wife's murder case; he meets with Kang Kwon-joo played by Lee Hana. She is also just lost her father who was killed when he tried to save Moo Ji-hyuk's wife. Kwon-joo is the girl with the super hearing. She can identify person by his/her voice hence the title. She testified against the current suspect of Jin-hyuk's wife.
So I picked up Voice out of no reason than to fill the in between time waiting my other dramas’ episode to air. That time is the time when so many dramas finished airing and a batch of new dramas ready to replace them. You as K drama addict will recognize the feeling of wanting to watch every new drama you can put your hand on. Cause you may be lucky sometimes, finding the drama that will change your life. Ha, ha, ha you know there Is one.
On that fated day (lol), I watched the first episode of Voice. I said “Hey this is intriguing!” All bloody murdering stuff. Gruesome, arranged dead body. A psychopath killer who smirks and giggles while kills mercilessly. All Bible quotes drop more mysteries and clues, Gothic style. Everybody is screaming and chasing against the ticking clock. And be damned in the end of episode 1, we were hanged in suspense whether the victim can be safe or not and the killer got captured or not, basically the case of the week is not solved yet. They did this kind of ending ever single damn week.
What?? They want to censor the goodness? Do not compute...
Oh yeah they are good in picking the right cliffhanger, to make sure we will stay tune to the next week episode, secure the good and higher rating. Good strategy. As you know K drama usually airs two episodes in one week, in two days, in a row. They had applied the strategy to start the case of the week in the middle of the first of two episode of the week and keep the case running through the two episodes, and cut right at the time the killer almost get caught, the case almost be solved, but almost, not yet. We can only find out in the next week the first of two episodes, before we start to move on to the next case of the week in the middle of the same episode. I think other procedural drama with loose case of the week should take the example from them, do not end the case of the week at the end of the second of two episodes of the week.
Back to the story, of course Jin-hyuk is going to flip that Kwon Joo lets his wife murderer goes free. But her super hearing finally can convince Jin-hyuk that it is another person who killed his wife. And that person is probably the same person who murder Kwon-joo's father. Together they form Golden Time unit that tries to solve a criminal case in golden time period time limit. It is counted in 6 hours since they are reported via police call center. She then directs Jin-hyuk, as field police officer from call center to place where the criminal case take place, where to go and what to do next.
Basically Jang Hyuk plays his usual self, all fierce and menacing. Lee Hana plays the character inspired the drama title. I didn’t get it why many people don’t like Lee Hana’s brand of acting. I had only watched her in Alone in Love, and few first episodes of High School King Savvy. I thought she was okay, until I watched Voice. I don’t know, I think Kang Kwon-joo character needs to be played with more over dramatic flair which Lee Hana didn’t do.
Kang Kwon-joo is the head of police call center, she is mainly just sitting, pacing and directing the crazy dog, Jin-hyuk via phone from inside call center room. Most of the time, I only see her staring at some distance, like imagining things. I know probably she is imagining the actual event while hearing Jin-hyuk or the caller’s voice. But I want to see the actual event reflecting in her expression, not her expression while imagining the actual event. It is not the same thing. I want to be brought to the actual event, feel the victim’s fear or Jin-hyuk’s frustration or the chills of hearing the killer’s merciless laugh through her expression in response to the voice she listens to. Thus that’s why I need Lee Hana to be more dramatic even over dramatic if needed in playing Kang kwon-joo character here for we are watching a ‘Drama’ after all. She is too subtle or the camera movement is too fast to capture her.
Anyway, Voice enjoys good rating for a cable show. So they decided to produce two special episodes. The two special episodes are not the story extended. They are more like a documentary about what happened behind the scene of Voice. Dude, watching the two special episodes, the production team seems so full of them self, full of self-appreciation. Ha, ha, ha. Sorry. I can’t help it. :P I think Voice indeed started with spark. I had much hope in it from watching first two episodes. It could be another Signal *respectbows* or Vampire Prosecutor *glees* or TEN. But alas, it didn’t. The spark fiddled after one third of the series. I can see through the pattern which lessens the suspense. For example the way one after another, members of Golden team got caught up in the case of the week. Meh. Or how the way they put the cliffhanger week after week *rollseyes*. We are the audience always love something that randomly organize, so when we already suspect an obvious pattern, it means a dead end.
All and all, it disappointed me, that flutter down at the end. The case of the week becomes predictable, the female lead character is underwhelming, and how it is trying too hard to become a gothic-esque with all the bible quotes. They were quoting but it wasn't really having deep impact or hidden big secret waiting to be revealed. I'm sad for what could have been. There're many plot holes’ that defy the logic. I don't have any critiques about the acting part though I think yeah Lee Hana should be more dramatic, but she doesn't that bad. And after I watched the two Voice special episodes, I understand why she acted that way? Because the PD, the writer wanted her to be the delicate, fragile, serene character? Blergh. And why Baek Sung-hyun is stuck with no major lead character, since forever? He is good. I like him from Stairway to Heaven.
All and all, all those things are not important things. They are not my reason to be able to finish this drama. And likely not the reason why I write this post 😀 The reason of everything came out of nowhere few weeks after I watched the first episodes of Voice. When all the spark started to fluttered down, new reason started to blossom. 😃😃😃 And the reason is Kim Jae-wook!! Kim Jae-wook I miss you 😙😙😙😙😙
Honestly speaking, he plays the typical psychopath villain. I have watched and read it in so many shapes and forms. It feels like reprising. Kim Jae-wook is always good. He is a nuance actor. It has been alooooong time since he played a character who has a prominent role on the story. Such a waste of talent. Why did they try to keep us in secret? Why did they not give us any hint about his involvement? I know his character is supposed to be in mystery, but he didn't even come in the drama press conference while he is the third main character? Did it give the drama disservice? I believe it would draw many people to watch if they know he is in.
I don't have much to say about his character, Mo Tae-gu. He is the every now and then psychopath killer. He kills many people without rhyme and reason. He keeps memorabilia of his victim. Sometime he even keeps his victim's dead body inside his closet in his bed room. Creeps. He chooses the hideous weapon to kill, kettle bell. I didn't even know there was such kind of thing. Thanks for the introduction Tae-guyah. 😃 He has already showed his psychopath characteristic since he was still a little boy. And he was going into a flare when he witnessed his mother got killed. His father realized this but instead of bring him to see therapist, he chose to cover up his son murderous side. How lovely you are daddy the dearest.
Anyway, I always think Kim Jae-wook has the model like appearance, those high beautiful cheek bones. I think he uses what he's got cleverly. He can convey anything without having much dialogue to say. He is soo good in this kind of acting. You should watch him in Who Are You 2013, he had little to no dialogue in all his episodes in that drama, but he still managed to leave impression. So he did in Voice. Either he looks amused watching his impending victim, smug over tricked cops, or laughing maniacally during his killing spree. And I did, either I've watched too many serial psychopath killers or I'm enchanted by Kim Jae-wook's beauty, I don't feel the chill or curiosity behind his motive or character. No, it is not about the acting, I think he's channeling his character right. It is just you know I'm giggle along his maniacal laughing or in glee when finally he gracing my screen again. I think my self going crazy or just got high wired watching his prettiness. 😄
You can only see his silhouette and crackling jaws until coming episode 8 and viola! 😁😆
And he comes to light up the day 😀
He gives his enemy this look and look how the enemy turns out 😂
I thought the drama would turn 'Supernatural' on us, but surprise! It didn't.
These are my favorite scenes 😆 More than Kwon-joo who is built to be delicate character, I think Tae-gu in these particular scenes, even look more delicate, fragile, innocent yet distance. The contrast after he was just maniacal killing his victim. 😁 At that moment, I wished my hand could pass across the screen and caress the chiseled cheeks.
It is such a joy to watch a versatile actor who can convey a lot of emotion with just his face expression alone. Forget the lines, forget how beautiful he is, just enjoy gradation of his face expression shift.
Angry but satisfied.
Angry but sad
Smirk
Smug
Menacing
I kill you in sadness
I'm sad but don't pity me
I got scared too, you know.
Ha, ha, ha I adore him! if not only for him I probably would have dropped Voice in the middle of the way. Yes, he is typical psychopath killer, the perfect kind of villain ruthless, but pitiable. The production team tried to give his sadistic streak some background which I think not necessarily. I know, we know, he is crazy. I don't need the explanation to give him some sympathy. But you know more interesting than a psychopath doing random killings, is normal people, acting human, with their various unpredictable motives.
At the end, he is a psychopath killer with, not sad, but strange ending. (I think the PD or the writer who has a psychotic attack 😝 what a strange drama)
kettle bell, n.
Weapon that is used by Mo Tae-gu in Voice (K drama) for killing his victims.
No comments:
Post a Comment