I Hear Your Voice

This show has already been on my to-watch list because it's a noona-dongsaeng romance! But what I didn't realise was that this was indeed a scary thriller! It isn't a romcom at all!!! Ok, maybe a few funny moments but this is really a no-nonsense, murder suspense show with a psycho killer at large, planning for his next revenge.

There was minimal loveline as majority of the interaction is how to catch the killer and how to prosecute him. There was other subplots that I love - specifically the relationship between our leading lady and her rival frenemy who's a prosecutor. Basically every scene is important and there isn't a moment you shouldn't focus.

Storyline (in my own words):
We have....

A high school guy, Park Su Ha (Lee Jung Suk), who can read his classmates minds, narrating his diary, ending it with "I'm gonna find you no matter what. I said I will protect you."

Flashback:
Little Su Ha was out with his daddy and having a conversation in the car on what to out. Out of nowhere comes a truck heading for them on a direct collision. Crazy psycho guy - OUR PSYCHOTIC KILLER - came and Su Ha could hear his voice of wanting to kill his father. Little Su Ha asked his dad to get up and leave but couldn't do so in time and had to watch his father being bludgeon by the killer.

Then we have....

A lady (Lee Bo Young) who seems 有点粗暴 but that's how you describe a bold & sassy lass? And a nerdy looking ajushi, (Yoon Sang Hyun - It's hard to believe that this guy is Oska in Secret Garden) rushing to take their Public Defender Lawyer interview.

She feels like fainting seeing so many other applicants. Hence, during the interview, Jang Hye Song talked about her childhood story and why she decided to become a Public Defender Lawyer.

Flashback:
During high school, she was invited to a rich classmate, Seo Do Yeon's (This is the teenage version of the 2nd female lead) birthday party. She isn't exactly close to Do Yeon, they're sort of like frenemy due to competitive results but still on amicable terms. An accident happened when one of the girls played with fireworks and the spark went to Do Yeon's eye. None of the girls admitted, they claimed everything happened to fast but Do Yeon claimed that it was Hye Song who did it! But Hye Song didn't want to admit because she didn't do it!

Do Yeon's father is a lawyer-turned-judge and asked Hye Song if she did it. She replied firmly she didn't. Hye Song's mother is a single-mother who's really gung-ho. She told her daughter to apologise for the incident that happened to Do Yeon but don't have to apologise for why & whose fault it happened.

We then cut to Hye Song going to Do Yeon's place after she recovered if she really saw her purposely setting off the fireworks? Hye Song knew Do Yeon lied and demanded her to explain to her parents to return her innocence. During their argument, they heard a loud crash. True enough, it was little Su Ha's accident and the 2 girls had just witness his dad being smashed with one blow. When the killer moved to Su Ha, Hye Song snapped a pic with her handphone camera and actually just saved little Su Ha's life. The girls ran for their lives as the killer went after them and threaten them.

Next during the courtroom hearing, the girls debated whether they should be witness for the murder they saw, remembering the killer's threats. They sort of dared each other to 'do what's right'. Do Yeon got cold feet and left. Hye Song was left alone to face the killer's leering. Killer was jailed but not before he threw the words to her that he'll hunt her down and pay back what she did to him today. Little Su Ha was grateful to her and promise to protect her from the killer in the future.

Present:
Hye Song was eventually chosen although she said she regretted that decision to go stand a witness. Lawyer Jang Hye Song & Lawyer Cha Guan Woo became colleagues and worked together on difference cases throughout the show.

I realised I just typed out the whole Episode 1 in the above paragraphs but the first episode provided a very good background on the developments of the rest of the 15 episodes of what's to come:

1. Su Ha has found Hye Song but she can't recognise him until much later. The guy always couldn't contain his crush whenever she's around which makes this OTP really cute. Su Ha is also aware that the killer Min Jung Gook has been released from jail and plotting on his revenge against Hye Song, hence he is very protective of Hye Song - awwww...

3. The 3 lawyers seemed to be the only lawyers in the show pitting against each others' wit for each of the cases. The head judge (a comedian ajushi actor) in the show provides the comic relief in all the serious & dramatic court cases. Prosecutor Seo Do Yeon did several amazing jobs. It's basically Do Yeon VS Hye Song at times.

4. The killer found out that Hye Song's mom operates a chicken BBQ shop and was hiring. He took up the job in order to be close to his target. Unfortunately, she was murdered by him (sorry for the spoiler). The stupid thing is, Lawyer Cha (the other male lead) was assigned to defend Min Joon Gook and was found NOT GUILTY - WTF!!!! Hye Song was devastated by the result and decided to work with the Prosecuting team for an appeal.

Did you know that I have to watch the Running Man I Hear Your Voice parody episode in order to be able to continue to watch this thriller? Just so that I would think the actor playing the psycho killer, Min Joon Kook isn't THAT scary and is actually a funny actor in real life?

Verdict:

 I love the storyline of this drama but not necessarily the acting of the actors & actresses. I think Lee Jae Suk tend to OVERACTS some of the scenes. Lee Be Young, on the other hand, seems a expressionless at time. I DO LOVE her witty lawyers lines with her frenemy Lee Da Hee in the show. If I have to commend, I would think Lee Da Hee did a splendid job with her role as a Prosecutor.

I LOVE ALL THE TWISTS IN THE END!!! You just HAVE TO WATCH IT TO LIKE IT which I'm very sure you will!

If I have to be honest, Prosecutor Seo was exceedingly outstanding in the show! You have to see the ending to know why! If not, you may read about it in this excellent blog review of this amazing show!