Because "I Hear Your Voice" Deserves All Sorts of Praises

I am the type of person whose span of attention can rival that of a 5-year-old kid. I don’t have the patience to stick to something in particular when it becomes boring to my taste. That attitude applies especially when I’m watching Korean dramas. There are lots of shows I didn’t finish simply because I find it predictable or eventually disinteresting. Plus, I am quite lazy in waiting for the episodes to be subbed.

With those said, it’s now plain easy to understand why I consider I Hear Your Voice as one of the best dramas there is.

First and foremost, it was never in my plans to watch the drama, if not for Manager Hyung. I didn’t watch My Daughter Seyoung even though Jungshin was there simply because it seemed boring to me (so I had no idea how Lee Boyoung is as an actress). That was the same thing I initially felt towards this drama, but boy, was I so grateful that I didn’t give in.

So the story began 11 years ago when Park Sooha’s father was killed by Min Joon Gook. Jang Hyeseong – who was having her own taste of injustice then – happened to witness the scene as she was fighting with Seo Doyeon. After having her self-worth challenged by her archenemy, Hyeseong found herself standing as a witness against Min Joonguk, who vowed to take revenge once he had served his sentence in prison.

And then the story escalates. And in summary, I got hooked.

The plot revolves around people fighting for and against justice. The fact that I am a ‘pro-justice’ and ‘pro-equality’ person, I thought of giving a few episodes a try. It didn’t fail me. Kim So Hyun, I think, is the greatest factor why I got stuck (aside from Lee Jongsuk). I love that kid since I Miss You. She’s a good actress!

In addition, I was curious on how they will incorporate fantasy into the story without actually ruining it. I loved Secret Garden but the approach used there didn’t go as smooth as the one applied in I Hear Your Voice. As I watch the whole drama, I sometimes forget that it’s not normal for someone to hear people’s thoughts. At one point, I even considered that perhaps, there really are people who have this kind of power. That’s how convincing and clean the incorporation was for me.

Using lawyers in a story may have been quite a mainstream in Korean dramas but the stories in which these characters’ lives revolve were really captivating. The conflicts were interesting, and I’m not talking about the actual problems presented in the story. I’m talking about the conflicts within each character.

The characters in this drama weren’t actually battling with their counterparts. They were actually fighting against themselves. Hyeseong was trying to prove her worth as a person. Sooha was trying to avenge himself, and not actually his father, by proving that he is entirely different from what the world expects him to be. Attorney Cha was battling against prejudice and unfairness he himself feels. Doyeon was trying to get her adoptive father’s approval. Joonguk was convincing himself that he’s doing the right thing.

Everyone has their own inner conflicts and the fact that it was shown in the drama clearly made it totally special for me. In the end, problems were solved. Reconciliation, forgiveness and justice were given to those who deserve it.

Another scene which got me was during the Ghost Murder Trial of Hwang Daljoong - when the scenes switch from the court to the nail shop. Everything happening in the trial was explained to the laymen viewers by the Joongki and Seongbin at the nail shop. That was a good approach because it made the viewers feel like they’re actually part of the story. The two friends represented the laymen.

Aside from the cinematographic elements which I considered terrific, I also loved that this drama has a lesson. Generally, this story conveys the simple message that everything happens for a reason. Min Joonguk’s admission of his crimes definitely proved that he’s not entirely a bad person. He was just turned into a monster by the painful circumstances he had gone through, which was revealed by the end of Episode 17. Every person’s like that. Every person’s bad attitude has a story behind it.

Another thing which struck me hard as I watch the last three episodes was the scene of Judge Seo Daesuk, eating alone after Doyeon and his wife left him; and screaming that he didn’t do anything. This part honestly made the story more realistic. In this world, after all, there really are people who wouldn’t accept that they did wrong even when the world’s telling them that they did, simply because that’s not the truth for them. This scene proves that truth varies according to people who believe it. And those who wouldn't step down from the pedestal are always the ones left alone. 

Also, this drama tells the good thing of freeing oneself from hate. The quote Hyeseong’s mother said before she died (‘Don’t let hating someone ruin you.’) really knocked some sense in my head. I need to learn that.

But I think my most favorite message from this drama is that truth will always prevail. The good side will always win. So it is useless to fight for something that we know is wrong. And if ever what we believe to be right turns out to be not, it is important to know when to admit our mistakes. It doesn’t make one any less of a person to eat up his pride.  

It was a fun experience, I Hear Your Voice is. It was a drama worth watching. The characters were really awesome! It was a story worth sharing. No wonder it got a 23.1% viewership rating. Congratulations to the casts and staffs! It was a job well done. <3

P.S. CAN I JUST FREAKING ADD HERE THAT ONE MAIN REASON I STUCK TO THE STORY IS JUNG WOONG IN? I mean, no other villain has ever made me feel scared more than he did. This man is surely the best!!!