I am a big fan of Lee Jin Wook, and as usual, he never disappoints us in this drama. He just nailed it and stood out of his character as a “psychopath detective”. Some are comparing him with Jang Hyuk from season 1 which is very unnecessary for me. Acting-wise, he’s very capable and versatile.
Since this season has ended only for 12 episodes and season 3 is expecting to continue the cliff-hanging issues and unanswered questions, I could say story-wise, I was looking for something more, but still, I believe we can be able to know and understand the whole story, connect all the puzzles and enjoy the bloody fight to the next level of season 3.
Just be patient and see you soon
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This review may contain spoilers
So I didn't write a review for Voice 1 because I ended up watching it a year later after it aired and I did enjoy Voice 1 as much as Voice 2. If you want to compare the two - I would choose Voice 1 for accuracy and Voice 2 for a much more involved story within the main characters rather than have the procedural cases. Voice 2 does have case for each week but it's more involved about the main antagonist (Kwon Yool) and main protagonist (Lee Jin Wook). Voice 2 does have good actors in it - Lee Na Ha, Lee Jin Wook, Kwon Yool, and Son Eun Seo, Kim Wook Suk. I would have to say the main three characters did outshine in their roles as usual but the story does fall short on the lame cliffhanger they chose to have and its shows the poor weak writing that was done so we could have a Season 3. The one character they kind of butchered in the sense of the finale and the episodes before the finale has to be Kwon Joo (Lee Na Ha) - she loses her essence as a strong woman who relies on her distinct hearing but somehow it turned to a game of chasing between Bang Seo Joo (Kwon Yool) and Kang Woo (Lee Jin Wook).
Lee Na Ha and Lee Jin Wook have great chemistry and have shown subtle romance between their characters which was delight to watch. Son Eun Seo (Park Eun Soo) has kind of the same backstory here like her younger sister had in season 1 so I didn't enjoy that much because she's a supposedly a strong woman cop but couldn't differentiate between love and abuse. But it was interesting for the case to be presented in the show because of the growth of abuse in dating. Kim Wook Suk (Agent Jin) was great - never seen him in anything else, but I'd be happy to have him again in the show for the next season.
I do recommend the songs/OSTs - they go perfectly with the characters and if you were a fan of Voice 1 - don't miss it because its nice to see the GTT again and a new story and maybe some romance finally for our Kwon Joo ;).
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Story: The story was ok. Compared to Season 1, it wasn't as good but the main reason why I didn't like the story was because of the cliffhanger at the end of the show. CLEARLY THERE IS GOING TO BE A 3RD SEASON! SO Season 2's storyline will somewhat continue into Season 3 so basically this story is not done yet. The start of the show started off with a bang and was really good! It started out with episodic situations which was what I loved with Season 1 but as they went into the main overarching bad guy storyline, the episodic elements of the story melted away. Not a bad story but I need Season 3 to make a more educated opinion.
Casting: I loved the casting! I ACTUALLY LIKED Lee Jin Wook as his character! I thought I wouldn't when they announced the new cast but I thought it brought an interesting dynamic to Season 2. In Season 2, he was the cold, less emotional character where as in Season 1 I thought Lee Ha Na was the less emotional one. SO that was fun to play out. They also brought back some of my favorite support characters and introduced new ones. The guy they casted to be the bad guy this season was AMAZING! His acting skills were so scary and on point! He does bad guy very well.
Music: I thought the movie fit the show well too. I downloaded all the songs and have been listening to them on repeat.
Rewatch Value: I would probably only rewatch this if I was doing a marathon of Season 1 and going to watch Season 3 as well. (Depends on how good Season 3 will be)
Overall: As I said earlier, Because this season seemed like a set up for Season 3, there was a lot that wasn't resolved but at the same time, a lot was resolved. I would wait and watch this once Season 3 so you can go straight into Season 3 and not have to wait. This season was good but not as good as Season 1. I wish it was more episodic. We will wait and see how Season 3 is...THE ACTING WAS GREAT THOUGH!
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At some point I was worried, they would create too many "convenient circumstances", but they held back, so that it worked most of the time. There was a strictly woven net and they didn't lose time with telling the main story, yet they managed to put some 'monsters of the week' in-between. That kept the tension high. The way they built it, helped making it look plausible overall. I had some smaller issues with some things, but nothing can be perfect, right?
The finale... woah, actually surprised me. When it started, it felt a bit sobering because there wasn't much tension in the "hunt". Who would have thought, that the actual thing slowly crawled to the surface only in the last minutes. Guess, I was too hasty.
I really liked the writing of the main villain. First of all the actor. He just got 'that face', you know? It's made for those kind of roles (if the acting is right). But I also liked that they put some depth into it, so that it felt more palpable. That way it didn't even bother me, that they revealed the identity early on.
Lee Jin Wook made quite a good figure and didn't let down till the end. I enjoyed his character more than I thought (I wasn't fond of the actor before). Of course, there's a dark dusty past that tries to stay hidden, yet gets dragged to the surface. But LJW displayed it so well, that I grew to like his character a lot. A somewhat worthy successor of Jang Hyuk.
As for Kang Kwon Joo... I think she's a complicated character to approach. That was already the case in the first season and didn't change here. She's got this calm shyness all the time and never really breaks out, which frustrated me sometimes.
So, now that it's over, I guess, I really need to start season 3.
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Incredibly stupid.
My take on the first season was that it was kinda dumb, but also mildly entertaining.This sequel series takes place a year later, and actually begins with a decent setup/plot. Someone is aiming to take down the Golden Time Team, starting with a very important member of the police.
Unfortunately, it's all downhill from there.
I actually just ended up all out hatewatching this by about episode 4. It's that stupid. It isn't just laziness either, these writers are actually some of the stupidest people in showbusiness anywhere in the world. I could go into spoilery details, but I don't have the time or energy to spend on this. There are just too many examples to grab at - from an entire police squad being too afraid of apprehending a 90 pound girl, to the continued interrogation of suspect in order to obtain the name of a perp instead of calling the hospital and preventing something bad from happening (WE NEED A NAME FIRST BECAUSE....!), to the lead protagonist (who, let me remind you, has superhuman hearing) not being able to hear two cops walking up behind her while she's on the phone with someone she isn't supposed to be - and so on.
There's turning your brain off to enjoy a show, and then there's absolutely killing yourself to get through it. This second season took the other path this time around. My god... I feel filthy for finishing it. It admittedly is good for a few laughs, however, at all the random things that happen which make zero sense. Occasionally. The rest of the time it's just frustrating.
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This review may contain spoilers
I went into this not expecting much after loving the first one and knowing that several of the characters had left and been replaced, but was surprised that I loved this one too. While the story took a minute for it to grab me completely and my attention did fall off a bit at the end, the overall show was a really great mystery but was more-so used to set up the new main characters spot in the show. It establishes his overall backstory and sets up a story and more mysteries for season 3. The first one definitely is still my favorite so far in the series, season 2 stands alone as a great bridge between another hopefully great season.-- Spoilers Below --
Director Kang comes back with such a bang that it really helped me remember why I loved this show so much. Her acting is incredible and she really makes you feel every emotion possible in such a short amount of time. Her character has grown a great amount being fully in charge of the Golden Time Team and making such a wave with it's success. She doesn't have too much of an interaction overall with the main mystery of the season, but is targeted by Officer Bang because of her gifted ears. Kang's chemistry with her new counterpart, Do Kang-Woo, is amazing and even though it's not a romance, had me slightly rooting for them to end up together. She fully understands and trusts him, but finds herself questioning her judgement many times at the hands of Officer Bang playing games with the entire team. I hope that she has more of an impact in the overall mystery and is more centered on her in season 3.
Team Leader Do is a mysterious guy from the start and is definitely rough around the edges. Everyone around seems to dislike him and he has a dark past following him around. This season overall is establishing his character and backstory and setting up another storyline in season 3. The main mystery follows his backstory of his father being a serial killer and how it impacted himself, his family, and people around him. He suffers from PTSD from stumbling across his murdered friends body and his ultimately blamed by Officer Bang for this happening. The chemistry between him and Kang as stated is amazing and although he doesn't fully trust her with his past yet, he fully trusts her ears, gift and team completely.
I loved seeing Eun-Soo getting more of a prominent role in the team and also being in charge when Director Kang steps out. She didn't get an episode in the first one, but sadly gets a tragic episode in this season. She is a victim of dating abuse and is in a violent relationship with a serial abuser. The story unfolds in a scattered way, but ultimately her abuser is murdered by 3 other women that he abused. Her acting in this episode is incredible and it shines on her characters development of how strong of a cop she is as a result of being with the Golden Time Team.
Jin Seo-Yool was another new face to the Golden Time Team and filled in the place of Oh Hyun-Ho nicely. He is a computer hacking genius and helps the team get around the web fast. He gets an episode this season as well.. I feel as though it was used to not harm one of the main characters of the show but rather a new face that wouldn't really harm the overall story. Officer Bang plays with him and targets his hacking skills, eventually kidnapping him and taking all his fingers on one hand. I'm interested to see if he comes back for the third season and to see if there is any character development or story to come from that with his hacking and needing his hands for the job.
Overall, this season could stand alone on it's own, but is a bridge between season 1 to the season to come. New characters equals new story and this season lays it all out. If you loved the stand alone episodes and procedures of the first season, you'll love this one as well. Though the main mystery is the drive of the season, I loved seeing the Team do what it does best. I can't wait to check out the 3rd season!
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I really like the chemistry between Ha Na and Jin Wook. I also love that Jin Wook has such a complex history, which gives his character a lot more depth.
The story flows very nicely and nothing seems like filler. Even the small everyday crimes have a link to the bigger overall plot of the story (which is SO impressive imo). The only negative thing I have to say is that sometimes they make connections between the MOST unlikely events, which seems a tad bit unrealistic, but is super easy to ignore. I also feel like they were a little too stoic when finding out a loved one or a teammate was in danger (although it can be explained by their police training to stay calm I guess?).
Really loved the drama, and it's really impressive that it has not one, not two, but THREE successful seasons when dramas typically will only have one. The plot for each season is super well done and thought out, completely unpredictable and shocking every time. I loved it!
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Stiff (not just the corpses)
As with S1, I like the idea of the storyline, but at times, it's just too far fetched.Also like S1, the killer is revealed slowly, before he's caught, so we know who the main bad guy is, well before the end.
I like Jang Hyuk as an actor, but Lee Jin Wook filled his shoes pretty well, with a character far more quiet and detached, with not a few personal problems.
The serial killer this time, whilst equally formidable, is not as evil or scary as Mo Tae Goo (he was the devil incarnate), but chilling nevertheless.
Again though, it gets very far fetched at times and there are real weak areas in the plot.
There were still some surprises too though and it's as violent as the first.
I did feel that at times some actors were literally just reciting the words, as on occasion their acting became stunted and kind of uncomfortable.
Unlike S1, this one will lead into S3, so I can't really comment on the overall ending, which left us in no doubt of more instalments.
I will watch the next one, but hope that the dialogue and realism will improve.
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It Got Better
So, I loved the first season and watched this one soon after. On ther first episode, we can see that some time has passed since the first one's events and the dynamics among the Golden Time Team is different - we can also see some new faces. At first, I thought I wouldn't like it, it felt too different somehow... boy, was I wrong. On the second episode I was already sold and by the third I was completely OBSESSED!This here, all the interections in the team is what I was looking for and did not know. Do Kang Woo (Lee Jin Wook) won my heart and the CHEMISTRY with Kang Kwon Joon (Lee Ha Na) is AMAZING. (Mind you that this drama does not have any romance whatsoever, BUT, in my head, they kind of fell in love and I ship them hard lol)
The serial killer - following the awesomeness from the first season - is again interesting. Kwon Yool did an incredible job. His character really got on my nerves and we still need some answers (season 3, here I come).
And the pacing, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time! It was intriguing, thrilling and emotional at the same time. The "side cases" were all of important themes - sad, cruel, but so so important!
Voice is an amazing drama, the concept is great and it has become one of my favorites! Kang Kwon Joon (Lee Ha Na) is still my queen, her character is everything to me <3
> I'm starting season 3 ASAP!! I NEED ANSWERS!
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This review may contain spoilers
Finally managed to finish watching this drama at last. Took me like a while to watch the first half of the series when it was released and then I ended up putting the series on hold for almost two years before picking up this series back.For someone who truly got into the first season for the unique crime-solving cases and the relationship between Kang Gwonjoo and Moo Jinhyuk as they hunt for the true killer of their loved ones, it certainly get a bit hard to pick up the new season when half of the team members were different. This time, Jinhyuk left the team for his son's treatment and his former team leader takes the mantle to lead the Golden Time Team. Yet before they could even start anything Team Leader Jang was murdered and they ended up transferring to Pungsan to investigate the case.
Well, to be fair... we did still mostly retain the core team from the original Golden Time Team save for Jinhyuk, Daeshik and Officer Oh. And after the events on first season, the remaining members of the GT dispatch teams were in good terms with Gwonjoo. Which is good. Since with a new workplace and work environment, the team will once again face similar issues as they did prior when Gwonjoo first started the special team.
And for this new season, we also get a new Team Leader to lead Golden Time... in the form of Detective Do Kangwoo. At first, I have to say that Kangwoo had a slight different presence compared to Jinhyuk. While Detective Do did appear to be as crazy as Jinhyuk used to be after the death of his wife, Kangwoo was a bit more wild and aggressive compared to the former. And because of that, for people who were used to seeing Moo Jinhyuk leading the team may take a bit of time to get used to Kangwoo.
Unlike the first season, this second season's plot focused more on a group of people seeing revenge towards the police and the Golden Time Team by committing serial crimes that at first appeared to be random. And later on, the plot move towards a targeted attack on Detective Do specifically. In a way, the second series give off a different vibe that you used to get in the first season that may seem off to some. As if the quotes that appear at the beginning of each episode didn't already hint at it.
After a while, you'll start to get used to seeing Detective Do as we start to learn more about him. Even as far as convincing yourself that he might actually be a good addition to the Golden Time Time. And as the series went on, you'll realise that there's more secrets that needed to uncover on the true nature of the people who were targeting the team for revenge. But I guess we'll have to see the third season to see what happens next.
Overall, I have to say that the second season was intriguing. While it wasn’t as tense as the first season or as cathartic in terms of what you ended up feeling after the team successfully save anyone, it certainly served as a good base to introduce the new characters as the plot going full force on the third series. Have to say that it really hits the emotions hard to have a character that you start to get attached to from the first season be killed so brutally so early in the second season but it really felt good to see the Golden Time Team in action again.
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