Voice 4: Heure du jugement (2021)

Thrilling performance as always, oof!

I am someone who watched all 3 seasons of VOICE starting the first week of June, back to back, just because I can finish this season in real time. I undoubtedly got traumatised at points due to this but VOICE from s1 to s4 has been a super-thrilling experience all along, I must say.

Talking about Voice 4, honestly, It didn't feel as good as the previous seasons to me even though I am not displeased or something. So I am rather not that much pleased considering how amazing plot the other seasons were. Anyways, It was a good watch which thrilled me and was also frustrated because of the cult stuff features (which mean the drama served that part well).

STORY & PLOT:
The story follows the 112 emergency call centre team (Golta team) headed by Kang Kwon Joo with superhuman hearing ability and her team who move to Vimo Island Police Station with the purpose of catching a probable serial cyber killer by utilising their vacation time. An LAPD cop Derek Cho visiting South Korea on an operation joins them as the dispatch team leader due to circumstances. Together, they try solving a case and catch the serial psychpath killer with Dissociative Identity Disorder and similar hearing capabilities as Kang Center.

Just like the previous seasons, Voice 4 has one major case going on, on the background that involves a serial killer and with that there are multiple minor cases that the Golden Time Team solve which somehow also helps them in profiling the major case. One difference is, s1-3 involved brainwashing cult stuffs that were instigated by the murderer which was due to bloodlust but in Voice4 there is an actual religious cult where people are brainwashed to protect each other despite own's fault.

Personally, I am not very pleased by the story development because I had had very high expectations and anticipations from the 4th season since they've evolved through 4 years since 2017 and I feel they should have offered us something extraordinary. But I am not unsatisfied either because it was still good and me thrilled even awe-strucken by many twists and revelations. It has some really good plot devices that are worth anticipating for.

The story had a good & interesting starting and the first episode is good. It has a steady development till the end of 9th but the 10th episode felt a lil blunt at some moments but then it picked up the acceleration and ended with some cliffhangers. The lead antagonist character could have been a lot better. He somehow felt a lil less powerless and did some stupid things as well.

CAST & ACTING:
Umm... Well, we have been seeing the major cast acting since the season 1 and they are as good as before. Lee Ha Na as Kang Kwon Joo/Kang Center has always impressed with her acting and dialogue delivery. I can always witness the kind of aura in her eyes. Song Seung Hun as Capt. Derek Cho did a good job and he's definitely experienced in the industry but the thing that I noticed is he never wore his cop jacket while everyone else did. I mean we know that you're from America and very skillfull in the field but still, HAHAHA.

Son Eun Seo as Officer Park Eun Soo did good too but I think her part is a bit reduced in this season than the previous ones. Kim Joong Ki (Park Joong Ki) and Song Boo Geon (Koo Kwang Soo) are absolute eye candies for me and I have been loving them since the 1st season. I was actually surprised to see Kang Seung Yoon bcs I didn't see the cast before starting. Also, Baek Sung Hyun (Shim Dae Shik from s1) 's comeback in s4, that too as a freaking hot adult, was a delight to witness and there was definitely a solid character development for him. I was also happy to see the familiar faces like Lee Yol harabeochi and Kil Hae Yeon ahjumma in the drama.

Now the antagonist. Don't think of it like a spoiler because the production itself is openly bragging about it plus it was revealed in the 4th episode only. Lee Kyu Hyung as a psychopath serial killer with DID, did a very good job as he was given, BUT! IDK whether I am the only one or not; I think his character as the lead antagonist could have much more to do. He as the antagonist didn't seem as powerful as the serial killers of the previous seasons. The blame is to be shot at Ma Ji Won jakka-nim citing it was not a very strongly written antagonist. Anyways, I have loved his acting skills and been a fan for a long time and undoubtedly loved this too.

DIRECTION & SCREENPLAY:
I think I have already mentioned above it more or less before so let me keep it short. Voice have had amazing direction and production work since the season 1 even though they kept changing for each season. The way they edit the deja vu things or past sequences and try to connect and interpreting through the screenplay is very nice. The sound editing is apt as well that tries to have the audience thrilled all along the show. Voice is undoubtedly Ma Ji Won jakka-nim's best creation which he has been successfully pulling off to make the year's best thriller. Voice 4 for me somehow isn't as good as the previous ones, still a good show to give it a go.

ENDING:
It has a good ending. I was afriad they'll end it with a plothole or something illogical and unreasonable will happen but it was just fine, so I appreciate that. However, it felt a bit rushed starting from the 2nd half of the 12th episode. They were clearly trying to wrap up some minor plot devices so that they wouldn't have to worry about them further but that was absurd. In fact, the main antagonist was caught sonner than expected which somehow made it a bit unintersting but I think they had many revelations to do so they did rush it. In the last 2 eps, they basically tried to solve the puzzles of this season plus gave clarifications about some things which were left on hang in the s3. But again, few unexpected things happen which left me questioned. In fact, the epilogue of s3 showing a sneak-peak of Bang Jae soo (Kwon Ryul) with some mysterious woman which was expected to be answered in s4 has been extended to s5 and that thing will be the main story of next season. I am not sure what the writer is thinking but I assume they'll go for another season for sure to explain whatever they left hanging. It's A HUGE WIDE OPEN ENDING which raises plenty of questions and what happened at the very end scene is enthralling and frustrating at the same time. Won't spoil.

Anyways, they could have make 2 more episodes and give it a smooth ending by not rushing it even when they had a plan for s5.

CONCLUSION:
Overally, this season of Voice is a good thriller and definitely worthy an one time watch so go ahead and finish it. Despite some drawbacks, it was actually enthralling to watch, though I ended up with mental disturbance at some points so I had to drop it for few days and then I went back watching.

I don't how others interpreted it, but when the news about this season came, from the title "VOICE 4: JUDGEMENT HOUR" , I thought this season is a good-bye to VOICE, one of the longest running Kdrama franchise. The phrase "Judgment Hour" is something like the final verdict/decision hence implying to the end of this series. But the way it ended with the introduction of some new plots now I think I was wrong and there will definitely a next season. Well, as long as the jakkanim offers his talent and we tend to enjoy it, then why not? HAHAHAHA Let's wait for the updates from the production team.

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Voice 4: Judgement Hour -- Intergenerational Impact of Abuse

To think that this season is based on a true event is mind-boggling; that a Dong Bang Min actually existed in this lifetime is horrific. To imagine that what happened to Dong Bang Min in the drama may have happened to a child to the extent that the child needed to create personalities to escape it is unimaginable; the fact remains, though that abuse does not excuse the horrendous acts the child/man goes on to commit no matter the cause. While watching this drama, I read many comments on Song Seung Heon's performance and how he didn't measure up to detectives of seasons past, but I beg to differ. He was probably one of the most balanced. I am one who strongly believes the first season of this series remains the best. But of all the detectives, I found Derek Jo to be the most rational and composed, particularly since he, same as the rest, struggles with his own demons while fighting to bring some of the most horrific crimes and criminals to justice.

I loved this season's cases and stories despite some of them being hard to watch at times. I liked the message each story left behind even more. I commend the writer for depicting such heartwrenching true event stories and the director for bringing them to life. Still, the actor that shone the brightest without a doubt is Lee Kyu Hyung as a villain tormented by self-hate but more the need to survive in a world devoid of love or appreciation. A job well done all around. I liked the drama's choices and the awareness it tries to bring on the importance of the family unit, the damage of abuse and neglect, and the devastating and long-lasting detrimental effects it has on children and society alike. Just as a family can be everything for some, they can be hell on earth for others.

I wasn't ready for Voice 4's end; it felt more personal than the other seasons; I enjoyed it greatly for what it was and came out from it with more appreciation for all the actors but especially for Lee Ha Na in her continued calm, supportive and balanced depiction of the Golden Team and Emergency Center Director for the run of the seasons, Song Seung Heon as the calm, clever, and extremely focused Derek Jo, Baek Sung Hyun as the tormented Shim Dae Shik with a second chance at redeeming himself, which he more than does and very bravely. But mainly, I admired how the show depicted all of Bang Min's personalities and the way he came to realize what he had become in his desperate bid to survive his nightmare.

The message I am left with here is that although the physical, psychological, and behavioral consequences of child abuse and neglect weigh more heavily on the shoulders of the children who experience it, the impact of it does not end with them. Society pays the price both directly and indirectly; covering up the issues under the guise of protecting the family harms more than helps, especially when the family is the root of the problem. It is in the best interest of the families in particular and the communities as a whole to act to stem the effects of such abuses and, rather than find fault with the abused, support them and provide families and communities with the tools to stop maltreatment before it occurs and mitigate intergenerational impacts. To this, I say thank you to the production team.

Now that the Circus Man's journey has come to an end, I look forward to a new journey into Kang Kwon Joo's superhuman hearing abilities. I can't wait to see what else the Voice series has in store. I loved all the OSTs but especially Coming to you 그래쓰(GRASS).

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