Voice of Silence weighs the gravity of a crime unintentionally committed and blurs the relationship of an accomplice and a victim.
Vendors of eggs, Tae-in and Chang-bok, also work for a criminal organization to clean the crime scene and bury corpses. Chang-bok, a religious man, works together with Tae-in, who has lost his voice. He convinces Tae-in that he should listen to the prayer tapes so that his voice may come back.
Manager Kim from the organization assigns them to look after 11-year-old girl Bae Cho-hee who is kidnapped for ransom. Although they oppose the idea, they still take in the job offered to them. Tae-in and Chang-bok debate where Cho-hee would stay, and she ends up staying with Tae-in and his sister.
While waiting for the next instructions from Manager Kim, Cho-hee is left together with Tae-in’s sister, Moon-ju. She plays with her, teaches her various things, and becomes friendly with each other, as well as to Tae-in and Chang-bok. Aware of Manager Kim’s death, Chang-bok handles the transaction for the kidnap, but he becomes out of reach after slipping down the stairs while collecting the ransom.
Following Chang-bok’s backup instructions, Tae-in brings Cho-hee to the address given to him by Chang-bok. Cho-hee clings on to Tae-in as the place appears to be an unsafe place for children who will be used for illegal activities. Guilty for leaving her in an unsafe place, Tae-in bikes to chase the vehicle the kids are riding, and retrieve Cho-hee back.
Sick after ingesting a drink mixed with alcohol, Tae-in buys medicine for Cho-hee. She tries to escape from Tae-in’s house, but she ends up going back to Tae-in’s and even helps him bury a body. Tae-in brings back Cho-hee to her school, and she runs to her teacher, in which she also reports to her that Tae-in is her kidnapper.
Meanwhile, Moon-ju is visited by the original kidnappers of Cho-hee, but eventually leaves her after the buried cop becomes conscious. Alarmed by the teacher’s reaction, Tae-in starts running away, and he removes his coat as he arrives at a faraway place.
Marcie Line watched Voice of Silence on Netflix
Movie Rating: 
Voice of Silence Movie Peak Points
Minimal Words to Convey a Message
With Tae-in as the main character who does not talk, all messages he will convey would be expressed through his gestures and facial reactions. Despite not being able to verbalize his thoughts, he is able to communicate with the people with whom he interacts.
Cho-hee, even though she is young, somehow understands Tae-in and his real nature. To convey that he cares and will not harm the child, Tae-in shows it all through his actions. He goes the extra mile in looking after a kidnapped child.
For the characters who are able to speak like Chang-bok, he is able to impart succinctly meaningful words in the movie. As he is packaged to be religious, he promotes values that are righteous especially to Tae-in.
However, we see that he involves himself in illegal activities, and he is liable to some degree despite not being the initiator. He always warns Tae-in about the consequences of dishonest work and coveting the things of others, yet he himself has already stained himself with their nature of work.
Color Schemes and Symbolism in the Film
Throughout the movie, viewers would be able to see the various color palettes used by the producer in different scenes. With that utilization of color schemes, the mood and emotion of a scene are effectively expressed. One of the notable colors used in the film is red as it expresses violence. Moreover, the color schemes also add to the aesthetic value of the film.
Chang-bok has imparted words about honest work, and we see him scolding Tae-in for having an interest in the things of the men they work with. After Manager Kim’s death, Tae-in has been able to obtain the suit he used to wear. On the other hand, Chang-bok retrieves the ransom bag but he slips in the stairs. The consequences of obtaining those objects may have shown symbolism of what ruin it may also bring into their lives.
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Substantial Discussion of Social Issues
In several parts of the movie, there are scenes that attempt to touch on various social issues. Cho-hee is a daughter from a rich family, and she also has a brother. Characters in the movie are concerned by the fact that Cho-hee is a girl, and there may be some hesitations in retrieving her back since the family already has a son. Chang-bok explicitly voices out how unfair the situation is, for, in the end, Cho-hee and her brother are both children of their parents.
Different stages of the crime are also presented in the movie. Viewers are exposed to the steps taken in engaging to criminal activities. Through the movie, viewers may realize that kidnapping is not conducted by a single person, but instead involves different groups designed for every stage of the crime.
Child trafficking has also been associated with kidnapping in the movie. People involved in the activity shall be liable even though some may not have intended to be part of it. The act itself, even without the means, stains the person involved in the crime.
Voice of Silence Movie Musings
At the end of the movie, viewers are left with an open-ended story. There is no definite ending for Tae-in given since the closing scene does not really show if the police will catch him or not. Even for Moon-ju who is left with the conscious buried police, there are no answers about what will happen with her. Such an ending encourages the viewers to weigh and examine Tae-in’s liabilities themselves.
Cho-hee is an educated child, and she becomes close with Tae-in and Moon-ju. Even though Tae-in is not the mastermind of the kidnap, he is still considered to be part of her abductors. As she is treated with care, Cho-hee may have possibly somehow developed Stockholm syndrome as she becomes attached to Tae-in and Moon-ju for some time.
Moreover, she is also seen assisting in burying the police from one of the scenes of the movie. However, in the end, Cho-hee still recognizes that she is a victim, and at some point, Tae-in is part of the adults who should be accountable. The scene elicits a mixed feeling, but it is understandable why the child has done that.
The cast of the movie has successfully portrayed their characters well. Yoo Ah In has delivered Tae-in’s character excellently with his detailed facial expressions and gestures. The child actresses of this movie are commendable for being able to portray the innocence that the characters embody.
Meaningful and symbolic changes in the movie can be analyzed individually, and it really encourages viewers to think deeper about some scenes. There are scenes where there are notable texts from the poster or signage, and it is able to present ironies in the morals of the characters. People who wish to watch a movie that they can analyze and deeply think about may consider watching Voice of Silence.
Voice of Silence is now available on Netflix.
Photos: Acemaker movieworks
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