When the Phone Rings

When Suspense and Romance Collide

is an intriguing drama that captured my attention from the very first episode.

This cleverly written series begins with a series of questions that gradually unravel throughout the episodes. By the final episode, all the pieces fall into place, culminating a beautifully crafted conclusion. I particularly liked how the drama mainted a suspenseful atmosphere while seamlessly weaving in the romance between the male lead (ML) and female lead (FL).

While I was already familiar with the ML and FL from their previous works, I was especially impressed by Yoo Yeon Seok's portrayal of Paik Sa Eon (ML). He flawlessly delivered the wide range of emotions required for his character, making him relatable and compelling. Chae Soo Bin (FL) also delivered an impressive performance. I found her role as Hong Hee Joo particularly challenging, especially in the earlier episodes, but she executed it with skill. The chemistry between Yeon Seok and Soo Bin was undeniable, further endearing their characters, Paik Sa Eon and Hong Hee Joo to the viewers.

The original soundtrack (OST) also deserves special mention. My favorite track is "I Feel it Now" by Whee In of Mamamoo, which added emotional depth to the scenes featuring the ML and FL. Additionally, Yoo Yeon Seok also sang for one of OST, " Say My Name", which showcase his versatility.

Overall, is a must-watch drama that masterfully combines suspense, romance, and stellar performances to create a very great drama.

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Best Drama

The writing in this drama really stands out, crafting a storyline packed with unexpected twists that keep the audience on their toes. The characters are well-developed, each adding their own emotional layers to the narrative. Their connected stories create a rich tapestry of human experiences, exploring themes like love, betrayal, guilt, and hope. While the pacing is mostly steady, there are times it slows down to give space for deeper character exploration.

The cast shines with remarkable performances, especially the leads, who bring their characters to life with genuine emotion and subtlety. The cinematography perfectly captures the series' haunting yet heartfelt vibe, using smart lighting and sound to build tension. Plus, the music score really boosts the emotional impact of pivotal moments, leaving a memorable moment. Best Drama…

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Simply a must watch drama

I won't try to spoil anything but I'll say this. It's a crazy show. Don't expect it to make any sense but it has the ability to hook you and keep you wanting more and more. The acting is gold, the chemistry is overflowing, the music is awesome - especially Lim Hyunsik's See The Light ( got it playing on repeat) and the story? The story is bonkers but I love it all the same. Every bit of it. Can't get enough. Just wish Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae Soo Bin would be cast together in another project. So go ahead and watch the show and allow yourself to be swept away. But before that, shut down the logical part of your brain 😂. Happy watching.

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One of the best chemistry I've seen...

FL and ML for sure showed how it should be done. Natural, spicy and at the same time sweet chemistry was the whole point of the show.

Supporting actors were awesome. Just wished we've seen a bit more of second couple.

Last episode was a bit of a downhill in certain situations and events, but if you'll find it a bit boring or unnecessary, just fast forward those to sweet ending! One or two episodes shouldn't impact the other 10 for it to get a huge drop in your personal ranking.

I've seen worse melodramatic, overdone moments in other dramas for sure, and in this drama they were small and just funny to observe.

Every episode kept me on edge (I watched as it aired), so binge watching is certainly a way to go!

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i love it! just love it!

This story has enemies to lovers, he falls first and harder, contract marriage, childhood connection and what not!

PLOT:
Baek Sa Eon, Korea’s youngest presidential spokesman, and Hong Hui Ju, a sign language interpreter with mutism, have spent three years in a cold, convenient marriage. But when Hui Ju is kidnapped, their distant relationship takes an unexpected turn, forcing them to confront buried emotions.

REAL PLOT: YOO YEON SEOK!!!!! He serves through out the episodes. OMG how i wish to marry someone like him!


You NEED to watch this—it’s a masterpiece! The FL thinks the ML hates her and isn’t happy with their relationship, but plot twist: he’s been in love with her since they were kids and has been secretly protecting her all along. Her family is the worst, constantly using her, but he’s always there, defending her and loving her in ways she doesn’t even notice. I devoured every second of this, NO CAP. Stop wasting time—go watch it already!

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When the Phone rings: a show that progressively got more disappointing as it went on

The good:
The Casting & Plot Twist
Chae Soo Bin as Hee Joo was perfect and Yoo Yeon Seok as Baek Sa Eon was also a good choice. The first two episodes were amazing, it really had you interested instantly which can be difficult for a lot of shows. The plot twist with Baek Sa Eon not actually being Baek Sa Eon and that linking to the orphanage was a good twist. One other thing that I sort of understood and liked was how he started to care for her after she almost died. I especially liked the scene at the beginning when he sees her safe and we see him visibly relax.

The Bad
Buckle up — this is going to be a lot.
Their Relationship (or Lack Thereof)
This had the potential to be a great romance, but instead, it was rushed, messy, and absolutely ridiculous. Let’s break it down.
First off, why was Sa Eon so cold and distant toward Hee Joo for three whole years if he actually wanted the marriage? He planned the whole bride swap and then acted like it was some massive inconvenience to him. At first, I genuinely thought he wanted the older sister and got stuck with Hee Joo by accident. Turns out, he actually wanted to marry her — but his reasoning for being cold was ridiculous. He was “scared to let her in and care for her.” WHAT? WHY? We’re given no real explanation beyond that. Some people theorize it’s because of his childhood trauma, but that doesn’t really make sense to me. He was supposed to be Sa Eon until death — there was no replacing him after that. It’s not like they could swap him out again! Plus she didn’t have the money to leave even if she wanted to. So what exactly was stopping him from treating Hee Joo like a human being?
What exactly was preventing him from just… being with her? It’s like they wanted to write a brooding, conflicted male lead but forgot to give him an actual reason to brood or be conflicted. Real Baek Sa Eon would’ve come after her regardless, no hesitation.
Speaking of which, Hee Joo getting over those three awful years in, like, two minutes was absurd. She spent all that time hating her life, feeling invisible, only for him to show up a couple of times, and suddenly, she’s completely over it? The deep, unconditional love she had for him was never earned, and frankly, he didn’t deserve it. We should’ve seen him work for her forgiveness, fight for their relationship, and prove himself. Instead, we got… what? One camp retreat? That was it? Very disappointing to say the least..

The Jealousy…?
This ties into the relationship issue, so let’s address it. Sa Eon had absolutely no reason to be jealous of Sang Woo or the co-worker from the camp retreat. Just because they liked her doesn’t mean she liked them. It was obvious Hee Joo didn’t feel anything for Sang Woo, so his jealousy just felt forced. Sang Woo was just a good guy who learned sign language to be a supportive friend. The co-worker? Literally just being polite. And yet, Sa Eon was throwing around attitude like he owned her. It felt like he was mad that Hee Joo had any kind of chemistry (even non-romantic) with other men because he hadn’t built any chemistry with her — which was entirely his fault. Let’s not forget that regardless if she had chemistry or not with the others, she’s MARRIED to HIM! His whole vibe was giving, “I don’t want her, but I don’t want anyone else to have her either,” which was beyond annoying.

The Sign Language Fail
The show completely dropped the ball on this. This could’ve been such a sweet way to develop their relationship, but no. Despite supposedly liking her for years, Sa Eon never bothered to learn sign language? If they wanted to sell this whole “he loved her all along” narrative, why not have him secretly learn sign language? Imagine how much more powerful it would’ve been if, during that moment at the British Event (in the first or second episode) when she was angrily signing at him for calling her his weakness, he actually understood her. He could’ve understood her frustration and grown from it. For example, if she’s sick of him leaving dirty dishes in the sink, she could sign her annoyance. The next day, the sink would be spotless, leaving her both confused and touched. Think about it!!

Sang Woo Married… Who Now?
Sang Woo marrying Yu Ri was a surprise — and not in a good way. There was zero romantic chemistry between them at any point in the show. When they worked on the case together, they acted like two buddies solving a mystery, not two people falling in love. What made it worse (and kind of funny) was that Sang Woo was still obviously into Hee Joo, and Yu Ri had always had a crush on Sa Eon. The engagement announcement was so awkward, I thought it was a joke. At the end, when they’re all invited to Hee Joo and Sa Eon’s new home, Sang Woo looks visibly jealous when Hee Joo and Sa Eon share a cute moment. Then, when he and Yu Ri hold hands, he seems shy and not exactly thrilled. Man really settled for the next available option. Tough break.

The Family Dynamics…?
Hee Joo must have superhuman levels of forgiveness because her mother put her through years of emotional trauma, and it’s just… fine? No big deal? Her mom literally forced her into silence, yet we never get a proper reconciliation or even a moment where Hee Joo decides to cut her off. Her mom was manipulative and rude to her throughout the whole show, and we only saw her caring when she thought Hee Joo was dead.
Also, what was her relationship with her stepdad like? They interact maybe once the entire show, and that’s it. Whenever something happens to Hee Joo, he doesn’t seem to care or be worried at all. Meanwhile, the older sister’s return felt pointless. She revealed some information to Hee Joo, but that could’ve been discovered in other ways. Her messing with Sa Eon’s parents during the cooking thing was just random. She didn’t add much to the story after her initial revelations.

The Last Episode Was a Whole Different Show
The final episode went so off the rails, I had to double-check if I was still watching the same drama.
First, Sa Eon sells all his stuff and disappears after hearing “bad” news from real Sa Eon. Then Hee Joo finds out he’s in a war-torn country (that doesn’t exist). So naturally, she flies there alone and immediately heads straight to the most dangerous part, because why not? Predictably, she gets captured and then in the most ridiculous plot twist ever, she’s randomly rescued by a group of good guys — and who else but Baek Sa Eon just happens to be among them? What are the odds! The whiplash from this storyline was insane. The plot was so lost that by the end, the title of the show didn’t even make sense anymore. It’s ‘When the Phone Rings’ until about episode 6, and then it’s a complete mess.
And let’s not forget why Sa Eon left in the first place. He was punishing himself. It was his father's fault certain things happened. And what was Sa Eon doing during all of this? Fishing. In the woods. With some random old man. But somehow, he feels guilty? Make it make sense.

Small Things That Annoyed Me
Hee Joo and Yu Ri’s Friendship: I never felt like they were actually friends. They barely spoke the entire show. When Yu Ri finds out Hee Joo can talk, she’s upset she was never told — but they weren’t even that close.
The Wattpad Vibes: This show felt like it was written for 13-year-old girls. While that might work in a Wattpad story, it doesn’t translate well to a show meant for older teens and adults. The story would’ve been so much better if it had been adapted for a more mature audience.
Park Do-Jae’s Survival: Park Do-Jae (the friend) surviving after being beaten, drowned, and stabbed in the span of a few hours was insane. Is he immortal?
Hee Joo on the Phone: Hee Joo talking to Sa Eon on the “406” phone dragged on forever. When she fell off the cliff, she was clearly in pain and out of breath — on the phone — and still didn’t think he’d notice? It was so obvious, and the whole thing felt unnecessarily drawn out.
Hee Joo’s Sudden Speech: After years of being mute, Hee Joo starts speaking, and no one really cares? Everyone was shocked but moved on so quickly. There were no real questions or explanations — it was just accepted and forgotten. Huh?

Final Points:
At the end of the day, When the Phone Rings had so much potential but got lost in its own chaos. From rushed relationships to a finale that felt like a different show, it’s a K-drama that could’ve been great but ended up being… well, a mess. Still, it gave us plenty to talk about — and sometimes, that’s half the fun. Would I recommend it? Maybe, but only if you’re ready for a wild ride (and a few facepalms along the way)!

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