When the Phone Rings

"When The Phone Rings" is a romance/thriller drama about Sa Eon and Hee Joo, two people with secrets who enter into a marriage contract.

Sa Eon is the president's spokesperson, a distant and cold person, who marries Hee Joo in place of her sister. Hee Joo is pretending to be mute because her mother is forcing her, saying that Hee Joo is to blame for In Ah becoming deaf. She also marries Sa Eon because of this same responsibility. In three years of marriage, the two never get close, they are almost like strangers living in the same house, but everything changes when Sa Eon receives a call from someone he calls "406", a person who is blackmailing him to divorce Hee Joo.

The blackmailer is someone who kidnapped Hee Joo, but she stole his phone and used it as an opportunity to escape from her prison… the problem is that after this starts happening, Hee Joo and Sa Eon eventually become a real couple, as all the secrets start to come out.

The couple has amazing chemistry on screen, one of the best I've ever seen in a drama, the passion between the two is fantastic, the kisses are really impressive. Sa Eon and Hee Joo's relationship is the highlight of the drama, especially since the rest of the story is a bit confusing.

We learn that Sa Eon is also just a substitute, that the people who raised him are not his biological parents and the blackmailer is the real Paik Sa Eon, who wants his place back. It was also because of the real Paik Sa Eon that Hee Joo and In Ah's younger brother died, because he saw him, that dirty family secret. If the story stopped there, it would be perfect, but it would have to add more and more things… That Sa Eon is actually part of that family, he is Sa Eon's real uncle.

I don't even know what to say about this ending with Hee Joo going after Sa Eon in a country on the other side of the world, as if Sa Eon was some secret agent… even though the kiss was spectacular, the scene was weird. HAHAHA'

Like I said, the couple is amazing, they are definitely the reason why the drama is worth watching, but the drama has a lot of mistakes in the development of the story. One of them is with the second lead, who doesn't appear on screen. I thought Sang Woo was someone who liked Hee Joo, but he didn't even try to win her over and we only see him sometimes… it's almost like he was content with Yu Ri and gave up on Hee Joo without even trying first. Also the weird story about Sa Eon's birth secret, that was just thrown into the narrative without any concern. It could have been better.

PS: I know people fell in love with Yoo Yeon Seok now, but he already won my heart in "Mr. Sunshine" <3

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i forgot the actual plot

It was so beautiful at the beginning, but I don’t even know what happened later on.
Honestly, it was shaping up to be a perfect dark romance—arranged marriage, the man secretly loving the girl from the start, him arranging his own marriage, and so on. Everything was going so well until it turned into a game of cat and mouse.

For the last, what, seven episodes? It was just one of them being kidnapped, and the other searching for them. Nothing else happened. And those last two episodes… THEY WERE SO RIDICULOUS. Why did Baek Saeon run away with some nonsensical guilt and become a soldier in some imaginary country? Bro, what happened to the actual plot? I seriously couldn’t understand anymore.

Other than that, the cast and everyone else were amazing. But why did they give so little screen time to Na Yu-ri and Ji Sang-woo? Their chemistry was so good! I wish they had more scenes together. Their relationship was rushed way too much.

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It’s not what you say it’s how you say it is something that can be said when you slowly tire of tropes and stories and too often with poor results. And yet, occasionally you come across a story that manages to use these tried-but-true tropes and old soap opera clichés so well that they remind you why these narrative elements have become so widely used and turned into clichés in the first place.

There were a lot of things in When the Phone Rings that usually make me roll my eyes whenever they appear on the screen in romance dramas, like rich evil parents and their twisted family dramas and birth secrets and the like. But somehow the soapy goodness of When the Phone Rings managed to make it all work. A kdrama story about an emotionally stunted rich man and the woman who makes him open up just by loving him, with a dash of family drama nonsense and tropy plot that seems over the top but works so well within the universe that the drama has created.

The story felt airtight and structured where there was always plenty going on and a good enough flow to the story to keep you constantly entertained. There was always a plot twist, something that kept you on your toes, and the chemistry between the paths was so electrifying that you couldn’t look away. You never really knew what to expect.

The emotional weight of the story works well with the suspense. I enjoyed that Hong Hee Joo seemed helpless to the other characters in the drama, and yet the narrative showed her that she wasn’t, she was just trapped. It created such a beautiful contrast and interesting character dynamic, and Chae so Bin was great in this role. To me, this jerk who is the main male character is often in the beginning a double-edged sword. It can be an interesting character, dynamic and fun like the ‘I hate you, but I also adore you’ relationship that you have with that character while they’re opening. It’s become a tired cliché to a certain extent, as many of these characters because the narrative needs them to be, but it doesn’t feel organic, but here I thought it worked really well for the character.

These two characters’ longing for love was palpable, captivating, and addictive. The two main leads have quite a rich inner turmoil that becomes quite intense and addictive to explore as the story unravels and at quite a simmering speed. They are very interesting characters that you can’t help but root for in one way or another in their source of happiness and inner peace.

One of the few minus points I can really give this drama is the second way, which feels way too much filling and doesn’t help much in moving the story forward. If anything, these characters and their story seem to hinder the tension and the pacing of the story. And those secondary characters were just there, if anything. The plot didn’t need them.

Although those characters involvement in the mystery was perhaps because When the Phone Rings is only 12 episodes, and the story here so wants to dwell on the emotions and spark between our main characters and focus on telling that story as kdramas tend to have a slower and more emotional structure in their stories that the current twelve-episode formula doesn’t always allow for. And if so, I think it was the right call because Paik Sa Eon and Hong Hee Joo are the emotional core and focal point of the story and everything else revolves around them.

This drama is such a soap opera but that’s what made it so fun. It takes a bit of a skill to weave together such a story that uses tired and old tropes in a fun way and really leans into the soapy aspects of the old school kdramas while also finding a way to satisfy everyone no matter how long or not they have watched kdramas. Every episode had an intent, or a purpose and it felt like not much time was wasted as the story briskly takes us from one heartfelt moment to another cliffhanger and onwards. And with the exploding chemistry of the leads and the highly dramatic story it was very entertaining and an addictive watch.

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Last episode was just delulu

The beginning was really good, their romance, the arranged marriage trope, their chemistry, their skinship... until it all turned into a kind of makjang. Basically, every parent is garbage and the leads feel guilty for that. But it wasn't that bad. It was watchable actually. I'm not a big fan of thriller dramas but I liked this one, I felt engaged and interested in the why for all the mysteries involving the couple.

However, I wished the drama ended in ep 10 cause the big revelations were the highlight of the narrative, which was ruined by eps 11 and 12.

What was that last episode really?! The contrivances in the plot were so visible that it hurt me. What was the need of all that war zone part? Unnecessary! And his reasons for leaving her were so meh. Like, if he needed time to think about what his father did to her family, that's ok I understand that. But not talking to her, leaving her in the dark and expecting her to just sit idly waiting for his return was so fucked up of him. I hated the ML in that moment. It just wasn't the same for me in the end. I was really bothered by all that. So much so that I couldn't care about these characters and their love anymore.

The second leads were interesting and had chemistry, but they were, as many are, just there to support the plot and be pretty together. They had potential but were underused for the sake of the leads' narrative. Disappointing.

I'm giving an 8 because, in terms of writing, the drama did good until close to the ending. But the last episode was just delulu to me.

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A lifetime of Devotion

The emotional intensity between the male lead and the female lead created tremendous chemistry. The story overall was a very good one. The eventual development of their relationship was heart touching. Their inability to be vulnerable with each other from the beginning of their marriage and open in their communication and feelings cost them a lot of unnecessary anguish. But, it did make for a very complex relationship. I do feel somewhat frustrated by the male lead's need to punish himself for something he did not do. Several of the supporting casts added in a positive way to the story. I especially liked the cute romantic Kang.

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What a Rollercoaster ...

... but a good Rollercoaster. Honestly, I was not expecting go get thrown a curveball E1. I saw it as one of those dramas that would be a slow start and the high ratings came from the climax, but this one came on swinging ... in a good way!

The story itself is ok. I think what really kept me rushing to click next episode and skip intro were the well-timed cliffhangers where you absolutely HAVE to know what the heck is going on. The story flows at a pace to keep you entertained and makes perfect sense ... until the last episode. I'm sure the more seasoned K-Drama fans know that the last episode is always a dude. The twists, turns, how things tie together and the reveals are worth the watch (again, this DOES NOT apply to the last episode because I don't think it was part of the same storyline). Another drama that I applaud for not making a love triangle the center of the story.

The acting I felt was chef kiss. You never knew who the antagonist and protagonist were until they decided to reveal it all, then the roles reversed and the actors really made it seamless. The chemistry between the two main leads was perfection. Some of those kisses definitely had me clutching my imaginary pearls.

The music was fitting. It wasn't anything that overtook or distracted you from a scene and they were songs that I'd find myself humming after a binge of a few episodes.

I think this has a decent amount of rewatch value if you find yourself a fan of the story. Some of the things that happen throw you for such a loop, you almost want to rewarch again to see if you had noticed anything differently.

Overall, I enjoyed this drama. Be warned, the last episode is so odd and not anywhere near fitting of the rest of the drama. Don't let it sway your ratings. The 11 episodes are addicting.

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Action packed & incredibly romantic mystery

Wow the 1st half is so so good. The unimpressive/kinda boring opening credits are probably the only semi"bad" thing.

The 2nd half is not as good as things escalate. The plot stretches to the limits of my plausibility meter but these gaps are quickly forgotten with the drama's fast pace. Although only 12 eps long this drama feels a bit longer - in a good way. The twists and turns make for an exciting ride with good closure touching on explaining everything before wrapping things up with a nice satisfying ending.

This drama was very well done and one of the most creatively told stories I've watched in a long time. Really fun to watch with well paced surprises throughout. This drama is very entertaining and action packed while still managing to be incredibly romantic. There are unexpected LOL comedic interactions and jealousy inducing romantic moments that would speed melt the hardest hearts.

Casting is impeccable. The acting is superb especially the ML. He is an exceptional artist. (I haven't watxhed him before but I'll be looking more of his dramas as I find the time.) He nails this character down from all angles. The delivery of some of his best lines are so breathtakingly smooth and swoonworthy. I'm not sure anyone else could replicate or do better. His domineering stares are GQ/Hugo Boss runway steamy while his vulnerable true self makes you melt all the same but for completely different reasons.

Great mix of good and bad relationships on display. I loved the couples and friend circles. I had zero issues with the main lead age gap. They looked so good together and they are both smart mature adults. Their chemistry was fire! Perfect balance of sugary sweet and red hot spice when they turn up the heat. Also, It was nice to see the FL wasn't dumbed down to some childlike character.

This story is told by a director with master skills. Eventhough you might be able to guess the main culprit half way, there is enough going on to keep you hooked.

The scriptwriting is never boring. You'll find unexpected humor, subtle double entendres, plus heartgriping declarations of love and pain. There are characters who must learn to bend and forgive those who may have wronged them to allow for some redemption and freedom. Others need to learn to be stronger, and more steadfast to almost being stubborn. Lessons on honesty and compassion are also key. Every conversation adds to the suspense and emotional intensity.

Cinematography, music and editing are all very good. Some really fun creative shots; all of them interesting and matching the stylish edgy vibe of the whole production. The visuals are high contrast layers of light (bright sunny lush forests and shining ballroom opulence) to sudden shades of grey and moonlit darkness. This parallells our journey as we are shown the multiple sides of each character. The drama keeps you guessing; who is a friend who is not? who is hurt? who is causing the pain? How far are they willing to go? Etc. Etc.

Highly recommend this.

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expected tears got fake smiles.. but it was amazing :‚P

First of all the cast was insanely gorgeous. . this drama was completely diff from anything I’ve seen.. the chemistry btween the leads was fire, and the story's super catchy. . . Honestly, it’s pretty romantic even if it doesn’t seem like it at first, you’ll get it later. Took me forever to understand the deeper meaning, but wtvs... The ending, though? IT RUINED EVERYTHING. I don’t get y they did thattt. Like WHO even thought that was a good idea? I swear, if anyone tries to ruin my drama experience again, I’ll come at them.. I mean, it was a "perfect happy ending", but tbh, it wasn't even CLOSE to satisfy me, I wanted to throw my phone. If the ml had died or if it ended on a sad note, I’d be crying rn. At least I’d have some emotional trauma to hold onto. Still, I was hooked from start to almost finish, so I’m giving it 5 stars. My first Kdrama, and I’m already obsessed js don’t expect perfection, prepare to love it and hate the ending w me. Defo would watch again, but skip the ending. The intro song was js perfection😔💓

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Just stop watching after the first half of ep. 11 and you're good!

I really loved this drama. I was rooting for the main lead and I was crying with them - a lot.
I still couldn't understand why Baek Sa-eon was being such a jerk to her at the beginning, but I could look over that because overall I was just sucked into the show.
I was ready to call it one of my favourite dramas until it suddenly all went south after the second half of the 11th episode. The show strayed away from all logic, brushing over first-time-mentioned topics and didn't care to really explain how things got to happen - but even if they did, I couldn't care less. Because it wouldn't make sense either way.
I was almost ready to drop the drama at this point because I thought it was a 16-episode show, and if that was the direction the drama would continue with, I couldn't finish. After I found out it's only 12 episodes, I watched it until the end, and I can definitely tell, that it was not worth it.
I'm a little shocked by how easily the last 1h 30min could overshadow everything that happened before and ruin the overall image I have about the drama... In the end I decided not to include the last hour of what-the-heck into my rating and just look at the drama as an 11 episode piece.
I would definitely recommend watching it, but I would just keep in mind, that the last episode does nothing for the viewer.

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I enjoyed it a lot, honestly. It made me keep on guessing what the relationship with the kidnapper & Baek Sa Eon & twin orphan. Sometimes I think the kidnapper & Baek Sa Eon are twin brothers. Sometimes I Baek Sa Eon is one of the twins. So, the plot around these three keeps me on edge. Unfortunately, I agree with most of the people in the comment section that the last episode 12 was so unnecessarily messed up. They would've given a nice ending, but it was a total mess.

Moreover, I loved the chemistry between Yoo Yeon Seok & Chae Soo Bin. They look good together. The sexual tension between Baek Sa Eon & Hong Hui Ju was on fire. Also love the way Baek Sa Eon flirted with 406, the way Hong Hui Ju was getting jealous was cute.

Hong Hui Ju mother horrible. Hated her to the core. One good thing is that her step sister is not evil. She is a good person who wants Hing Hui Ju to be happy.

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