When the Phone Rings

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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When the Phone Rings (2024) – My Honest Review

So, I just finished *When the Phone Rings*, and honestly, I have so many thoughts. This drama started off *so strong*—it had mystery, romance, and just the right amount of political drama to keep things interesting. The main story follows Baek Sa Eon (played by Yoo Yeon-seok), a politician from a prestigious family, and his wife, Hong Hui Ju (Chae Soo-bin), a sign language interpreter who lost her voice as a child. At first, their marriage seems like one of convenience, but when Hui Ju gets kidnapped, things take a serious turn, and we start to see their relationship unfold in a really emotional way.

First off, the chemistry between Yoo Yeon-seok and Chae Soo-bin was **everything**. Chae Soo-bin, in particular, *carried* this drama. Even without speaking, her expressions and emotions were so powerful. The way their relationship evolved from distant to deeply connected was probably my favorite part of the show. I also really liked the supporting characters, especially Heo Nam-jun and Jang Gyu-ri, who added some depth and even a little bit of humor when things got heavy.

Now, let’s talk about the issues. The first half? *Amazing.* But as the show went on, the plot started to get a little messy. Some of the twists felt unnecessary, and by the last few episodes, I felt like the drama lost some of the emotional depth it had in the beginning. And then there was the controversy about how the drama portrayed certain fictional countries, which sparked debates online. I personally wasn’t too bothered, but I can see why it caused discussions.

That said, *When the Phone Rings* still had a solid impact. It pulled me in with its suspense and romance, and even though the ending wasn’t as strong as I’d hoped, I don’t regret watching it. If you love dramas with intense emotions, deep character relationships, and a bit of political intrigue, I’d still recommend giving it a shot. Just be prepared for some pacing issues later on!

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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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Not what I expected but in a good way

Review

9/10 is my rating. The plot was very engaging until about the last episode. Then it took sort of a weird turn in my opinion but then got back on track. If you want something a little different this definitely has that uniqueness to it. The leads have good chemistry, and the romance is paced well. I recommend it for those that like their romance with a bit of intrigue. That is the rarer form of romance.

Spoilers

The only part I really did not like is when he randomly decided to become some mercenary like person in another county. After all they had gone through he was just going to be like "see ya" and take off on some weird trip. Then she goes there, in a known dangerous area, gets kidnapped as was predicted and he just happens to be the one to rescue her. The whole thing was just a weird insert. Totally unnecessary to the story.

Her mom was horrible early on, and they never fully explained why she was like that to her and then later was just like "never mind." I mean I think it was because she didn't want her outshining her new stepsister but still, weird. Then, toward the end she is like okay she can hear now so we are good right? Right? I was glad main girl was like we are going to have to take it slow and I am not telling you where I live.

They sure created a good psycho. But I am like seriously dude you are going to fall for the same thing twice. You already know main girl will just wreck you both, yet you are going to try the exact same thing again?

Scroll Down for a Unique Synopsis

Synopsis

This is a 2024/2025 South Korean Romance Mystery Suspense Drama with 12, that run 64-70 minutes.

The couple in this thriller are in a marriage arranged for political and family gain and have barely spoken to each other in their three-year marriage. Paik Sa-eon (Yoo Yeon-seok) is the youngest spokesman for the Blue House a role which he gained as a former war correspondent and counter terrorist resource. He seems very cold and harsh to his wife, Hong Hee Joo (Chae Soo-bin) who is selectively mute as a result of a traumatic traffic accident. To the outside world Yoo Yeon-seok is a lovingly devoted husband who keeps his wife out of the public eye due to threats to her safety. Their life is upended when Hee joo is kidnapped but Sa-eon doesn't believe it and proclaims they are frauds and that he will believe them when they show him her corpse. This is a final straw for Hee joo, and she turns the tables on the very real kidnapper and claims the phone he had been using in the process.

Having the phone provides what Hee joo perceives is a way out of her cold, loveless marriage. Hee joo uses the voice modulator to sound like her captor and negotiate herself a divorce.

This sets off a whole chain of intrigue as the two discover secrets hidden in the past, conspiracies and deception. As the conversations intensify, the love that was lying under surface emerges and the couple must pull together to uncover the true enemies that threaten not only their well-being but their very existence.

#WhenThePhoneRings #YooYeonSeok #ChaeSooBin

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A Hodgepodge of craziness but it's Entertaining

I wonder if I would like “When the Phone Rings” more if I had watched while it was airing and joined in the hype and obsession on the Feeds. I vaguely remember the hype of a hot red flag ML in the beginning, the sizzling chemistry, screenshots of hands and veins, and how everyone was quite obsessed with the drama.

Unfortunately, since I binged this, what goes in my head might have been the exact opposite of the hype. I do still think the chemistry between Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae Soo Bin is pretty good, though the majority of the time that happened on the phone. But I don’t get the craze about the hot red flag ML nor the slow-motion supposedly romantic shots, or the hands. I felt that these elements gave the drama a very fake rom-com feel, especially when this is not a romantic comedy. But yet, does this drama know what it really wants to be?

It started out as a serious drama with a thriller/mysterious plot. The background of the Presidential Office, Presidential spokesperson, interpreter and Presidential candidate give this drama a more ‘serious’ vibe. But once you add on the ridiculousness of the phone calls, it becomes a makjang. Add on those slow-mo romantic shots, it became a romantic comedy with accidental trips and kisses.

Let’s talk about the phone calls. The first one or two, I could understand the frustration and the daringness of it. As time goes by, these daily phones happen so frequently that there is not way a smart ML couldn't decipher someone’s wrong and the tone has changed. From a threatening voice of a murderer and kidnapper, to a lonely housewife who wanted a divorce and then a lovesick girl who just wanted to be loved by her first love. The change is so drastic that it’s ridiculous it can go on for so long. Unfortunately, that’s why the drama is called “When the Phone Rings”.

But viewers and Feeds users are correct that the second half just went down the hill into pure makjang territory. I don’t even know what that ending was. It took 2.5 long episodes to wrap up the thriller part, when we already knew who the culprit was. I could also understand wanting to leave the world behind after all that happened, but to disappear like that and to a place so ridiculous? The sunset reason is just weak. The whole last episode is just a filler. What is up with the sudden wedding announcement? We skipped the whole relationship and I was waiting for it to happen.

Despite all my complaints, I am still giving “When the Phone Rings” a rounded up 8.0. You can’t deny it was entertaining with great acting by Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae Soo Bin. Big applause to Chae Soo Bin for all the sign language she needs to learn, and there’s quite a few. I am a sucker for the enemies-to-lovers trope and despite the whole phone calling unreasonable plot, I do like the transition of the leads relationship. Kisses are great, as well, and that is to be expected from Yoo Yeon Seok. Everyone looks good (nice clothes and suits) and sounds good.

If you go in knowing what to expect - that is - not a serious thriller/mystery drama, and enjoy a hodgepodge of craziness, “When the Phone Rings” can be very entertaining.



Completed: 2/2/2025 - Review #539

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Very intriguing

I always wait until a drama has all the episodes available, but when reading all the comments about how good this show was, I was almost certain to be disappointed. But it was just as good as all the comments I read. Yoo Yeon Seok as Sa Eon and Chae Soo Bin as Hui Ju were excellent. I hated him at the beginning, as I was meant to, but once a couple of layers of the mystery were revealed, I loved the character. Chae Soo Bin doesn't have much facial expression (perfect for I Am Not a Robot), and that also gave me pause, but they were both perfect in their roles.

ML and FL had amazing chemistry. One thing that really stood out to me was the way they always highlighted his wedding ring. That was my first clue about how he felt about her.

This is the first drama I've watched in a while that I did not fast forward through any of it. I was able to just enjoy it for what it was and not pick apart any logic or lack thereof. I looked forward to each episode, anxious to see what was going to happen next.

I have to say, I didn't care for the casting (or maybe it was the acting) of the SML. He had an odd look about him and I couldn't get past the feeling that he was a bad guy. Also, I felt that the role of In A, Hui Ju's sister, was miscast. She seemed entirely too old, more like her mother.

I don't give out a bunch of 10 ratings, but this probably would have been one of them, if it weren't for Episode 12. What the heck?!?! I couldn't suspend disbelief that far. Did they give a third string writer a chance to write the last episode? It had nothing to do with the rest of the show, was sloppy, and irritated me. If the main couple had managed to get together in episode 11, I'd just tell people to skip episode 12!

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Interesting Story Line

At first I wasn’t sure about this drama but I have it a chance. It has an unusual story line. The main leads worked well together. Kudos to FL for her sign language skills. that must have taken work to learn everything. the ML/FL worked well together. They played their characters well. I also enjoyed the second leads. They worked well together and I think they would be good in another drama. As far as the last episode goes…I think it could have flowed better. They could have taken the jungle story line out of it. It ruined it and the flow of the drama. I wanted to give this a 10 but the ending wasn’t right and was a bit disappointing.

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A Masterpiece of Suspense and Emotion – "When the Phone Rings"

"When the Phone Rings" is a beautiful and emotional love story that keeps you hooked from start to finish. What makes it special is that the main couple, Baek Sa-eon (Yoo Yeon-seok) and Hong Hee-joo (Chae Soo-bin), have a strong and healthy relationship—they face challenges together without unnecessary breakups or misunderstandings. Their love feels real, filled with deep trust and support. The drama blends romance and mystery in a way that keeps you engaged, with stunning visuals and heartfelt moments. It’s the perfect watch if you want a touching, well-written love story that leaves you feeling warm and satisfied.
The lead actors deliver powerhouse performances, bringing raw emotion and depth to their roles. You’ll find yourself rooting for them, crying with them, and even questioning their decisions as they navigate the moral dilemmas presented by the mysterious phone.
Visually, this drama is stunning. The cinematography is moody and atmospheric, perfectly capturing the tension and emotion of each scene. The use of lighting and color palettes enhances the storytelling, creating a sense of unease and wonder. And let’s not forget the soundtrack – a hauntingly beautiful score that lingers in your mind long after the episode ends.
At its core, When the Phone Rings is a story about redemption, forgiveness, and the power of human connection.
In short, When the Phone Rings is a must-watch. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions, a puzzle of mysteries, and a testament to the power of storytelling. Don’t miss out on this incredible journey – answer the call and dive into this unforgettable drama!

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A drama that gets better with every episode

I've never been a big fan of popular dramas or those that are more cliché, but I really feel like I enjoyed watching this drama and I don't feel like I wasted my time at all. Although I must confess that during the first few episodes I wasn't enjoying it that much, more or less until episode 5 I felt like the story didn't make much sense, but as the episodes went by, the story started to get better and it caught me little by little, so much so that in the last episodes I was really excited and just wanted to know what was going to happen at the end. I think that the story is the most remarkable thing about the drama, that it's the most important thing and that it's definitely worth watching at least once.

But if I had to say something bad about the drama it would definitely be that there are many things that don't make sense in real life and that could end up being absurd like the whole sequence on the mountain and what comes after, also the last episode and the ending is a bit confusing and you could end up losing the thread.

Other than that, it's really a drama that I enjoyed a lot, with a good story, a good main couple with very good chemistry, a very good side couple as well, and also funny moments that can really make you laugh, not like in some other dramas, I really recommend watching this.

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