Editorials 
Great first couple of episodes
When I first started watching this drama I was excited.The first few episodes where really well paced and captivating, the story had an interesting baseline and the acting was on pair. I’m not a huge fan of the ML but I think he did a good job. As for the FL, I think she was a good cast for this role.
However, the further I watched the less I enjoyed it. The plot started to become just too unrealistic (considering the main theme of this genre).
I could feel how hard they were trying to keep the episodes eventful, but with no real substance, just piling up a false sense of intensity.
The writing was chaotic but predictable at the same time and the support roles where too superficially explored for me to develop an interest.
The final episodes where just plane nonsense in my opinion, it was just unnecessary and unrealistic intensity that made no sense whatsoever.
Overall, WTPR has the correct ingredients to captivate viewers and it could have been a great exciting drama, but it ended up falling short.
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One of the most craziest shows i have watched
I think this show is good but a few things could have been different. For starters i thought it was kinda weird that anytime the main couple were happy, one of them had to either get seriously hurt or do something problematic. but at the same time at least it kept you wtaching because you find out something new every episode and that makes you want to keep watching i also wanted to talk about how we practically lost the plot after the first few episodes it was almost too much happening and also the end was SOOOO rushed i would have been happier with a sad ending than a happy ending episode 12 was was absolutely stupid i mean its the last episode and sae on still hasn't found hee Jo its already dumb to start off the last episode with the mc still being lost the whole purpose of a last episode is too show how he main characters life's are going and i also give credits to this show for making me cry almost every episode and the characters and plot in general was pretty smart and good so im still gonna rate it high bc it has its goods and bads but every show does doesn't it 🤷♀️.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A Whole Convoluted Mess… But Somehow Romantic
I went into When the Phone Rings expecting a tense psychological thriller mixed with romance, and while it definitely had moments that pulled me in emotionally, by the end I felt like the entire drama was one giant convoluted setup just to bring two emotionally repressed people together.The strongest part of the drama was honestly the emotional tension between the leads. Their relationship carried the show. Watching two people who barely knew each other slowly open up, communicate, and realize how much they actually loved one another was compelling. The chemistry worked, and I think that’s why so many people stayed invested even when the plot started unraveling.
But the writing? Whew.
The drama introduced SO many huge twists:
* illegitimate children
* replacement identities
* corrupt family dynamics
* childhood murders
* basement imprisonment
* revenge plots
* kidnappings
* political power games
…only for the ultimate takeaway to basically be: “we should have communicated better.”
The biggest letdown for me was the antagonist. The show wanted him to feel terrifying and psychologically complex, but the more they explained his backstory, the less sense his motivations made.
We’re told he was a child serial killer who murdered other children from an orphanage while being secretly locked away in a basement (already a wild setup that raises way too many questions). Then his grandfather attempts to kill him by drowning him in a boat… but somehow doesn’t even confirm he’s dead. The caretaker discovers he survived and just lets him go? Go where exactly? Did nobody think maybe a homicidal child should be monitored?
Then years later, after surviving abandonment, attempted murder, and isolation, his entire obsession becomes ruining the life of the replacement grandson.
That’s where the writing lost me.
A true psychopath/revenge-driven villain would logically want revenge on the ENTIRE family system that abused and discarded him — especially the adults responsible. Instead, he hyper-fixates on another traumatized child who literally watched him get drowned and was powerless to stop it. The show tries to frame this as emotional betrayal, but it just didn’t feel believable to me.
And don’t even get me started on how many times this man escaped situations he realistically should not have escaped from. The police and security in this drama were basically decorative.
Also: the female lead got kidnapped SO many times that eventually I started laughing every time it happened. Ma’am. Please. Stay inside. Learn self-defense. Hire security. Something.
The final episodes especially felt messy and overly dramatic for the sake of emotion rather than logic. The war-zone reunion scene had me genuinely laughing because it was filmed like the most romantic thing ever while I was still trying to process how we even got there narratively.
Overall, I think this drama survives mostly because of the emotional connection between the leads. Their chemistry, longing, and eventual honesty with each other gave the story heart. But structurally, the plot became increasingly ridiculous the more you thought about it.
Would I say it was terrible? No.
Was it addictive? Absolutely.
Did it make complete sense? Not even slightly.
Rating: 7/10 — entertaining, emotional, chaotic, and held together almost entirely by romance and vibes.
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ending left a bad taste
casting: i liked the casting, i think the male and female leads made sense for the characters and very well had the faces of their characters. the younger ML and FL were perfect too!plot: I won’t deny that this was a great plot and possible storyline - do i wish we saw a more badass side to the female lead? yes, but the story was pretty good until the last couple of episodes.
a. I hated the sudden, very obvious and uncomfortable amount of propaganda that was thrown at us in nowhere.
b. The whole war arc made absolutely no sense and added nothing substantial to the story..like genuinely why did it even exist.
c. It wasn’t in character, i personally feel like the ending was both rush and out of character for the most part 🤷♀️
overall: it wasn’t a bad show while i was watching it but the ending left a bad taste. so now whenever i think about it, unfortunately, i remember the absolute shitshow the ending was. I personally haven’t recommended it to anyone which is disappointing because it had all the charm to be a really good kdrama.
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I actually did not hate the show, the last two episodes just kinda sucked
I honestly do not hate the show, but the last two episodes peeved me. The 12th episode kinda sucked, it felt like filler for something that should have ended on the 11th episode and the 12th should've just showed them together. Beak Sa Eon (this is likely an incorrect spelling) was the most irritating character for me, i felt this a little at the start but it really solified with him disappearing for no good reason. First off his reason for being mean to Hee Joo sucked almost the same way the mothers reason for forcing her daughter into silence sucked. All the characters' reasons for being rude to Hee Joo only to turn around and say oh we actually care about you (oh boo hoo!!), is stupid (none of them make sense (even the reporter girl was rude at the start and we didnt really address that). Then Beak Sa Eon decides to disappear when all of this could've ended if he stepped on the gas in the 11th episode (there was so much time, but he decides to get out of the car, REALLY!!). But it gets worse, what the heck was that war zone scene, I don't even want to talk about it. The show just irritated me; I'm happy for them but the show lost me. I literally left the show unfinished, as soon as she got kidnapped in the 12th episode, for 2 months, that's how much that nonsense irritated me.Honestly do I recommend the show? yah sure. Do I recommend the last 2 episodes? I would say save your sanity. ✌️
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best krdrama W- plot
this is prolly the best kdrama I have re watched approx 3-4 times and i always have the same kind of excitement for this drama.the plot remains mysterious till the very last episode, the ending is a big turn off did not match the bulid up of the whole drama which is sort of dissapointing, but overall it’s good so it kinda balances out for this one.
this is in my top 5 favourite of all time kdrama list. 100% will rewatch it again
the misunderstanding trope is lit and my personal favourite parts are -
one when when he pins her on the door in the event they go to (in 2nd ep) and the one where is realises that there is a chance that he might have lost her for good.
and also the part where they show the back story of how they ended up getting married.
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fucked it up at the end
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The phone calls that unravel a carefully constructed life
This drama starts off really strong; the first two episodes are gripping and set up the tension nicely. After that, it slows down a bit and drags through the middle, around episodes 3 to 7 where the pacing feels uneven and some plot threads don't land as well as they should. It found its footing again in the final stretch, with the stakes ramping up and the story pulled me back in.The theme of family secrets is strongly explored in this drama. These secrets are revealed in a gradual, staggered manner, often triggered by the central "phone call" mechanism, which keeps the tension high. The family secrets come out as previously withheld information as well as carefully curated history with altered timelines and suppressed relationships. This is all done to maintain social status and to avoid legal and societal consequences.
The central characters are fundamentally reframed, and their motivations and moral positioning is constantly shaken up with each revelation.
The love story is sweet, but subject to high levels of tension. Initially there is affection between the couple, but it is rarely expressed freely, the couple is guarded with each other. Over time, as they experience events together, trust and intimacy grow until they are able to freely express their love. The chemistry is good between these two.
I found the ending a little, uneven and unexpected, not in concept but in execution. The male lead in particular felt slightly inconsistent in that he reverts to acting for the relationship instead of actively participating in it.
The supporting cast although solid, does just enough to maintain the story, I didn't find any one performance to be particularly great.
Overall, it's a solid watch with a compelling premise and strong moments.
7.5/10
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This review may contain spoilers
Female lead and act
Every one doing well except the female lead..her wig is very obvious and expression is same in all situations..male lead is doing very good acting .. background music is very perfect, it's good to watch because of the different theme and direction .now only started so we have to wait until it finishesWas this review helpful to you?
The Writing Style is That of an Old Crusty Boomer
Does the writer like women? The relationships are so toxic. The women are caricatures and the men are brutish and arrogant.The actors are acting and I'm trying to stick with it because of them. We shall see.... It's a hard watch so far. I hope it improves soon. I wish Netflix had a comments feature like Viki.
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Hooked from the First Episode
The thing I love most about this TV series is the way it tells its story. There are plenty of plot twists that keep us guessing about what will happen next. From the very first episode, the storyline is captivating, and you’ll likely find yourself hooked.The main leads are amazing. Their acting feels real, and their connection grows stronger as the story goes on. While their chemistry isn’t obvious at first, you’ll clearly see it develop in later episodes.
It’s no surprise that this drama secured 4th place on Netflix’s Top 10 Non-English TV Series list (Nov 18–24 week) after releasing just the first two episodes. It shows how much viewers are already loving this drama.
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I am Enchanted!
Lovely K-drama and excellent, charming actors. I've watched several Chae Soo-bin dramas and I loved especially I'm Not a Robot. When it comes to Yoo Yeon-seok, I haven't had the privilege of watch him act, but certainly I will do so in the future. He does a brilliant job. If you have the chance to listen OST "See The Light by Lim Hyunsik (BTOB), please do so! Absolutely gorgeous voice and lovely song.Was this review helpful to you?
