When the Phone Rings

Cliche melodrama

It was good from the start i must say. I waited for every episodes everyweek till episode 6. It was interesting to watch the relationship between both fl and ml. I thought there would be some depth in the story. Cause i watched dramas like this more than 10 years ago. So it was normal for me to expect something new and different. I agree ir was kinda different from the start. The episodes cliffhanger made me curious too. After 6th episode it was so hard to watch i just skipped all the parts . I still dont why it has so much hype. Like there's nothing other than the cast.

It's totally my point of view. But if you're an old kdrama watcher i doubt that you will like this. Eventually new kdrama watchers won't like this too ig. I had hopes with this drama but umm this disappointed me specially the ending too.

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felt very pointless most of the time

the story is not sufficient to hold together a series, and lacks authenticity. their lovestory felt rushed, they just decided they love this person to death, and everyone has to go with it. the acting was good from both their ends, the only good thing in this drama. yes this is fiction but as i was watching i couldn't help but be in disbelief about the insane choices these characters were making or the figurative somersaults the plot kept doing.

the main problem is the lack of connectivity with the audience.

the trials and tribulations of a presidential spokesperson who is pretending to be his half brother's son who also happens to be the next presidential candidate? it doesn't end there, his wife isn't really her, she's her sister who can speak but is forced to not because she has to keep being a step daughter to the ceo of a news channel. and this is the only thing going on in the drama. the attempt at angst felt too forced at times. i don't understand why they kept "torturing" themselves for absolutely no reason at all.

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Why the phone calls turn into marriage counseling? i wanted a psychotic wife!! weird ending

There's not really any spoilers in this review but the last two episodes were weird just so you know. This drama has been a rollercoaster. I think a 7 is fair. Previously, I gave it a 6.5 but maybe I was too harsh. Despite the plot issues, I did find it decently entertaining to watch weekly.

The first few episodes had me extremely interested. I generally like all the set pieces it has, like the enemies to lovers and the mysterious background. But it fell apart halfway through for me because I was personally expecting the FL to do some crazy stuff.
So here's the summary: Due to a childhood accident, FL became selectively mute.
FL gets kidnapped because she's the wife of the CEO ML and some guy really hates him. She steals the kidnapper's cell phone and starts threatening her husband with it that she wants a divorce. Then she didn't want a divorce. Then he found out she did it, and they talked on the phone, even though she was mute. But she's only occasionally mute and she thinks he doesn't know it's her on the kidnapper's cell phone. xD

Side characters: I felt like 2nd ML Ji sang U's(the YouTube investigator) storyline was implemented randomly throughout the show. You don't really see why he cares so much about the missing children until the end.
Glad the FL's sister wasn't annoying.

The actual romance: The leads' relationship was fake in the beginning. So, I found it hard to care about them actually wanting to reciprocate feelings. I continued watching it because it felt funny.

The acting is what made me keep watching. The male lead & the villain are really the soul of this drama (I totally didn't realize ML's the one who played Gu dong mae in Mr. Sunshine). This has got to be the most lighthearted role Choi Soo-bin has ever played. Just to repeat, the kidnapper was the best villain i've seen in a long time.

Episode 8- the mystery of ML's past /and what their parents have done has made the plot interesting again. I still can't get over how traumatized FL is that she thinks the situation is ok and his love makes it all better now. Lol.

Music- nothing memorable to me.

I still don't think this drama is worth 8.9 points. ml just runs away at the end to join a war in another country lol ???

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Addicting first half that manages to flounder in the middle just to drown right at the finish line

When the Phone Rings hooked us with its trailer and the expectation of a suspenseful thriller that appeared to boast of intense chemistry and exciting action. And those first 6 episodes? The did deliver a good portion of that. The chemistry between the main cast, the riveting characters and their secrets, the well paced and engaging movement of the plot. It was all there and kept me as a viewer addicted to the screen waiting for the next episodes to appear. But then the show pivots from the thriller we were enjoying into a romance that morphed the characters, slowed the plot, and threw logic out the window. Ultimately leaving a bad taste in your mouth by the end of the finale.

We begin with Baek Sa Eon, a high profile political figure from a prestigious family, marrying the youngest daughter of another prestigious family. For the selectively mute youngest daughter, Hong Hui Ju, the marriage is but a cage where she is the replacement for her sister and used to connect the families for political reasons. She is told never to reveal that she is married to him and he treats her with a cold indifference while living in the same home for 3 years. But someone becomes aware of her existence and attempts to use her to threaten Baek Sa Eon by kidnapping her. This is where the plot really begins. While Hui Ju manages to get away from the kidnapper she also takes with her the phone that he used to call Sa Eon and ends up using it to try to escape her marriage thus unknowingly beginning to unravel Sa Eon's true nature and intentions. Now caught between learning more about her husband and being used by the kidnapper threatening him Hui Ju and Sa Eon race to find answers and undo misunderstandings.

Beautifully shot, well styled, well acted, and with a great OST this drama had the beginnings to become a really great drama. Then the second half began and this is where you see both characters fall in love and we lose the interesting, intelligent, and cold Baek Sa Eon to the fool for love version of himself and the strong, independent, snarky, and determined Hui Ju to the stereotypical damsel in distress. The reveals are predictable at this point and the plot dissolves into a bit of nonsense. The antagonists aren't given enough development to make their movements and motivations completely believable and the last two episodes fail to bring any excitement and instead deliver more annoyance than anything. The final episode was the last straw as the first 40minutes offer only ridiculous choices made through motivations that make no sense and could have been completely removed to only see the last 20minutes.

While I did really enjoy the first half of this show the second half managed to remove all the original good things about the show and ultimately delivered a disappointing, nonsensical mess.

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A love story out of wattpad, webnovels, and cliches

The first two eipsodes felt promising and after that all of a sudden it became a romance that justifies abuse of a neglect husband and the reason why he has ingnored his wife is given in later episodes and it was really awful.

The romantic scenes and love/ romance story part of this drama are just like the typical webnovels and wattpad ArrogantCEOXInnocent wife theme. While certain scenes are mixture of thriller dramas consisting of abnormal parents and family secrets.

The drama is at the most one time watch, if you don't mind cliche but this drama doesn't fall in 8.9 cateogry lol. The story isn't unqiue at all, the unique part was long gone at episode 2, after that this drama is mess of all kinds of stories. It's like drama is struggling to identify itself as a thriller or a romance.

The romance is a typical innocent female lead who somehow rescued by a cold man who only has heart for her. And the thriller is even worse, the ML in so many instances had the chance of knowing the culprit, but it took him long enough and FL is so dumb at many times and could be easily caught but isn't due to plot armour.

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Full on tropes but are well executed.

It never promised a groundbreaking - oscar worthy masterpiece, but it was perfect on its own right.


For the future watchers and those starting the drama right now. The ways you can actually enjoy this drama.


1. Always think of the drama logic. The show is for pure entertainment, a guilty pleasure. If you are here thinking it would be a realistic drama, then you won't enjoy it. Abandon the technicalities and your personal projections.

2. It is a thriller romance, so both genres are entertwined. You will feel the angst and frustration, but you will also feel the intense chemistry of the leads.


3. Plot-wise, your questions will be answered as you go along the rest of the episodes. Any other "logic" you are thinking of, please refer to number 1.


4. Instead of thinking "how/what will I do in this situation" it should be "how/why did Heejoo & BSE do that". Then you will enjoy this more. Again, point number 1.



But seriously, as a long time drama watcher, I am easy to please. As long as the leads acting are great, intense chemistry and good communication are present, idrc about the craziness around them. So for those who are like me, you will enjoy it.

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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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the plot sucks

The plot is built with several levels of complexity, opening many possible doors for the story to develop. But in the end, there are so many doors that got tangled up. A weak story, with 12 episodes that could have been only 8. The main male character starts off with bad and self-centered behavior and later claims that he was like that to defend the female protagonist, but this is done in such an inconsistent way that it seems like a comedy. Don't get me wrong, the actors carried the story, both the main and supporting ones, but the story was poorly written, purposeless, disorganized and shallow.

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When the Phone Rings: A Promising Start Derailed by Confusing Plot Twists and a Chaotic Finale

When the Phone Rings is a K-drama that begins with a promising premise but quickly loses its way, leaving viewers confused and unsatisfied. I’d rate it a 5.5 out of 10 because while it had potential, it failed to deliver on multiple levels. The first few episodes were genuinely engaging, with an intriguing mystery surrounding the strange calls and their connection to the characters’ pasts. The cinematography was solid, and the pacing was tight in the beginning, keeping the audience hooked. However, as the episodes progressed, the narrative became increasingly convoluted. Instead of providing answers, it piled on more subplots and cryptic hints that ultimately led nowhere.

The last episode deserves a special mention—mostly for how bewildering it was. The supposed “resolution” felt more like a rushed, incoherent mess than a proper conclusion. The introduction of Zinoism, a fictional philosophy that claimed to bridge destiny and free will, felt like a last-minute addition meant to seem profound. However, it was poorly explained and failed to connect to the broader story. Paik Sa Eon’s decision to go to war was one of the most baffling plot points. Why would a character who had been portrayed as someone trying to escape violence suddenly decide to become a martyr in a conflict that was barely explained? The show’s attempt to make this a symbolic act of “freedom from fate” felt forced and unearned, leaving viewers scratching their heads.

Overall, When the Phone Rings is an example of a series that started strong but suffered from poor writing, a lack of coherent storytelling, and overly ambitious themes that it couldn’t execute well.

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Turn your brain off and enjoy

This drama is super fun, if you set your suspension of disbelief at Max and come with your expectations in check.

You may love this drama as much as I did (contentious finale included) if:

1. You like soap operas, trashy romance novels, and/or wattpad fanfics (or if you're old like me good ol' ff.net)
2. You love romantic thrillers with a high tolerance for makjang plot points
3. You love angsty desperate romances
4. You aren't nitpicky about the smaller details

You may not like this drama if:

1. You want a green flag ML, everyone is unhinged here do not expect normal people behaviour from pretty much anyone
2. You have a low tolerance for miscommunication (or the complete lack of communication)
3. You have a low tolerance for batshit plot twists
4. You hate the time skip/separation trope

As a makjang tropey romantic thriller this is great fun. Absolute junk food of a drama. Grab some popcorn and buckle up.

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It was close

I really enjoyed this series and waited each week for new episodes to release. The actors did their job well, the story was engaging and had some unexpected plot twists. The last episode was a bit of a letdown for me. It felt very cheesy and forgettable. It felt like 2014 daytime TV. I honestly preferred their relationship earlier in the series. Overall, I don’t think the show was a waste of time, but I do wish it had more of a serious undertone.

To add more to the review, I thought not only the main actors did well, but I thought the actors playing the parents did a great job. Maybe better than the main pair. I thought Chae Soo-bin could have done better; or maybe it was just the writing or directing of her character Hong Hee-joo; it felt very one-dimensional, even with the very clearly two-dimensional portrayal according to the storyline.

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