When the Phone Rings (2024)

First ten Episodes are watchable but damn those last two episodes

"When the Phone Rings" is a thrilling romance that follows the complex relationship between a spokesman and a sign language interpreter who struggles with selective mutism—an aspect of her character that adds depth to the story, though revealing more would spoil the surprise. Three years into their marriage, they are anything but a typical couple; their communication is virtually non-existent, and their relationship remains hidden from the public eye, leaving her unable to openly acknowledge him as her husband.

The tension escalates when she is kidnapped, and her husband dismisses the call about her abduction, thinking it’s a scam or voice phishing. Fortunately, she manages to escape, taking with her the phone used by the kidnapper to issue threats and demand a divorce. This twist sets the stage for a powerful moment of reclaiming agency through blackmail, showcasing a side of her that starkly contrasts with the innocent persona we’ve come to know.

While the setup and premise of the drama are strong, I found her attempts at making threat calls to be somewhat lacking. It felt like she was playing a risky game without a solid backup plan, which, while entertaining, made me question her choices.

The initial episodes are beautifully intense and thrilling, capturing my attention, but as the story progressed, it began to feel a bit underwhelming for me personally.

This review reflects my personal experience, and I recognize that opinions on the show may vary widely.


There are definitely aspects of "When the Phone Rings" that I really enjoy. For starters, I absolutely love the male lead, Yoo Yeonsook. Typically, I find tsundere male leads a bit overdone, but he brings something special to the role. He embodies his character so well that I often find myself swooning whenever he appears on screen. He has that aura reminiscent of a classic Wattpad character, and his presence and dialogue make him truly engaging. His character is fascinating—not your typical green flag or red flag, but rather a complex grey. Like many male leads, he has a backstory that shapes who he is, but I won’t go into that to avoid spoilers. His character is definitely one of the highlights for me.

Another standout is the female lead, Chae Soobin. She portrays an innocent character forced to live without a voice, which is compelling in itself. What I really appreciate is that she isn’t just a damsel in distress. We get to see a fiery side of her when she makes those intimidating phone calls, and I wish that aspect of her personality had lasted longer or transitioned more into her physical character. Some might see her as weak, but to me, she’s not. She’s someone who yearns to find her place in the world. With a difficult upbringing and a complicated relationship with her mother, she just wants to belong, and it’s heartwarming to see how she lights up when she finally finds that sense of belonging.

The acting is also a stand out element... the leads deliver such nuanced performances that every glance and subtle expression resonates deeply. Their chemistry is palpable and feels so genuine, making their interactions incredibly engaging. The way their relationship evolves from enemies to lovers is refreshing, especially with the added layer of an arranged marriage.

The phone calls serve as a unique form of therapy for both characters, allowing them to open up in ways that push their relationship forward. It’s heartwarming to see how they begin to understand each other better, breaking down the walls that initially separated them. The development of their bond is the drama's heartbeat, and even if the thriller aspect were removed, the romance alone could carry the story effortlessly.

The direction and transitions are expertly crafted, enhancing the emotional depth of the narrative. The original soundtrack complements the scenes perfectly, adding an extra layer of emotion that elevates the viewing experience.

Now, while "When the Phone Rings" has its strengths, there are definitely some aspects that leave much to be desired. The thriller element, which should ideally add suspense and intrigue, often feels disjointed from the romance. It’s almost as if the drama is trying to juggle two separate narratives, one focusing on the romantic development and the other on the thriller plot. While I appreciate the attempts to weave in the male lead's backstory, it sometimes feels like a distraction rather than an integral part of the story, making me wish for a more cohesive approach.

Another significant drawback is the portrayal of the second leads. Their characters and motivations seem out of place, especially since they weren't part of the original webtoon. This lack of integration makes their storylines feel forced, and I found myself skipping through their scenes, as they didn't resonate with me at all. Their investigations, while seemingly connected to the main plot, often lack clarity in motivation, which detracts from the overall flow of the drama.

Overall, "When the Phone Rings" leaves me with mixed feelings. There are moments of excitement, but they are often overshadowed by the inconsistencies in the narrative. I appreciate that the show is limited to 12 episodes, as it prevents unnecessary dragging and maintains a tighter storyline. It’s an interesting watch, but it could have benefitted from a more focused approach to both its romance and thriller elements.

The last two episodes of the series were truly a disappointment, and not in a way that was entertaining. It felt like the writer had lost touch with the story, leading to a plot that was both confusing and frustrating. The constant recycling of scenes became tiresome, and the supposedly intelligent characters made decisions that were completely out of character, which was jarring to watch.

The introduction of the argan war zone plot felt like a forced twist that took up almost 40 minutes of the finale, and it seemed disconnected from the overall drama of the series. The male lead’s disappearance due to his "noble idiocracy" and his delayed return after half a year felt unrealistic. When he finally reached out to the female lead, it was hard to believe she would run into a war-torn country only to get kidnapped again. Their heart-to-heart talk and the rushed make-out scene while being chased felt poorly timed, and the subsequent bed scene seemed like a desperate attempt to rekindle the romance.

Despite the initial addiction to the series, the spark has faded significantly. While the characters themselves were interesting and the chemistry between the leads was a highlight, the lack of character development and the flawed script overshadowed the acting, which remained strong throughout. Overall, the last two episodes extinguished any remaining excitement I had for the series.

Anyways I appreciate the acting, the interesting characters who could have been properly developed or utilised, the maiznf chemistry between the leads the sensual kiss scenes and maybe the osts.

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Not worth picking up

The drama asks a lot of leeway to be given, to root for the romance, but it fails to earn them with the two important categories which is the writing and the chemistry. The two leads doesn't bring any sparks in their individual scenes let alone together. Had it been better actors that suited the roles and the romantic chemistry together, it would have brought life to the drama to the dark family secrets they bear the scars of. It was really lazy of the drama which puts so much emphasis on sign language to not spare an expository line that Hee Joo can sign both KSL and BSL because there is not just one universal sign language when she went to that political shindig on duty as an interpreter. It's ridiculous that Sa Eon decides to save her from a political arranged marriage by forcing her to marry him and proceeding to treat her coldly and harshly for three whole years until she snaps from the mistreatment, but it's all okay and romantic because he's been in love with her for decades and was doing it for her own good. Hee Joo just has the lowest bar from being horribly by her mother all her life. Hee Joo also has terrible survival instincts, just going back into her car that was previously shown very high jack-able. Her willingness to take the wheel from the kidnapper and drive it into death would be more impressive if she's not so callous usually. She just gets kidnapped needs saving in some way again and again, the designated damsel. Sa Eon getting out of the car to face down the serial killer with a shotgun rather that flooring it as soon as he saw who it was, either forward or backward is really ridiculous, especially considering he does that with a whole squad of militia firing at him while he plays international batman. He shouldn't have sent her any clues, of course she would just intentionally literally walk into a warzone and just so happen to survive unharmed enough to be rescued. The political stance the show decides to randomly take at the end is pretty horrific, though it seems that may be bad translation work, which is very ironic in a show that's centered around a presidential spokesman and presidential interpreter.

A plot line that was almost good was Do Jae's tragic arc with him out for revenge against his brother's killer only to unwittingly end up helping the guy instead and the unyielding support is what Sa Eon unconsciously craves so much that he blindly trusted Do Jae, even more than he trusted Hee Joo. Better writing could have done more with this meaty plot line, as was In A's heel turn to want sisterhood with Hee Joon randomly after all these years. They should have shown what exactly made her feel this way in the three years she was gone from the plot.

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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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it a nice movie

This Drama is the savior of those failed to capture the heart of many kdrama fan like me. The turns and twist can makes you want more of it, the casting I mean the undeniable chemistry of the leads is quite amazing, before it aires some says it will fail as the leads age gap is huge but they prove it wrong. I watched 3 episodes, and I am already waiting for the next, there is a mystery from the past that connects the leads, and crazy how my intuition saying that the leads college friend is the mystery guy.This drama challenge the power of my intuition. Let see after more eps revealed. I hope the prod and director handle it well and not over cooked it. Kudos! we also feel the sparks between the two, it’s nice to be in love, much nicer if secretly.

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MY FAVE KDRAMA FOR THIS YEAR 2024

This drama is absolutely captivating! I haven't been this invested in a K-drama in ages. Each episode was so good, keeping me on the edge of my seat. Surprisingly, not a single episode feels dull. Just when you think the previous one was the best, the next surpasses expectations, delivering peak after peak!

The OSTs also are all so good. Non stop with the "Numb". AND The casting of Yoo Yoon Seok and Chae Soo Bin is pure genius! THE CHIMESTRY! OML. it's electrifying! That scene on the latest episode (episode 7) has me blushed profusely. The drama's pacing, paired with exceptional acting, makes for an unforgettable viewing experience. Bravo to the entire production team!

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Captivating show ! I am watching it on loop ?

I must say this show has exceeded my all the expectations. From the very first episode, I got butterflies and this feeling is still there.
The drama is so good. As everyone is saying even first episode is addictive. The director and screen writer have done great work i think. They have worked hard on this, and it can be shown right away. To talk about expressions and acting of actors, they should receive awards. Yoo yeon seok must be really good actor. I appreciate his skills and talent, as well as chae soobin. Both actors have worked hard on it. The show is going to hit and everyone's hard work is going pay off. God bless.

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Marriage of convenience becomes dullsville when turned into a Marriage of love

After an attempted kidnapping and resulting chaos, an arranged marriage couple is forced to communicate when the phone rings.

WHAT I LIKED

- Interesting start and a satisfactory first half.
- Liked the characters diversity in terms of their professions; appreciated the scenes with the sign language.
- The story was entertaining till the couple got together.
- Intriguing thriller elements and an impressive soundtrack.
- Good performance overall, but Chae Soo Bin's expressions felt a bit flat at times.

WHAT I DISLIKED

- Quality declined after the main couple's union with mediocre dialogue.
- Couple interactions felt more artificial in the second half.
- The unnecessary plot points that weren't concluded clearly.
- The final episodes were mostly filler scenes with a climactic conclusion.

Overall, an okayish watch. Recommended if you want to watch more Wattpad-style stories and just for fun with limited brain consumption.

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