When the Phone Rings (2024)

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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It's better than I expected

I'm afraid that this is ONE OF THE BEST DRAMAS of 2024 or even as a whole.

The episodes kept us so immersed 🤤
The actor's deserve a raise for portraying the emotions so well,😭
they did justice to the characters.
Yoo yeon seok, the man you are. Damm he's so good at his work😵‍💫❤️‍🔥 and Chae Soo Bin she killed it, so good. Impressive acting all around, I never felt like they were acting or trying too hard. They perfectly embodied their characters. In the beginning the tension and angst was so palpable.
The chemistry btw the leads is just top tier 🫠💕
The second leads were also cute 🥹💓
Everything about this drama was just perfect and nothing else. 🫡
The last episodes were so intense and dramatic. Their love is so swoon worthy.
I don’t give a crap about the commotion people are causing in the comments because they are cry babies or can't grasp simple plots.

I personally loved it and totally worth every hype it got. Whoever is reading this, please watch the drama you will not be disappointed!

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Final Thoughts

When The Phone Rings is a mesmerizing romantic thriller that masterfully intertwines suspense with emotional depth. It tells the story of Baek Sa Eon, a stoic yet enigmatic figure, and Hong Hee Ju, a resilient woman battling selective mutism and a haunting past. Their relationship evolves amidst a backdrop of mystery, love, and healing, as Hee Ju’s veiled threats and Sa Eon’s protective instincts unravel secrets that bind them together. The show balances a slow-burn romance with gripping tension, delivering powerful themes of trust, growth, and vulnerability. With its poignant storytelling, dynamic character arcs, and atmospheric visuals, it leaves a lasting impression as both a love story and a captivating thriller.

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What Works

Compelling Character Dynamics
The relationship between Baek Sa Eon and Hong Hee Ju is the heart of the show. Their love story is slow-burning, grounded in mutual understanding, and layered with vulnerability. Sa Eon’s stoic demeanor contrasts beautifully with Hee Ju’s quiet resilience, creating a relationship that feels both realistic and deeply moving.

Intriguing Mystery
The thriller aspect, involving Hee Ju’s veiled threats and the unraveling of her past, adds a gripping element to the narrative. The balance between romance and suspense is masterful, ensuring that neither overshadows the other.

Themes of Healing and Growth
The show explores how love and support can lead to healing, especially for Hee Ju, who learns to trust and open up despite her struggles. Similarly, Sa Eon’s journey from a guarded and distant individual to someone who embraces vulnerability is equally compelling.

Cinematography and Direction
The show’s visuals are striking, using muted tones and symbolic imagery to reflect the characters’ emotional landscapes. The direction ensures that every scene feels purposeful, whether it’s a quiet, tender moment or a high-stakes confrontation.

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The cast was good ,the story was perfect until the middle of series , incensario the vague excuse to leave ,the directors didn't use chapters 8-10 to explain the plot very well chapter 11 and 12 should have been the happiest , and could have explained well why the main character left that as a first point ,the second thing I didn't like the main character holding back when hugging the main character, it is known that in the novel he does the opposite and that the main character treats her mother well was like an insult to the Hong Hoo jee in the novel,as a 3 point i loved the kissing scenes and the story in general is very strong and somewhat emotional and the songs of say my name by Yoo Yeon seok amazing and also the song by Lim Yeon Numb really describe how the characters in the drama and the novel feel congratulations for the artists who made these songs, i hope and wish very much to see Yoo Yeon seok and Chae Soo Bin again in other projects together love them and missed them.

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Color me Pink I'm Blushing

Couldn't review this series without starting at the ability the two main actors have at making a kissing scene a lesson in how to do it to make the audiences toes curl By far the most believable kiss scenes just enough and not vulgar I thought that given the premise of the show that for sure it would loose the plot at some point But I am happy to say they kept you guessing intrigued & waiting for the next episode with anticipation Again with the despicable parenting Wow talk about toxic Making your daughter play mute for most of her life & the grandfather killing his own grandson just awful but makes for a killer series Going to miss it!! One critique the mother at the end crying about her son's death is just not pleasant She is not a believable cryer and yelling your cry doesn't make it more emotional just annoying

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Inspite of having a lot to criticize, it was a fun watch

When the phone rings has a intriguing plot, a wife threatening her husband on a phone call, YES. a hot and tsundere husband, YES. it had a lot of elements which made it attractive to watch as a viewer. but once you get into the drama, you'll realise how absurd some things are, which will just make you LAUGH.

I'll start with the pros. Why was it so hyped, it had some good reasons.
1. VERY GOOD CHEMISTRY. the leads just did so well, acting was good, chemistry was good, angst, feelings and everything else, they were an amazing couple.

2. the story, overall, was good. I liked the intense and very confusing plot which will make your mind spin for a minute. yes its a thriller afterall. i think things will not make a lot of sense until like 10th episode.

3. No love traingle, noone who tries to sabotage the couple. im glad they didnt add any 3rd person to the already very intense plot which i anticipated at the hint of fml's sister. i appreciate it <3

4. the pacing. i liked how things were revealed about the fml to ml at a very good speed. it didnt take him forever to figure about out what was going on like in other dramas where main leads discover everything about each other on 12th episode, then 2 episodes of heartbreak and finally happy ending. no, i loved how emotionally stable they were and how things were handled.


now to the cons.

1. very first it was, scientifically speaking, absurd. girlie fell from a cliff, didnt even break a bone. a man died while suffocating on a pillow while oxygen tube was connected to his nose? just remove that damn tube??? these things, where you should feel shocked/sad, you cant help but just laugh at it.

2. execution. as i said i liked the story but the way it was shown was BAD. i did not understand what the heck was going on until 10th episode. everything was just very mixed up and jumbled that you would want to pause and give your brain a break. and then they'll reveal EVERYTHING on 11th episode like you'll have to just take it all.

3. plot twists. the ones you'll guess easily, they'll show it like it was the greatest discovery made. but the ones you wouldnt even recognize as a possibility, they'll show them to you in a whim like it didnt really matter and just go with it. i had to rewind and watch some parts again to understand if what they said was real lol.

4. the fml was lowkey dumb at a lot of parts, especially when she was 406. at first when she threatened him, it was great. but gradually she gets emotionally driven, speaks stuffs that you will NEVER hear from a kidnapper. i can understand why he would think it was an affair partner. she has no real plan, just wants a divorce and has no clue how she'll get that. when ml discovers its her making threat calls, he made it quite obvious that he knows. but she till the end, she doesnt even give it a thought that the boy may already know. and when i tell you SHES SHOCKED TO THE CORE when she discovers it like yeah...

5. the last epsiode. ik they wanted to move the boy somewhere remote so that he's not discoverable but a warzone? and what exactly was he doing there? freeing hostages waiting to get killed? im sorry but when did he become a superman, bro didnt even have a fist fight in the whole drama 😭 the 1st half was so unnecessary just because they wanted to stay true to the novel. okay. also again, the girl easily got into the rebel region, i dont think the writers knew how it works because u cant just get in that easily.

6. lastly , the few seconds on the end. paltima and ijmael. i wonder if they really just put random names or hinted at something entirely different. i hope its not what i think it is because its very insensitive to the real world situations. well, it didnt just sit right with me.

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Fun but I hoped for more

After hearing a lot of hype for this, I decided to check it out. First 4 episodes are fantastic, high tempo thriller that keeps the tension, two great leads and great cast in general. OST really stuck in my mind as well. Then I think drama tried to do way too much. There is way too many plot twists and turns to the story that it overcomplicates storylines for no reason and draws attentions away from the main plot. The romance between the leads has both ups and downs for me. The chemistry is there, but significant age difference really bothered me sometimes, maybe because the female lead has a baby face and looks even younger age than she actually is. Also when it comes to romance, the writers sometimes write it very childlishly as if teens were falling in love and not two adults, when the romance is shown in a mature way that's where it shines.
The finale doesnt stick the landing. It feels as if the show run out of stream and they still needed one more episode.
Overall its a fun watch, but nothing more.

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Truly one of the best Kdramas of 2024

When the Phone Rings has everything in it: sadness, Happiness, and a Thriller. It is a complete package. The acting of the entire cast was top-notch. From the start, the show gave the Wattpad-coded vibes. Yet the last episode was a little boring, especially the Argan part, which I felt was really unnecessary. Instead of that, if we had been shown a little story of the Second lead's love, it would have been better. Nonetheless, the show gave everything and had a very good pacing. Neither too slow to become boring nor too fast to leave many loopholes.
The OST was beautiful and catchy. I will give a little less on the rewatch value because for me it was a one-time watch as there were many plot twists and not many couple scenes of the main leads.
To anyone wishing to start it, do watch it without hesitation. Hands off it was a very good show.

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so far still PROMISING!!!

this drama is getting better and better!
a lot has happened, romance is blooming, secrets are starting to unravel, and i’m totally seated!

Baek Sa Eon looks cold and stiff on the outside, but his heart is full of warmth for Hong Hee Joo. i was so happy when Hee Joo was looking at the photos taken during the team retreat and realized that Baek Sa Eon was looking at her with such loving eyes all the time. it’s amazing how actors can do that—one moment they show you a cold and sharp gaze, and the next, they give you loving heart eyes.

i really want to commend Chae Soo Bin for her sign language skills. her efforts truly shine through, and it’s clear she put in a lot of work. i’m sure it wasn’t easy to learn and memorize, but she comes across as both comfortable and convincing. i’ve seen a drama before where the male lead used sign language, but it didn’t feel authentic at all. that’s why i especially want to applaud her dedication and performance.

p.s. help, i find the actor who plays Ji Sang Woo so charming…

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Unnecessary ending

I have mixed feelings. I really enjoyed the start of this drama. In the halfway I was a bit lost but still it was entertaining. BUT these two last episodes were so messy and the Argan plot was so unnecessary. Who even made that plot? It didn't make any sense and I felt like watching a completely different drama. Why did they have to ruin a good drama with a floppy ending???

Instead of the bad Argan plot, they should have given us the crumbs of Sang U and Yu Ri!!! They build up a great relationship between them just to randomly announce their marriage in the last episode... like c'mon that was so badly written. The actors had great chemistry together and they were very cute but the writers still wasted their potential. How sad :((

One thing I did really like was Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae Soo Bin's chemistry. They acted so well together and looked so cute together. Great chemistry!! Even the intimate scenes were good and didn't seem awkward. They're good kissers xD I'm glad they got the happy ending they deserved.

This drama would have gotten a better rating from me if they had focused on Sa Eon and Hui Ju and the phone. I really loved the conversations between Sa Eon and 406 (Hui ju). Instead they made it messy and added that ridiculous Argan plot, therefore I have to lower my rating. But because I still enjoyed the drama, I will give it an 8.

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