This review may contain spoilers
This was good TV
I am only going to list out everything I liked about this kdrama. I love the OSTs 'See the Light' and 'Numb'. I loved the cinematography. And all the meaningful details they put in with thought that enhanced the love story, mainly The wedding ring. Great chemsitry between the leads- it was old school electric.Mostly I loved all the side characters(love to hate the evil Baeks tho But not my Frankenstein's psycho- hes tragic in his own way). They are all well-rounded and I got attached and was so happy the final episode gave every single one(not 'em Baeks) a happy ending. I love how the step-sister turned out to not be nefarious. And I loved how gentle the second leads were and I only wish they had got more screentime both for themselves and to show more their interactions(I wanted to see Sang-woo see the real grown up kidnapper at least once and also meet his No. 1 fan and fellow commiserant Park Do-jae. And for Yu-ri to finally have that long convo with Hee-joo...). The way boundaries were respected and their feelings were dealt with was refreshing. Reporter Jang is the MVP of the drama. Real Sa-eon's actor(Park Jae-yoon) also gets my respect on his brilliant portrayal which made me feel for him and wishes on his future.
More than anything I love, love, love Mr. Kang and Park Do-jae. Together and separately. I love their stupid bromance and every bit of second-hand cringe war over Sa-eon they are in together. I felt sorry for Do-jae after the reveal. And Mr Kang is a pure ray of sunshine and goodwill. And I adore Mr Kang's 🥕 pens.
But most of all I love Hong Hee-joo and her absolute boss attitude. I called her eonni-ya with utmost respect in my mind.
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A Tale of Two Families
Somewhere inside this melodrama is an excellent story about two people who have trouble communicating with each other and their journey to overcome all and finally open up to each other honestly. The use of the phone calls, sign language and other motifs help to tell this story in a creative away.What is more difficult to achieve in this drama, and where I feel things fall apart a bit especially towards the end, are the more classic drama storylines involving two powerful families with dark secrets and the triller/kidnapper psychotic son. The story simultaneously feels over-bloated and too simplistic - something about the story just does not work by episode 12. However, this is primarily a romance tale, and the superb performances of the cast, particularly Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae Soo Bin as the leads carries the drama to a solid ending.
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This review may contain spoilers
loved this drama! ? was ep 12 perfect? not even close.
loved loved loved this drama! 😍 was ep 12 perfect? not even close. most of it was great but I think we can all agree (surely?) some of the random bits thrown in there (whether part of the original novel or not) felt out of place and not keeping with the same atmosphere/pacing as the previous 11 episodes.The entire scene where she went to find him was super jarring/felt like it was from a different show/not the "wrapping up" episode of an epic romance & thriller drama with only 12 short episodes. While the 1st 11 episodes did "short drama" in a most brilliant fashion with character arches, pacing, etc... episode 12 fell victim to what MOST shorter dramas do and that's throw a bunch of nonsensical scenes in there for the "dramatic effect" which instead of keeping us on the edge of our seat like it hoped to accomplish, it instead ice-water-to-the-face pulled us out of the beautiful story we were ENGROSSED in for 11 straight episodes/weeks of watching/obsessing over and that's unfortunate.
If they literally cut out that ENTIRE portion of the episode, it would have been 1000x better of a finale and NOTHING would have changed plot-wise or pacing-wise in the 12 episodes. The decision to shoot/leave those scenes was unfortunate BUT not unfortunate enough for me to hate or even "dislike" this drama. It's still one of those dramas I guarantee I'll watch many more times in the future! I'll just skip about 1/2 of the final episode when I do hahaha
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When Suspense and Romance Collide
is an intriguing drama that captured my attention from the very first episode.This cleverly written series begins with a series of questions that gradually unravel throughout the episodes. By the final episode, all the pieces fall into place, culminating a beautifully crafted conclusion. I particularly liked how the drama mainted a suspenseful atmosphere while seamlessly weaving in the romance between the male lead (ML) and female lead (FL).
While I was already familiar with the ML and FL from their previous works, I was especially impressed by Yoo Yeon Seok's portrayal of Paik Sa Eon (ML). He flawlessly delivered the wide range of emotions required for his character, making him relatable and compelling. Chae Soo Bin (FL) also delivered an impressive performance. I found her role as Hong Hee Joo particularly challenging, especially in the earlier episodes, but she executed it with skill. The chemistry between Yeon Seok and Soo Bin was undeniable, further endearing their characters, Paik Sa Eon and Hong Hee Joo to the viewers.
The original soundtrack (OST) also deserves special mention. My favorite track is "I Feel it Now" by Whee In of Mamamoo, which added emotional depth to the scenes featuring the ML and FL. Additionally, Yoo Yeon Seok also sang for one of OST, " Say My Name", which showcase his versatility.
Overall, is a must-watch drama that masterfully combines suspense, romance, and stellar performances to create a very great drama.
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What truly stood out for me was the emotional undertone woven throughout the story—it’s not just about the thrills but also about the human connections and decisions that shape the characters' lives. The pacing is solid, although a couple of episodes felt slightly dragged.
Overall, this drama excels in delivering a unique blend of suspense and heart. It's a must-watch for anyone who enjoys thought-provoking, edge-of-your-seat storytelling.
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Perfect Kdrama
When the Phone Rings is the best kdrama of the year 2024. I think it will be my #1 fave kdrama at all timeThe story itself is amazing. No dull moment.
The ML & FL portrayed their character very well.
Kudos to all casts, on screen and off screen staff.
When the Phone Rings is the best kdrama of the year 2024. I think it will be my #1 fave kdrama at all time
The story itself is amazing. No dull moment.
The ML & FL portrayed their character very well.
Kudos to all casts, on screen and off screen staff.
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WATTPAD MEETS K-DRAMA
This k-drama is only two episodes in and I am already HOOKED!! It has all my favorite tropes: arranged marriage, she fell first he fell harder, cold male lead who secretly cares for the female lead, etc. The acting and the chemistry between Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae Soo Bin is so good! I am living for the tension and Baek Sa Eon's possessiveness/protectiveness! AND THE PLOT TWISTS!? SO GOOD!! It is also a plot that I have never seen before, especially in a k-drama. Overall, such a good k-drama that has me hooked since episode one!Review update now that I have finished:
First off I want to thank this drama for giving me something to look forward to every weekend! It is one of my new favorites and will always hold a special place in my heart! Now onto the review!
I did take off .5 stars from my initial 10/10 rating since the imagination/dream bit was a bit repetitive and some things were rushed in the final episodes (In my opinion, it needed at least 16 episodes so a lot of the plot wasn’t so rushed towards the end). However, they still did a great job in executing everything with the limited episodes that they had!
This drama had ALL THE TROPES. Arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, etc. and all the tropes, in my humble opinion, were done tastefully! War trope was also thrown in last minute, but Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae Soo Bin actually executed it so well and not going to lie I ate it up!!
Speaking of Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae Soo Bin, their chemistry and acting was so good in this drama!! All the emotional scenes (especially the cliff scene) were done so well and the yearning and the tension was carried out so good! Cannot give them enough praise for the acting they did for WTPR!
They also used a lot of symbolism in this drama and a lot of the details were done with intention which I loved and appreciated!
Overall, this drama was a really good one and a plot I have never seen before in another k-drama! It’s interesting from beginning to end and one I would highly recommend for people to try and watch!
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Never a dull moment
I loved this series. I was hooked from the first episode and was invested until the very last episode. It was definitely the show I looked forward to the most each week. Everyone's acting was on point, making me second guess who I thought the villains were and what was going on with the plot. I had 5-6 correct guesses and many incorrect guesses. I usually do better than that. It was so much fun watching this and unravelling the mystery each week.Was this review helpful to you?
OH MY GWAD!!! HEAR ME OUT!
GUYS I'm just so behind bcz of my exams but i can't stop myself from yapping about this anymore, i have watched only 5 episodes and the spoilers, acting, story, ost and EVERYTHING IS PERFECT and i have probably never got excited about a kdrama THIS MUCH before, every minute of this kdrama is amazing till now and I'm not dropping it. If a kdrama is getting me into only first few episodes like this... it's really A HIT. ALSO, I GOT AN UNHEALTHY OBSESSION. This is the best kdrama of this year for me!!! If you still haven't watched it or think it's not worth it, what are you doing with your life man?? JUST GO AHEAD AND WATCH IT BRUH 🎀😭😭✋🏻Was this review helpful to you?
Pretty solid drama
It was full of dramatic twists and turns, a well-acted and compelling set of characters, and it was just a bunch of fun. It's not a show where you turn your brain on to think about how "logical" things are; it's a drama, intended to have dramatic moments, regardless of how much sense they make. While some plot elements were repeated (plenty of hurt/comfort for those who are fans), they made them slightly different each time which made it not feel repetitive. I think the two main leads really made the show. Both actors did a great job, and I think they had good chemistry. Some of my favorite scenes were when Hong Hee-joo was speaking on the phone to Paik Sa-eon, as they had great banter during those scenes. I think the length of the show was appropriate, as it didn't drag on and overstay its welcome. Nor did it feel like they cut the show short or rushed the ending. Overall, it's a pretty solid show.Was this review helpful to you?
NO spoilers
I enjoyed watching it. What made me want to watch it was the plot (which there were many). But to me, it could have been better. I remind me of "Flower of Evil" plot {which I really enjoyed).The ML acting was very good but the FL was ok. I did not feel the chemistry between to two actors. But I would recommend to watch it.
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Amazing - I can't get enough
We're only 4 eps in, but this drama has been so incredible so far. Superb acting, a great storyline and a lot of tension. I'm very excited to see what happens next! I have high hopes for this drama!The FL is absolutely incredible and I love her expressions, the ML is great too, very intense. The story is complicated and greatly complimented by the romance.
I hope to raise my rating even higher as the story expands in the episodes to come! If you like thriller/romance dramas then be sure to give this one a try!
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