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A Romantic Thriller? An Honest Review
★★This is my personal opinion, and we can obviously have different preferences★★
This is going to be a long review.
"When the Phone Rings" is a Kdrama that leaves a lasting impression with its blend of suspense and heartfelt moments.I adore dramas that deliver what they promise. It was promoted as a romantic thriller and it delivered that, of course, leaning more towards the romance tag.A number of people may find the synopsis "cringe" even before watching the drama. This review, however, isn’t intended for them.
The way I see it, the story is about a loving husband who has cherished his wife for a long time but couldn't express it because both of them had secrets from their pasts. While it may sound like any other drama, the performances, the background music, the screenplay—everything—elevated it and made it stand out from the rest.
Actors:
Both leads, as well as the other recurring actors, excelled in their roles. The lead actress, Choi Soobin, went to great lengths to learn sign language, and the way she delivered it felt as though it was second nature to her, seamlessly integrated into her character's world. Her expressions and body language differed significantly between her home and workplace, showcasing her impressive acting range. The contrast between her portrayal of the innocent, timid wife in the first half and the more comfortable, free character in the second half was especially notable. The makeup artists and costume department also did an excellent job.
YYS, who played the male lead, needs no introduction. However, I’d like to highlight his exceptional acting in one particular episode where he portrayed a husband whose wife was missing. His performance in that scene was truly top-notch.
The actor playing the kidnapper truly nailed his character, capturing the nuances of his role through subtle micro-expressions. Overall, everyone did an outstanding job, contributing to the drama’s success.
Story:
I believe that if someone is drawn to the synopsis, they will likely enjoy the drama. The thrill in the first four episodes was impressive, and kudos to the makers for creating such an engaging start. Even though the level of thrill tapered off after that, it remained captivating and enjoyable to watch.
What I personally liked most:
Even though I enjoyed the drama as a whole, there are a few things I'd like to mention.
★Many people claim to dislike childhood/past connection tropes, but I personally love them—especially when done right, like in this drama. The childhood scenes had a significant impact on the story. It wasn’t just about following a trend; they were well-integrated and meaningful. The child actors were fantastic, especially the young actress who portrayed Heejoo. She nailed her role, conveying the silent suffering of her childhood through micro-expressions.
★The decision to avoid a third-party love angle was the best choice the makers could have made for this drama. Dramas about married couples don’t necessarily need a third angle, and I’m grateful the creators understood this. The potential third-party character, instead of being an antagonist, turned out to be a kind-hearted person with her own past struggles.
★As for the OST and its placement, I’m in the minority when it comes to not being fond of most K-drama OSTs and their placement. I’m usually happy if even one OST stands out. In this case, the drama had excellent BGM placements, and the song "See the Light" definitely deserves special mention.
What I'm not fond of:
As I mentioned, this is going to be an honest, personal review, and I’ll add this as well.
★The tone shift from episode 8 felt too sudden to handle. I wish they had balanced it out more carefully. After the leads got together, their screen time suddenly decreased, which was definitely a letdown for people like me, who lose interest in dramas once the leads are together.
★The second couple, who were not part of the original novel, were added by the makers, and they should have been utilized better. In the first half, they had several boring scenes that felt disconnected from the main story, and by the end, their arc had a half-baked conclusion, which was disappointing.
★The "redeeming parents" trope—K-dramas often have this arc where parents, who have been awful throughout the story, suddenly have a change of heart in the final episode. Sadly, this drama couldn’t escape that trope either.
★Lastly, the "last episode curse." Few dramas these days can escape the common trope of one of the main leads disappearing for a while, only to return briefly for a happy ending. While this drama wasn’t as rushed as many others, they could have executed it in a better way.
Now, do I recommend it? Obviously, as I mentioned before, if you liked the synopsis, you would likely enjoy the drama.
Will I rewatch this? This is another personal opinion. I tend to rewatch dramas that have a lot of comedy, and this is not one of them, so I might not rewatch it. However, I did revisit many scenes while it was still airing.
Overall, I would suggest giving this drama a try. It might not be a masterpiece as a whole, but it is definitely a masterpiece in its genre and a treat for fans of this trope.
This is going to be a long review.
"When the Phone Rings" is a Kdrama that leaves a lasting impression with its blend of suspense and heartfelt moments.I adore dramas that deliver what they promise. It was promoted as a romantic thriller and it delivered that, of course, leaning more towards the romance tag.A number of people may find the synopsis "cringe" even before watching the drama. This review, however, isn’t intended for them.
The way I see it, the story is about a loving husband who has cherished his wife for a long time but couldn't express it because both of them had secrets from their pasts. While it may sound like any other drama, the performances, the background music, the screenplay—everything—elevated it and made it stand out from the rest.
Actors:
Both leads, as well as the other recurring actors, excelled in their roles. The lead actress, Choi Soobin, went to great lengths to learn sign language, and the way she delivered it felt as though it was second nature to her, seamlessly integrated into her character's world. Her expressions and body language differed significantly between her home and workplace, showcasing her impressive acting range. The contrast between her portrayal of the innocent, timid wife in the first half and the more comfortable, free character in the second half was especially notable. The makeup artists and costume department also did an excellent job.
YYS, who played the male lead, needs no introduction. However, I’d like to highlight his exceptional acting in one particular episode where he portrayed a husband whose wife was missing. His performance in that scene was truly top-notch.
The actor playing the kidnapper truly nailed his character, capturing the nuances of his role through subtle micro-expressions. Overall, everyone did an outstanding job, contributing to the drama’s success.
Story:
I believe that if someone is drawn to the synopsis, they will likely enjoy the drama. The thrill in the first four episodes was impressive, and kudos to the makers for creating such an engaging start. Even though the level of thrill tapered off after that, it remained captivating and enjoyable to watch.
What I personally liked most:
Even though I enjoyed the drama as a whole, there are a few things I'd like to mention.
★Many people claim to dislike childhood/past connection tropes, but I personally love them—especially when done right, like in this drama. The childhood scenes had a significant impact on the story. It wasn’t just about following a trend; they were well-integrated and meaningful. The child actors were fantastic, especially the young actress who portrayed Heejoo. She nailed her role, conveying the silent suffering of her childhood through micro-expressions.
★The decision to avoid a third-party love angle was the best choice the makers could have made for this drama. Dramas about married couples don’t necessarily need a third angle, and I’m grateful the creators understood this. The potential third-party character, instead of being an antagonist, turned out to be a kind-hearted person with her own past struggles.
★As for the OST and its placement, I’m in the minority when it comes to not being fond of most K-drama OSTs and their placement. I’m usually happy if even one OST stands out. In this case, the drama had excellent BGM placements, and the song "See the Light" definitely deserves special mention.
What I'm not fond of:
As I mentioned, this is going to be an honest, personal review, and I’ll add this as well.
★The tone shift from episode 8 felt too sudden to handle. I wish they had balanced it out more carefully. After the leads got together, their screen time suddenly decreased, which was definitely a letdown for people like me, who lose interest in dramas once the leads are together.
★The second couple, who were not part of the original novel, were added by the makers, and they should have been utilized better. In the first half, they had several boring scenes that felt disconnected from the main story, and by the end, their arc had a half-baked conclusion, which was disappointing.
★The "redeeming parents" trope—K-dramas often have this arc where parents, who have been awful throughout the story, suddenly have a change of heart in the final episode. Sadly, this drama couldn’t escape that trope either.
★Lastly, the "last episode curse." Few dramas these days can escape the common trope of one of the main leads disappearing for a while, only to return briefly for a happy ending. While this drama wasn’t as rushed as many others, they could have executed it in a better way.
Now, do I recommend it? Obviously, as I mentioned before, if you liked the synopsis, you would likely enjoy the drama.
Will I rewatch this? This is another personal opinion. I tend to rewatch dramas that have a lot of comedy, and this is not one of them, so I might not rewatch it. However, I did revisit many scenes while it was still airing.
Overall, I would suggest giving this drama a try. It might not be a masterpiece as a whole, but it is definitely a masterpiece in its genre and a treat for fans of this trope.
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