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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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Quando l'hype rovina tutto
C'è questa foto che gira sui social in cui viene rappresentato un cavallo diviso in tre parti disegnate in maniera diversa: nella prima il tratto è bello, morbido ma preciso, tipico di qualcuno che sa disegnare davvero bene; nel mezzo abbiamo un garrese un po' sbilenco ma non troppo brutto; alla fine una testa brutta come il peccato palesemente disegnata da qualcuno che non sa farlo oppure da un bambino delle elementari. Ecco, questa immagine viene associata ai diversi episodi di questo drama dall'inizio spettacolare fino alla fine misera.Io credo pienamente in questa immagine. E' tutto esattamente così. L'inizio parte a stecca, con un buon ritmo, un'intrigante storia, dei bei colpi di scena. Poi inizia a scemare e il thriller perisce lasciando una storia d'amore che non mi stava regalando nulla. Il finale, my gosh, che schif*. E no, non nasconderò il fatto che questo drama non mi ha colpita perchè io non mento mai. Sinceramente? Il fattore thriller me lo ha fatto cominciare, ma così no non funziona. Poi i motivi che spingerebbero lui a fare quello che fa verso di lei sono palesemente campati in aria, non hanno una logica o forse potrebbero avercela se me l'avessero messa in maniera diversa, ma così di botto non funziona. Il finale? AHAHAHAHAHAH ma che m*rda.
Non mi sarebbe piaciuto ugualmente ma sicuramente tutto l'hype che c'è stato attorno ha fatto modo e maniera che io rimanessi ancora più delusa dal tutto. Forse non è totalmente brutto, perchè mi dispiace ma di sicuro non lo riguarderò mai più e se mi chiedessero una lista kdrama da vedere non lo consiglierei nemmeno.
P.s. Io so che FL è bravina perchè mi è piaciuta molto in un altro drama, ma qui ha sempre la stessa identica espressione. Why?
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Never been let down hard enough to write a review
As an ardent k-drama fan for the last 10 years when I saw the trailers of When the Phone Rings i expected it to have everything I have come to expect from k-drama Mystery/Thriller Romances.The first 4 eps were one of the most promising starts i have seen to a show, which, convinced me to watch it while it was on air (when i'm the type to binge watch).
Where it went wrong:
=> The calls: in the first few calls there was tension, there was anger, there was suspense but after ep 4 they just turn into banter, and somehow Paik Sae On just keeps spilling things about his personal life and just turns dumb???
=> Paik Sae On: Yoo Yeon Seok is wonderful in the role, like most of his other works his acting is incredible, but the character was written in a very amateur manner, isn't his character a master negotiator who has certification from like the FBI, and isn't a negotiator's first task is to not show any emotion to the threats but somehow to 406 he keeps losing control, like I get it, you are worried about your wife but bro you are smarter than that.
=> Hong Hee Joo's talking: Hong Hee Joo's selective mutism was just utter bullshit, after one point she just started talking to anyone and everyone???!!!! like isn't that the first point in her character sketch. Her entire deal was to not talk to anyone and only talk to him on the burner phone. Honestly it would have been better to stretch that bit out a little more.
=> The emotional abuse: Paik Sae On literally abuses Hong Hee Joo for 3 years only to be forgiven in one dialogue. Like sis where is your self respect?? and she justifies it by saying that its okay as she also lied about not being able to talk. Did he give her the safety of talking about it... no... so did she have to tell him also... no.
=> The entire last ep: not required... the arden arc... the 2 billion won... the name change.... just no.
In my opinion the only smart and sane person here was Hong In-A cause she left when she realized what was going on, got herself fixed, came back to save her sister, asked her father to take action, and supported her sister when she was alone.
Never been this disappointed with a show that started this well.
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The chemistry is exploding and is becoming an addiction!!!
So far after four episodes have been aired, nice going for this drama that has been feeding my cravings for excitement. At this early, I can tell this drama speaks volumes by getting a significant viewership percentage. It's not surprising at all after watching! It has the perfect cast, narrative style that engages emotions and leaves the viewers something to think about, creative camera techniques like when it shifts to relive an event from the past and the angle movements when focusing on someone or something, that effectively bring substance to the scene, and by itself, the deep crafted story.The story's start hooked me instantly and I rooted for the two main leads. I liked that they are both rich here, as opposed to the usual romantic characters of poor girl – rich boy or vice-versa. Yoo Yeon-Seok and Chae Soo-bin's characters' psyche was interestingly teased out here in the details of their life, family, experiences, passions, dislikes, and fears. They play the roles of a married couple – a distant husband bearing the spokesperson position to the President of Korea and a mute wife working as an interpreter in a television network, who is not lawfully acting on their matrimonial duties as their union was forced by both families for business and political convenience alliance. The stable and non-communicative marriage was disrupted by the sudden abduction of the wife and the series of blackmail calls. The dynamics of the couple's relationship change afterward, eventually giving us romantic thrills with the scenes of the husband’s protective demeanors and toned-down jealousies towards his wife. This grows my anticipation as to what will happen next and the situation that will prompt the couple to lay bare what was long hidden in their hearts.
I am happy for Chae Soo-bin having starred in this project. She has a mark of her own in acting and has stamped herself as a celebrated serious actress through this drama. Her professional efforts in her 2-month studies of sign language give us a real-life portrayal of a mute person. And who would have thought that her chemistry with Yoo Yeon-Seok would blow up to such a degree showing an effortless connection that makes their relationship believable to the viewers. And yes, his attractiveness is like a vitamin to my eyes. He is strikingly charming with the wedding ring on his finger just like Song Kang in "My Demon".
Looks like I am seeing glory days for this drama. It’s awaiting performance recognitions and possibly Best Couple awards.
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If you’re not watching it now, then when will you???
An enormous fan of Yoo Yeon Seok, I heard this drama was about to air. So, I just casually decided to watch it without even knowing the plot or checking the trailer. Boy, I decided the right thing. This drama keeps you engaged right after it starts. Chae Soobin often keeps low profile in her dramas. But here, ufff the chemistry between the leads is so hot and interesting. Soobin just keeps getting better and better. The story is very interesting with unpredictable characters and the cinematography is so aesthetically pleasing. After each episode, you are only left with one line- When is the next episode coming, I can’t wait. ❤️Esta resenha foi útil para você?
wasted potential
even tho i think that the tanked reviews on rotten tomato and google are deserved bc of the insensitivity to the ongoing genocide im going to be completely unbiased. this show had sm potential and the premise of the plot was really interesting but executed horribly. could have been completed in 10-12 eps it dragged way too long and what the hell was the last episode?? they completely lost the plot and threw them into a completely unrelated war like? and no hate to the actor herself, but the main female lead’s character was so annoying and useless they did not craft her personality/ambition/character well. besides that there was absolutely no chemistry between the main leads every time they came on screen i had to skip their “lovey dovey” parts. this was the first drama in a while where i was more excited to see the side couple than the main. there was so many loopholes and things that lacked basic common sense that u had to turn off ur brain and throw all logic out the window to get through an episode. it was full of cliches, and i will say that the first 4 eps were good, but after that everything was totally predictable and very boring to watch. utter doodooEsta resenha foi útil para você?
Si capisce fin dall'inizio che nonostante l'astio tra i due, c'è qualcosa sotto, ma si scopre tantissime altre cose che rendono la trama molto intringante. Le famiglie dei due protagonisti, nonostante siano delle famiglie rispettabili nascondono tante cose e le colpe ricadono sui due poveri protagonisti. Finale un po' assurdo, ma che nonostante tutto mi è piaciuto. Consigliato!
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intrigante e intenso ma molto più romance che thriller
Allora se lasciamo andare la prima parte finale ...il resto è stato super ...La storia di Argan l'ho vista un po forzata..ok sentirsi in colpa ..ma punirsi a causa del padre? Le colpe dei genitori ricadranno sui figli ..hanno preso alla lettera il vecchio testamento 😅 questa parte non l'ho gradita un po esagerata anche se vedere questo lato action di Yeon Seok non dispiace affatto 😏
Il finale comunque ha chiarito ogni cosa ..i cattivi hanno pagato per i loro peccati e di alcuni abbiamo visto un lato decisamente migliore, sto parlando dei genitori di hee joon..già dall'incidente si è visto un miglioramento sostanziale e questo mi è piaciuto..anche se si deve arrivare a certi livelli per redimersi...la sorella mi ha emozionato con le sue scuse fantastica..
Per il resto bel finale lungo e da occhi a cuoricino.. momento di 🔥 fatto bene e con un paesaggio niente male dalla finestra ...o nel letto ..ora si capiscono le allungatine di mano 😏
Chimica tra I protagonisti bella e intensa ..storia intrigante e per cui abbiamo discusso a lungo (credo sia una delle cose piu belle che ci lascia questo drama) a parte certe cose che proprio non hanno avuto l'effetto desiderato ..3 anni di silenzi e odi che erano tutto l'opposto..il killer psyco che riversa il suo odio sulla persona sbagliata ..una madre più psyco del figlio e un nonno/padre che non merita di essere manco menzionato ...
Detto ciò è un 9 ..ero per l 8.5 ma la sorella ha alzato l'asticella... non ho versato lacrime per questo drama ed è una mia regola se mi emoziono a tal punto è 10 sennò no 😂😂
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Answer it!
I decided to watch this out of the blue as I heard mostly good things about it and I am glad I did. I don't usually watch thriller or suspense drama tags but I personally found that the storyline evened those scenes out well for a mainly romance watcher like me.I think that the ML and FL had fantastic chemistry and were just generally stellar, they had me pulled into the drama in the first episode. Their love story is very interesting as it was uncovering and realizing a hidden love that they already had for one another (not related to school life or years of separation), I haven't seen a drama focus on a love story like that before so it was very intriguing.
PROS: well as mentioned great chemistry and acting, I liked the OST (Yeon Seok's Say My Name is very pretty), I think it presents strong moral value - love overcomes past mistakes, giving second chances and choosing forgiveness over living in the past. I was never bored, held my attention all the way through.
CONS: I didn't love the ending for the second couple, I felt their love story was too rushed instead of showing a proper love confession and proposal. They were very cute so I was disappointed we didn't get a bit more for them. The most controversial thing I heard before watching this drama was that the last episode was disappointing. I agree it could have been tied up better and was a little unnecessary but I wasn't utterly disappointed in it. Could've been better but I will still take it.
All in all, a striking story and enjoyable watch
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The last episode...
Even though there were a few illogical parts at the beginning, I absolutely loved the series. Unfortunately, she became much weaker at the very end. The last episode in particular took all my enjoyment out of the series. It was completely taken out of thin air and illogical just to briefly build up "tension".I will definitely watch the series again, but only until about the middle, when everything is clear between the main characters.
Still a very emotional and beautiful show. I just wish the makers would rewrite the ending. 💔 It would be a straight 10 out of 10 without the ending.
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Came for the cast, stayed for the chemistry ❤️?
Some dramas have a way of keeping you tethered, even when you’re navigating the agony of waiting for weekly episode drops—and 지금 거신 전화는 managed that rare feat. Its pacing was consistently commendable, which is no small achievement in a world of binge-friendly storytelling. However, similar to the likes of Marry My Husband (for those who have seen it), the drama couldn’t resist a detour into illogical territory as it neared its finale. Episode 12’s “Argan” trope? Let’s just say it stretched the limits of suspension of disbelief—enough to make me pause mid-episode and chuckle at its absurdity.But if logic faltered, chemistry soared. Yoo Yeon-seok as Baek Sa-eon and Chae Soo-bin as Hong Hee-joo didn’t just sell their characters’ connection—they redefined it, giving us a portrayal of husband and wife dynamics that felt fresh and heart-fluttering in the best way. While both leads were exceptional, Yoo Yeon-seok’s performance truly took the cake. Every expression was intricate, every emotional beat carefully measured—he gave his all to playing Baek Sa-eon, elevating the character into something unforgettable.
That said, the finale left me with mixed feelings. On one hand, I appreciated that all the characters, including Heo Nam-jun’s Ji Sang-u and Jang Gyu-ri’s Na Yu-ri, got closure. On the other, the overly soapy tone of the final episodes dampened the emotional resonance the show had built up until then. Still, the ending wasn’t unsatisfying—just not quite the finish I was hoping for.
The OST deserves a special mention, as it beautifully underscored the series’ emotional beats and has firmly earned its spot on my repeat playlist. And while all the characters delivered solid performances, it’s clear the writer poured the most effort into crafting scenes between Yoo Yeon-seok and Chae Soo-bin. Thankfully, this worked in the drama’s favor, as their interactions were undeniably the highlight.
Overall, I’d say this drama is an 8/10 for me. If I were rating it solely on the electrifying chemistry between the leads, it’d be a solid 9.5. But the last two episodes—and their logic-defying moments—bring it down a notch. Still, 8 feels pretty generous, considering!
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It really catches you from the first scene you watch
I started watching it with my mom from ep 4 and was hooked even when I didn't know exactly what was happening.The premise is interesting and the leads chemistry is amazing, I loved seeing them learning how to get closer to one another and break the barriers within themselves and between each other
That being said... (spoiler alert)
WTF was that first half an hour of the ending LMAO. The ML playing Mambru because he pitied himself was NOT on my bingo card(? That and the chasing of ep 11 that was kind of avoidable also felt like it lasted FOREVER.
The rest of the drama, I loved it even if it took ages to get to the point
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