Quando o Telefone Toca (2024)

when the phone rings is the best

and when i say the best, the best.

honestly speaking, it outdid qot (at least for me, but qot's good as well). everything about this drama is great, from the script, down to the cast, especially the storyline.

the story wasn't hard to understand, you can grasp the story so easily. and the best is, the story does not go in circles, qhen a question pops it'll be answered.

kudos to soobin and yeonsook (as well as the whole cast and team ^^)!!! they did such great job portraying their characters. their emotions can be felt by the audience as well, such great actors. ^^

Leia Mais

An entertaining drama with good visuals and acting

You can say whatever you want, criticize the story, age difference, loopholes, etc
But you can't deny that this drama appeals to the general public and garners high reviews because it's an entertaining story: NO it isn't realistic, it's a typical drama, and has a Netflix stamp on it, etc ...

BUT the characters are likable, with redeeming quality. The violence is not excessive.
The acting and chemistry were good. Yes, there were some cringy moments.

Ep 12 was unnecessary/nonsensical drama. But hey, let them add some fillers as the actor/actress really deserve some more screen time together! :-) I'll watch 13 for their kids' story too!

I didn't feel as if it was wasting my time. I felt entertained.
I am still giving a 10 despite all the loopholes and incredible scenarios. It's like comic story but it's entertaining.

Leia Mais

amazing kdrama not so amazing final episode

we dont talk about that last episode😶
other than that a 10/10
the suspense was great. it kept you at the top of your seat the whole time and the ending of every episode left you wanting more. but i think what really stands out and makes this a great kdrama is the leads. they had phenomenal chemistry and just amazing acting overall. honestly they had some of the best kissing scenes in kdrama. loved yoo yeon seok since dr. romantic so i was already aware of his game but chae soo bin impressed me very much. BUT the last episode (and more importantly the whole argan thing) were really unnecessary and distasteful for me. following the source material so closely really was not it. i think that kdramas can really make a great show out of a not so amazing source material and honestly it was like that until episode 12. but atleast they were happy. 🤷‍♀️overall the other 11 were so good i can forget it. will definitely rewatch it (maybe skip a certain 10 minutes in ep12😗). but yeah really great kdrama exited to see whats next for both yoo yeon seok and chae soo bin🫰🎀

Leia Mais

LONG thread debunking this whole mess before MBC releases a statement (if they do):

1. It began this way: I translated the image and it said the opposite: "Korean militants kidnapped by Izmael + the arrow goes from Izmael to Paltima"

2. I couldn't find a single article about this in Korean. Only comments from Koreans shocked at the misinformation. Also, a choice like this likely comes from higher-ups, not necessarily the director or the writer. Throwing shade at Israel's government too seems risky, and it's surprising that Koreans are the ones who dared. If this fake news was true, let me tell you: The staff isn't as free as you think they are. Why would they risk so much, by their own will? It doesn't make any sense. Let me tell you: Do you even realize how important the international audience is, compared to the Korean one? This would literally be the best way to get the entire crew's career ruined from a boycott. Even MBC would get into big troubles. It wouldn't just be about "getting their money."

3. A Korean said that it's part of the web novel, but the web novel ended not long before Israel started bombing Gaza. However, if this claim is true (they used a translator so it could be inaccurate), the drama has nothing to do with it, although they could have changed the names for sure and it is unlikely that they are unaware to the point of not realizing (I think that MBC is supposed to check the content before release too). Even if Korea usually seems to be unaware or misinformed about what happens overseas.

4. The only post in Korean that claims this fake news is a tweet with 30K likes and only international comments (the original tweet that started everything). They say that the arrow shows Izmael being bombed. This is FALSE. Just like this article which didn't fact check anything. Also, if Lily Alice already didn't have a good reputation, this is by far her worst. Thankfully, there are people like me who used their common sense and media literacy skills when the so-called journalists couldn't, nor did they take any responsability. Others (way too many, which is concerning) are spamming (with the help of bots but they are being cleared by MDL apparently) the drama of 1/10s on sites such as MDL and IMDB along with writing hateful comments and harassing the cast/production team/broadcaster.

5. I watched the scene. Here's what the presenter says: "[...] The ongoing Paltima airstrikes are taking place in Izmael (more like from but it's not "wrong"), where Korean nationals have been kidnapped by armed militants. (implies who are the bad ones) [...]” Time: 1:01:19, Episode 12 - Netflix translation

6. https://x.com/Yeonseok411_IFC/status/1875859602530763112. It seems that Netflix messed up and they corrected the English translation. Explanation for the possible mistranslation: https://x.com/sjsskaz/status/1875763260169056482.

7. "but a specific scene from the last episode has sparked outrage from international viewers." International is key here.

8. https://mydramalist.com/discussions/the-number-you-have-dialed/133942-netflix-mistranslated-izmael-kidnapped-koreans?pid=3219108&page=1#p3219108- A more detailed translation. (from Badass Bunny, scroll down to the Twitter DMs screenshots) - The sentence is ambiguous because of the Korean language, and because the news are presented in a quick and straightforward manner. Here, the context to clarify the sentence is on the image.

9. I watched the scene where we see the kidnappers and they clearly aren't Palestinians. But well, it's not like the sentence on the bottom of the image wasn't clear enough. There was no controversy about this in Korea, so unless the situation is bad enough, MBC won't say anything because that's how it usually works. They will be the ones to speak up if it's needed because the crew can't reach a wide audience, they don't even have public SNS. Korean communication also can be very bizarre, so I can't explain it any better. Hopefully they will say something to stop this nonsense.

10. I'm not against the original intent. They would have received so many praises for being brave and noble if it wasn't for this fake news, along with the mistranslation from Netflix (how surprising coming from them...I'm joking). It was their only way to do it, indirectly of course, in a fictional scenario. You couldn't expect more than what was shown whatsoever for obvious reasons. It was still a good choice originally to bring awareness by influencing K-Drama fans, and most importantly it could spark discussion in Korea, especially for those still unaware or misinformed. I can't know if there was anything else going on behind this choice. It's hypocritical how people wanted such things in media, but now that they believed those lies, even if they somehow get to the truth, they will still talk shit. Whoever decided that, little did they know what Netflix would do... Truly evil if not a mistake.

11. https://x.com/ma42401494/status/1875589432239386740 Here's the "Korean" tweet. There is actually 0 Korean comment. The account is not Korean (they even posted a screenshot showing the MDL page with the cast, you can see what time they posted). The only retweet in Korean is also not a Korean account. People BELIEVE this account is Korean. Hence why they trust it. Hence my clarifications.

12. This comment is from a Korean: https://mydramalist.com/article/when-the-phone-rings-sparks-outrage-for-misrepresentation-of-israel-palestine-conflict#comment-20093496

13. Some people are so obsessed with hating on the drama and find reasons to be scandalized. So they started using "Argan" as an argument. Don't tell me you're offended by that. "Argan" sounds cool, that's it. It's most likely taken from the web novel, too. Fictional names are often inspired from real ones and usually, poor countries or countries with a war situation tend to be either in Africa or Middle East, and that does not mean every country is like that, it's just some parts. Also because it's more believable. Not to mention that "Argan" is not necessarily taken from Afghanistan. The hate against K-Dramas truly goes crazy. Literally no one was offended by that initially- oh wait, maybe on MDL. Just a quick research, one example out of many: "Homeland" (2011–2020): This TV show often uses real countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq as settings for terrorism, war, and espionage narratives. - THEY USED THE REAL NAMES, HOW SCANDALIZING! Oh wait no, it's not a Korean drama so it's fine.

14. I remembered that I do know someone Korean from a community on Discord so I asked him too even though we were not friends. He confirmed the fake news and I got informations that helped me write this thread - including the fact that many young people in Korea support Palestine. I wonder where are the complaints if the fake news is true? Because all I can see are Koreans shocked at the misinformation :)

15. Even ChatGPT agrees without the context of the image. "속보입니다. 팔티마 공습이 이루어지고 있는 이즈마엘에서 한국인들이 무장 세력에게 납치되었습니다." -> "Breaking news: In Izmael, where the Paltima airstrikes are taking place, Koreans have been kidnapped by armed forces."

16. I'm actually unsure what was the first translation or if it was ever corrected. I'm wondering if the account on Twitter just decided to crucify them because of some ambiguity. If so, it's even worse than I initially thought.

17. https://mydramalist.com/article/when-the-phone-rings-sparks-outrage-for-misrepresentation-of-israel-palestine-conflict#comment-20109222 - Another comment like mine, sorry for the ones I missed.

18. "Breaking news: In Ismail, where airstrikes are taking place against/on Paltima, South Koreans have been kidnapped by militants." -> This should be the version without any ambiguity. The current translation is still ambiguous, because while it implies that Koreans are kidnapped by Izmael, therefore implying as well that the airstrikes are against Paltima, it's not clear enough. I hope they can update the translation to something clearer soon. It's not like foreigners understand what's on the image nor do they use a Google Translate app to fact check, even though they should, with how obviously false it seems that they would do this.

19. https://mydramalist.com/766179-the-number-you-have-dialed#comment-20147240 - This person also spoke the truth about how not all Koreans are ignorant or support Israel. Many support Palestine (especially the younger generation) and not as many support Israel like some liars want you to think because of their hateful biases. With Korea's history, it sounds more right for them to support Palestine.

Edit: Their comment has been deleted just like mine. (on the drama's page)

20. Blame Netflix, the so-called journalists, the original tweet and haters not willing to fact check either.

Leia Mais

Korean screenwriters and ending writing problems

First of all, we should accept this: Baek Sa Eon has a lot of problems. He kidnapped the girl. he didn’t talk with her. he never look the girl. yes he loves her he tried to protect… Guys this is not acceptable.

but story is good . very complicated. you want to wait what happen next. its good I like it…. but why argan? this soldier scene, kidnapping but then bed scene. it isn’t realistic. they already lived very bad things. she can find him when he just sat near the lake. why action. overdose action. then bed scene unrealistic.

My favorite character is sister. I thought she will be crazy bad evil girl but she is very kind and good. she care of Hye Joo and stay for her against to her father. I want to understand Hye Joo’s mom but no. I can’t she is the bad character in the story . same as level of Sa Ein’s mother in the story.

At the end, I didn’t watch last episode properly . I didn’t realize countries name. When I read other comments I understand the situation and I don’t like it. Writer did /something silly.

Leia Mais

Great acting

The story was great in the beginning and the acting superb. But the last two episodes were very poor and really out of order and logic. Irrational twists as we came to the conclusion. luckily the acting and the two main leads saved the production. it could have been 10/10 but something was lost in the end. Of course this is my humble opinion. But honestly I didn't find necessary this irrational indulge of the blue complexity towards the ending. So, I strongly recommend it because you get addicted to this strange atmosphere in the beginning, but prepare yourself to feel a little "babo" in the end

Leia Mais

oh that phone calls went into a different direction than i expected...

it started strong. compelling premise, intense and the fast-paced style made it more exciting. they always end an episode with a cliff-hanger that would make you want to watch the next episode immediately. but also with this pacing, i think other parts of the show lacked in depth and development. it got really over-the-top in the end there which feels fanfiction-y too in a way which is silly but fun. again, i had a fun time but overall, not as satisfying as i wanted it to be.

the whole phone call thing part between saeon and heejoo was probably the most exciting part of the whole drama. even though, we've seen some stupid moments during that, that was the sequences that made it engaging. i was really rooting for heejoo to play that mind games with saeon but it did not really went there. when that whole thing was over, the romance got intensified. and that intensity threw me off in the end. it just didn't feel right when those two barely know each other. if anything, he treated her so badly that heejoo should've made it worse for him during those phone calls lol except for a couple of flashbacks of them when they were kids, we did not really see much of the development of their relationship. next thing you know, they would literally die for each other. i'm not mad lol but that gave me a whiplash. that whole possesive/over protective thing thing too? oh the girlies are gonna eat that up. i just wish there was more development before all that.

if it's just romance, yuri and sangwoo are the ones that made me kick my feet in the air, you know? that hyper gf and calm bf dynamic who also investigates a case together. plus they are adorable and hot? hello, i want more!

acting-wise, no complaints here. yoo yeonseok? that man can act and has range. very happy for chae soobin getting this project too. i gotta say, the scenes between chae woojin who played dojae and saeon were the ones that really moved me emotionally and probably, one of my favorite moments too.

the villains are over-the-top. it got really wild and dramatic there in the end with the plot. it did bother me at times when they did those "what if" or "dreaming" sequences. oh he actually wasn't shot? oh. lol that's just for shock value. also, i think they could've done more with the selective mutism storyline but oh well.

anyway, it's not a favorite but a good time overall. now i wish there was a version where there's no romance or more like, the two only started falling in love while they're trying to catch the real killer and also, more push back from the female lead and phone calls where they play more mind games with each other lmao writers in fanfic community, do your thing.

Leia Mais

this is why I never pick up unknown calls

The best way to describe When the Phone Rings is "tropey". In a way, it feels like the essence of classic kdramas. The contract marriage setup, the ML's cold and domineering personality, even the way the leads fall in love -- nothing is particularly fresh or new. Still, the writers spun an engaging idea out of a kidnapper's call that had the potential to create a tense, sizzling dynamic between the leads, but unfortunately, this potential was never fully realized.

The fundamental issue lies with the leads. Our FL is void of personality, will, clear goals, basically anything that makes a character a compelling person. Although her actions are consistent with her backstory, it would've made a far more interesting story if the FL were more of a ruthless, decisive character. Instead, we got a passive character with little resolve, little intelligence, and lots of scared expressions. It felt more like things kept happening to her rather than her taking control of the narrative.

The ML is... really something. They really did bring back the classic tsundere trope for him and I was not a fan. He has little personality other than being domineering, although he was pretty good at that. Maybe a little too good. I was kind of fed up with his bitchiness that he later tried to brush off. Like give my girl some free will, please. i.e. He's either inconsistent to an insane degree or has the maturity of a ten-year-old, take your pick.

Put these two together and the sizzling romance you wanted becomes a flat one. Their chemistry in the beginning is basically just Sa Eon: bursts into the room. Hui Ju: looks scared. Sa Eon: walks closer. Hui Ju: looks scared. Sa Eon: gets in her face. Hui Ju: looks scared. Then miraculously, one day Sa Eon wakes up and suddenly decides he doesn't want to be a jerk to Hui Ju anymore. Because he really needed someone to kidnap and threaten her in order to treat his wife with decent politeness. So the hope for good chemistry was already pretty low. But the little chemistry that could possibly have been siphoned out of this setup is completely lost because seriously, no one understands why they like each other. I believe the issue here is also that instead of the characters' actions furthering their relationship and the plot, outside factors and events seem to just be pulling this passive couple around.

The plot itself is not bad. The middle feels both useless and draggy, but the story ramps up near the end. The twists, reveals, and stakes were enough to keep me watching.

BUT FINALLY, the real reason I kept watching through it all! Yu Ri and Sang U. The most adorable second lead couple that has graced the screen. And I say this as someone who has never liked second lead couples. Yu Ri and Sang U, from the get-go, have far more palpable chemistry than the lead couple. Their "overdramatic fl x matter-of-fact ml" dynamic is so cute to watch, and I loved Yu Ri's cheerfulness and Sang U's casual quirks. Props to Sang U's actor, honestly. Did I watch 12 hours of this show for their meager 15 minutes of screentime? Yes, yes I did. Did I add .5 to the rewatch value because I will be rewatching their scenes? Yes, yes I did.

Leia Mais

The phone rang , but it wasn't the drama I was waiting for!

The drama had all the right elements to be a good mystery-thriller but unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to its initial premise. The first half had me completely hooked but by the end, I felt kind of let down by the lacklustre conclusions and rushed pacing. Don't get me wrong, its wit's far from being terrible but definitely a disappointment, especially when you compare it to the intrigue and mystery that were introduced early on.

The plot itself was solid - Baek Sa Eon, a man with a prestigious fancy political background and a complicated shady past was a pretty interesting lead. The whole mystery surrounding his wife Hong Hui Ju, her kidnapping and then the phone calls had me invested The tension and suspense that built up in the beginning were great but as it went on it lost its spark when logic took the backseat.

Sa Eon’s character started off as this cold, calculated guy and I liked how complicated his character was. Being the youngest presidential spokesman sort of gave him some serious depth. There was a mystery to his persona, tough on the outside, but you could sense something softer beneath. In the first few episodes, his portrayal was spot-on and I was all in. However, as the episodes progressed Sa Eon seemed to lose that sharp edge that made him so compelling. Instead of continuing his evolution as an "intelligent, scheming and smart character", he fell into a more predictable, emotional fool arc once he started to fall in love. The transformation felt abrupt and unrealistic, as though the writers decided to abandon the complexity of his character in favour of giving us a more conventional romantic storyline (which we didn't ask for, if I might add that).

Hong Hui Ju also started with a strong, mysterious presence as well. Her selective mutism and tragic backstory created a sense of depth that initially seemed promising. But as the plot unfolded, she too began to fit into those cliche familiar tropes, damsel in distress being on the top.
After clearing the air between her and Sa Eon, she made decisions that seemed out of character, acting impulsively and putting herself and Sa Eon in danger. Instead of her being a strong, self-sufficient character which I was rooting for and saw glimpses of in the earlier episodes, she got caught up in the predictable romance too which undermined the mysterious tone it was initially trying to maintain.

Now, the romance between Sa Eon and Hui Ju? It was sweet, no doubt. They had great chemistry and the moments between them were tender and kisses were done very tastefully. But I wasn’t watching this for a love story. I came for the suspense and the mystery which was the initial setup and honestly, I felt like their relationship kind of stole the spotlight. While it had some nice moments, it pushed the darker, more exciting parts of the show to the side. As a romance drama, I would give it a much higher rating but a drama where the first two genres are mentioned as mystery and thriller, it was just not it.

The antagonists were another weak point for me. I had all these crazy theories about who was behind the kidnappings and the shady dealings of the past and the buildup created a lot of anticipation. But when the big reveals finally came, they were so underwhelming that I sorta felt disconnected from the story. The plot twists that were supposed to be shocking ended up feeling predictable, anticlimactic and just meh.

Also, can we please get a spin-off for the second couple because the chemistry was so evident! There was a certain softness in their interactions, an intimacy that didn’t need any grand gestures or dramatic declarations. I wish they got more screen time that could have actually done justice to their love story.

Overall, what could’ve been the show of the year for me turned out to be the first disappointment of 2025. While it’s not entirely bad but compared to how it started, the drop in quality is pretty hard to ignore.
I would recommend this if you're a fan of the leads and want to see what the hype was all about. But honestly, go in with tempered expectations.

Leia Mais