When the Phone Rings (2024)

It’s not bad but for me one of the most overrated drama in 2024

This drama wasn’t a totally failure for me. The plot twist on EP1 was good, the main couple had a good chemistry together, Yeon Seok (once again) was totally hot and the plot about the kidnapper/villain was entertaining enough. But I just can’t ignore all the cringey scenes, the bad script on some episodes, out of nowhere events and how everything feel apart completely after EP10. When I think about the drama in general, I feel it was kind overrated. But let me talk more about it.

For me this drama had a lot of cringe scenes since the beginning and this can make a lot of people give up of watching but I could ignore this thankfully to the main leads great chemistry. But I can’t lie, it was a little too cringe for me at times and I blame the script and the director for this. Speaking of another thing that I blame the script and direction for was the actors' performances.

For me, Yeon Seok delivered a good performance as always, but I found myself totally disappointed with Soobin. I like her as an actress but I think this was one of her worst works. And talking about their characters itself I found both male and female lead annoying and dumb in the beginning. Sa Eon should’ve been more smart actually but he wasn’t. And I expected more for Hee Joo but unfortunately she wasn’t what I thought she would be. Also I found kind funny how Sa Eon said he was in love with Hee Joo since the beginning but treated her like she was a nobody in their own home for 3 years lol and then he changed completely how he acted and started to care for her.

The secondary characters were kind ok. No one totally captivated me but I liked Sang U and Yu ri’s scenes together. Talking about the villain plot, I gotta say that it was kind well done and interesting enough for me, everything was making sense. Sure, the story itself was nothing different from what we usually see in kdramas but it was convincing enough. But gosh what happened with this drama after EP10?

What the hell was the revelation about Sa Eon’s real father? It was so out of nowhere for me and they didn’t explain nothing about it….like, why his real father abandoned him? And his father abandoned him to literally bring him back to be his grandfather later? Like…what? lol This plot twist was forced to me and it seems they did this just so Sa Eon could feel guilty for Hee Joo’s brother accident but why would he feel THAT guilty for something that a father he didn't even know he had did? Ater everything they went through, being away from her for months because of that was completely unnecessary.

In fact, unnecessary and inconsistent were two words that summed up this drama in general for me, especially at episodes 10 to 12. What the hell happened on episode 11 and 12 too? The whole kidnapping scene with Hee Joo on EP11 was inconsistent and this Argan arc on EP12 made no sense at all..the only good thing was the making out scene later lol

So yeah. Since the beginning I saw how popular this drama was and although I wasn’t feeling the same hype as others I thought it still was kind entertaining enough but then after EP10 everything feel apart and when I think about this drama in general I feel like the whole hype is not there for me. It’s not the worse drama of all but the cringy scenes, the inconsistency of scenes and characters, and out of nowhere events made hard for me to give more than a 7.5.

Lire davantage

the first 6 episodes are REALLY GOOD

I got OBSESSED with this drama and that reminded me that I hate watching on going dramas bc I get so anxious to see the next episode.
The beginning is really good, catchy and with plot twists that get you curious to see whats is next. But the ending was a disaster for me, I got totally disappointed.
Maybe if I have watched after all the episodes got released I wouldn't have gotter so frustrated. Each week I was obsessed with a lot of theories about the plot and in the end the characters did a lot of absurd action and many spots of the plot end it up open.

the chemistry between the actors was really good and here in Brazil the dramais very famous.

Lire davantage

Horrible k drama writing, again

The first 4 episodes were pretty enjoyable, the writing and acting were average to good. Setting up what could be an entertaining show. 7 to 8 stars.

Then it got worse every single episode from that point on. The writing is dreadful, each storyline gets dumber and dumber. Hee Joo becomes a female superhero who exits deadly situations over and over with nary a scratch, she should been installed as a character in squid game so that we know who the winner will be. The male lead goes from uncaring and calculating to an emotional, jealous, idiot.

It's comical to read people saying all the unexpected twists are great and they can't wait for the next reveal. Almost every twist has been a detriment to the story since episode 4. There's 1 thing i can guarantee and that's the next twist will be stupid and unnecessary and just a lazy plot device to scrap out another episode. Ep 11 leaves us going into the finale with a 'twist' that'll be dumb just like every other one. For those of you who watch the finale you'll see that the last so called twist was the dumbest of all.

Lire davantage

Started out well but...

I enjoyed first 6 episodes despite of lot of cliche filled scenes and unrealistic story line because the actors carried it out well but then I did not care anymore.. There is a limit to unbelievability after which it becomes exhausting.

1. How can a spokesperson of a president hide his wife for years. Anyone during three years would have spied on him and within few days would find out Hong Hee Ju coming out of his apartment daily. At one point he also challenges press to find dirt on him and still the press did not find about his wife. That too when his wedding became mysteriously private and his wife was not seen with him for years. First thing any journalist heck even an intern would do is check about his wife. Thats ridiculous that they did not till ML reveals.
2. How is the kidnapper able to so easily kidnap her in the temple so easily. Both FL and ML and the whole world knows about the kidnapping, they are roaming around without a security even after FL and ML get hurt one after another in different incidents clearly executed by the same kidnapper. ML keeps talking big about protecting FL and all she does is run around alone multiple times and ML does not care. where was the body guards he employed who were shown for one episode!
3. He is the spokes person to the president and he uses all his time and resource to work on personal matters. President is not in the picture. Only time he comes is when he literally gives his vehicle to ML. Only when romance is needed they remember about some speech of his so that FL can also be with him. And again using the same platform to announce his missing wife. I see everyone commenting that they were crying seeing ML cry but I am sorry at this point i did not feel any damn thing for ML or FL .
4. What was the point of FL sending pictures of her leg ? what was she thinking. It was obvious that ML will either suspect her (which he did not somehow that makes him stupid) or suspect an affair with the caller and if ML had really no feelings for her as she thought, he might have come back with a vengeance for having an affair behind his back. Did she really think he will give divorce immediately knowing she is having an affair?

Overall still a good one time watch may be if we watch at one go and all the actors including ML and FL did so well . But i lost interest after watching 10 episodes. Definitely not worth 8..9 .

Lire davantage

Wattpad story ruined by the final episode

When I first started this drama I didn’t think I would enjoy it as much as I did until the last episode

During the first two episode I immediately knew this story was cliche or wattpad ish cause I have seen so many to the point I can recognize within minutes and it was done quite well most of the story but I do understand why people think this is very overhyped or hate it tbh I would’ve as well

Despite it being a cliche I think the acting wasn’t bad tho it could’ve done well as a longer drama seeing how 12 episodes couldn’t wrap it up properly and some storylines could’ve been developed more such as the 2nd couple or how heejo falls for saeon

The last episode was quite a ride to say? First half good, 2nd half you lost me cause suddenly there’s this whole argan plot and how the ml is there right now fighting as a soldier and how the fl goes into a war zone but ofc they had to make sure that South Koreans looked like saviors by donating money to people of colour of who are unfortunate and “poor”

I’ve read some comments saying how in the novel it written out better this arc so I’m gonna trust that with a grain of salt
And I’ve also read that apparently it was the directors idea to include a new report on 🍉 and it’s ongoing war
Gotta say very insensitive even if the goal was just trying to be more “realistic”

Overall the drama is quite cliche so if u enjoy a possessive ml type romance with a badly written ending then go ahead

Lire davantage

THE DRAMA"S OVERRATED

Don't get me wrong it hooked me from its first episodes because of its unique concept. But it also gives me a typical Wattpad-like storyline (but it was fine since I was expecting something different from this drama). However, the drama got a little too boring for me because a lot was going on, and it was hard to keep up with the characters and the drama, especially with the last episode, it just went downhill. It was a little disappointing because they got a great start and if the production just kept it up, then it would have justified the hype of this drama. Although, the cast did a great job portraying their characters well.

Lire davantage

So Annoying

This series is not so bad that I want to stop watching, yet I'm really annoyed by a couple of things about it. First off, just how stupid is the ML that he can't put 2 and 2 together? How many episodes is it going to take before he can finally see what's right in front of his face? IMO it should have happened in episode 2 or 3 at most. And I refuse to believe that the FL can so easily control herself in difficult circumstances so as not to reveal her big secret. I find it easier to believe in zombies and I hate zombie series. Naturally, the 2 episodes a week format isn't as enjoyable as the binge-them-all-in-one-shot opportunities. Netflix arbitrarily skipping a week didn't help. As it is I have to watch everything at 1.5 speed due to the prolonged pauses inherent to a lot of Kdramas. Overall I just want this series to move faster. Hopefully it will ripen into a good romance, but it's just a bit too green for me right now.
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Just watched the finale and it was tot the ending I was hoping for:

The dramatic ending of episode 11 left us hanging (well, for a day) as to what Bad Guy (BG) said to his Uncle ML. I tried to think what new twist could have been so devious that ML would look so sad and made him disappear from FL? When I realized that BG was regularly calling FL "Sis" it occurred to me that maybe BG and FL WERE actual half-siblings! (Her mother would have some explaining to do.) I chuckled for at least a minute. That would have been so wrong! ML would be FL's uncle also and that would make their marriage a very bad idea.

Imagine my disappointment when finding out that ML went away because he felt bad. Yawn. And then there was the whole foreign war-torn adventure in the finale...all to set up some cozy time with a view of the sunset. Far too many footprints in that sand outside their window BTW. The rest of the victory lap episode was ok, not particularly earth-shattering.

Overall I felt that ML and FL didn't spend enough time smiling, or rather I should ask did they cast FL because she cries so well? And at the very end of the finale when 406 becomes a thing again, FL missed an opportunity to be more emphatic and demanding. "Get your a$$ back here right now or you'll be eating my cooking for the next two months!!!" Ah well.

Note: The preceding comments represent my opinions and are published as a personal record (and maybe for the entertainment of others.) Please write your own review about this show rather than critiquing mine.

Lire davantage