When the Phone Rings (2024)

Had they just dialed down the crazy a tiny bit..

I found the early episodes awesome. It's been such a long time since I felt this way while watching a kdrama. I find the basic concept to be incredibly fun & despite the leads being a bit lacking in chemistry I felt their back and forth refreshing, interesting & even the related mysteries/thriller bits were quite well presented, for a kdrama.

Unfortunately my excitement started to seriously fade around e7-8 & by 10 I felt a tremendous amount of boredom. By e8 I thought that I had most of the plot figured out & that I pretty much know what's what with the villains & how this is going to go down.
Again unfortunately I was surprised, the script really went above and beyond my expectations in a bad way. The writers escalated the makjang to absolutely insane levels, not even a hint of sanity had been left in the show. Then comes e12 & again I thought this is it now we'll just go through the motions & we'll get some kind of a cringy super unrealistic happy ending. We've ultimately gotten that alright, but the forced separation & some of the noble idiocy explanations, the dialog related to that part is again completely insane & if we add in how she ended up "there", that's just too much.
I could talk about intelligence insulting plotholes, but I'm not motivated enough to go back & rewatch some of the earlier parts to be absolutely sure this is right.

When The Phone Rings is really hard for me to rate, because on one hand the early episodes were wonderful, but on another this drama has almost everything I hate about kdramas & Brazilian soaps. The one thing it does not have is a strong love triangle & I'm greatful for that, but good gawd all the makjang classics are present & in incredible abundance at that. Epi 11 of this show is quite possibly the craziest kdrama episode I have ever watched, we really go through all the big soap tropes and more in a super condensed way...

The OST on the whole is not great, I barely felt it most of the time, but there is an instrumental track I really liked, though it only played like 3 times throughout the entire show. It's called `In Your Arms` and it can be easily found on Youtube searching for that + When The Phone Rings.

In the final episode there are some veiled references to events that are going or went down in the Middle East, I did not watch the mistranslated version & I don't really care honestly, but it's strange the production team had to go with stuff that resembles controversial real world events, why would you step on toes like that I don't know. This did not influence my rating though, I just find it strange that this was given the okay, considering the ramifications.
Then again maybe I shouldn't be too surprised, Korean writers/directors rarely care about international success & the opinions of international viewers, Netflix or not. Just look at how often Africa comes up in kdramas & how dumb it is every single time.

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Hooked from the First Episode

The thing I love most about this TV series is the way it tells its story. There are plenty of plot twists that keep us guessing about what will happen next. From the very first episode, the storyline is captivating, and you’ll likely find yourself hooked.

The main leads are amazing. Their acting feels real, and their connection grows stronger as the story goes on. While their chemistry isn’t obvious at first, you’ll clearly see it develop in later episodes.

It’s no surprise that this drama secured 4th place on Netflix’s Top 10 Non-English TV Series list (Nov 18–24 week) after releasing just the first two episodes. It shows how much viewers are already loving this drama.

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omg, I have to say that the series is at the same time a bit sad, but at the same time funny. means all the time Ml. she pretends to be cold-blooded towards Zen, she follows all his rules, but the kidnapping turns her into a person who takes revenge on her husband by pretending to be a predator. and manages to make a jealous husband who doesn't know that his wife is doing it so that he practically listens to the predator's advice and tries not to show that he cares but at the same time shows that he cares and that he is jealous. Zl. innocent face little devil inside😂😂

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When the Phone Rings: A Slow-Burn Thriller with a Misleading Title (Watch Now, Later or Skip?)

"When the Phone Rings" initially intrigued with its mysterious title, hinting at a chilling game of cat-and-mouse. While the series does delve into suspense and intrigue, the title ultimately feels misleading. The true mystery doesn't revolve around the initial "Caller 406" incident, but rather the protagonist's elaborate scheme to replace a psychopathic grandson with his own son.

This slow-burn thriller effectively builds tension, though the pacing can feel sluggish at times. The plot felt scattered and unfocused, with too many subplots competing for attention and ultimately undermining the main narrative.

The inclusion of the news anchor (and her love interest) subplot felt unnecessary, detracting from the main narrative. Similarly, the investigation into the dead children, while intended to connect the twins and the true son, seemed to be stretching to tie everything together, resulting in a convoluted and unconvincing narrative.

The reveal of the true culprit fell flat due to an unconvincing performance from the actor. Their delivery lacked the necessary intensity and gravitas, making the moment anticlimactic.

Despite these minor drawbacks, the series boasts strong performances from the lead actors. YYS, in particular, impressively transforms into a character far removed from his real-life persona, showcasing his remarkable acting range. The female lead also delivers a compelling performance, and her dedication to learning sign language adds a layer of authenticity to her character.

Overall:

"When the Phone Rings" is a thought-provoking thriller with a unique premise. While the title and certain plot points could have been more streamlined, the strong performances and intriguing central mystery make it a worthwhile watch for fans of the genre. So, you should watch now, maybe a hyped drama, but worth the watch.

Note: This review reflects your personal opinions and may not align with the general consensus.

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Mostly great. Only one episode ruined my rating.

Just when things were going so well they just had to massively stick the landing! The writers seemed to completely forget how they’re own characters had developed. I think if you end the series with just watching till after they get in the car at the end of episode 11 and then fast forward to the dinner scene in episode 12 this would be a better show. Except then you would still have to watch her decide to wear a completely white outfit for a casual walk in the very muddy woods, but honestly that’s the least idiotic of the dumb decisions in this episode 😂

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So I hate Korean romance dramas and I seriously hate the 'enemies to lovers' type of dramas and unfortunately that's what this drama is. Everything I despise in a Korean drama is this drama so I ended up dropping it. For one the FL was just plain stupid and the ML was just plain annoying. I got tired of looking at his old throbbing veined hands and people's feet walking across a floor. I also thought the FL was going to stick with getting rid of her so-called arranged marriage but I learn the two main characters will fall for each other...ugh.

The villain made no sense but I guess that's because I stopped watching this drama. Once I read the synopsis for the rest of the episodes I just did a eye roll and took it off my list.

I started watching Korean dramas back in the summer of 2020 after the unexpected death of my father. The action Korean dramas helped me heal and I tried to find any and every action Kdrama out there. It's been 4 years since I started watching Korean dramas but for the past year and a half all I keep stumbling across are cringe worthy romance dramas...THAT'S IT!! I've dropped more Kdramas over the past year and a half and is losing hope. Why can't I find a nice Korean drama that don't have cringe worthy romance in it??? Why???

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