When the Phone Rings: A Review

“Tell me how to not love you Hong Hee Joo”-I am squeeeeeeeaaling. Someone slow down my racing heart—or don't! Who cares? Just kill me; this is torture.

So, people, I just completed episode 10 of When the phone rings. This drama has taken over all my senses, and for the love of God, why the hell did I start an ongoing drama? Why do I torture myself like this?

Not only have I watched each and every episode of the drama twice, I have even read the novel about 5 times while I endure the excruciating wait every week.

Where do I start? The tension, the chemistry, the detailing, the story- everything is just perfection. I think the only couple which came close to this couple in chemistry for me is our lead couple from My Dearest.

The chemistry sizzles as the show brings together two flawed characters who become each other's anchors in their own unique ways.

(spoilers start from here, so beware!)

The plot

So, the story is basically about how our male lead's illusion of a peaceful marriage shatters as he starts receiving threatening phone calls from an unknown number. Slowly, we- the audience gets to know that the blackmailer is none other than his sweet and not-so-mute mute wife, who has become fed up with her love-less marriage and wants a divorce but cannot do so because of their marriage contract, which specifies a massive penalty if a divorce is initiated by her.

The story unfolds, revealing how their marriage occurred in unusual circumstances as our female lead took her sister's place at the altar after the latter ran away from her wedding.

The coldness and aloofness in their marriage are quite palpable, and we gradually understand what propelled her towards taking this step of blackmailing her husband for her divorce as she felt trapped and suffocated in her marriage.

The plot is fresh and awesome- exactly what I would expect from a kdrama. The twists, turns, and revelations had me gasping and giggling all at once.

A Love Born from Shadows: The Journey of Hee Joo and Sa Eon

One of the most beautifully fleshed-out characters I have ever watched in a drama. The acting done by the whole cast, and especially our male lead (played by Yoo Yeon Seok), is off the charts as I felt each and every emotion as if I was the one living them. The frustration, hurt, and loneliness felt by Hee Joo (played by Chae Soo Bin) as she longed for love from her aloof husband; the panic, fear and love felt by sa eon as he looked for his wife after the blackmailer's call or an attack on him- I felt it all as I lived their lives with them through this drama.

Many people say that Chae Soo Bin did not show a range of emotions in her acting in this drama but as someone who has watched her previous drama, I am not a robot and can feel how different her character feels in this drama, I beg to differ. I loved her acting as the sweet and innocent Hee Joo with a fiery side.

Sa Eon: A Broken but Beautiful Soul

Yoo Yeon Seok did a brilliant job in bringing the complex character of Paik Sa Eon to life as we see him grappling between his love for Hee Joo and the turbulent storm that was his life.

Hee Joo and we both gradually realize that Sa Eon was doing everything he could to give his wife a happy life; he just never experienced love throughout his life to know how to properly express it. Sa Eon tells Hee Joo how he felt happy just knowing that Hee Joo was safe and sound at home, but I guess he did not realize how lonely Hee Joo actually was.

The calls just broke through this peaceful mirage and made him realize how even though he meant to make Hee Joo free after marrying her, he instead became her new cage. Therefore, through Sa eon we see a broken but beautiful man who has never experienced love but lived his whole life for that glimpse of it he got through Hee Joo who became his anchor in his toxic and turbulent life.

Hee Joo: A Life in Shadows

Hee Joo lives a similar life as she is forced to become the shadow of her step-sister by her selfish mother. We see how her mother forced her to become mute at a young age after her stepsister became deaf in a car accident so that her step-father not only feels sorry for his own daughter but for Hee Joo too, which will in turn, translate to all of his attention not being transferred to his own daughter but can be shared by Hee Joo's mother, his second wife. We see how Hee Joo longs for a person to notice and love her. We realize what living as her sister's shadow has done to her confidence and self-esteem as she describes herself as the extra pages at the end of a book on a call to Sa eon. Being a replacement bride and Sa eon's aloof behaviour do no favours to her self-esteem.

The way their relationship transforms and their reactions to each other's revelations is a treat to watch as we see them become the pillars of strength for each other- as they find a person they can rely on and show the worst in themselves to.

Final Thoughts

Girlies, we are just never marrying with the way these dramas are increasing our standards, and these people have left us on a damn cliffhanger, aaaand we have to wait till next year to watch the rest of the episodes. This should be declared a crime against humanity.

Till now, I will rate this drama a 9.5 out of 10. I was hooked! Go for it people. You will never regret it.