In the MBC Friday-Saturday drama “When the Phone Rings” (written by Kim Ji-woon, directed by Park Sang-woo and Wi Deuk-gyu), Yoo Yeon-seok plays Baek Sa-eon, the male lead.
Based on a popular web novel, “When the Phone Rings” is a story that unfolds when a Show Window couple, who have been living without speaking to each other for three years in an arranged marriage, receive a threatening phone call from a kidnapper.
Thanks to word of mouth among viewers, the drama has steadily climbed the ratings. It topped the drama and cast categories in Good Data Corporation’s TV-OTT current affairs ratings, demonstrating its influence beyond just ratings numbers.
Yoo Yeon-seok’s performance as Baek Sa-eon was hailed as a “true rediscovery”. Playing a former top news anchor turned presidential spokesperson with “national star” status, Yoo Yeon-seok is enjoying another peak in his career.
Baek Sa-eon seems to have it all: he is the nephew of Baek Jang-ho (Jung Dong-hwan), a political heavyweight, and the son of Baek Ui-yong (Yoo Sung-joo), a presidential candidate. However, the refined life he seems to lead is neither truly his nor the one he ever wanted. Behind his public persona lies a life of loneliness and desperation, understood only by his family and the owner of a fishing pond, Jung Sang-hoon (Kim Jun-bae).
The light in his dark life was Hong Hee-joo (Chae Soo-bin). After witnessing Hee-joo, a modern-day “Little Mermaid” who lost her voice after a tragic accident, practices sign language to say “All right“, Sa-eon found the will to live. Through an arranged marriage, he kept Hee-joo close by protecting her in his cold but fervent way.
Being an adaptation of a romance novel, “When the Phone Rings” faced some criticism for being over-the-top. However, Yoo Yeon-seok’s nuanced acting turned skeptical viewers into ardent fans, making them cry with lines like: “Teach me, Hong Hee-joo, how to hate you. How not to love yourself” AND “Hee-joo is not an appendage; it’s a completely new language.”
Fans and critics alike have called Yoo Yeon-seok’s performance in this series his “best acting of a lifetime.” Whether playing good or bad roles, Yoo Yeon-seok has steadily built his filmography, and in this drama he channels all his experience into emotional power.
Baek Sa-eon is a convergence of all the characters Yoo Yeon-seok has played: the sharp coldness of “A Werewolf Boy” and “Architecture 101”, the explosive madness of “A Bloody Lucky Day”, the malice of “Narco – Saints”, the warmth and rectitude of “Dr. Romantico”… Yoo Yeon-seok’s skillful modulation prevented Baek Sa-eon from being confined to the exaggerated tropes of the romance genre, rooting the character in realism.
The drama reached its peak with the disappearance of Hong Hee-joo. Sa-eon confessed everything in a tearful press conference, revealing that Hee-joo was his wife and expressing his regret: “I should have done everything for her when I had the chance.” Yoo Yeon-seok’s performance in this scene, marked by raw and desperate tears, resonated deeply with viewers, pushing the show’s ratings to new heights.
As the series nears its finale, a shocking revelation – that Baek Sa-eon is Baek Jang-ho’s illegitimate son – adds another layer of intrigue. Regardless of the ending, Yoo Yeon-seok’s portrayal of Baek Sa-eon will remain a “male lead” performance that fans of the drama will not soon forget.
For those who are amazed by Yoo Yeon-seok’s versatility, from the charismatic Baek Sa-eon in “When the Phone Rings” to the lovably goofy co-host of SBS’s variety show “Whenever Possible,” this drama is a must-watch watch to witness his “acting magic”.
