Following the conclusion of “Doubt,” which closed Nov. 15 with a national audience rating of 9.6%, “When the Phone Rings” serves as its successor, attracting considerable attention.
Based on a popular web novel of the same name, “When the Phone Rings” revolves around Baek Sa-eon (Yoo Yeon-seok), a spokesperson for the Presidential Office, and Hong Hee-joo (Chae Soo-bin), the daughter of a chaebol family. In their third year of arranged marriage, the two face conflict and unexpected transformations after receiving a blackmail call. Combining thriller and romance, the show introduces viewers to the unique genre of “romantic thriller”.
Yoo Yeon-seok plays Baek Sa-eon, the youngest spokesperson of the Presidential Office, known for his sharp intellect and cool demeanor. Chae Soo-bin plays Baek Sa-eon’s wife, Hong Hee-joo, who comes from a prestigious family and works as a sign language interpreter while battling selective mutism, a psychological condition in which individuals, despite having speech centers functional, they refrain from speaking due to psychological factors. To prepare for her role, Chae Soo-bin worked with a sign language teacher and memorized expressions to deliver a flawless performance.
In the press conference held on November 21, director Park Sang-woo described the drama as “a work that begins with the tension of a thriller and gradually emphasizes warm romance“. Yoo Yeon-seok remarked, “This character is different from the affectionate characters I have played before, characterized by a cold and calculating nature.” He shared that he meticulously prepared for the role by studying videos of real-life spokespersons turned presidential spokespersons.
Chae Soo-bin, speaking about her role as Hong Hee-joo, noted: “Communicating through sign language instead of words was refreshing. Although repressed, Hee-joo is a compelling character with inner strength and individuality.” Other cast members include Heo Nam-jun as Ji Sang-woo, a psychiatrist and Hee-joo’s college student, and Jang Gyu-ri as Na Yu-ri, a junior announcer who idolizes Baek Sa-eon. Notably, Na Yu-ri is an original character not found in the web novel, sparking curiosity about how her presence will broaden the drama’s worldview.
During the press conference, the team talked about the competition with SBS’s “The Fiery Priest 2,” the top Friday-Saturday drama series in terms of ratings. Yoo Yeon-seok expressed confidence, “I also liked “The Fiery Priest 2”, but our show combines thriller and romance, offering a new charm.” Heo Nam-jun added: “If we reach 20% ratings, the cast will go camping together and appear on Yoo Yeon-seok’s YouTube channel.Yoo Yeon-seok also promised to live stream the event.
After the preview of the first episode was released on MBC Drama’s YouTube channel on November 22, viewers left enthusiastic comments such as: “Yoo Yeon-seok’s eyes are everything. I will definitely watch the premiere tonight”, “This is amazing, really amazing”, “Even two minutes in, and it’s already captivating”, “Soo-bin looks absolutely gorgeous in that dress” AND “I was waiting for today… Finally Sa-eon and Hee-joo!“
MBC’s new Friday-Saturday drama, “When the Phone Rings,” premieres tonight (November 22) at 9:50 pm and will also be available globally on Netflix. Viewers can catch replays on OTT platforms Wavve and Netflix.
Source: Wikitree
