The final episode of the viral K-drama “When The Phone Rings” aired on January 4, attracting huge attention. However, while the series has been widely praised by fans in the past, one scene in the final episode drew intense criticism.
Specifically, there was a particular scene where the character Na Yu-ri (played by Jang Gyu-ri) reported an incident where the fictional nation “Paltima” launched an airstrike on the fictional nation “Izmael” and took several Koreans hostage.
Although “Paltima” and “Izmael” are both fictitious names, many believed they implied the real countries, Palestine and Israel, respectively. This interpretation quickly spread online, angering not only international fans, but also Koreans aware of the recent situation between Palestine and Israel.
In particular, for more than a year, Israel has been bombing and committing genocide in Palestine, with various documented footage of the former’s inhuman atrocities leading Palestinians to struggle to survive in unlivable conditions.
As a result, many have accused “When the Phone Rings” of trying to distort the truth and portray Palestine as guilty instead of the other way around, showing a “Zionist” point of view (supporting what Israel is doing towards Palestine).
How strange was it to show Paltima attacking Izmail and taking Korean hostages? With Israel committing genocide and leaving hundreds of thousands of children deaf, the production clearly had to incorporate Zionist viewpoints. #The phone call you are making right now is #Whenthephonerings @withMBC pic.twitter.com/HBtLSv5Bzx
— now (@ma42401494) January 4, 2025
Since then, posts denouncing the series have attracted millions of views, with scathing comments from netizens.
“’Paltima’ and ‘Izmael’? This is definitely not a coincidence.”one netizen wrote, while another said, “The production team clearly had to insert a Zionist point of view when Israel is committing mass murder, leaving hundreds of thousands of children deaf.”
Last week, at least 5 children died from hypothermia in Gaza refugee camps. Among them is 3-week-old baby, ‘Ali (pictured).
As winter arrived, Israel left millions of people in Gaza without adequate shelter and heating.
Babies and… pic.twitter.com/ykYhwhmJZy
— B’Tselem B’Tselem (@btselem) January 3, 2025
“Israeli” soldiers set fire to the Mahdia Al-Shawa school in Beit Hanoun immediately after the aid trucks arrived, after more than forty days without food. They burned the school and all the humanitarian aid, forcing the displaced to evacuate by force. pic.twitter.com/HJxqDqdCq3
— Ania Lewandovska 🍉 (@Anna_AnninaEl) November 15, 2024
In the past, many Korean celebrities have been criticized for similar issues. For example, BLACKPINK’s Lisa was under fire due to allegations that her mother was a Zionist and her boyfriend’s alleged family supported Israel (although both are unconfirmed speculation).
Meanwhile, several others, including Jeon Somi and LE SSERFIM, have come under fire for drinking Starbucks, a brand that was on the boycott list for alleged Zionist actions.
