On the morning of January 6, Yoo Yeon-seok met Sports Chosun at the King Kong by Starship office in Gangnam, Seoul, for a wrap-up interview on MBC’s Friday-Saturday drama “When the Phone Rings” (written by Kim Ji-woon, directed by Park Sang-woo and Wi Deuk-gyu). During the interview, he talked about his romantic scenes with Chae Soo-bin.
Regarding the bed scene in the final episode, Yoo Yeon-seok explained, “It was a significant moment for the couple, who had been emotionally and communicatively disconnected as a married couple for three years. They rediscovered their feelings for each other through a threatening phone call, and after many ups and downs, they finally reunited. I considered it their true “first night.” We wanted to portray it beautifully, focusing on the intimacy of a long-term couple. I discussed it with Hee-joo (Chae Soo-bin) and shared my thoughts on the tone and atmosphere of the scene. We carefully planned the shoot and even reviewed it together on video. I didn’t expect such a strong reaction, especially from foreign viewers, but I’m happy that people found it adorable and well done. I think it received positive feedback, even from the cast who watched the finale together.”
Discussing the romantic lines in the script, he said: “By the time we were shooting episodes 2-3, the script for episode 6 was already ready. Seeing the intense jokes in episode 10 made me wonder, ‘Do we really need to get to this point?’ Initially, my speech was cold and distant, almost like a monologue for about two months. When I read the lines in later episodes, I wasn’t sure how to approach them. But by the time we shot those scenes, the emotional exchanges felt more natural and I no longer needed to hold back my laughter. I was able to concentrate more deeply.“
Chae Soo-bin, who affectionately called Yoo Yeon-seok “Captain Yoo” on set, often leaned on him for support. Yoo Yeon-seok explained “Since there weren’t many senior actors on set when the parental characters weren’t present, I naturally became the senior actor. I ultimately had to take on tasks such as creating the atmosphere on the set, discussing plans with the director and director of photography, and coordinating security for dangerous scenes. I guess that’s why he called me “captain”. I also offered meals to the cast when I could, which probably contributed to the nickname”then laughed.
Fans abroad, fascinated by their chemistry, even expressed a wish for them to date or get married. Yoo Yeon-seok commented: “I’m grateful because it means people liked our chemistry. It shows how immersed they were in our love story and our “destined couple” portrayal. What about marriage? It’s not something I can decide on my own. But I appreciate the support. Even though the drama is primarily a thriller, we wanted the romance to shine through. The blend of romance, comedy and suspense worked well to draw viewers into this couple’s love story. It was intentional and I think he succeeded.” Reflecting on his initial awkwardness with Chae Soo-bin, he said, “It took us some time to feel comfortable as I am shy by nature. Initially I recited most of the lines alone, almost like a monologue. But by working together, we gradually grew closer. Since we are from the same agency, that helped too. Soo-bin turned out to be brighter and more outgoing than I expected. I’m grateful that he did his best, even during the difficult scenes.”
Based on the web novel of the same name, “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. Yoo Yeon-seok played Baek Sa-eon, a spokesperson for the presidential office, alongside Chae Soo-bin’s Hong Hee-joo. The drama finished with an 8.6% viewership rating (Nielsen Korea, nationwide) and ranked No. 4 globally among Netflix’s non-English TV shows during the fourth week of December ( 23-29).
