“When the Phone Rings” Starring Yoo Yeon-seok And Chae Soo-bin Aims For 20% Ratings Even Before Its Premiere
Following the conclusion of “Doubt“, which ended on Nov 15th with a nationwide viewership rating of 9.6%, “When the Phone Rings” serves as its successor, drawing significant 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 an arranged marriage, the two face unexpected conflicts and transformations after receiving a blackmail call. Blending thriller and romance, the show introduces viewers to the unique genre of a “romantic thriller”.
Yoo Yeon-seok plays Baek Sa-eon, the youngest spokesperson of the Presidential Office, who is known for his sharp intellect and cool-headed demeanor. Chae Soo-bin portrays 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 where individuals, despite having functional speech centers, refrain from speaking due to psychological factors. To prepare for her role, Chae Soo-bin worked with a sign language instructor and memorized the expressions to deliver a flawless performance.
At the press conference held on Nov 21st, director Park Sang-woo described the drama as “a work that starts with the tension of a thriller and gradually emphasizes warm romance“. Yoo Yeon-seok noted, “This character is distinct from the warm characters I’ve played before, characterized by a cold and calculating nature.” He shared that he meticulously prepared for the role by studying videos of real-life anchor-turned-presidential spokespersons.
Chae Soo-bin, speaking about her role as Hong Hee-joo, remarked, “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 senior, 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 expand the drama’s worldview.
During the press conference, the team addressed competition with SBS’s “The Fiery Priest 2”, the leading Friday-Saturday drama in terms of ratings. Yoo Yeon-seok expressed confidence, “I also enjoyed ‘The Fiery Priest 2’, but our show combines thriller and romance, offering a fresh appeal.” Heo Nam-jun added, “If we hit 20% ratings, the cast will go camping together and appear on Yoo Yeon-seok’s YouTube channel.” Yoo Yeon-seok further promised to live-stream the event.
After the first episode preview was released on MBC Drama’s YouTube channel on Nov 22nd, viewers left enthusiastic comments such as, “Yoo Yeon-seok’s eyes are everything. I’m definitely watching the premiere tonight”, “This is incredible, truly amazing”, “Even two minutes in, and it’s already captivating”, “Soo-bin in that dress is absolutely stunning” and “I’ve been waiting for today… Finally, Sa-eon and Hee-joo!”
MBC’s new Friday-Saturday drama “When the Phone Rings” will premiere tonight (Nov 22nd) at 9:50 PM and will also be available globally on Netflix. Viewers can catch replays on OTT platforms Wavve and Netflix.
Source: Wikitree
