“When the Phone Rings” Writer Mentions Yoo Yeon-seok and Chae Soo-bin’s Bed Scene “Party Cheers and Tambourine Celebration”
On January 15, Kim Ji-woon sat down for an interview with Star News at the Bon Factory office in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul to discuss MBC’s Friday-Saturday drama “When the Phone Rings” (written by Kim Ji-woon, directed by Park Sang-woo and Wi Deuk-gyu).
– How did you decide on Yoo Yeon-seok and Chae Soo-bin as the leads?
▶ Yoo Yeon-seok’s melodramatic acting in “The Interest of Love” deeply impressed me. As a female viewer, I wanted to see more of his melodramatic acting. I can’t imagine anyone but Yoo Yeon-seok as Baek Sa-eon. Chae Soo-bin was incredibly lovable. The character Hee-joo had to be convincing, and I thought Chae Soo-bin’s loveliness and subtle vulnerability matched Hee-joo perfectly.
– What was your impression when you met Yoo Yeon-seok and Chae Soo-bin in person?
▶ I saw them individually and together, and their chemistry was amazing. They looked so good together. Even the director mentioned that he could see my mood lifting in real time.
– The bed scene between Yoo Yeon-seok and Chae Soo-bin received significant attention.
▶ In the script, I simply wrote “a thin sheet” to describe it, and they portrayed it beautifully. I heard Yoo Yeon-seok prepared references extensively, and the director captured the scene wonderfully. At the wrap-up party, we all watched that scene together. Everyone cheered loudly, and someone even shook a tambourine. The reaction mirrored the enthusiasm of Brazilian fans! (laugh)
– The original novel had intense scenes. How did you adapt them for the drama?
▶ I thought it was necessary to adjust the intensity for TV. I decided to elevate the mature scenes into romantic ones. After episode six, I focused on showing Sa-eon’s unwavering love for Hee-joo and their genuine effort to protect each other.
