When The Phone Rings: More Secrets Revealed…

Today’s 8th Episode of the K-Drama “When The Phone Rings” revealed more secrets. About not only the female and male lead, but also their families. The intertwining layers of personal and familial trauma and deceitful plans unraveled, leaving viewers hooked and yearning for more.

The last 4 episodes set few things clear and unfolded some remarkable character development. Let’s dive into that first:

Character Development

When The Phone Rings’ Paek Sa-Eon’s character arc in these episodes takes a very much loved turn. Initially portrayed as emotionally distant and guarded, his growing vulnerability becomes evident as he discovers the truth about Hee-Joo’s ability to talk and her identity as the phone caller 406. During their calls as they share fragments of their own truths, Paek Sa-Eon and Hong Hee-Joo get to face their prejudices, insecurities and fears.

Hee-Joo’s fiery side comes out when she is on the phone with him as 406 and gathers her courage to speak her mind and express her worries, wants and judgments. She way she always stated how Sa Eon married her for convenience and that he cares about nothing but his public image and his professional plans. The way she constantly stated how he doesn’t love her so he should let her go and divorce her, implicitly displays her true feelings, which are understandable and valid. When pretending to be 406, Hee-Joo is not scared to speak out and seek a door out of her marriage.

Paek Sa-Eon, on the other hand, is faced with how he failed to see from Hee-Joo’s POV all these years and how he unintentionally hurt her while trying to protect her. A pattern many humans are guilty of, whether parents towards their children, or partners. He got to realize how his behavior is not serving its real purpose and how wrong he was in being just inside his head instead of openly communicating with her. The way the K-drama When The Phone Rings portrays how the male lead got to face his wrongdoings, accepting them, and making efforts to improve his relationship with his wife shows how mature and healthy he is. At least how he is improving to be the greenest flag (as some say). More details are here.

Some Secrets Unveiled

Episodes 7 and 8 of When The Phone Rings delved deeper into the enigmatic pasts of Baek Sa-Eon and Hong Hee-joo. The cryptic 1st phone call during Hee Joo’s kidnapping that originally set the drama’s events in motion now seem to stem from a web of unresolved conflicts and concealed truths in the leads’ families. Starting with Paek Sa-Eon’s mother, who seems to have an abandoned son, the REAL Paek Sa-Eon! It seems to us that she was given the choice between abandoning her child or abandoning her prestigious position as the daughter-in-law of the late Paek Chairman.

On the other hand, Hong Hee-Joo’s stepfather seems to have signed a contract with Sa-Eon’s grandfather, to get whatever he wants, but at what cost? What hidden deals were made that involved their children in this labyrinth of lies, blackmailing and kidnapping? The parallels between their family dynamics subtly mirror the struggles the leads face in forging a relationship built on trust with other people, especially Paek Sa-Eon.

The familial ties and their connection to the main mystery suggest a deeper conspiracy involving both families. The drama’s clever pacing ensures each revelation raises more questions than answers, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats. From a neuroscientific perspective, this emotional roller-coaster taps into our brain’s dopamine system. The suspense and surprise in When The Phone Rings K-drama trigger dopamine release, reinforcing our engagement with the narrative. The unpredictability of each twist satisfies our brain’s craving for novelty, ensuring we stay hooked.

Other puzzle pieces revealed are the missing twins from the orphanage, Paek Sa-Eon’s biological father, a mysterious man wearing a ring known to Baek Sa-Eon and Sang-Woo (Hee-Joo’s college colleague), and Hong Ina. It is revealed why Hong Ina escaped the marriage with Paek Sa-Eon, only a day before the wedding. Apparently, she received papers displaying a parenthood DNA test of Paek Sa-Eon and his father. She was not pleased to know that he isn’t his biological son.

Possible Theories about When The Phone Rings

These revelations open the door to numerous theories. Could Paek Sa-Eon’s grandfather chairman Paek be the one to refuse his son’s flawed child (the young master Sang-Woo used to play with) that displayed sociopathic behavior (antisocial personality disorder (ASPD)) since childhood and planned to replace him with the Spokesperson Paek Sa-Eon (Male lead)? Could the culprit be the real Paek Sa-Eon desperate to get back at the Spokesperson for living his life? Or is he one of the missing twins?

Maybe the twins are working together to get at Paek Sa-Eon for something he had done and one of them is his secretary Park Doo-Jae? Or the new LS interpreter? Does Hong Hee-Joo’s step father know anything about Paek’s family past and has a hand in it? Who is the man drowning the kid in the male lead’s memories? Why were children missing in the orphanage? And why is Sang-Woo so interested in digging into this case? If you ask me, it seems he has a personal motive not a mere professional pursuit.

How does Sang-Woo know that Hong Hee-Joo could speak? How is he so sure about it? When and where did he see the old man’s dragon ring? And why is this detail important to him? What is Paek Sa-Eon’s plan that he didn’t want Hee-Joo to be part of? Could he be planning to get revenge from his foster parents? Or maybe his Grandfather? Who pushed Hong Hee-Joo off the cliff? IS THERE JUST ONE CULPRIT? IS IT THE SAME IN EVERY ACCIDENT?

Who burned the fish store? Was the first comer to the store the arsonist? Many think it’s Sang Woo, but I don’t think he is the arsonist, in fact, I assume he saved Paek Sa-Eon from the fire, just like “Korean Panel” said in their comment on the previous WHEN THE PHONE RINGS post. Also, why did Hong Hee-Joo’s step father stop looking for the culprit behind their car accident? What is that man hiding? What is he scared of? Who/What made him stop?

One thing is for sure, Hong Hee-Joo and Paek Sa-Eon are clearly supporting and protecting one another despite their secrets, flaws and dark sides. They are committed on building a healthy relationship based on love, open communication and being better. Their acceptance of each others’ flaws and unconditional love will surely help them survive and resolve the mysteries around them.

Please let me know what you think about the events in the comments below and on Instagram’s When The Phone Rings k-drama post. Any theories, any suspicions or hypothesis? I can see how we are starting to become a mix of Sherlock Holmes and Detective Conan collectively on Social Media, LOL.

Let me read you rant all about it! I’m eager! And for our neuro-scientific friends out there, join me in sharing insights about how this show is making viewers OBSESSED!

Love,