When the Phone Rings- Episodes 5-6

The Caller is a Woman

This week’s episode of When the Phone Rings was a rollercoaster of emotions, with secrets lurking just below the surface and tension building between our characters. Picking up where we left off, Sa-eon arrives at the party, still haunted by Hee-joo’s selective mutism and the secrets she’s hiding. His suspicions deepen when he overhears Yeon-hui berating Hee-joo in the restroom, prompting Sa-eon to confront her mother-in-law and demand better treatment for his wife. Even at the party, he can’t help but steal glances at Hee-joo, torn between frustration and worry.

At 10 pm, Sa-eon receives a call from Caller 406 but rushes to the rooftop to bring Hee-joo her jacket. There, he catches her on the phone in a suspiciously frantic state. She trips in her panic, and Sa-eon assumes the worst—that she’s suicidal. His concern is palpable as he urges her to make a sound, but she stays silent, leaving him even more frustrated. A call from Do-jae interrupts them, alerting Sa-eon that the caller is in the building. Realizing Hee-joo might be in danger, Sa-eon takes the stairs in a rush to find her.

Back at the party, Sa-eon keeps a close eye on Hee-joo while taking steps to secure the guest list. Once they’re home, he checks an old scar on her knee, triggering a flashback to their childhood when he saved her from a dog attack. Even then, he had admired her silent resilience. That night, both are restless, lost in their own thoughts. Sa-eon contemplates confronting Hee-joo but stops himself, knowing he’s harboring secrets of his own.

The next day brings a mix of lightheartedness and intrigue. Hee-joo accidentally sends a heart emoji to Sa-eon, flustering him and sparking overthinking. When he congratulates her on her new job as an interpreter, she offers to buy him a meal. This leads to a shopping trip where Sa-eon picks out a suit and a dress for Hee-joo. While she accepts the suit, she resists the dress, prompting Sa-eon to gently encourage her to stop undermining herself. Their tender moment is observed from afar by I-na, who secretly follows them.

Meanwhile, You-ri and Sang-woo explore a chilling piece of Sang-woo’s past. At an old mansion, he recounts a disturbing incident involving a twisted game with a cat and missing children from his orphanage. His revelations add another layer of complexity to his character and his motivations for solving mysteries.

Later, the drama escalates during a group dinner involving Sa-eon, Hee-joo, Sang-woo, and You-ri. Tensions flare as Sang-woo and Sa-eon clash, especially when Sang-woo recalls Hee-joo’s dream of becoming a news anchor—a reminder of the voice she keeps hidden. Hee-joo defuses the situation, but emotions are raw as she steps out for air. Sa-eon follows, reflecting on how Hee-joo has always sacrificed for others, even when she should have fought for herself.

In a climactic twist, Caller 406 strikes again. Hee-joo brings up I-na’s return, probing Sa-eon’s intentions. He insists his commitment to Hee-joo is not out of obligation, but just as he’s about to confess his feelings, a truck nearly hits him. Hee-joo saves him at the last second, calling out to him in panic. Sa-eon, shaken, begs her to speak again, but she denies making a sound. Later, the real kidnapper warns Hee-joo that her actions won’t go unpunished, hinting at deeper motives tied to Sa-eon’s past.

The episode ends with a mix of revelations and simmering tension. Sa-eon learns from Do-jae that the kidnapper’s voice modulation suggests the caller is a woman—deepening his suspicion of Hee-joo. Meanwhile, a drunk Sa-eon stumbles home after a team dinner, only to be helped inside by Hee-joo. As they tumble to the floor, an accidental kiss leaves Hee-joo stunned. She doesn’t pull away, her gaze lingering on him as he sleeps, just as the text confirming the caller’s identity sits unread on his phone.

D-day

This week’s episode of When the Phone Rings was a heart-pounding ride that seamlessly blended emotional revelations with edge-of-your-seat drama. The episode opens with Sa-eon waking up from a haunting childhood dream, only to find Hee-joo sleeping beside him on the floor. Flustered, they both pull away awkwardly, and Sa-eon rushes to his room, unable to piece together the events of the previous night. A quick check of his phone brings him face-to-face with a bombshell: confirmation from Do-jae that Hee-joo is Caller 406.

Sa-eon’s world is turned upside down. Struggling to process the revelation, he avoids confrontation and attempts to carry on as usual. But his mind races, replaying clues he missed while grappling with the realization that Hee-joo has been playing a dangerous game. Meanwhile, Hee-joo remains oblivious to Sa-eon’s discovery, and their sign language lessons proceed with an added layer of tension.

In a touching moment, Sa-eon tries to learn how to sign “I forgive your wrongdoings.” However, the effort becomes too much for him, and he abruptly ends the lesson. As he exits, he notices a hidden note among Hee-joo’s teaching materials, revealing her true intentions to teach him something more heartfelt. This small gesture shakes him further, hinting at the vulnerability beneath her mysterious façade.

Elsewhere, family drama stirs. I-na and Hee-joo meet at an aquarium, where I-na pushes Hee-joo to abandon her mutism, claiming it’s time for her to speak. But Hee-joo pushes back, asserting that the choice is hers alone. Their heated exchange highlights the tension between the sisters, with I-na revealing that Sa-eon specifically chose Hee-joo for reasons beyond responsibility.

The tension builds when Sa-eon begins searching through Hee-joo’s belongings, hoping to uncover the black phone. Hee-joo catches him and cleverly deflects his suspicions, but the encounter is charged with unspoken truths. Later, as Sa-eon pieces together more clues about her identity as 406, he struggles to reconcile his feelings. Is she an adversary, or has she been acting out of desperation all along?

At 10 pm, Caller 406 strikes again. In a poignant conversation, Hee-joo asks Sa-eon about his motives for marrying her. Sa-eon admits that she brought him peace during his darkest moments but acknowledges that he’s unwittingly become her second prison. Vulnerably, he offers her the chance at a real marriage, promising to provide the affection she deserves. The exchange is raw and honest, with both gaining a deeper understanding of each other. When Sa-eon asks if she still wants a divorce, Hee-joo’s hesitation speaks volumes, leaving their future uncertain.

The emotional crescendo leads to the team retreat, where Sa-eon’s jealousy flares as he notices a recruit paying attention to Hee-joo. Determined to keep her close, he orchestrates opportunities to team up with her, including a hilariously staged lovey-dovey lunch. But the lighthearted moments give way to a terrifying accident during a group hike. Hee-joo falls from a platform, and Sa-eon spirals into panic. His frantic search for her turns desperate as the sun sets and media outlets catch wind of the incident. Refusing to speak to reporters, Sa-eon throws himself into the rescue efforts, sending his jacket to help search dogs pick up her scent.

Meanwhile, Hee-joo, injured and alone, contemplates using the black phone to call for help. She hesitates, knowing it could reveal her identity as 406, but eventually makes the call. Sa-eon, masking his awareness, pretends to believe she’s with the kidnapper. His calm directions to use the emergency flare in her bag guide her to safety, and the sight of the flare reignites his determination to find her. He promises Hee-joo he’ll reach her soon, her quiet plea for him to hurry adding a heartbreaking urgency.

In the epilogue, we revisit the night Sa-eon got drunk. Hee-joo, in a rare moment of vulnerability, asked him about his feelings, and his whispered confession that he likes her brought her to tears. This revelation casts their current predicament in a new light—Sa-eon’s actions aren’t just about responsibility; they’re fueled by something much deeper.

DramaZen's Opinion

Can we talk about how this show keeps outdoing itself? Episodes 5 and 6 were a MASTERCLASS in tension, romance, and emotional chaos. I don’t even know where to start because I’m still picking my jaw off the floor. These two episodes gave me EVERYTHING: secret reveals, romantic tension, family drama, and moments that made me want to wrap Sa-eon and Hee-joo in a blanket and tell them to just TALK IT OUT already!

Episode 5: Sa-eon Starts to Suspect

The episode opens with Sa-eon spiraling, still trying to piece together Hee-joo’s secrets while also dealing with family pressures. His internal battle is written all over his face at the party as he keeps stealing glances at Hee-joo and eavesdropping on her tense exchange with Yeon-hui. (I mean, is this man in denial or what?) And then THAT rooftop scene—when Sa-eon catches her on the phone as 406, my heart stopped.

The way he immediately assumes she’s in danger instead of confronting her, only to realize she might be hiding something, is SO peak Sa-eon. His protective instincts kick in, but you can tell he’s feeling unmoored. The flashback to their childhood? Him saving her from that dog and marveling at how she never screamed? I melted. It’s clear that this isn’t just about uncovering her secrets; Sa-eon genuinely cares about Hee-joo. He just doesn’t know how to handle these new layers of her.

And can we talk about that lingerie scene? I was dying. The teasing! The falling onto the bed! Sa-eon remembering their accidental kiss from the night before but being too flustered to bring it up? Gahhh, the tension between them is just unreal right now. But the way he left to clear his head (because duh, feelings) and got a call from 406 was the cherry on top. This back-and-forth between their guarded walls and moments of vulnerability is why I’m so obsessed with them.

Episode 6: The Big Reveal and THAT Fall

Okay, Episode 6. Where do I even start? Sa-eon now KNOWS that Hee-joo is 406, and his reaction is everything I hoped for. He’s shocked, but he’s not immediately angry, which says so much about how he feels about her. Instead, he’s trying to understand her motives, and I just want to hug him because, for the first time, he’s realizing he might not know her as well as he thought. And when he asked her to teach him to sign “I forgive your wrongdoings”? Dead.

But then we got the retreat. I don’t know whether I was screaming louder over Sa-eon’s jealousy or the fact that he was SO obvious about trying to keep Hee-joo close. Like, sir, we see you teaming up with her for games, ordering cute lunches, and asking for photos. 😂 He is clearly not okay with anyone else getting close to her, and honestly? I am living for it.

Of course, just when things start to feel light, this drama PUNCHES US IN THE GUT. Hee-joo’s fall off the platform during the hike had me clutching my heart. Sa-eon losing it while searching for her, giving his jacket for the dogs to track her scent, and refusing to deal with the media? PURE ANGST. The stakes felt so high as the sun set and the search dragged on.

And then the black phone moment! I was screaming when Hee-joo hesitated to call him, knowing it would reveal everything. But when she finally did, and Sa-eon played along as if she wasn’t 406, pretending she was with the kidnapper, my heart just broke for both of them. The way he guided her to use the flare and promised to find her was peak “Touch-my-wife-and-die” Sa-eon, and I’m here for it.

The Emotional Bombshells:

These episodes gave us so much insight into Sa-eon’s feelings. His confession during the call that Hee-joo brought him peace during his nightmares—and his guilt over becoming her second prison? That was EVERYTHING. And Hee-joo finally letting her guard down just a little to admit she’s tired of waiting for things to improve? Chef’s kiss.

The epilogue of Episode 6 hit me like a truck. Hee-joo ASKED Sa-eon how he really felt about her while he was drunk, and he confessed he likes her??!!! I can’t believe this woman is still doubting his feelings after that. Sa-eon, sweetie, you need to spell it out for her while sober because we are TIRED of these near-confessions.

These two episodes had everything: Sa-eon unraveling, Hee-joo trying to protect herself, and the tension between them simmering to a boil. The retreat brought some much-needed lightness, but the hike accident reminded us just how high the stakes are. And with the kidnapper moving into action, I know we’re in for even more twists.

Sa-eon and Hee-joo’s dynamic is chef’s kiss. It’s messy, it’s layered, and it’s so full of potential. I’m rooting for them to drop their walls, stop with the half-truths, and just be honest. (Is it too much to ask for a kiss that’s not an accident?) I can’t wait to see how this all unravels because When the Phone Rings has me HOOKED. Bring on Episode 7! 😍