When the Phone Rings- Episodes 7-8
Never Not Loving You
This week’s episode of When the Phone Rings brought us heart-wrenching flashbacks, high-stakes drama, and an emotional climax that had us swooning. Episode 7 was packed with revelations, confrontations, and a kiss that left our hearts racing.
The episode opens with a haunting flashback to Hee-joo’s childhood accident, where she, I-na, and their little brother were trapped in a car. The rescuers only saved I-na, leaving Hee-joo behind. At the hospital, her mother delivered a chilling directive: Hee-joo must never speak again if they wanted to stay with the Chairman. This devastating memory plays in Hee-joo’s mind as she clings to consciousness, waiting to be rescued.
When Sa-eon’s desperate voice calls out to her, Hee-joo flashes back to their childhood moments. Sa-eon had always been her defender, making her feel seen when no one else did. Now, he does it again, risking everything to save her and carrying her to the hospital with a sense of urgency that leaves Hee-joo admitting to herself: she likes him too.
As Hee-joo wakes up in the hospital, Sa-eon stays by her side. When he steps away to call the doctor, she speaks to him for the first time, pleading softly, “Don’t leave.” This moment is both tender and groundbreaking, leaving Sa-eon visibly shaken but steady in his care for her.
Meanwhile, Ui-yong’s team seizes the accident as an opportunity for political manipulation, but Sa-eon is more focused on uncovering the truth. Do-jae updates him on the investigation, revealing no CCTV footage of the park and malware on the black phone that could have been used to track Hee-joo. Sa-eon concludes the attack might have been aimed at him, with Hee-joo as collateral damage.
Sa-eon later reveals to Hee-joo that he knows she’s Caller 406. He assures her they’ll discuss everything once she recovers but leaves her conflicted, imagining worst-case scenarios where Sa-eon demands a divorce and the two-billion-won fine. Yet, Sa-eon’s actions speak of quiet care and growing affection, as he works behind the scenes to protect her identity and fend off media scrutiny.
At a spa, Yeon-hui runs into I-na, who claims she’s back to help Hee-joo. Their conversation hints at past secrets, including I-na’s knowledge of Hee-joo’s true voice. Yeon-hui, however, believes Hee-joo has Sa-eon wrapped around her finger and cryptically suggests she knows a secret about him.
Meanwhile, Ui-yong’s attempts to manipulate the accident narrative clash with Sa-eon’s plans. In a heated confrontation, Sa-eon refuses to follow Ui-yong’s script and warns him not to exploit the incident further. Flashbacks reveal how Ui-yong and Kyu-jin forced a young Sa-eon to adopt their deceased son’s identity, stripping him of his autonomy. Sa-eon’s defiance feels cathartic as he reclaims control, even mocking Ui-yong by pointing out that Hee-joo entered the presidential office before he did.
As Sa-eon protects Hee-joo at the hospital, the kidnapper texts her, demanding the return of the black phone. The threat becomes tangible when Hee-joo hears someone at her door. She panics, but relief floods in when Sa-eon walks through instead. At 10 pm, Hee-joo decides to call Sa-eon as 406, planning to confess everything and hand over the phone. Sa-eon, however, is already one step ahead, urging her to meet him at a location tied to their shared past: the park.
At the park, Hee-joo hesitates, worried Sa-eon will feel disappointed and lonely after learning the truth. Sa-eon, ever steady, assures her that he could never hate her. Their face-to-face meeting is charged with emotion, and Sa-eon delivers a line that melts hearts: “I don’t know how not to love you.” He pulls her in for a deep kiss, a culmination of the tension and affection that’s been building between them all season.
A New Kind of Fear
This week’s episode of When the Phone Rings delivered on every front: explosive revelations, emotional vulnerability, and a cliffhanger that left us gasping. Episode 8 kept the stakes high and the emotions raw, with Sa-eon and Hee-joo’s deepening relationship anchoring the storm of secrets swirling around them.
The episode picks up with Sa-eon stumbling upon an old photo of him and Hee-joo as children. This quiet moment of nostalgia sets the stage for a day filled with confessions and connection. We circle back to their earth-shattering kiss, where Sa-eon forgave Hee-joo and confessed his love for her.
The following morning, Sa-eon’s romantic side shines as he makes breakfast for Hee-joo. Their candid conversation reveals long-hidden truths: Sa-eon’s fear of opening his heart and Hee-joo’s longing for the simple joys of a normal marriage. It’s a moment of vulnerability that brings them closer, underscored by Hee-joo handing over the infamous black phone. While Sa-eon teases her about her “fierce alter ego,” there’s a softness in his acknowledgment that the phone brought them closer.
Elsewhere, the kidnapper plots his next move after failing to retrieve the phone. His resentment toward Sa-eon, even down to his pleasant scent in the elevator, is unsettling. His promise to “take everything from Sa-eon” raises the tension to a fever pitch.
Meanwhile, Hee-joo has a nightmare about Sa-eon leaving her, further exposing her fears of abandonment. When she checks on him, a tender moment ensues as Sa-eon pulls her onto his bed and reassures her of his love. The calm is short-lived, however, as Sa-eon is called to the office, where Do-jae delivers a breakthrough: the kidnapper’s location has been traced to Hajeong, Gyeonggi-do. Sa-eon wastes no time heading there alone, refusing police involvement.
As Sa-eon embarks on his mission, Hee-joo is blindsided by a message from the kidnapper asking if she truly knows Sa-eon. A clip from the variety show Live Alone raises more questions about his past. Simultaneously, Sang-woo revisits the orphanage, where a casual conversation about his childhood reveals a connection to Hee-joo and hints at unresolved feelings.
Ui-yong, meanwhile, faces backlash for contradicting Sa-eon’s statements to the press. The tension within the Paik family grows, with Ui-yong invoking I-na’s return and hinting at buried truths. These threads collide as Sa-eon arrives at an old mansion in Hajeong, where the kidnapper has left a chilling video accusing him of being a murderer.
As fate would have it, Sang-woo and Hee-joo also arrive at the mansion. Their meeting sparks Sa-eon’s jealousy, leading to a confrontation that reveals Sang-woo knows Hee-joo can speak. Sa-eon whisks Hee-joo away, warning Sang-woo to stay out of their lives.
On the drive back, Hee-joo admits her fears and insecurities, confessing that she worries she doesn’t deserve happiness with Sa-eon. Sa-eon reassures her, promising he’ll never give up the part of him that belongs to her, even if he loses everything else.
Back at II-hyeong’s home, Yeon-hui overhears a conversation that exposes a dark truth: Sa-eon isn’t biologically a Paik. This revelation ties into the Paik family’s past, involving a tragic accident that left I-na deaf and led to a sinister deal with II-hyeong. Meanwhile, Kyung-jin gives a veiled message during a media interview, hinting at her own dark secrets, including locking her real son in a basement to “protect” him.
As Hee-joo returns to work, her colleagues notice her glow, a testament to her growing bond with Sa-eon. However, the media frenzy around Sa-eon’s personal life intensifies. Sa-eon raises the stakes by releasing a video from the kidnapper, offering an exclusive interview to the journalist who deciphers its message.
The episode’s tension peaks when Sa-eon rushes to a fishing shop tied to his past, following a cryptic call from an old man. A flashback reveals that Sa-eon lived with the shop’s owner as a child and witnessed Paik Hyong’s attempt to drown the real Sa-eon. The shop is now ablaze, and as Sa-eon tries to rescue the old man, the fire overwhelms him, leaving us on the edge of our seats.
DramaZen's Opinion
Let me just say—this drama is NOT letting up, and I am living for it! Episodes 7 and 8 of When the Phone Rings gave us everything: heart-stopping revelations, emotional confessions, and a kiss so electrifying I replayed it at least ten times. If you’re not watching this show, what are you even doing?
First, let’s talk about how much I cried during Episode 7. Hee-joo’s flashbacks to her traumatic childhood hit me right in the heart. Watching her remember how her mother told her to never speak again and seeing Sa-eon desperately searching for her after her fall had me clutching my chest. That moment when Sa-eon carried her to safety? Perfection! And then she SPOKE to him. I was screaming! “Don’t leave,” she said, and honestly, my heart shattered into a million pieces.
The hospital scenes were everything. Sa-eon’s tenderness with Hee-joo, his quiet confession that he knows she’s 406, and his decision to wait until she’s ready to talk—it all solidified that this man is head over heels for her. The way they’re finally starting to peel back their layers and let each other in is so beautiful to watch.
Of course, the drama was still drama-ing. The kidnapper’s threats, Ui-yong’s slimy politics, and Yeon-hui stirring the pot kept the tension high. I loved seeing Sa-eon finally stand up to Ui-yong, refusing to let him exploit the accident for political gain. Watching Sa-eon reclaim his identity from the Paik family’s manipulation was SO satisfying. He’s no longer just playing their game—he’s rewriting the rules.
Episode 8 picked up right where we left off, and wow, did it deliver. The morning-after breakfast scene was so soft and heartwarming. Seeing Sa-eon and Hee-joo finally talk openly about their feelings had me swooning. Sa-eon admitting that he was scared to open his heart and Hee-joo longing for the simplicity of a normal relationship? I’m not crying, you’re crying.
And then Sa-eon teasing Hee-joo about her lingerie picture and hugging her? I was screaming. These two are so awkwardly in love, and it’s adorable. The fact that Sa-eon didn’t give the black phone to the police because he thinks it brought them closer? Sir, you’re killing me!
But of course, the kidnapper is still out there plotting, and things are only getting messier. The reveal about Sa-eon’s past with the Paik family was gut-wrenching. The flashback to his childhood, when he witnessed the real Paik Sa-eon being drowned, gave me chills. The layers of trauma this man is carrying are staggering, and I just want to protect him.
And can we talk about Sang-woo? His connection to Hee-joo’s past is intriguing, but I can’t figure out if he’s trustworthy or if there’s more to his story. The jealousy showdown between him and Sa-eon was peak drama, and I was eating it up. Sa-eon’s possessiveness is on a whole other level—he’s so protective of Hee-joo, and I love it.
Let’s take a moment to appreciate THAT kiss at the end of Episode 8. Sa-eon telling Hee-joo, “I don’t know how not to love you,” and pulling her in? I screamed. I cried. I clutched my pillow like a lovesick teenager. This was the moment we’ve been waiting for, and it was worth every second.
But of course, this show can’t let us have nice things without throwing in a cliffhanger. The fire at the fishing shop, Sa-eon risking his life to save the old man, and then fainting? I have so many questions! Who is the kidnapper really, and what is their ultimate goal? Why does the Paik family have so many skeletons in their closet? And can we just let Sa-eon and Hee-joo be happy for five minutes?
Episodes 7 and 8 were EVERYTHING I love about this drama: emotional depth, intense suspense, and a love story that feels so raw and real. Sa-eon and Hee-joo’s relationship has come so far, but there’s still so much to unpack. The layers of mystery keep me hooked, and the way the show balances romance with high-stakes drama is perfection.
I’m officially obsessed, and I cannot wait to see what happens next. Will Sa-eon survive the fire? Will Hee-joo confess everything to him? And what’s the deal with Sang-woo and the missing children case? My heart is not ready, but I am HERE for it. Bring on Episode 9! 😍🔥
