What-ifs

Episode 11 of When the Phone Rings opens with Sa-eon’s haunting “what-ifs.” What if he had confessed his love for Hee-joo three years ago? What if their marriage had been real from the start? But regrets can’t change the past, and we’re thrown back into the chaos of Hee-joo’s harrowing escape attempt.

A Desperate Search Begins

After Hee-joo’s car crashes into a guardrail and plummets into the water, the police begin an intense search. Sa-eon refuses to accept the worst, clinging to the hope that Hee-joo is alive. Meanwhile, her family arrives at the scene, their emotions running high. In true Paik family fashion, Ui-hyong and II-kyeong’s clash escalates into a physical fight. Amid the chaos, Sa-eon realizes Kyu-jin is suspiciously absent and asks the detective to investigate her whereabouts.

In the dead of night, Sa-eon sneaks into the family house and discovers the dashcam footage from Kyu-jin’s car has been wiped. His confrontation with her is chilling. Kyu-jin’s cold confession—admitting she once searched desperately for her lost son but now wishes Sa-eon the same fate—was a gut punch. Her hatred for Sa-eon is so consuming that it blinds her to the suffering she’s causing.

A Race Against Time

The following day, You-ri makes a bold move on live television, pleading with the public to help find Hee-joo. Determined to act, she teams up with Sang-woo, who finally reveals Hee-joo’s secret: she can speak. The duo arrives at the crash site and joins Sa-eon’s colleagues in the search, but there’s no sign of Hee-joo. Despite the mounting pressure, Sa-eon refuses to give up.

Meanwhile, the show masterfully alternates between two explosive events: Ui-yong’s press conference and Do-jae’s testimony from prison. Ui-yong spins a fabricated sob story about adopting Sa-eon after losing his real son, but Hyeok-jin drops a bombshell. Armed with Do-jae’s recorded testimony, he exposes the Paik family’s connection to the missing orphanage children and the kidnapper’s true identity. The press conference descends into chaos as the police storm in to arrest Kyu-jin—on charges of murdering Paik Jang-ho.

The Shocking Truth About Kyu-jin

The murder charge stems from damning evidence Sa-eon has been holding onto for years. A secret recording from Paik Jang-ho’s deathbed reveals Kyu-jin’s crime: she smothered him with a pillow in a fit of rage after he confessed to drowning her real son. Despite her confident facade, Kyu-jin crumbles under the weight of her lies. Sa-eon is sure she knows where Hee-joo is but is keeping her alive to torment him.

And he’s right. When Hee-joo’s car crashed, it never fell into the water. Following Kyu-jin’s orders, Mr. Min rescued Hee-joo and the kidnapper, hiding them in the basement of an old mansion. Hee-joo, now awake, refuses to eat, choosing to die rather than give Kyu-jin the satisfaction of watching Sa-eon suffer.

The Clock Ticks Down

As Sa-eon and the police piece together clues, Mr. Min has a change of heart and frees Hee-joo. But his betrayal doesn’t go unnoticed. Ui-yong arrives at the mansion with a gun, ordering Mr. Min to release the kidnapper. A scuffle breaks out, and Ui-yong is shot. Hearing the gunfire, Hee-joo runs into the woods, only to trip and pass out.

When the kidnapper begins chasing her, we see a shift in Hee-joo. She initially wanted to end her life to protect Sa-eon, but now she fights to survive. She misses Sa-eon and wants to live—for him. In a nail-biting sequence, she runs toward the main road just as Sa-eon arrives at the mansion. The relief on his face when he sees her is palpable, and they share a tearful embrace. But the danger isn’t over yet.

A Devastating Confrontation

As Sa-eon drives Hee-joo to safety, the kidnapper blocks their path, armed and unhinged. Despite Hee-joo’s desperate pleas, Sa-eon gets out of the car, determined to end things once and for all. The kidnapper accuses Sa-eon of being complicit in Jang-ho’s crimes and whispers something that visibly shatters him. Whatever it is leaves Sa-eon broken, his defeated expression cutting deep.

The police arrive, surrounding the scene, but the kidnapper is unfazed. He raises his gun, and a shot rings out. The screen cuts to black.

The Haunting Ending

The episode ends with Hee-joo imagining a happy life with Sa-eon, filled with regrets over the years they wasted. She calls Sa-eon repeatedly, but there’s no answer. Suddenly, she receives an international call. She answers, and though the caller says nothing, she believes it’s Sa-eon. Is it really him? Or is this another cruel twist of fate?

New Beginnings 

The finale of When the Phone Rings opens with Hee-joo waking up from a haunting nightmare of Sa-eon getting shot by the kidnapper. But her reality is no less painful. It’s been six months since Sa-eon disappeared, leaving Hee-joo heartbroken and desperate for answers.

Six Months Without Sa-eon

Six months ago, Sa-eon vanished after donating his entire inheritance to charity and quitting his job. Hyeok-jin broke the news to Hee-joo, but no one—not even Sa-eon’s closest confidants—could tell her where he went. Determined to find him, Hee-joo pursued every lead, visiting Do-jae repeatedly and even questioning I-na, who secretly knew Sa-eon’s reasons for leaving but refused to share them.

The Fallout of the Paik Family

The Paik family’s house of cards collapsed.

• The Real Paik Sa-eon: Killed by the police during his final confrontation with Sa-eon and Hee-joo.
• Kyu-jin: Sentenced to life imprisonment but later appealed for the death penalty, unable to forgive herself for failing to protect her son. Her final conversation with her son revealed her deep regret but also her refusal to acknowledge his crimes.
• Ui-hyong: Publicly denounced the Paik family and vowed to live as an ordinary man.
• Mr. Min: The only one genuinely remorseful for his actions, serving a five-year prison sentence.

The once-mighty Paik family was left in shambles, their secrets and betrayals exposed.

Sang-woo and You-ri’s Happy Ending

On a brighter note, Sang-woo and You-ri, after months of dating, finally got engaged. We were all so wrong about Sang-woo, and seeing his love story with You-ri blossom has been a pleasant surprise. Their happiness provided a welcome respite from the drama’s heavier themes.

A Clue to Sa-eon’s Whereabouts

Hee-joo’s search for Sa-eon seemed hopeless—until she received a letter from a sign language school in Argan, thanking her for a two-billion-won donation. Knowing it was Sa-eon’s doing, Hee-joo visited Hyeok-jin to learn more about Sa-eon’s time in Argan as a soldier. Hyeok-jin mentioned Sa-eon’s favorite spot to watch sunsets, and despite warnings about the dangers of visiting a war-torn country, Hee-joo was determined to find him.

A Heart-Stopping Reunion in Argan

Hee-joo’s trip took a dangerous turn when she was kidnapped by rebels. Just as her fate seemed sealed, Sa-eon emerged to rescue her. Their reunion was charged with raw emotion, and Sa-eon confessed his reasons for leaving. He believed Hee-joo knew the truth about Paik Jang-ho killing her brother and was silently suffering because of him. Misguided by guilt and misinformation from I-na, Sa-eon decided to set her free by disappearing from her life.

But Hee-joo had other plans. She refused to let misunderstandings and regrets define their future. She passionately embraced Sa-eon, reminding him that they’d already lost too much time apart. Their love rekindled, and they shared an intimate, heartfelt night together. Sa-eon admitted he had planned to divorce her but was now planning to remarry her under his new identity.

The Happily Ever After

Sa-eon officially changed his name to Paik Yu-yeon and remarried Hee-joo. They moved to a new home and celebrated their union with close friends, where You-ri and Sang-woo announced their engagement.

In a touching moment, Hee-joo reconciled with her family, offering forgiveness to her parents and I-na, while Yu-yeon reconnected with Sang-hoon. Both were ready to move forward, leaving the pain of their pasts behind.

Hee-joo started a new job as a sign language interpreter, while Yu-yeon took on a role as a state negotiator. On his first impromptu mission, Hee-joo worried about his safety, but when he returned, their love felt stronger than ever. In a sweet and playful moment, Yu-yeon asked Hee-joo to call him "406" whenever she was mad, so he’d know he was in trouble. She agreed, promising to always be honest with him.

A Surprising Twist

As Yu-yeon’s new mission unfolded, we were surprised to see Do-jae working as his assistant. Is this Do-jae’s path to redemption? Only time will tell.

DramaZen's Opinion

A Rollercoaster of Emotions and the Perfect Farewell

Where do I even begin? Episodes 11 and 12 of When the Phone Rings had me in a whirlwind of emotions. I laughed, cried, screamed at my screen, and clutched my pillow like my life depended on it. This drama didn’t just end—it wrapped me in a blanket of love, heartbreak, and hope, then set my soul on fire. Let’s talk about it.

Episode 11: Pain, Regret, and a Glimmer of Hope

Episode 11 was devastating. Watching Sa-eon grapple with regret after Hee-joo’s desperate choice was gut-wrenching. His “what-ifs” hit me hard: What if he had confessed his love earlier? What if they’d fought for their marriage from the start? These questions haunted him, and they haunted me too.

The car crash scene had me on the edge of my seat. The sheer chaos—Sa-eon’s frantic attempts to find Hee-joo, the tense family confrontations, and Kyu-jin’s chilling coldness—was unbearable. Kyu-jin’s twisted reasoning for letting Sa-eon suffer mirrored her own years of torment, but her cruelty felt limitless. That confrontation between her and Sa-eon? A masterclass in acting and tension.

When the police finally pieced together Hee-joo’s location, my heart was racing. The chase through the woods, Hee-joo’s determination to live, and the breathtaking moment when Sa-eon found her—all of it was pure cinematic magic. I felt the weight of their embrace, the relief, and the love they’d both fought so hard for.

But then the kidnapper returned, and that final showdown was everything. The tension, the heartbreak, and the cryptic message whispered to Sa-eon had me screaming. And that gunshot? My heart stopped. What did the kidnapper say to Sa-eon? Why did he look so broken? The show left us hanging, and I was not okay.

Episode 12: Healing, Love, and New Beginnings

If Episode 11 was pain, Episode 12 was healing. Six months passed, and the void Sa-eon left in Hee-joo’s life was palpable. I felt her longing and determination to find him, even as everyone around her had seemingly moved on. Her resilience made me root for her even harder.

When she found that clue in the letter from Argan, I cheered so loudly. Her journey to find Sa-eon in the war-torn country was terrifying and brave, and the moment he appeared to rescue her was pure poetry. Their reunion was raw, emotional, and intimate. Hearing Sa-eon’s reasons for leaving broke my heart, but Hee-joo’s refusal to let guilt or misunderstandings keep them apart was everything. Their love scene? Tender, passionate, and long overdue. I cried tears of joy.

The Perfect Ending

Seeing Sa-eon (now Paik Yu-yeon) and Hee-joo start over was so satisfying. Their remarriage, surrounded by close friends, felt like the perfect culmination of their journey. The romantic moments, the forgiveness, and the fresh start—they deserved every bit of happiness.

I loved how the show tied up loose ends with all the other characters. You-ri and Sang-woo’s engagement was adorable (our man Sang-woo finally got his redemption!), and even the Paik family’s fallout was handled beautifully. Kyu-jin’s tragic end, Ui-yong’s decision to step away from power, and Mr. Min’s quiet remorse all felt realistic and well-earned.

But my favorite moment was Yu-yeon’s promise to always return to Hee-joo. His playful request to call him “406” when she’s mad at him made me smile through tears. It’s a reminder of how far they’ve come—from misunderstandings and secrets to complete honesty and love.

Final Thoughts

Episodes 11 and 12 gave us the perfect conclusion to this wild ride. This drama wasn’t just about love; it was about redemption, forgiveness, and finding strength in vulnerability. Sa-eon and Hee-joo’s love story was messy, complicated, and beautiful—just like real life.

I’ll miss this show so much, but I’m leaving with a full heart. When the Phone Rings is more than a drama—it’s a masterpiece. 💔❤️

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to rewatch all my favorite moments (and cry all over again). Who’s with me? 🥰