On January 4, the final episode of viral K-drama “When The Phone Rings” was aired, drawing massive attention. However, while the series has largely been praised by fans in the past, a scene in its final episode has sparked intense criticisms.
this is the scene op is referring to btw for added context
they added this scene near the very end of the last ep with these slightly changed names https://t.co/eBNNfMh8SW pic.twitter.com/EAeBTWTYOi
— ⋆ (@selsmarss) January 4, 2025
Specifically, there was a particular scene where character Na Yu-ri (played by Jang Gyu-ri) reported on an incident where the fictional nation “Paltima” launched an air-stike on the fictional nation “Izmael” and took several Koreans hostage.
While “Paltima” and “Izmael” are both fictional names, many believed they were implying the real countries Palestine and Israel, respectively. This interpretation has quickly spread across the net, not only angering international fans, but also Koreans aware of the recent situation between Palestine and Israel.
In particular, for more than a year, Israel has been bombing and committing genocide in Palestine, with various documented footage of the former’s inhumane atrocities that leads to Palestians struggling to surviving in unlivable conditions.
As a result, many accused “When The Phone Rings” of trying to twist the truth and painting Palestine as the perpetrator instead of vice-versa, showing a “Zionist” viewpoint (supporting Israel’s doing to Palestine).
Posts calling out the series have since attracted millions of views, with scathing comments from netizens.
“’Paltima’ and ‘Izmael’? This is definitely not a coincidence”, a netizen wrote, while another said, “The production team clearly had to insert a Zionist viewpoint when Israel is committing mass murder, leaving hundreds of thousands of children deaf“.
"Israeli" soldiers set fire to Mahdia Al-Shawa School in Beit Hanoun just right after the aid trucks arrived there, following more than forty days without food. They burned down the school and all the aid supplies, forcing the displaced people to evacuate by force. pic.twitter.com/HJxqDqdCq3
— Ania Lewandovska
(@Anna_AnninaEl) November 15, 2024
In the past, many Korean celebrities have been criticized for similar matters. For instance, BLACKPINK’s Lisa was under fire due to accusations of her mother being a Zionist and her rumored boyfriend’s family supporting Israel (though both are unconfirmed speculations).
Meanwhile, various others, including Jeon Somi and LE SSERFIM, came under fire for drinking Starbucks – a brand that fell under the boycott list for alleged Zionist actions.
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