When The Phone Rings Episode 2 Review: Unmasking Cold Secrets

The episode introduces the complex, transactional marriage between Baek Sa-eon, a charismatic presidential spokesperson, and Hong Hee-joo, a skilled interpreter, set against a backdrop of political intrigue and personal betrayals. As Sa-eon commands attention at an international gathering, his cold indifference towards Hee-joo highlights their strained relationship. Hee-joo faces humiliation at work, pressure from her controlling mother-in-law, and a terrifying encounter with a kidnapper, which she ultimately escapes from, hiding the ordeal from her dismissive husband.

Meanwhile, Sa-eon, oblivious to Hee-joo’s growing resentment, becomes the target of a mysterious caller who taunts him with personal details, leaving him unnerved. Unbeknownst to him, the caller is Hee-joo herself, seeking revenge and testing the limits of their fraught dynamic, as their secrets set the stage for escalating tension and emotional unraveling.

– Contains Spoilers –

When The Phone Rings Episode 2 Recap

Episode 2 of When the Phone Rings picks up exactly where the previous episode left off, diving deeper into the complexities of Sa-eon and Hee-joo’s turbulent marriage. Sa-eon’s suspicion is piqued as he notices the bruises on Hee-joo’s neck and forehead, evidence of the recent kidnapping attempt. Confronting her in private, he demands to know why she didn’t confide in him. While she remembers his cold dismissal of the kidnapper’s threat in, she remains silent, her resentment toward him growing.

Later that evening, Sa-eon asks for Hee-joo’s car keys, intending to review the dashcam footage to learn more about the incident. Hee-joo panics, realizing that if he watches the footage, he’ll discover a secret she’s kept hidden: her voice has returned after years of muteness. To her relief, the footage is mysteriously erased. Sa-eon’s curiosity about the kidnapping deepens, especially after a conversation with his mother during dinner. She laments the decision to proceed with the wedding, but Sa-eon reminds her that their arrangement benefitted his father’s political career.

He also inquires if anyone outside their families knows about his real wife, Hee-joo, being substituted for In-a on the wedding day. His mother insists no one does, raising suspicions about the mysterious caller’s knowledge of deeply buried secrets. Meanwhile, Hee-joo’s life becomes increasingly restrictive. Sa-eon assigns her bodyguards who report her every move to him, disrupting her independence. While working as an interpreter for a court case, Hee-joo encounters Sang-woo, an old college friend. Their chance meeting brings back memories as Sang-woo expresses sadness over her sudden disappearance three years ago. They share a brief but warm conversation, during which Hee-joo apologizes for her silence.

Sang-woo’s fluency in sign language adds a layer of nostalgia to their interaction. Unbeknownst to Hee-joo, her bodyguards capture photos of the meeting and report back to Sa-eon. Seeing the images of Hee-joo smiling with Sang-woo—something she never does around him—Sa-eon feels a flicker of jealousy. At home, Hee-joo faces pressures from her mother, who insists she wears provocative loungewear to seduce Sa-eon. It is revealed that Hee-joo married Sa-eon under duress: her father, in need of care, was promised a place in a prestigious nursing home as part of the marriage arrangement. If she fails to maintain the union, her father risks losing his care.

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Despite this, Hee-joo’s bitterness toward her situation grows, and she continues to seek small ways to rebel. That night, Hee-joo escalates her own ruse as the “kidnapper” by calling Sa-eon and sending him a photo of her thigh, showing a distinctive red mole. Ironically, Sa-eon, who has never seen such an intimate part of her body, is startled that the “kidnapper” knows this detail. Believing he’s dealing with a perverted criminal, he engages the caller in a provocative conversation to bait them. His actions help his team trace the call’s location, narrowing their search to suspects in the area with prior offenses.

A flashback to three years earlier sheds light on Sa-eon and Hee-joo’s strained relationship. Shortly after their wedding, Hee-joo had tried to bridge the emotional gap between them, but Sa-eon dismissed her, reiterating that their marriage was a sham and warning her to stay out of his business. In the present, Sa-eon seems to soften slightly, offering her a position at the presidential office and even preparing her breakfast, likely as a way to ease his guilt over her recent ordeal.

Sang-woo, now reconnected with Hee-joo, becomes a recurring presence. He is scheduled to appear on the same news program where Hee-joo works as an interpreter. During an encounter with the host, Yoo-ri, Sang-woo displays his charm by protecting her from a swarm of fangirls, only for Yoo-ri to defend the fans’ passion. Sang-woo’s lingering feelings for Hee-joo become evident, suggesting that his reentry into her life could complicate matters further.

Amid these developments, Hee-joo visits her father at the nursing home, breaking down in tears. She expresses her desire to shed her current identity as “Hong Hee-joo” and return to being “Na Hee-joo,” hinting at a past life she was forced to abandon. The strained dynamics of her family remain a mystery, particularly why her father’s wife appears indifferent to his well-being. Sa-eon’s professional life also takes a turn as he confides in a reporter friend about the threatening calls. The reporter speculates that such intimate knowledge of his family must stem from an affair. This theory unsettles Sa-eon, especially as the caller continues to taunt him.

During one such call, Sa-eon sarcastically tells the “kidnapper” to wait for him to act, sensing their desperation. The episode crescendos with a shocking sequence: while Hee-joo drives near Sa-eon’s workplace, she hears a loud explosion. In a panic, she tries to reach Sa-eon using the kidnapper’s phone but fails. She spends a restless night, only to wake and find Sa-eon absent. When he eventually returns, the tension reaches its peak. Sa-eon abruptly checks her thigh for the mole, suggesting he’s begun to believe she might be involved in an affair. Hee-joo stops him, leaving their interaction unresolved.

The episode concludes with a flashback to the day before their wedding, revealing that Sa-eon switched brides to marry Hee-joo instead of In-a. In-a had threatened to expose family secrets unless Sa-eon canceled the wedding, but Sa-eon learned Hee-joo’s mother orchestrated her daughter’s marriage to a man nobody wanted. Sa-eon’s decision to marry Hee-joo hints at a protective instinct, though his motivations remain unclear. Despite his aloof demeanor, his actions suggest lingering feelings for Hee-joo, raising the question of why he continues to keep her at a distance.

When The Phone Rings Episode 2 Review

Episode 2 of When the Phone Rings expertly ramps up the tension and intrigue, diving deeper into the complexities of Sa-eon and Hee-joo’s fractured marriage. The episode skillfully balances suspense with emotional depth as Sa-eon begins to suspect the “kidnapper” knows far more about his life than anyone should. Meanwhile, Hee-joo’s hidden rebellion as the caller adds a thrilling twist, highlighting her frustration and desperation within their sham relationship. Flashbacks to their wedding reveal Sa-eon’s decision to marry Hee-joo as a protective move, raising questions about his true feelings for her and the sacrifices he’s made.

The supporting cast brings fresh dynamics, particularly Sang-woo, whose reappearance offers Hee-joo a glimmer of warmth in an otherwise cold and controlling world. The episode also sheds light on the emotional burdens Hee-joo carries, from her father’s care to her strained family relationships, deepening her character’s struggles. With its blend of jealousy, suspense, and emotional undercurrents, this episode sets the stage for explosive revelations, keeping viewers hooked as the lines between love, betrayal, and revenge blur further.

When The Phone Rings is streaming on Netflix.

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