When The Phone Rings: Netflix’s Masterpiece Thriller

One of the most underrated thrillers on Netflix seamlessly blends multiple languages. While there are plenty of iconic horror titles like Mike Flanagan’s filmography, Netflix thrillers are far more subtle stories that prey on psychological aspects rather than full-blown slashers. Nevertheless, many of the best thriller series are just as spine-chilling as classic horror movies, albeit more grounded in reality.

Many of Netflix’s most interesting thrillers, however, don’t get the recognition they deserve if they’re foreign titles. From Narcos to Squid Game, Netflix’s international projects are often their best— and When the Phone Rings is no exception. The 2024 mystery series isn’t just one of the best K-dramas of the decade thus far; it’s a stellar thriller with a twist.

When The Phone Rings Is A Chilling Multilingual Thriller

The Main Character Is Non-Verbal For Most Of The Series

To the public, presidential press secretary Paik Sa-eon (Yoo Yeon-seok) lives a perfect life. From his past triumphs as a war correspondent and hostage negotiator to his father’s political ambitions, Sa-eon seems to fit a perfectly-curated mold. Yet, there’s one mystery that his adoring fans can’t ignore: Paik Sa-eon’s wife has never been seen.

Enter one of the most fascinating K-drama female leads ever made: Hong Hee-joo (Chae Soo-bin). Following a traumatic car accident, Hee-joo has been selectively mute, opting to communicate solely via sign language. She’s Sa-eon’s wife in name only, trudging through their loveless contract and yearning for more. Everything changes, however, when Hee-joo’s car is hijacked by a deranged killer.

Sa-eon makes the mistake of not taking the hostage call seriously, leading Hee-joo to seek revenge. She steals the killer’s phone to taunt and torture her so-called husband, all the while remaining silent while in his company. While the premise is already fulfilling for any mystery thriller fan, what sets When the Phone Rings apart is its focus on sign.

When The Phone Rings Is A Masterclass In Suspense

Every Single Detail Adds To The Budding Tension

Without the typical humdrum of screams and desperate pleas, When the Phone Rings quietly ups the ante. By having entire conversations play out without noise, When the Phone Rings leverages the absence of sound to raise the viewer’s hackles. Similarly, since Hee-joo’s voice is a rarity, hearing her gasps and cries hits even harder, effectively adding tension via sensory deprivation.

Beyond the suspenseful bouts of silence, When the Phone Rings employs innovative cinematography, sound design, and editing tricks to keep the viewer engaged. From vivid hallucinations to petrifying action sequences, When the Phone Rings understands that an unfamiliar camera angle, well-timed needledrop, or pregnant moment of silence is enough to take a thriller from good to great.

When the Phone Rings won four of its eight nominations at the 2024 MBC Drama Awards, including the Best New Actor and Best Couple awards.

Plus, Chae Soo-bin’s performance as Hee-joo is nothing short of extraordinary. Like a true scream queen from history’s best horror stories, Hee-joo fulfills the archetypal role of the Final Girl, refusing to be taken down without a fight. Yet, as she grows more vulnerable, her fear runs as a palpable undercurrent to every scene.

Arguably the most impressive part of When the Phone Rings is its balance. Not every silent conversation is building towards a breakdown, and not every moment of terror is restrained to a hush. The ability to use sound (and the lack thereof) as a vehicle for suspense is paramount for any thriller series, but equally important is restraint.

When The Phone Rings Only Gets Better With Each Rewatch

The Climactic Ending Changes Everything In Retrospect

When the Phone Rings is so meticulously crafted, in fact, it takes multiple watches to fully appreciate every detail. From the narrative parallels in pivotal moments to the clues hiding in plain sight that give away When the Phone Rings‘ shocking ending, the thriller isn’t merely a must-watch— it’s a must-watch-twice.

Once the viewer knows every twist, turn, and red herring, rewatching When the Phone Rings feels like seeing an entirely different story. Every interaction is recontextualized, colored by the characters’ secret histories and hidden motives. When the Phone Rings is certainly a hidden gem thriller at present, but it’s undoubtedly one of Netflix’s best, nevertheless.