MBC’s K-drama When the Phone Rings skyrocketed as an instant fan favourite following its premiere in November 2024, thanks to Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae Soo Bin’s palpable angst-ridden chemistry. The melodrama successfully checked off boxes from the get-go, offering viewers a dose of several sub-genres and themes, riding high on emotions. However, the January 2025 season finale was a different story to tell.
Engulfed in mistranslations and misinformation, the show took on a controversial shape, digging into political affairs that fans pilloried as unwarranted creative decisions. Despite the rising issues, When the Phone Rings Episode 12 concluded the season run on a personal high, securing an average nationwide audience viewership rating of 8.6%, according to Nielsen Korea.
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Fans bowled over by When the Phone Rings finale’s steamy scene
The New Year weekend conclusion also redirected considerable attention to the main onscreen couple with an intimate bed scene following Hee Joo and Sa Eon’s long-awaited reunion. MBC further kept feeding the fans with Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae Soo Bin’s offscreen chemistry, stealing glimpses of their off-camera moments throughout the show’s ongoing promotions. Viewers continued bombarding the actors with suggestions to date each other in real life, potentially even going the distance and getting married down the line.
Multiple interviews and exclusives have even probed into Yoo Yeon Seok’s IRL dating status. Despite sugar-coating his responses one way or the other each time, he’s maintained his stance on where he stands with Chae Soo Bin when the cameras are off.
Yoo Yeon Seok addresses Chae Soo Bin dating rumours
On January 6, Starship Entertainment’s acting division agency, King Kong, shared an interview in which Yoo again set the record straight on his take on fans’ wishing him to get romantically involved with his co-star, who shares the talent agency King Kong banner with him. According to AllKpop’s English translation, Yoo admitted, “It’s a compliment to our chemistry. It means people were invested in the romance and our characters’ relationship, and I’m very grateful for that.”
Responding to international fans’ “Just get married” wishes, Yoo said, “While our drama has thriller elements, it’s ultimately a love story. We hoped viewers would be drawn to Sa Eon and Hee Joo’s journey, and seeing those supportive comments makes me feel like we achieved that.” Amusingly reacting to the fans’ love for them, he clarified, “But no, we’re not dating in real life.”
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Yoo Yeon Seok on Baek Sa Eon and Hong Hee Joo’s intimate reunion
Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae Soo Bin’s bed scene was an equally raved-about point of discussion among the When the Phone Rings cast members who watched the finale together. The K-drama actor explained, “The couple had been emotionally distant for three years, and through the threatening phone calls, they rediscovered their feelings for each other. Their reunion symbolized what could be considered their true first night together. We wanted to capture it beautifully, as if it were a long-term couple’s first night.”
Speaking of his collaboration with Soo Bin, he recalled, “On the day of filming, we discussed the tone we wanted, reviewed the storyboard, and even referenced other examples to ensure we were on the same page. Seeing posts of South American fans cheering as they watched the scene together made me think it turned out well.”
Owning up to his revived alias as the “Kiss Master,” Yeon Seok added, “Each kiss in the drama came from a different emotional state—there was a reunion kiss, a kiss overcoming guilt, a joyful kiss, and a kiss of overwhelming emotion after a proposal. I tried to express each one uniquely, which may have helped viewers immerse themselves more.”