“Glad to see he survived our pirates”: Fans react as they spot an unexpected connection between ATEEZ and When The Phone Rings

Fans of K-pop boy group ATEEZ took over the internet to point out a newfound connection between the group and Netflix's hit series When The Phone Rings. They observed how the first episode of the the show and the latest MV released by the group, Ice On My Teeth, had the same actor.

An ATEEZ fan tweeted about how she was taken aback by the sudden appearance of a familiar face as she was watching When The Phone Rings. This led netizens to join the discourse about the unexpected connection. A K-pop fan commented while referencing ATEEZ's Ice On My Teeth MV:

"LOL just like with the OG telenovelas....the foreign actor industry is superr small. Glad to see he survived our pirates (esp Yunho),"

A fan tweeting about the connection between ATEEZ and When The Phone Rings (Image via X)

The actor in question appears as the British Ambassador to South Korea in the first episode of the series and he also plays the role of a doctor/psychiatrist in ATEEZ's music video.

"And thus the man shall be confused why he suddenly has so many ATINY’s following him," a fan hilariously reacted.

"I KNEW HE LOOKED FAMILIAR," an ATINY realised.

"yessssss. I was like my fav group crumbs with my current fav drama," another ATINY remarked.

Many K-pop and K-drama fans joined the conversation by pointing out that this actor has appeared in various K-dramas and K-pop videos. Kaare Svejgaard Olsen is an actor from Denmark who has appeared in some of the most loved K-dramas including Queen of Tears, The Impossible Heir, Doctor Cha, The Penthouse 3, and more.

An ATINY mentioned that Olsen is the go-to guy for the majority of Korean directors and producers when they require a 'foreign-looking' man.

"He’s in a lot of kdramas. I recognized him because I had seen him in so many dramas. He’s the white guy when they need an American or European."

"He always a rich business man in kdramas," an X user pointed out.

"I think he was also in taeyong's mv for shalala," a K-pop fan noticed.

A fan tweeted about Olsen's presence in NCT Taeyong's MV 'Shalala' (Image via X/common_trash)

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More about When The Phone Rings

When The Phone Rings debuted on November 22 on MBC TV and Netflix. It airs every Friday and Saturday at 21:50 (KST). With only four episodes in, the show has peaked at number one position on Netflix in more than 30 countries. In more than 70 countries, it entered into the Top 10 charts, solidifying its global presence.

The show, starring Chae Soo-bin and Yoo Yoon-seok revolves around a couple in a politically motivated arranged marriage. The female character, Hong Hee-joo suffers from selective mutism while the male character, Baek Sa-eon is a charismatic spokesperson for the Korean president's house. The chemistry between the two characters and the thrilling plot has captivated massive audiences.

Amidst its increasing popularity, episode five of the show would be extended by 10 minutes as reported by MBC. Episodes 5 and 6 are expected to be released on December 6 and 7 respectively.

However, after the release of episode 7, When The Phone Rings is expected to go on a short hiatus of two weeks therefore postponing the release of episode 8 to December 21.

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More about ATEEZ

ATEEZ is a Korean boy group under KQ Entertainment, consisting of eight members including Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung, and Jongho. They debuted on October 24, 2018, with two title tracks - Pirate King and Treasure.

In 2024, they were awarded the Grand Honor's Choice award (daesang) at the 2024 Korea Grand Music Awards. They have become the first K-pop boy group to have performed at Coachella and also the first ever K-pop group to headline the Mawazine music festival in Morocco.

Some of ATEEZ's renowned tracks are Say My Name, Deja Vu, Halazia, Bouncy (K-Hot Chilli Peppers), Work, and more.