'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The December 27, 2024, release of episode 9 of When the Phone Rings featured a pivotal scene that has sparked significant attention and discussion among fans. Yoo Yeon-seok's Baek Sa-eon and Chae Soo-bin's Hee-joo shared a moment of identity revelation and a heartfelt confession of love and devotion, marking a pivotal turning point in the series.
In the scene, after discovering her husband Sa-eon's true identity and his injury from a fire caused by the real Baek Sa-eon, Hee-joo takes action to protect him. Sa-eon tracked her to the police station, leading to a confrontation. The scene ended with Sa-eon expressing his deep feelings towards her, saying he couldn't let her go despite knowing the risk and that he lived and endured everything because of her.
Fans quickly admired the emotional scene between Yoo Yeon-seok and Chae Soo-bin in episode 9 of When the Phone Rings. Many took to social media, overwhelmed by the raw intensity of the love confession.
Trending
One fan of When the Phone Rings posted on X,
"He has endured being Saeon only because he was afraid of how she will react to the truth! The fact that she was able to calm him after his nightmare! He found comfort in her presence which made him survive all these years. He literally can't live without her!🥺"
"I love his desperate trying to make her understand that his love is not just love, it is a need and his very life." wrote a viewer of When the Phone Rings.
"the way he’s only living as “baek saeon” is bc of her 😭 he hates the name “baek saeon” but it’s also because of this name he was able to meet and marry her, so he endured it all 😭😭😭" commented one netizen.
"Mans really endured all the brutality and psyo adoptive parents just because of his love and affection for Hee Joo! Hee Joo was the hope to survive in that cruel family & play Baek Sa On since childhood! 🥺🥺🥺" shared an X user.
"28288282 confession scenes in this drama and all of them is better than a simple "i love you"" read a comment from a fan on X.
This confession has captivated viewers, with many fans taking to social media to shared how the moment left them swooning.
"I think this might be my favorite scene in this drama, I just kept rewinding. I almost couldn't breathe" mentioned an individual on X.
"this is a testament of a man who's world only revolves around his wife. the whole series tells us that even the strongest man in the world also has a weakness. Baek Saeon's wife is only his weakness 😭💔 " said another fan of When the Phone Rings.
"He endured being family with the most despicable people and carrying a psycho's name for Hee Joo because he knows that power & title could protect her. The "plan" he mentioned in Ep 2 was to gather enough power & resources so that he & Hee Joo could be free" pointed out this netizen.
The scene also sparked speculation among fans of When the Phone Rings, with many wondering if the impostor Baek Sa-eon could be the one who sent the DNA report to Hong In-a, making her step down from marrying him.
"Why do I feel like he is also the one who leaked the DNA test result and sent it to Inah for her to avoid marrying him so he can manipulate everything and marry Hee Joo instead so that he can save her from her family and that trash man she supposedly to marry" speculated this viewer of When the Phone Rings.
"I lived because of you": Baek Sa-eon’s heartfelt confession to Hong Hee-joo in When the Phone Rings episode 9
In episode 9 of When the Phone Rings, the tension emerges as Hee-joo (Chae Soo-bin) discovers the truth about Baek Sa-eon (Yoo Yeon-seok). After learning of his true identity and seeing him injured from a fire accident caused by the real Baek Sa-eon, Hee-joo searches his room and finds the kidnapper’s phone that she had given him earlier. Determined to take action, she decides to hand over the phone and all the information she has about the kidnapper to the police.
Meanwhile, Sa-eon, worried after not finding Hee-joo in his hospital room or outside, tracks her to the police station. Surprised to find him there in his bandaged state, Hee-joo rushes to him and asks why he left the hospital.
In response, Sa-eon asks why she’s at the police station. Hee-joo says nothing but tries to conceal the envelope with the phone. Sa-eon quickly grabs it from her and, pulling her by the hand, attempts to get her into the car.
Hee-joo, however, remains determined. She pulls away from him and demands to know why he lied. She reveals that she knows he isn’t the real Baek Sa-eon and even knows the true identity of the man he’s pretending to be. Regretful for once working with the kidnapper to hurt her husband, she now wants to protect him from the dangers that lie ahead.
Sa-eon, concerned for her safety, warns that she could be in danger again if she stays with him. However, in an emotionally charged moment, he says,
"But I'm asking you to stay by my side, because I can't let you go. You still don't get it? I lived because of you. I endured because of you."
He then questions if it matters to her that he’s not the real Baek Sa-eon but someone his parents put in his place. Hee-joo replies that it doesn't.
"It didn't matter to you either. Whether I was the Hong Hee-joo who couldn't speak or could speak, and even when I was 406, you knew, but it didn't matter," she explains.
She tells him that she’s glad to know the real him finally, but she also expresses regret that it took her so long to recognize who he truly is. Overcome with emotion, Sa-eon embraces her, and the scene ends on that note.
For those unfamiliar, When the Phone Rings follow Baek Sa-eon (Yoo Yeon-seok) and Hong Hee-joo (Chae Soo-bin), a couple stuck in a loveless arranged marriage. Their strained relationship faces upheaval when Hee-joo is abducted, forcing them to confront buried truths and secrets.
The drama, which premiered on November 22, 2024, airs on MBC every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 pm KST and streams on Netflix in select regions an hour later. Episode 10 of When the Phone Rings was released at its usual time, on December 28, and episode 11 is scheduled to be released on January 3, 2025.
