The MBC drama 'When The Phone Rings' has captured audiences' attention both domestically and internationally, surpassing a 6% viewership rating in just three episodes. The fast-paced plot, combined with the unique mix of romance and thriller elements, has driven its growing popularity.

The show, which began airing on November 22, follows the "secret romance thriller" story of a show-window couple in an arranged marriage. Their seemingly perfect life is upended when husband Baek Sa Eon receives a threatening phone call from a kidnapper claiming to have abducted his wife, Hong Hee Joo. This nerve-wracking premise is the foundation for a genre-blending series that merges romance, thriller, and mystery into one compelling narrative.

According to FlixPatrol, a site that tracks the rankings of shows on streaming platforms, 'When The Phone Rings' reached #2 on Netflix’s Global TV (Non-English) category just two weeks after its release. The series claimed the #1 spot in 33 countries, including Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Indonesia, Qatar, Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil, and maintained its top position in several of these countries since November 26.

The show also topped the Good Data Corporation's FUNdex list in the drama category for Week 4 of November. Lead actors Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae Soo Bin ranked first and second, respectively, on the list of the most talked-about TV drama actors that week. Achieving this level of success within just two weeks of its premiere underscores the drama’s strong momentum.

According to Nielsen Korea, 'When The Phone Rings' started with a 5.5% viewership rating for its first episode and surged past 6% by its third. This success also drove renewed interest in its source material, a popular Kakao Page web novel of the same name. Since the drama’s release, viewership for the web novel has increased fivefold, and revenue from the novel rose by 14.6 times. The web novel even climbed to the #1 spot on Kakao Page's daily web novel rankings, creating a "double-hit" phenomenon with the drama and its source material thriving in tandem.

The unique appeal of 'When The Phone Rings' lies in its genre fusion. While romance is the main pillar, elements of thriller, mystery, and even action are seamlessly woven into the storyline. Kim Ji Woon, the scriptwriter, has been praised for his ability to blend the emotional depth of romance with the heart-pounding tension of a thriller. Viewers, especially female audiences, have found themselves captivated by the emotional complexity of the "show-window couple" dynamic.

The director, Park Sung Woo, was tasked with adapting the intense, high-stakes content of the web novel into a format suitable for television, which required careful adjustments to the show's content rating. His decision to tone down the mature elements of the original work made it accessible to a broader audience, opening the door to viewership from a variety of age groups.

'When The Phone Rings' has also sparked new discussions about the revival of the melodrama genre, which had been in decline in recent years. Unlike classic K-romance dramas, which once dominated TV, melodramas that emphasize deep emotional storytelling had begun to fade as modern viewers shifted their attention to lighter, more digestible content. Many production companies, investors, and actors moved away from melodramas in favor of other genres.

However, the success of 'When The Phone Rings ' suggests a renewed demand for this type of storytelling. This follows the earlier success of 'What Comes After Love' on Coupang Play, which also demonstrated strong viewer demand for melodramatic storytelling. The unexpected rise of 'When The Phone Rings' could shift production trends, encouraging studios to revisit the potential of melodrama.

Despite its success, the series faced some controversy. The production team had to address criticism over the depiction of sign language in one scene, which was accused of mocking the Deaf community. In response, the production team released a statement, saying, “We had no intention of ridiculing or disparaging sign language, which is a crucial tool for communication in the Deaf community. We humbly acknowledge our lack of effort to better understand the challenges faced by the Deaf community and incorporate them more thoughtfully into the production process.”

The show also faced scheduling challenges. On December 6 and 7, two episodes were canceled due to emergency coverage of President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law situation, causing significant disruption to the show’s flow. Since 'When The Phone Rings' is a 12-episode series, maintaining narrative momentum is crucial, and a two-episode break was seen as a major setback. Fortunately, when the show resumed on December 13, it achieved a solid 5.9% viewership rating, a promising sign that it had regained its audience.

The excitement for 'When The Phone Rings' continues to grow as it maintains strong global rankings and domestic ratings. With its genre-blending storytelling, compelling cast, and bold narrative, the series has not only reawakened interest in melodrama-thriller hybrids but also set a new standard for web novel-to-TV adaptations. As viewers eagerly anticipate the next episode, the show is on track to become one of MBC’s most successful dramas of the year.

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