‘The Phone Call You‘re Hanging Up To’ has come to a grand close.

In the final episode of MBC’s Friday-Saturday drama ‘The Phone Call You‘re Hanging Up To’ (planned by Kwon Sung-chang/ directed by Park Sang-woo, Wi Deuk-gyu/ written by Kim Ji-woon/ produced by Bon Factory, Baram Pictures) that aired on the 4th (Sat), Baek Sa-eon (played by Yoo Yeon-seok) and Hong Hee-joo (played by Chae Soo-bin) found love and had a happy ending. The final episode recorded 8.6% nationwide and 8.5% in the metropolitan area (provided by Nielsen Korea, based on households), breaking its own highest viewership rating until the end and ending on a high. The 2049 viewership rating, a key indicator of content competitiveness, also recorded its own highest at 3.1%. In particular, the scene where Sa-eon directly says, “I needed time to punish myself” after rescuing Hee-joo who was kidnapped from Argan, made viewers’ hearts flutter with the highest viewership rating of 10.1%.

Yesterday’s broadcast showed Sa-eon destroying the Baek family and leaving Hee-joo’s side. Hee-joo waited endlessly for Sa-eon who had lost contact, and the sight of Hee-joo missing her husband who had disappeared somewhere broke the hearts of viewers.

The kidnapper (played by Park Jae-yoon) who threatened Hee-joo met his end by being killed by the police. Shim Gyu-jin (played by Chu Sang-mi), who was arrested on charges of murder, wept over the guilt of not being able to protect her son twice, and the tragedy of Sa-eon and Hee-joo’s family ended with the death of the kidnapper who was the real Baek Sa-eon.

Hee-joo never forgot Sa-eon who put everything down and disappeared. She heard from Park Do-jae (Choi Woo-jin) that Sa-eon wanted to live a life after revenge. However, Hong In-ah (Han Jae-yi) coldly told her that Sa-eon would never return, causing Hee-joo to despair again.



Meanwhile, Hee-joo found a clue to Sa-eon’s whereabouts. Not only did the call come from the Argan country code, but an international sign language school was established there under Hee-joo‘s name. Sensing something odd about the various clues, Hee-joo met Jang Hyuk-jin (Go Sang-ho), who had spent time with Sa-eon as a war correspondent, and asked about where he might be. So Hee-joo left for Argan without a plan, but she was soon captured by rebel forces, heightening the tension. After a while, Sa-eon appeared in front of the captured Hee-joo, and the two who met again after many twists and turns elicited cheers from everyone.

Hee-joo, who met Sa-eon in Argan, found out why he left. Sa-eon found out that the person who caused the car accident when Hee-joo was young and created all the tragedies of today was his biological father, Baek Jang-ho (played by Jung Dong-hwan). Sa-eon was deeply remorseful that his father Baek Jang-ho was the one who ruined Hee-joo’s life, but Hee-joo forgave him and kissed him. The love between Sa-eon and Hee-joo, filled with longing and affection, was deeply moving.

After that, Sa-eon declared his divorce from Hee-joo and pledged to live a new life. He proposed to Hee-joo, saying, “I, not Baek Sa-eon, will marry you.” Sa-eon changed her name to ‘Baek Yoo-yeon’ and lived an ordinary life with Hee-joo, and their sweet married life brought smiles to our faces.

At the end of the broadcast, Baek Yoo-yeon (played by Yoo Yeon-seok) found a new life as a negotiation expert and Hee-joo found a new life as a sign language interpreter. The two, who had been unable to open up to each other, promised not to hide their true feelings in order to be happy together. The happy ending of the ‘Saju Couple’ completed a romance that will last a long time, leaving lingering emotions and excitement, filling up Friday and Saturday nights.

Choi Yoon-na, Donga.com reporter yyynnn@donga.com