‘The Call You‘re Dialing Now’ Chae Soo-bin is raising expectations by foreshadowing the birth of a one-of-a-kind character.

MBC’s new Friday-Saturday drama ‘The Call You‘re Dialing Now’ (planned by Kwon Sung-chang/ directed by Park Sang-woo, Wi Deuk-gyu/ written by Kim Ji-woon/ produced by Bon Factory, Baram Pictures), which is scheduled to premiere in November, is a secret romance thriller about a show window couple in the third year of a political marriage that begins with a threatening phone call.

‘The Call You’re Dialing Now’, based on a popular Kakao Page web novel of the same name, was written by writer Kim Ji-woon, who has demonstrated solid writing skills in ‘Melancholia’ and ‘Doctor John’, and director Park Sang-woo, who has demonstrated his sensational directing skills in ‘The Marriage Ban Order, Joseon Marriage Ban’, has joined forces for the drama. Here, with the meeting of trustworthy actors such as Yoo Yeon-seok, Chae Soo-bin, Heo Nam-joon, and Jang Gyu-ri, it is considered one of the most anticipated MBC dramas of 2024.

Among them, Chae Soo-bin‘s stills were released for the first time on the 15th (today), drawing attention. Chae Soo-bin plays the role of ‘Hong Hee-joo’, the wife of Baek Sa-eon (played by Yoo Yeon-seok) and a person with muteness due to an unexpected accident when she was young. Hee-joo, who got married to Sa-eon through an arranged marriage, only plays the minimum role to show off to others and has no expectations or will for married life. Hee-joo, who is living the life of a so-called show window couple, experiences the terrible incident of being kidnapped by a mysterious person one day. But ironically, after experiencing that, Hee-joo decides to change her life that had been at a standstill.



In the stills released today, Chae Soo-bin shows the various sides of ‘Hong Hee-joo’, a skilled sign language interpreter, the wife of the presidential spokesperson, and the stepdaughter of a media owner. In the stills, Hee-joo is sitting in a broadcasting station news studio in neat attire. She looks comfortable and stable, focused on her work as a sign language interpreter.

In another still, she stimulates our protective instincts with a different, more precarious appearance than before. She is wearing a luxurious tweed jacket and an elegant black dress, but her expression is not that bright. Looking at him, deep in thought with a worried face or slightly frowning at the other person, one wonders what the story of ‘Hong Hee-joo’ is.

In particular, attention is focused on how Chae Soo-bin will express the emotions of the real-life mermaid princess ‘Hong Hee-joo’, who suffers from muteness but is active as a sign language interpreter. Expectations are higher than ever for Chae Soo-bin’s performance, who will add her own color to the character with her gaze, facial expressions, and actions instead of words.

‘The Call You Dialed Now’, which will decorate the last of MBC‘s Friday-Saturday dramas in the second half of 2024, will first air in November.

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