MBC‘s ‘The Call You’re Dialing Now’ writer Kim Ji-woon is drawing attention by revealing key viewing points that should not be missed.

MBC‘s new Friday-Saturday drama ‘The Phone Call You’re Hanging Up Now’ (planned by Kwon Sung-chang/ directed by Park Sang-woo, Wi Deuk-gyu/ written by Kim Ji-woon/ produced by Bon Factory and Baram Pictures), scheduled to premiere on the 22nd (Friday) at 9:50 PM, is a secret romance thriller about a show window couple in their third year of an arranged marriage that begins with a threatening phone call.

With the fresh genre that combines romance and thriller and the cast of talented actors Yoo Yeon-seok, Chae Soo-bin, Heo Nam-joon, and Jang Gyu-ri, it has been a hot topic even before the broadcast, and on the 13th (today), writer Kim Ji-woon revealed the reason he wrote ‘The Phone Call You‘re Hanging Up Now’.

“While looking for a material that could appeal to the general public, I was drawn to the attractive characters and dramatic development and decided to adapt it”, he said, explaining the reason he wrote “Baek Sa-eon (played by Yoo Yeon-seok) and Hong Hee-joo (played by Chae Soo-bin) and Lee Jung-woo (played by Lee Jung-woo) have jobs as a spokesperson for the presidential office and a sign language interpreter, respectively, where they convey the messages of others, but they actually live without communicating with each other at all. She mentioned the message of the drama, saying, “I wanted to convey the loneliness caused by the lack of communication, the courage to express one’s true feelings, and the relationship that develops from misunderstandings to understanding others, such as true communication.”

Writer Kim said, “Many scenes are made up of phone calls, so unlike other romance dramas, I ask that you carefully watch the process in which the two main characters long for each other and become passionately connected through the somewhat rough medium of ‘threat’,” explaining the differences of ‘The Call You Just Dialed’. Furthermore, he raised expectations by saying that the characters Ji Sang-woo (played by Heo Nam-joon) and Na Yu-ri (played by Jang Gyu-ri) who were not in the original work have been added, and that the romance between Sa-eon and Hee-joo will develop faster and deeper than in the original.

Writer Kim Ji-woon chose the steamy romance and diverse chemistry as must-watch points. He emphasized, “Ironically, ‘The Phone Call You Just Dialed’ is a passionate melodrama about a show window couple and a story about one man‘s explosive pure love. Please show lots of interest in the main broadcast, which will reach the peak of ’Yoo Yeon-seok-style adult melodrama‘.”

Writer Kim also did not spare her praise for the actors who will lead the drama. She said, “I thought actor Yoo Yeon-seok perfectly transformed into Sa-eon in terms of appearance, expressions, and speech, and he was very professional. The way he prepared without missing even the smallest details made me realize what made Yoo Yeon-seok who he is today,” he said, praising her, saying, “Chae Soo-bin not only trained through consulting for the role of a sign language interpreter, but also practiced sign language while checking to see if it would be awkward or lacking when seen by actual deaf people. The way the two actors freely move between a variety of emotional lines and action lines was exactly like the characters I had imagined.”

In addition, “Actor Heo Nam-joon colorfully expressed the leisurely, affectionate, and mature yet pure appearances of the character Sang-woo, while sufficiently pulling off the charm that would make Sa-eon wary and jealous,” and “Actor Jang Gyu-ri appropriately expressed selfless respect and pure affection, and I was surprised by how she accurately portrayed the image of Yuri that I had in mind. I think viewers will fall in love with the performances of the two actors. Please make sure to check it out on air,” he said, urging viewers to watch the original broadcast.

MBC’s most anticipated drama of 2024, ‘The Call You Just Dialed’, will premiere on Friday, the 22nd at 9:50 p.m.

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