© Kakao
In an interview with South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency published on January 6, the web novelist known as “Dried Seafood Lady” shared that her real-life experience of falling victim to a voice phishing scam inspired her story.
“I was completely taken in by the phone call and felt myself spiraling into despair,” she said, recalling the incident. “Afterward, I found myself thinking, ‘What if the ones making these threatening calls were a couple just pretending to look perfect on the outside?’ That’s how the idea began.”
Her novel, titled When the Phone Rings, starts with a kidnapper calling the husband of a woman with aphasia, demanding ransom. As the husband—who happens to be the president’s spokesperson—tries to handle the threat, a hidden secret between the two unfolds.
Although this story was adapted into a webtoon via Kakao, there is currently no official English version available.
The 12-episode live-action adaptation series based on the web novel stars Yeon-seok Yoo and Soo-bin Chae. The series When the Phone Rings is available on Netflix.
Sources: Yonhap News Agency
