The Korean drama “When The Phone Rings” aired its final episode on the evening of January 4 on MBC and Netflix.
While the ending was highly anticipated by fans worldwide, one particular scene in the final episode sparked controversy.
At the end of the film, TV MC Na Yu Ri (played by Jang Gyu Ri) reports that the fictional country "Paltima" is conducting an airstrike on the fictional country "Izmael" and is holding South Korean citizens hostage.
Negotiator Baek Yoo Yeon (Yoo Yeok Seok) is sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to rescue the hostages.
Although these are fictional names, many netizens believe that they refer to real-life countries at war.
Many viewers shared the clip, criticizing the creators and producers for including a politically incorrect detail.
In addition, using the suffering of people in war-torn countries as part of the plot also leaves a bad impression on viewers.
The drama's director Park Sang Woo, executive producer Kwon Sung Chang, and screenwriter Kim Ji Woon have been criticized by viewers. Many have also called on MBC to remove the scene from episode 12 and issue an apology.
However, there are also opinions that the producers named the locations in the film as fictional, so they cannot be accused of spreading false information.
Meanwhile, the final episode of "When the Phone Rings" achieved a record rating of 8.6% in the final episode - the highest rating since it aired.
The ending of the film satisfied most viewers, when the main couple Baek Sa Eon/Baek Yoo Yeon (Yoo Yeon Seok) and Hong Hee Joo (Chae Soo Bin) finally got together, having a happy life after many events.
The "hot" scenes of the two main actors are causing a storm on social networks.
