“When The Phone Rings” Ending Explained- Episode 12 Recap And Review

“When The Phone Rings” has aired its finale episode today, so here is a recap of its 12^th episode and its ending explained!

“When The Phone Rings” episode 12 recap

The kidnapper Sa Eon shoots Sa Eon while Hee-Joo runs towards him. She then wakes up from the dream.

We find out that Sa Eon donated everything he inherited from his grandfather, left his position, and everything left will be handled by his lawyer.

At the orphanage, Sang-Woo and You-Ri discuss his disappearance, its as if he’s dead. He left and didn’t say a word to Hee Joo.

We get a flashback to one month ago

we find out that Hee Joo returned safely. Sim Kyu-Jin was arrested for murder, inciting murder, and more, and so was her husband. The real Paik Sa Eon was shot dead by the police as he kept threatening Hee Joo and Sa Eon with the gun.

Sim Kyu-Jin finds out her son died from her cell and she cries recalling how she locked him up because she loved him so much.

Paik Ui-Yong is ultimately released from jail. He kneels before the press and apologizes, saying he had no idea how his father truly was. He wishes to let go of all his family connections and money and live as an ordinary man.

We find out through voiceover that Sim Kyu-Jin was given life in prison and appealed asking for the death penalty. The butler is sentenced to five years in prison as the victim did not wish to proceed with punishment.

We find out that since then, its been around 6 months since Sa Eon disappeared. Hee Joo visits Do-Jae, his righthand man who is also in prison for betraying him, and asks him again if he recalls anything. He talks about how he wanted to disappear after his revenge but now he wanted to stay by her side, so, whatever the reason was for his disappearance, it was not minor.

Hee Joo takes out her father to dinner and also discovers that Sa Eon had been there with him before.

At her home, her sister comes by telling her to come with her as she’s deeply hurt and she should get out of the house, but Hee Joo is afraid he’d come back and she won’t be there. She talks about recalling him being by her side when she was recovering but then he disappeared. She refuses to go and wants to see him but cannot.

We then find out that her sister had gotten a message to go to the crematorium to meet him but she never told Hee Joo.

Then one day, Hee Joo gets a call from a country number called Argan. She suspects its him but does not answer. Then, she gets mail from the same country thanking her for her donation but she never did. So she meets his reporter friend who reveals he loved sunsets while they were stationed in Argan and even mentions a location she can go to. So she decides to visit a very dangerous country to find him as she doesn’t care for her safety anymore.

She goes there, and meets the director of the place donated to but he doesn’t recall seeing him. She then asks about a chapel and is told its seized by rebels but she decides to go there anyway to see him. She ends up getting saved by him and he scolds her for being here.

He scolds her and asks why she’s here after all that he did to her. Its revealed that Sa Eon told him his father put out a hit on Hee Joo’s younger brother because he saw Sa Eon’s face and killed him. This is why Hee Joo’s sister also saw him in the crematorium.

Her sister told him she knew the truth but didn’t care, thus, Sa Eon left and punished himself by going to a dangerous country. She ends up kissing him. They hug and sleep together in his place.

As they’re laying in bed, Sa Eon says he’s breaking their vows, he will pay her two billion won and divorce her, Sa Eon will divorce her. So, Sa Eon does so he can marry her as his true self.

The couple get back to South Korea and move to a new place. They have a housewarming party and invite their friends.

Sa Eon had changed his name to Paik Yu Yeon. We also find out that Sang-Woo and You-Ri are getting married too.

Hee Joo also mentions to Yu Yeon that she’s going back to her job in the TV station because she likes it.

Yu Yeon visits the fisherman Jung Sang-Hoon and talks about how he’s never been able to eat fish since then but eats it with him anyway.

Hee Joo visits her happy parents she’s happy even though they still don’t approve of Yu Yeon. Hee Joo’s sister also apologizes to her for what she’d done. Hee Joo tells her to forget the past and live her life.

As Hee Joo got back to her job in the station, she’s translating to sign language and discovers her husband left for a hostage negotiation and worries about him. She calls him repeatedly until he answers and reveals all is good. We also find out his right-hand man Do-Jae is back with him.

He tells her to always call him and express her mind and he likes it about her.

The ending scene shows the couple walking through a forest with a voiceover of both of them of how things would’ve been different if this couple had been truthful from the get go about their feelings towards each other.

The end.

“When The Phone Rings” ending explained- FAQ

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