Sightlines · reception

How The Call was received

2020 · Lee Chung-hyun · The Call on Sightlines

The arc

Robbed of its theatrical run by the pandemic, it went straight to Netflix in November 2020 and quietly became one of the platform's word-of-mouth Korean hits — since then it's grown into a go-to recommendation whenever someone asks for a K-thriller after Parasite sent everyone looking.

What’s debated

The post-credits sting is the flashpoint: fans still argue over whether it's a gut-punch masterstroke or a cheap rug-pull that sours the ending.

Its footprint

Jeon Jong-seo's gleefully unhinged villain is the whole meme economy here — Letterboxd is littered with 'she can call me anytime' reviews, and the performance made her a 'chaotic Korean actress' icon alongside her Burning breakout.

Where it stands

A Letterboxd-era cult favorite — the Korean Netflix thriller people insist you watch 'just for the villain.'

Did you know? Jeon Jong-seo won Best Actress (Film) at the 2021 Baeksang Arts Awards for her villain turn — a major prize for a movie that never got a proper theatrical release.