First of all, I cannot rave enough about the acting. The casting for this show seems just perfect and everyone, from the main characters to those with smaller parts, truly bring this story to life. Some may feel that this is just a regurgitation of same story about a socially stigmatized single mother trying to raise her son the best way she knows how in a rural setting and finding love along the way. However, the rich character development and great acting make it seem like something original. Rather than trying to grab the audience's attention with fast-paced action and shock element, just for the sake of shocking, the story builds interest through empathy. I would highly recommend this to anyone interested in taking a glimpse into the lives of these fascinating characters and becoming immersed in their daily lives; sometimes exciting, sometimes mundane, like real life.
52 Reviews
Really heartwarming romance amidst the danger of a serial killer
leahcubed3 February 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Oh Dong-baek (Gong Hyo-Jin) has always considered her life to be unlucky. Most people would consider single motherhood to be the unlucky part of her life but Dongbaek considers her son, Kang Pil-gu to be one of the few happy events of her life. Dongbaek opens a bar named Camellia in the small fictitious town called Ongsan. Being very beautiful and sweet Dongbaek quickly has many male regular customers who hope she is selling more than alcohol. The attention Dongbaek gets for her beauty makes the women of the town jealous and initially sets them against her. Despite the hardships created from being an outcast, Dongbaek manages to run her business successfully. Though not a place he would normally go one of the town sons and a very eligible bachelor, Hwang Yong-sik (Kang Ha-neul) reluctantly visits the Camellia with his work colleagues and falls in love at first sight with Dongbaek. He starts to frequent the Camellia to be near Dongbaek. Dongbaek is too busy raising her young son to give any thoughts to romance and the sometimes awkward but kind and gentle Yong-sik is not her normal type. Yong-ski is slowly winning his way into the hearts of mother and son when Pil-gu's father shows up, does the math, and realizes that Pil-gu is his son. Dongbaek had been secretly wishing her ex boyfriend, now a wealthy baseball star, would find her. Kang Jon-ryul is surprised to discover that the girl he never quit loving gave birth to his son and vows to win her back over and gain a spot in his son's life. Can the love that died be rekindled or is this new love what Dongbaek and her son need? Amidst this love triangle is a serial killer who went dormant for a time but is back determined to kill the one living witness Dongbaek. The mother who abandoned Dongbaek as a child suddenly reappears. And Yong-ski's motherwho was formerly Donbaek's one friend and ally becomes her anti-fan when she learns of her son's romantic interest. Pil-gu is also not keen on sharing his mother with any other man whether it be the biological father he just discovered or Yong-ski, the local police officer who is his mom's best defense against the serial killer who wants her dead. Which love can overcome all obstacles?
I really liked this series. Gong Hyo-jin is a very talented actress and I have enjoyed her performances in "Master's Sun" and "It's okay That's Love" to name a few. The young actor stold the show multiple times with his vigorous defense of his mom. I loved Yong-sik he was everything a nice man should be. I enjoyed seeing Hyo-jin's life improve and flourish as she gained friends and experienced love. Trying to solve the mystery of who "The Joker" serial killer was added a very exciting element. I loved how the community was cautious of outsiders but had each other's backs. It was entertaining and heartwarming. There were some sad moments but the balance was happy. It ended well wrapped up and happily. Highly recommend this one.
I really liked this series. Gong Hyo-jin is a very talented actress and I have enjoyed her performances in "Master's Sun" and "It's okay That's Love" to name a few. The young actor stold the show multiple times with his vigorous defense of his mom. I loved Yong-sik he was everything a nice man should be. I enjoyed seeing Hyo-jin's life improve and flourish as she gained friends and experienced love. Trying to solve the mystery of who "The Joker" serial killer was added a very exciting element. I loved how the community was cautious of outsiders but had each other's backs. It was entertaining and heartwarming. There were some sad moments but the balance was happy. It ended well wrapped up and happily. Highly recommend this one.
A warm story with talented actors
nurraadriana1 June 2020
I think that this drama is hilarious, warm. The plot might be simple but it does show to us what people nowadays think about single mother. How sad the reality is :( This drama tells us that status is doesn't matter. You can have a dream, you can fall in love. Age, status doesn't matter. Those actors actually nailed it! Kang Haneul delivered the characters so well, same goes to the kid. He acts really well! I'm totally amazed!
This be the verse
alaningle721 June 2020
They **** you up your mum & dad as Phillip Larkin says. The story of Dongbaek and her 8 year old son, she was deserted as a child by her single mother and carries a lot of baggage and insecurities. There is a side story of a serial killer but the main focus of the series is the struggles of Dongbaek and how people can be so cruel about how they perceive others. It is well acted and I have to mention just how good the son is played. Their is also a character who is a social media star and the cruelty of trolls is touched upon. The main love interest comes from a policeman who is not very smart but carries his heart on his sleeve. A beautiful touching story which should remind us all not to judge others until we have walked a mile in their shoes.
Korean tv writers are just so clever
wallettface10 July 2020
Beautiful series for slice of life
ksb-4967826 April 2020
Beautiful, warming story
edipamelo18 June 2020
Motherhood, fatherhood, childhood, love, sacrifices, humility, kindness, simplicity, crime solving, good music, good acting, lovely elderly characters, social media addiction, lack of money and much more you will find in this slow pace but very good story. Give it a try. A special mention to the acting of Kang Ha Neul awarded best actor of 2019 in this drama😍
Didn't touch me
bougiadaa5 August 2022
Well let's be honest there are a lot of irretating characters in this series and the plot is so slow and boring.
The main actor is very very irretating and over romantic without reason but after some ep i get used of it.. the main couple was somehow weird and everything is so cringe between them too.
Also the kid is so spoiled , i tried to understand and explain his actions against other people but after some ep he just becoming more and more irretaing and aggresive wihout a special reason !
Futher I liked some second characters like mr No and his wife , at first i was bored of them but i really liked them at the end.
I liked some parts of the mystery and i also find some scenes really good and funny.
However i predected from the 5 ep the joker but it is okay ... i would also prefer the whole case about joker to be somehow better without any plot hole....
Last but not least the ex of the main actress ... well i could write a better story for him .. it was really pity that everyone was against him , yes i know that he did a lot of ''bad'' things in his past but he tried his best in order to be a good father !
If you are into soft and cliche romances then you can watch it but it is nothing special though...
The main actor is very very irretating and over romantic without reason but after some ep i get used of it.. the main couple was somehow weird and everything is so cringe between them too.
Also the kid is so spoiled , i tried to understand and explain his actions against other people but after some ep he just becoming more and more irretaing and aggresive wihout a special reason !
Futher I liked some second characters like mr No and his wife , at first i was bored of them but i really liked them at the end.
I liked some parts of the mystery and i also find some scenes really good and funny.
However i predected from the 5 ep the joker but it is okay ... i would also prefer the whole case about joker to be somehow better without any plot hole....
Last but not least the ex of the main actress ... well i could write a better story for him .. it was really pity that everyone was against him , yes i know that he did a lot of ''bad'' things in his past but he tried his best in order to be a good father !
If you are into soft and cliche romances then you can watch it but it is nothing special though...
AMAZING SUSPENSE/THRILLER ROM-COM KDRAMA
pilawsopo21 June 2020
Oh wow, at first I was surprised it won over CLOY at the 56th Baeksang Arts Awards (Oscars/Emmys of Korea) but now that I've seen it, I can genuinely say that When the Camellia Blooms truly deserved the 4 Awards out of its 8 nominations. I guess what made it stand out from the rest of the kdramas is its great and realistic screenplay. Glad to have watched this amazing drama.
Bumpkin Kang Haneul
lmerana22 November 2019
I can't emphasize enough how I love and annoyed at Kang Haneul's character. I think he delivered it perfectly and the role suits him well. I also like all the supporting characters especially the landlord and the lawyer. The acting of the child and the mothers are awesome. The location is perfect for the neighborhood ahjummas. However, the story is slow-paced, Hyang mis acting is nah and I sometimes don't like the acting of the female lead or sometimes I like it, hard to tell. I liked it but not that much.
Good Enough
PennyReviews22 November 2019
" When the camelia blooms " was a nice blend of slice of life and mystery.
The drama had, first of all, great performances, especially from the three main actors and actress. The characters were pretty interesting too. Another thing that worked for them was the mystery. Although the episode before the last on seemed like it had wrapped up everything, the last one was pretty intense and had a nice, unpredictable twist. The romance, in addition, was good at first, but, honestly, it got a bit boring towards the ending. But the family drama was just right.
So, overall, eight out of ten.
The drama had, first of all, great performances, especially from the three main actors and actress. The characters were pretty interesting too. Another thing that worked for them was the mystery. Although the episode before the last on seemed like it had wrapped up everything, the last one was pretty intense and had a nice, unpredictable twist. The romance, in addition, was good at first, but, honestly, it got a bit boring towards the ending. But the family drama was just right.
So, overall, eight out of ten.
Could have been better.
rookiewookie17 June 2021
Few memorable performances in otherwise bland show
helanren8820 June 2021
The main problem with the show is the premise itself. Gong Hyo-jin was unbearable as the timid single mother, and sometimes even comes off as a green tea b*tch. The premise causes her to behave like this at least once every episode, as if she's some shy, innocent little girl, and not a single mother. It just doesn't work, and it's not an attractive personality trait.
Some storylines on the side were fun to watch, such as Oh Jung-se as wannabe politician No Gyu-tae. His scenes were fun to watch. Yeom Hye-ran also did a good job as his wife. They had good chemistry.
I don't think Son Dam-bi (Hyang-mi) was as bad as others commented, although her storyline was ultimately quite useless and just there to support a different plot point. Her acting was fine.
One of my favorite actresses, Kim Sun-young, only had a small part but her scenes with the rest of ladies from the alley were fun as well. Reminded me a little of her scenes in Crash landing on you.
Another standard good performance from Jeon Bae-soo as well. Fun to watch any scenes he's in.
You'll notice I barely touched on the murder plot. This is because it's fairly trivial, like an after thought and not particularly engaging.
Overall 5/10. Relatively good cast let down by weak story, and one unbearable character.
Some storylines on the side were fun to watch, such as Oh Jung-se as wannabe politician No Gyu-tae. His scenes were fun to watch. Yeom Hye-ran also did a good job as his wife. They had good chemistry.
I don't think Son Dam-bi (Hyang-mi) was as bad as others commented, although her storyline was ultimately quite useless and just there to support a different plot point. Her acting was fine.
One of my favorite actresses, Kim Sun-young, only had a small part but her scenes with the rest of ladies from the alley were fun as well. Reminded me a little of her scenes in Crash landing on you.
Another standard good performance from Jeon Bae-soo as well. Fun to watch any scenes he's in.
You'll notice I barely touched on the murder plot. This is because it's fairly trivial, like an after thought and not particularly engaging.
Overall 5/10. Relatively good cast let down by weak story, and one unbearable character.
Unique Show That Breaks New Ground
CartoonMan202015 June 2020
Great show with a great story and cast. I've never seen a show like this one before. in that it was mostly drama and comedy with just a splash of intense chilling suspense. I found it very odd to watch a show that made me laugh and cry most of the time, but then occasionally remind be that I should be terrified. But I ended up loving it to the very end. The supporting characters were especially lovable, even more so than the main ones!
Beautiful story
jessica_quant4 December 2019
Funny Series With Thriller Element To It
Chaokage26 March 2021
The story is a mixture of comedy, romance, crime and thriller. The story overall is super good and the series was well acted. The lead actor Kang Ha-Neul, in my opinion, is the star of this series. He never ceases to create super funny moments throughout the whole series. The series also deal with social issues such age between couples and the single parents with children. It's really alarming to see people measure the happiness of couples on the basis of whether they have a child or not. The ending of this series had an element to it that was unexpected and I can say it was perfection.
Phenomenal
princessscoundrel7 April 2020
Warning: Spoilers
It is a drama that attempts to do it all... And succeeds!!!
Romance, Comedy, Suspense, Mystery, Crime. Yet although it has an endearingly warm and fuzzy quality, it can be like a horror film because it's so shocking!
The actors & actress are dynamic and perfectly fitted for their roles. Relatives in the story even greatly resemble each other, so there was obviously great consideration when casting parts.
My only issue isn't with the show but with the translated captions. They seem to take liberties at time instead of being a direct translation of what the character says. It becomes clear as such for instance when the caption may say someone's name, but the character instead uses a term of endearment or title to address them instead, or make an uncanny reference such as "Judge Judy". Maybe it's so western audiences understand it better, but it irks me a little because I can tell it isn't exactly right.
Romance, Comedy, Suspense, Mystery, Crime. Yet although it has an endearingly warm and fuzzy quality, it can be like a horror film because it's so shocking!
The actors & actress are dynamic and perfectly fitted for their roles. Relatives in the story even greatly resemble each other, so there was obviously great consideration when casting parts.
My only issue isn't with the show but with the translated captions. They seem to take liberties at time instead of being a direct translation of what the character says. It becomes clear as such for instance when the caption may say someone's name, but the character instead uses a term of endearment or title to address them instead, or make an uncanny reference such as "Judge Judy". Maybe it's so western audiences understand it better, but it irks me a little because I can tell it isn't exactly right.
Doesn't quite live up to expectations
kaesmith-805978 July 2020
This drama is hard to rate. It was refreshing to see a different slice of Korean life beyond the hustle and bustle of Seoul. The acting is mostly very good. Young-sik is my favourite leading male in a K-drama thus far. He's an absolute chaotic weirdo, in the best possible way. However the three things I struggled with the most were:
1. The pacing - there honestly didn't need to be that many episodes. As a result, the series often felt very uneven.
2. The mystery around the Joker - it's a bit anti-climactic and doesn't make a hell of a lot of sense
3. This can probably be chalked up to cultural differences, but the constant labouring over the fact that Dong-Baek is a single mother and *gasp* sells alcohol. You'd think the woman was engaged in organ harvesting for the black market based on the way some of the peripheral characters carried on. It was both hard to watch and, as a point of tension, was overly relied on. We know she's an outcast, we know everyone's favourite hobby is sl*t-shaming Dong-Baek. Maybe if they'd spent less time driving this point home and more time on the Joker element of the narrative, it would be more satisfying.
In summary despite a lot of potential, it's mostly good but frustratingly doesn't quite knock it out of the park (baseball reference LOL).
In summary despite a lot of potential, it's mostly good but frustratingly doesn't quite knock it out of the park (baseball reference LOL).
Award Winning Drama
khnsky4 September 2021
It is a slow-burn drama but it builds up after a couple of episodes and it gets better and better towards the end. I love the story about single mothers and the camaraderie between neighbors. They tackled a lot of social issues which is very relevant now. Good scriptwriting and the setting was also beautiful. Plus the man with a drone was the best! No wonder they won a lot of awards.
Enjoyable
wheatley-2023019 March 2022
There is much to enjoy here. It is easy to root for the two likeable romantic protagonists as they surmount obstacles to their relationship. Their characters do not fit any romantic stereotype so this is sufficiently different to offer something new.
Korean dramas often put so much care into rounded portrayals of imperfect people and that is on full display here, allowing you to like even those whose failings cause pain and distress to others.
Plus there is a murder suspense element to keep you guessing for much of the series.
Korean dramas often put so much care into rounded portrayals of imperfect people and that is on full display here, allowing you to like even those whose failings cause pain and distress to others.
Plus there is a murder suspense element to keep you guessing for much of the series.
Endearing characters and involving story
phd_travel21 November 2020
The best thing about this show is the care given to each of the many characters so that they all are quite sympathetic, even side characters like the mother, the part timer kleptomaniac and the baseball player biological father. The supporting characters have interesting back stories. The killer mystery is involving till the end and isn't that predictable. Some top notch acting here. KHN succeeds in making his impulsive policeman character likeable when he could have easily been annoying by overacting. The leading lady Go doesn't look too old for him
even though she is older in real life. The child actor playing the son Pil Gu gives a touching performance. Mr No is played expertly by Oh Jung Se.
For the 2019/20 shows, this one isn't as perfect as Crash Landing by any means. Some scenes are unnecessary and repetitive and there is a lot of crying and exaggerated emotional scenes. The backwards forwards thing slows things down. But it kept me interested for most of the 20 episodes. One of the better K dramas of the last few years.
For the 2019/20 shows, this one isn't as perfect as Crash Landing by any means. Some scenes are unnecessary and repetitive and there is a lot of crying and exaggerated emotional scenes. The backwards forwards thing slows things down. But it kept me interested for most of the 20 episodes. One of the better K dramas of the last few years.
Soap opera
Gala19865 November 2021
It was boring. Too many sobs and far-fetched tragedies from scratch. The characters' tears seem to have been just endless for a variety of reasons. It is unbearable to look at it. I understand why the show won awards in Korea. But for me it lost out to many other dramas.
Nothing special
Mr_Avenger2 August 2022
The story starts bad for me. The policeman (main man lead) was so cringe and annoying at the first episodes. I really wanted to skip his scenes! He behaved like a child. Moreover, I didn't manage to feel the chemistry between the main leads. There was no romance for me. I think ,it would be better without the "love story".
Concerning the woman lead , I really like her acting skills. However it was incredibly annoying to see her complaining the whole time about her bad luck, her hard life, having to raise a child by herself, and so on, when the whole time she keeps the child a secret from the baby's dad for 7 years.
The positive part was the serial killer story. It was interesting and I like the mystery. However , it ends up really bad and boring. The final episode was one of the worst.
Concluding , I could say that the whole drama had some good moments, but in general , I couldn't watch it again. A lot of moral messages make you think about family relationships and happiness in your life.
Concerning the woman lead , I really like her acting skills. However it was incredibly annoying to see her complaining the whole time about her bad luck, her hard life, having to raise a child by herself, and so on, when the whole time she keeps the child a secret from the baby's dad for 7 years.
The positive part was the serial killer story. It was interesting and I like the mystery. However , it ends up really bad and boring. The final episode was one of the worst.
Concluding , I could say that the whole drama had some good moments, but in general , I couldn't watch it again. A lot of moral messages make you think about family relationships and happiness in your life.
A very touching drama.
sensui2820 December 2020
This is my favorite drama thus far because the characters are not just characters. The writers really did a great job in creating human-like characters, that aren't just surface-level ones. It also requires a lot of speculation which makes this drama a lot more fun to watch. Definitely RECOMMENDED!
THE BEST OUT THERE
luvymaerogel17 June 2021
I've watched a lot of kdramas and I could always point out something about it that I hate. But with this one, I was just SATISFIED!!! I cried, I laughed, I felt all of the emotions. Amazing cast and storyline!!! There is no dull episode! I loved how the series shows you each side of the characters that I wasn't able to hate any of them. After finishing it, I was contented. I'm afraid of watching a new series because this was just too good!!!
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