[Drama 2019] When the Camellia Blooms, 동백꽃 필무렵

[1ouise]

 

[tas82]

Aahh man Pilgu-yah so glad he got all that off his chest bless him. 

Pilgu's a smart kid he knows he'll eventually fly the nest no way he's gonna leave his mum to be alone. Despite what he said he also saw moments of mum being happy because of YS and he does have some respect for YS or he'll never had asked he to stay over while he was in China. Grandma dieing will be the catalyst I feel for Pilgu providing the assist for or lovely couple to reunite.

Anyhoos more importantly our boy grows up into such a lovely young man bless. 

Glad that live with dad shite was short. Sorry but JR is a c...t. After such a song and dance my dude immediately neglects to his kid,  bout uncle. DB should have gotten a few more punches in on the twat. Jessica is still a childish b..tch. She can't be mum to anyone as it requires a selflessness that she doesn't possess.

 

Pilgu, Grandma and Jangyeol are my favs. Grandma is gangsta, the way she rolled up on that kid .

Shout out to the Ongsan Avengers they're hilarious.

[nasaan ka Alex?]

Wow, if that was an adult "Pilgu", that was too big of a time frame for a time skip. With all the guesses and theories we have about the mystery party of the show, especially about the Joker/killer, at this point we really don't have any idea where to go from that point because of the time skip.

 

Here I'm hoping we have an inception sort of scene, someone watching another drama inside the drama.

[multiloverssss]

6 hours ago, ktcjdrama said:

The ending of ep.18 is so heartbreaking

 

Well, PG expressed it clearly why the adults only think about marrying. He also accused DB of lying to him because she once told him she only needs him in her life, that's all, nothing else, yet now she wants to be with YS too. DB decided that she wants to be first and foremost a good mother to PG, not a woman to another man.

 

The end of ep.18 we see a grown-up PG in suit talking on the phone with his mother. He was answering her questions whether he has eaten or not. But we don't know whether DB actually is with YS or not. I thought we have a time jump already, but preview still showing present time, mostly about DB's mother and surgery.

don't tell me we got time jump...DB and YS meet after a long time.no writer-nim...i believe in you. i hope when you show a adult pilgu, at that time he not kang pilgu but hwang pilgu.its' too much if i asking like that????

how came DB and YS break up feel soo realistic???that thing really happen in real life

 

[Latte_Anyday]

Congrats to the cast & crew on their reward vacation. KBS hits a home run after what seemed to be a year of lackluster productions. The reason why this drama struck a chord with audiences is mainly to do with its solid cast. So a job well done.

 

Did Lawyer Hong hum Singin' in the Rain LoL?! Her MIL is a piece of work  Ahahah at Mr. Noh feelin' left out for not bein' acknowledged for helping out in capture of the Joker!  As always Yong Shik's the man. I'm so relieved the Joker's caught at last. Phew.  

      Looks like Jong Ryeol might need to consult Jessica's plastic surgeon to fix his nose LoL  He sure talked big when he couldn't even do the basics for his 8 y.o.   Though Dong Baek was too hasty, she should've given both Pil Gu & Jong Ryeol time to adjust. Jessica wasn't as bad with her stepson as I thought she'd be.

      This drama touched a lot on human relationships in particular between parent & child. How upbringing & words can affect someone permanently & shape them for the rest of their lives. I got super excited when I heard the voice of adult Pil Gu eheheh  It's Love Alarm's Jung Ga Ram ooh la la~ What a hottie  I'll miss the lil guy... his crying scenes gosh were so believable. He'd have a bright future ahead of him.

      While I appreciate Pil Gu's filial piety for his mom, what he fails to understand is she's a woman... with needs and a life to lead. He just feels this way as he's an 8 y.o. When he gets a wife with a family of his own, his thoughts will as his priorities will change. His mom will grow old & then what? Again this is South Korea where they keep their tradition close. It's nice & all but it's good to move with the times. 

This is truly Ha Neul's year. I hope he receives accolades for his hard work. And yup Dong Baek doesn't deserve him tsk 

[40somethingahjumma]

Just when the show runs out of flashbacks to give out, it starts giving us flashforwards apparently instead to start a new guessing game.  Nice looking young man.

 

Sometimes the realism of the show sucks so much. That last 10 minutes made me frustrated and broke my heart for Yong-sik even though I knew that the reasons for the break-up were sound and valid. Single mothers often don't remarry or even date for the longest time because of their kids. One in my acquaintance once said to me that she knew that she had to put her kids first right from the start. It was a conscious choice she had made. Yes, it's a tough gig. A tough gig that can be made more troublesome by a persistent and bumbling ex.

There's a cautionary tale in all of this about what you say to your children. Of course it's not true at all that our kids are "all we need". It's the sort of thing that parents say without thinking about how that would be received or the consequences. It's a feel good statement but there's an underlying unhealthiness to it. Unhealthy for the child and unhealthy for the mother. I'm sure it was a way for DB to mitigate her own loneliness and to make up for the lack of a father figure in PG's life at a certain point in time. But yes, it is rather bombastic. People change. People change their minds.

 

Guilt and shame are powerful emotions. It's a natural outcome of our fallen state that we feel bad when we make mistakes, commit offences etc. That would cause us to feel remorse for wrongdoing. But yeah... it's clear that we know how to manipulate them to our advantage even from a very young age. There are others however, that don't feel any guilt for what they've done... we have labels for them but it doesn't remove their guilt for commiting the act. As for Ms Kwak feeling guilty... well, I'm not usually this vindictive... but she should. Not because she accidentally made a faux pas but because she's not as good and kind as she thinks she is. We're such complex creatures that even when we think we're doing good, it's not always clear that our intentions are not mixed in with self-interest. She still doesn't really think she's in the wrong... at least from the language that's coming out of her. As long as she sees DB and her "baggage" as the obstacle, she will never see that she might actually be the problem or at least part of the problem.

 

Believe it or not I would really like to give JR a pat in the back when I can but when I evaluate his role in all of this, he really did deserve that punch. And more probably. Things were always going to be hard for the OTP with PG but he made things much worse. If he hadn't happen to be there at the time... or at least showed some measure of sense, he'd be the one sending PG back home and making him thrash things out with his mother. He knew that PG was essentially running away from home upset and yet he didn't do anything about addressing that. I don't think he was really thinking long-term about what's ultimately best for PG. His constant interference is what exacerbated matters.

Yes, he feels guilt for not having brough PG up personally and knows that he's in unfamiliar territory, yet he has the arrogance to think he knows what's best for mother and son. Guilt is not enough... neither are good intentions. Even the will to act doesn't necessarily lead to good choices.

 

I hope the show doesn't intend to leave things at "the man had antisocial personality disorder" and be done with the Joker arc because that would a most unsatisfying resolution to the case after all the build up and hype about it. It certainly can't just oh he's just another psycho killer. There needs to be more. The question of why he targeted DB still hasn't been answered. Poor Heung-sik... a really bad case of Stockholm Syndrome or something along those lines covering up for his dad all that time. 

 

GT has caught the policing bug. Not sure if that's a good idea considering how he tends to throw his weight around. Well, he still has to pass the relevant exams I imagine. 

 

Jessica was surprisingly cool about Pil-gu but at least she wasn't pretending to be a mother to him which I think he appreciated. I never thought he would last long in Seoul although things didn't pan out the way I had envisaged. She was mostly like a nonchalant step-sister who just didn't care as long as they were each clear about their respective space and place. 

 

I know I'm treading on dangerous ground here because PG is so well-liked. But no matter how wise he may seem for his age, he is still a child. Emotionally his boundaries are actually messed up and that we saw in the last two episode. It's not his fault because DB wasn't steered in the right direction herself. Her boundaries are pretty weak. He does need a father who doesn't just throw stuff and luxury at him but a good father who can be the role model for him to be a healthy, confident man. There will come a time when he needs to untether himself from his mother and be his own person.

 

Honestly I don't think the breakup will last that long because DB will need YS' support soon enough. Of course a single mother wanting to marry isn't a zero sum game. It is difficult not impossible. If all parties concerned have good will, it's not beyond the pale.

[grapefruit7]

My thoughts on episode 18:-

 

Lawyer JY conversation with her ex-MIL is somehow similar to what is happening between DB+DS, imo. Though DB do not intend to “stab” YS but her breaking up with him will definitely hurt YS, which is unbearable for DS. Aside from DB mom telling her already the damaged she has done to young PG.  

 

JR+Jessica & family, well sadly i believe their relationships are common nowadays.  Our society sucks in relationships, in general.

 

For the next remaining episodes, i am looking forward..

 

to know the reasons behind the killings of Joker.  Coz i feel that issue is still hanging. Is HS really not guilty & just a victim of his father’s abuse as well? What is the thing found inside HM throat? 
 

on how DS will make up to PG?

 

will DB Mom survives her kidney failure  ?

 

is there a happy ending with our otp ? (must be writernim!)

 

any more sightings of adult PG (oh pls pls!)

HEA @ ongsan neighbourhood!

 

ohh i also want to know if ongsan police station will get its career promotions & who will get to be endorsed as ongsan future governor between the reunited (?) couple NKT & JY

 

 

[bedifferent]

10 hours ago, lollyminx said:

OMG those photos of the Ong-vengers! I'm digging the flower print track suit.  Love that she was so extra in flower prints while the others were in plain colors, and that the one in blue was cartwheeling. 

 

I love how they embrace the ajummas within. These woman are loud period.  Don’t you just love how unabashedly they live?!  

 

I have not watched either episode.  There is a ratings dip in the first half.

 

Ratings

 

E 35/36:  14%/18.1%
 

[htk9207]

I thought I was ready to watch this episode because I've already read everyone's comments before watching. I knew I would not like this episode because I liked yesterday's episode too much. So I was already dreading this episode due to Pilgu's separation with DB. 

 

47 minutes ago, 40somethingahjumma said:

Honestly I don't think the breakup will last that long because DB will need YS' support soon enough.

 

I spoke too soon yesterday. I thought we're already past the break up stage and safe from all that unnecessary angst and heartbreak. 

 

I'll probably be rewatching earlier episodes but definitely won't be rewatching this episode again. That last 10 minutes made me tear up for YS. He doesn't deserve this. He never said he only wants DB, he always include Pilgu. He even bought adult diapers when he thought her mom is suffering from dementia. He was that big hearted. It makes me want to rant at something or someone. It wasn't a fair decision.

[40somethingahjumma]

2 minutes ago, htk9207 said:

 

I spoke too soon yesterday. I thought we're already past the break up stage and safe from all that unnecessary angst and heartbreak. 

 

I'll probably be rewatching earlier episodes but definitely won't be rewatching this episode again. That last 10 minutes made me tear up for YS. He doesn't deserve this. He never said he only wants DB, he always include Pilgu. He even bought adult diapers when he thought her mom is suffering from dementia. He was that big hearted. It makes me want to rant at something or someone. It wasn't a fair decision.

 

It's really tough isn't it because YS has done everything... bending over backwards to accommodate the situation. But I accept the outcome at this point in time because this is pretty much how DB sees the world. It's like what she said to YS last week, "there's no middle ground with you, is there?" Well, actually that's what she's done here. Unfortunately she doesn't or can't see that there can be a middle ground, a place where people can negotiate so everyone can enjoy a win-win situation. In the short term it is easier to just break up of course, it means you don't actually have to work hard to deal with the underlying issues that exist between her and PG. How is he going to feel if he finds out that she's broken up with YS? But yes, that fits in with her simple-minded away to resolve matters. 

 

Yeah, I thought we were past all that break up stuff too but sadly... this is still a K drama.

 

@stroppyse I appreciate the perspective you put forward, making many excellent points although I'm not in entire agreement that PG was just thinking about his mother's happiness. I'd grant that the emotions were complex. He spat the dummy as we would say here and he did feel unwanted as well. He did after all say to JR that "if I'm going to be a burden to someone it might as well be you." But I don't really blame him for losing it because the adults around him were keeping things from him, his mother in particular. He is a child that was feeling insecure and made a decision in haste because just last week he was quite happy to cut ties with JR and encourage YS to look after his mother. To me it was a tantrum of sorts but it's fine... he is a kid... that's what kids do. Just because he is sensible doesn't mean he has no emotional needs. All he wanted was the assurance that he was still loved by his beloved mother. When he got it, he decided to go home.

 

I guess the reason why I didn't feel as heartbroken when PG left was because I somehow had the feeling that he would be back soon... partly for the above mentioned reasons.

[YongZura⁷]

 

 

 

 

Credit to the owner

[larus]

When the Camellia Blooms: Episodes 31-32

by selena

Everyone spends some time trying to piece together the puzzle of that one fateful day. Life continues to move on, but there’s still a lot to uncover to find out the truth.

 

  
EPISODE 31: “Switching Offense and Defense (Feat. One Who Steps On the Accelerator)”

The divers at Ongsan Lake take a lunch break as Dong-baek narrates, “It doesn’t matter how deep the water is, you’re bound to get hungry.” Elsewhere, Jung-sook’s stepdaughter is on a call, yelling that she won’t let “the apartment” be auctioned away and that she’ll make sure she gets the money. Dong-baek continues, “When in dire need of money, you can’t keep your dignity.”

Dong-baek and Yong-shik are frazzled, keeping up with a high school soccer team celebrating at the Camellia. Even if the world ends tomorrow, Dong-baek still needs to sell her stir-fried pork. Yong-shik narrates, “The only way to heal the pain of yesterday is perhaps the pain I feel today.”

 

more http://www.dramabeans.com/2019/11/when-the-camellia-blooms-episodes-31-32/

 

 

[lollyminx]

3 hours ago, stroppyse said:

Giving her props for not being horrible to him shows how low our bar is in terms of kdrama stepmothers perhaps?

Of course standards for stepmothers (and for people in general) is higher in real life. In this case, it's kdramaland tropes that set the bar so low even Jessica's actions seem okay by comparison. Come to think of it, I've never seen a good stepmother in kdrama? Or maybe it's just that I haven't watched enough kdramas with stepmother/stepfather-stepson/daughter relationships driving the plot? The closest is Avengers Social Club and even in that drama, the stepmother was cold to his stepson at first. Anyway, that's why I found Jessica's actions acceptable considering that she could be horrible to Pilgu but she wasn't. She also acted in a way that's fine with Pilgu. She didn't try to mother him, she also didn't treat him badly. I'll take that as a win lol

 

3 hours ago, stroppyse said:

I doubt that DB and YS remained separated through that long time jump when we see the grown up PG.

I agree. I was even thinking, since adult Pilgu was in a suit, maybe it's his mother's wedding day?  I can only speculate

[bedifferent]

@lollyminx so cute 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

Spoiler

Little Pil Gu posted ...

 

 

 

 

 

Ji E-Suu who plays Jessica also posted

 

Spoiler

Family...

 

 

[lollyminx]

12 minutes ago, bedifferent said:

@lollyminx so cute 

 I really love that flower print track suit. So much character in one suit.

 

Nice photos. I hope they also had Rebecca on set that day so that bald kid who poops a lot would be in Ji Esuu's photos 

[taeunfighting]

If out of all the messiness between Pil Gu and his parents, we get the mother/daughter snuggle moment between Ms. Jo and DB, I’ll take it in a heartbeat. When Pil Gu temporarily left DB’s side, DB finally felt the loneliness of a mother without her child. She was able to put herself in her mother’s shoes and finally could understand her mother’s feelings when she said she went crazy the day that she abandoned DB. I was worried that the two wouldn’t reconcile before it was too late so I was happy and touched to see DB comforted by her mother and vice versa. Whether DB will actually give her kidney or not, I’m sure Ms. Jo hearing DB wholeheartedly willing do so for her is already more than enough for her. Given everything they've been through, I'm glad mother and daughter were able to reach this level in their relationship.

 

Re: JR and Pil Gu, I was disappointed that something positive couldn’t come out of the temporary stay. I know JR is a jerk, but I can’t get myself to fault him for never knowing Pil Gu existed all those years. I really wanted it work. Maybe when Pil Gu is older and when JR truly has his personal life together, they could have another shot at some kind of relationship. 

 

Sigh. YS and DB. The break-up was so sad, but it’s purely a matter of timing. It isn’t the end.

[realistic2280a]

Hmm... i see the ratings are very high for this drama.. yet less discussions by members... why? Ps  i havent started watching the drama...

[bedifferent]

1 hour ago, realistic2280a said:

Hmm... i see the ratings are very high for this drama.. yet less discussions by members... why? Ps  i havent started watching the drama...

 

Cuz there’s no shirtless or oppa shower scenes (PS @triplem ).

 

Do watch...  if you are in for marvelous storytelling and endearing characters.  Pending on the ending, one of the best dramas for me this year. Ratings are justified. 

[realistic2280a]

39 minutes ago, bedifferent said:

 

Cuz there’s no shirtless or oppa shower scenes (PS @triplem ).

 

Do watch...  if you are in for marvelous storytelling and endearing characters.  Pending on the ending, one of the best dramas for me this year. Ratings are justified. 

 

Haha.. is it... ok will be bookmarking the page .. thanks

[bedifferent]

On 11/13/2019 at 8:09 AM, lollyminx said:

 

• "I'm sorry for making you act like a mother." - Gyu-tae

 

In that moment, he became wise Yoda.  I agree with @40somethingahjumma. GT's arc has been thoroughly enjoyable to watch, next to Hyang Mi's own journey.  They both stopped the victim blaming and admitted their roles in their current predicament.  It's eye opening to watch them admitting the problems are theirs, theirs only, and the reasons why they end up this way.  It was not a random fluke that GT was the last person HM sent a fingers-heart and GT the first to assure her that starting over is possible.  They mirrored each other in the attempt to get a second chance. HM ended tragically short so I believe GT will succeed.

 

On 11/13/2019 at 12:03 PM, Latte_Anyday said:

 

I'm laughing hard when Mr. Noh started spewing nonsense no one looked up  but when Yong Shik spoke, everyone paid attention  

 

I love how the drama have GT slowly learns and earns respect the right way.  It was not through the free BOGO salmon meals but by getting down on his knees digging through the trash, working along side the hard working policemen, helping others... those kind of things.  Being helpful, be a team member, contribute your part to the solution, bring what you can to the table... show what you can do for others.  Those are signs of a leader, a governor.

 

On 11/13/2019 at 2:56 PM, 40somethingahjumma said:

Last week we were ask to buy the fact that mothers love their kids and will do anything for them. I'm willing to buy the fact that mothers sacrifice a great deal with their kids... although in the long run it isn't really sacrifice... it's just what mothers do so their kids will become responsible adults functioning in society and then they know what to do when they have their own children. But there is a line that shouldn't be crossed otherwise you end up infantilizing your children. 

 I haven't read through everyone's comments but just want to say I love this!  

Yes, I think this week was about the consequences of mothering.  Jessica for once was very relatable

 

Spoiler

 

 

One of the hardest thing about mothering is boundaries.  Where should mothers stop and let the child begins to be his/her own person?  Should mothering change with age or with the child's behaviors?  How can mothers let go?  When do children has the all the appropriate tools to make decisions?  Then you have the generation gap, the culture gap, the social media/IT gap.  I agree it will have to start with better communication between parents and child coupled with some understanding of where each other is coming from. 

 

I agree that parents are there to help us build our character, the tool chest, all that we need to prepare us to enter adulthood.  Afterward, parents have to let go so that the children can experience mistakes, failures as well as victories.  I think the ability to cope with common sense, street smart, is priceless. I feel we will always stumble along the way, it's how we get up that is equally important.

 

I absolutely love how we get to see from the children's perspective this week on how parental love have an effect on them.  What is great as well is to see DB get to wrestle as a mother trying to do the best for Pil Gu, especially having to let him go based on the same reasons that drove her own mother.  This drama is excellent as given us the end results for the different choices. 

 

@htk9207 I feel you in regard to YS.  He has been considerate in his relationship with DB and OG. However, it is not a balanced healthy relationship with him mostly being the giver.  If they get together now, his life will be dictated by others, including a confused little boy.  It might be tolerable for YS in the beginning but will eventually lead to frustrations that can change his love for DB.  Everyone needs to enter the relationship on the same playing level.  At this point, DB needs to clearly support YS as an equal partner in PG's eyes and she can't.  I think space is what many of our characters need at the moment.  Pil Gu needs to grow up.  He needs time to learn to handle his emotions and find his role in regard JR and YS.  I have no doubt he will outgrow the insecurities of an eight year old  and will embrace his identity. I actually love seeing adult Pil Gu in the city at the end.  He outgrew the little town of Ongsan, good for him!

 

We got the identity of the Joker, HS's dad.  @lollyminx you were correct at guessing he fell out of the window LOL Guy was in construction, thus the specks on his shoes.  I just didn't expect that he can walk again LOL. HS has been trying to scare DB out of town for her own good.  Hopefully we will get more explanations about Joker next week.

 

Hyang Mi had a yellow "ball" in her hand, was alive in the truck.  Is it the Joker's post-it note?

 

Spoiler

 

 

The little details in this drama...

 

Choi Go-Un as a smiling pretty young lady before life happened.