[Drama 2020] When My Love Blooms, 화양연화

[Flaneur2]

Just from un-subbed Viki viewing, they sure did try to jam pack all the resolution and happiness into one episode.  Plus all those redemptions (seems like) and punishment (FIL) all in an hour +.  I feel the antagonists got off too easy.   Not complaining too much as I now feel “safe” to carefully watch it with sub for happy ending.   Even as they were smiling at each other, going back to their old stomping grounds, I was thinking if one of them would be struck by a truck. (Old K-Drama trauma).  While the younger versions were pretty to look at, I mostly enjoyed watching the two main characters of the present days interact. 

[thistle]

5 hours ago, Flaneur2 said:

While the younger versions were pretty to look at, I mostly enjoyed watching the two main characters of the present days interact. 

 

Same.  I am surprised by how many people seem to have rejected the present day couple and were interested only in the younger version.  Seems to me that the basis of the story is about growth and change as well as what does not change in our hearts--thus the story is nothing without the older version of our couple.

 

.....so it was a "happy ending" which I had not dared hope for from the start.  That was a good thing.  And it's also good that the writer tried to wrap it all up neatly.  I thought that, perhaps, it was all a little too neat and a little too easy.  I thought that some things were left by the wayside and a few things were left unanswered but I guess that is okay.  I thought that the scene with the four leads was a bit too sweet (not to mention that it was similar to the scene at the end of Come Here and Hug Me where the leads hugged their younger selves) but I guess that is okay, too. 

 

Honestly, I don't feel fully satisfied by the ending.  But it did remind me of a favorite line from a very old TV show where the lead character had to decide what the choice of a righteous man should be.  He said:  There is no justice; there is only mercy. 

 

I was bothered by the birthday scene but that was hard for me in a very personal way and it is something I have been uncomfortable about during this drama because

Spoiler

my birthday is also the anniversary of my mother's death--it is never easy an easy day but I remind myself that she believed in celebrating life and not wasting time in mourning.  I'll be remembering that this week when my day comes around.  

but I think it was an important change that had to be made for JS to be able to move forward into the future.  

 

Perhaps what I feel at the ending of this drama is a general sense of melancholy.  It was a painful drama but a good one.  Will I watch it again?  Probably not.

 

[jus-ash]

Enjoyed the resolution and beautiful finale to this ride (even though this was a viewing without subs yet).

Relieved too.

 

It was a befitting finale to a mellow but very beautiful painfully-memorable romance, and they tied up most loose ends organically enough that I didn't feel shortchanged (as with some dramas).

 

I teared when JS finally could reach closure, on what the painfully-traumatic baggage she had been carrying all throughout and imprisoned herself with.

 

Love the OST - esp #1, 3 and 4

Love the lead couple - as always, the quiet but powerful nuances of a Lee Bo-young performance, and the Yoo Ji-tae delivery of steely to heartwarming melting, in a heartbeat.

But also enjoyed the young couple ... the young version of Yoo Ji-tae especially, seems similar to me - in sync with how he conveys through body language, expressions and reactions.

 

Have to confess I started skimming midway though, because there was just a whole lot of angst to stomach.

 

Glad and relieved the ride ended well and everyone managed to make peace with past and present, and reach closure.  They need it, to come to terms with everything to move on. 

Though I still have reservations for JH's son - given what he was to start off with (and now coupled with the grandpa in jail stigma, and parents breaking up). Actually both kids - JS's son also seems to have the weight of the world on his shoulders.

 

This drama will take its place with On The Way to Airport (Kim Ha-neul, Lee Sang-yoon) for me -  its nice mellow feel, gorgeous background cinematography and accompanying OSTs ... memorably beautiful romance, but yet tinged throughout with poignance.

 

p/s: you can write on concrete with a fountain pen nib?

 

 

 

[ponderings]

On 6/13/2020 at 5:22 PM, Kitty_Litter said:

Another is Ji Su's missing or lost right shoe was indicative of her life. She lost 1/2 of her life that day and I'd assume that missing shoe will reappear to make her life somehow whole again.  

For me, that was one of the poignant scenes because at that time JS was shutting JH from her life. Deep down, she was longing for JH.

I think it was shown later on that JH had the other missing shoe when he was serving the military and JS visited him on the day of her birthday.

 

On 6/13/2020 at 5:22 PM, Kitty_Litter said:

It was ep 9 when JH pick it up again and secretly sang his heart out in Dong Jin's office,

where DJ even harbored naughty thoughts about why JH was looking for a quiet secluded place.  It probably meant,  he got Ji Su back in his life.

I also interpreted this scene that JH was finding his past self again. He hadn't picked up his guitar in a long time and so he finally found the time to practice playing guitar.

 

And to add onto your list of clues — guitar and show — I love the modes of transportation we see throughout the drama.

Earlier episodes: JS's heel breaks and she reluctantly gets on JH's car.

Medial episode: JS and JH are both at the train station. JH tells her he will come to her. JS boards the train and leaves JH at the station.

Second to last episode: JS and JH take the bus back to Seoul. JH gets on last minute and says he just wanted to go to Seoul with her. 

 

 

2 hours ago, thistle said:

I was bothered by the birthday scene but that was hard for me in a very personal way and it is something I have been uncomfortable about during this drama because

  Hide contents

my birthday is also the anniversary of my mother's death--it is never easy an easy day but I remind myself that she believed in celebrating life and not wasting time in mourning.  I'll be remembering that this week when my day comes around.  

but I think it was an important change that had to be made for JS to be able to move forward into the future.  

I'm sorry to hear that you were bothered by the birthday scene. I hope you will do something for yourself and find closure like how JS dreamt of her mother and sister turned back and looked at JS. And keep in mind with what JH tells JS: Just because something pains you, you can't cut it out of your life. You must tend it more often with more care. 

 

 

13 hours ago, thistle said:

Just my thinking:  I believe that we have to learn from the past but we need to remember that we don't live in it.  It is in the present time that there is power that can be used for good.  We have to take responsibility for our actions today; every kindness makes a difference.  And we have to walk forward confidently to the future.

 

You have so much wisdom! It goes in hand with what present JS and JH went through. In the earlier episodes, they were living in their past, but as they started meeting and making the steps to come back together, they learned from the past and took action to be where they want to be now. 

 

This leads to why I love the past selves and the present selves hugging each other and walking down the path together. (It even motivated me to finally learn how to make a gif and post it here)

Spoiler

I love this shot because a bird unexpectedly flies over them. Also Yoo Ji Tae and Lee Bo Young's walking is so in sync!!!! 

Present JH: All of yesterday is in today and I am connected to you, as you are connected to us.

Present JS: Life is always flowing by, and the flower is always ready to bloom.

 

And this is what JS adds onto the wall: For a million years, everyone's love shall bloom. 

I have the same sentiments for everyone here. I hope your love blooms. If you are having trouble or you are thinking too much about the past, remember that JH and JS held up well. Remember to give yourself time to recover and heal from any wounds of the past. You deserve happiness and you will find your love. 

 

P.S. I might come back to this thread every now and then because this is my all time favorite drama now. Who knows? I might make more gifs and post it here.  

[jus-ash]

Yes, I see their past and present selves needed to come to terms with each other too, and actually forgive and let go. (JS perhaps more than JH ... because she was also PTSD shell-shocked in guilt).

 

When we first met them - they were both 'existing'.

Neither happy with the current state they were in, but also not doing anything about it ... and just soldiering along.

 

For them to not always be trapped in the past ... they both needed to come to terms with what-was.

While it held cherished m'ries ... it was also time to move on to the present and embrace it.

 

Beautiful back story, beautiful romance.

 

 

 

[haha1999]

Am watching the last episode. The birthday scene indeed was very moving 

 

So they did get married, noticed the different ring on Jisu

[AnneHeart]

Oh my heart is full! One of the best drama I've watched. They properly tied up the ends. Although 1 week ago I wished for SK & ex-hub to rot, I'm glad that writer chose to have a decent closure for these 2. I also like that both kids are shaped as understanding teenagers as opposed to broken, in a way telling audience that if divorces are handled carefully/in a civilised manner between the adults, we can avoid from sacrificing/compromising the children's lives. 

 

So beautiful so heartwarming, young romance was full of hope and sunshine while the adult relationship is grounded, full of trust and long-lasting. Definitely a re-watch. 

 

Thanks friends for the stay. I've enjoyed my time here in this thread, with although few but very steadfast members lol. 

[plappi]

Making 

 

 

[AnneHeart]

3 hours ago, haha1999 said:

Am watching the last episode. The birthday scene indeed was very moving 

 

So they did get married, noticed the different ring on Jisu

 

They did! Adult JH wears matching ring as JS (I noticed when adult JH is patting young JH's shoulder). On a separate note, I know both of them are happily married in RL, but YJT & LBY look ridiculously good together, you can't help to ship them for real (if they are both single).  Both elegant & adorable , what an eye-candy couple. 

[J13]

I’m still waiting for the last two episodes to be entirely subbed but I’m very happy we got a happy ending. I absolutely love how the last scene looped right back to the very first time JS and JH met. He had already noticed her all the way back then 

[ktcjdrama]

Such a wonderful drama with beautiful message!!  I am all smiles with its ending. No wonder the script won an award. Well-deserving! The music is on point and the flashback is interlaced well with the present. I don’t think I have seen any flashback done better than this drama. 

 

Although I am all smiles, I am sad too not having new episodes anymore next week. Really love seeing the interactions and relationship of the OTP, be it the older pair or younger pair. Just so natural and so calming. 

 

I love that we somehow are shown what happened to various characters in the drama. Just the right amount, not overly done. A very old-school way to end a drama series. 

 

I especially love how JS is finally able to say goodbye to her mother and sister. My tears couldn’t stop falling during that scene. I love the ending sequence too, of our four leads affirming one another of the way they’ve lived, how far they’ve come, how well they’ve done.

 

This drama will surely remain a favorite for me in a hundred year to come. 

[ponderings]

JH's smile is endearing. 

[Kitty_Litter]

1 hour ago, ponderings said:

JH's smile is endearing. 

 

Nice sweet moment there, just like the identical shot in their young lives using what seems to be an identical pillow.  Image is 53:30 in EP7.

 

 

[ponderings]

@Kitty_Litter Got it (: And you mentioned in an early post that the younger selves slept on one pillow! I didn't notice that until now. 

[Tango27]

20 hours ago, thistle said:

 

Same.  I am surprised by how many people seem to have rejected the present day couple and were interested only in the younger version.  Seems to me that the basis of the story is about growth and change as well as what does not change in our hearts--thus the story is nothing without the older version of our couple.

 

.....so it was a "happy ending" which I had not dared hope for from the start.  That was a good thing.  And it's also good that the writer tried to wrap it all up neatly.  I thought that, perhaps, it was all a little too neat and a little too easy.  I thought that some things were left by the wayside and a few things were left unanswered but I guess that is okay.  I thought that the scene with the four leads was a bit too sweet (not to mention that it was similar to the scene at the end of Come Here and Hug Me where the leads hugged their younger selves) but I guess that is okay, too. 

 

Honestly, I don't feel fully satisfied by the ending.  But it did remind me of a favorite line from a very old TV show where the lead character had to decide what the choice of a righteous man should be.  He said:  There is no justice; there is only mercy. 

 

I was bothered by the birthday scene but that was hard for me in a very personal way and it is something I have been uncomfortable about during this drama because

  Reveal hidden contents

my birthday is also the anniversary of my mother's death--it is never easy an easy day but I remind myself that she believed in celebrating life and not wasting time in mourning.  I'll be remembering that this week when my day comes around.  

but I think it was an important change that had to be made for JS to be able to move forward into the future.  

 

Perhaps what I feel at the ending of this drama is a general sense of melancholy.  It was a painful drama but a good one.  Will I watch it again?  Probably not.

 

 

yes ... what annoyed me the most about watching the show...is the many watching just the past and dissing the present and the nagging about adultery ...  it has the brilliant actors and growth of mature character and more believable  emotions ...but its not really strange in kdrama and where they mostly care about the fluff and perfectly cute....life isnt that anyway'...

 

they also miss the message of the show ...about ppl may change and loose the idealism ( and delusions ) and beauty of early youth and that life could break them but those moments we should keep alive so we can get them back... I felt like i needed to give younger me a needed hug

 

I have a lot to say... but the birthday scene was the most moving part of the last two episodes...i cried in buckets ....and the dream where she finally sees them and let go ...sorry to hear about your story .......

in the same vein ....JHs scene with the old man and how he thanks the man who stabbed him for allowing him to let go of his word in his heart 

its obvious the writer writes better lines than story ... some of the lines resemble poetry 

 

[Flaneur2]

One more thing and I’m going to let it go   I wish we could have seen Young Min happy with the happy mom.  His screen time was mostly with struggling sad mom and we saw the weight on this poor young kid.  Maybe even a glimpse of him being accepted in some kind of a gifted child/genius school, heck skip the whole high school and be schoolmate with mom in college, full scholarship with no strings attached.  I know it’s a moot point, but.  SK/JH son seems to have immigrated to a foreign country (smart move) hence them coming back for spring break. (Funny they weren’t even planning to see the grandfather in jail.  At least that’s consistent with past behavior.)  Need to make sure Young Min is happy and thriving ! 

[foreverempress]

I liked the drama, but NOT under any circumstances support anyone that commits adultery and think that they still have the moral high ground. Revenge may temporarily quench thirst, but wrong is wrong, no matter who commits and no matter how much chemistry is displayed.

 

That being said, this drama showed the nature of humanity and all of our complexities beautifully. The desire to love and be loved, the desire for justice as we see fit, the denial of justice as we see fit, and stripping down of moral superiority on position alone, the power to forgive, and the ability to change.

[ktcjdrama]

22 hours ago, jus-ash said:

 

p/s: you can write on concrete with a fountain pen nib?

The bigger question for me is: can you write upside down with a fountain pen?  and the ink will wash off too easily when the rain hits

 

Oh well, no drama is flawless haha...

 

The answer to my question above is:

Spoiler

No, you cannot  but yes it can write on concrete with the risk of ruining the nib

 

[thistle]

18 minutes ago, foreverempress said:

I liked the drama, but NOT under any circumstances support anyone that commits adultery and think that they still have the moral high ground. Revenge may temporarily quench thirst, but wrong is wrong, no matter who commits and no matter how much chemistry is displayed.

 

 

Because you found the premise so very deeply troubling and morally reprehensible, it is astonishing that you watched it because that essentially condones the thing that you hate. 

 

I ask this sincerely and without condemnation: 

If something is against your moral code, shouldn't you avoid it?  Isn't failure to do so a sin of omission?   In the words of the book of the faith that I follow, ""So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin."

 

For me, this was a story of redemption for the main characters who found their way back to one another and to their true selves by taking the steps they needed to take (including divorce).  Aside from a kiss, there was no true taint of physical marital misconduct.

 

 

[celebrianna]

@thistle, what I’d like to know is which characters were taking the moral high ground when committing adultery. It certainly wasn’t Ji Soo because she allowed chaebol wife to do all sorts of things to her and just took it. I reasoned it’s because she felt sorry towards chaebol wife. Ji Soo however stood up for her friends when chaebol wife tried to interfere with them. 
 

As to Jae Hyun, I have repeatedly said he always remained quiet when chaebol wife whines and threatens stuff. He always looked at her with pity or a sorrowful expression. Never mind that chaebol wife herself has cheated on him with her boy toy. He still allowed her to act out and take it out on him and unfortunately Ji Soo. 
 

So certainly I don’t think that Jae Hyun or Ji Soo took any moral high ground against chaebol wife. At least they’re better than her though because they never crossed the line into intimate relations unlike the two exs who cheated and had intimate physical relations with others while still married.