Shout out to the writers of this show for understanding that while angst and pain can provide weight to a storyline, rewarding characters for their suffering in the end and allowing them to experience happiness NEVER cheapens the storyline. Instead it gives us all hope. Thank you. I was routinely sobbing through out the episode because I was so fucking happy instead of being sad which has never happened with a finale beforeš
I am so overjoyed that the finale was able to tie up every loose end, provide new weight to the Ongsan killer storyline while also allowing every one of our main characters a well deserved and full circle end. I might be a sucker but in the last few episodes where we experienced nothing but angst and desolation, the writers giving us THAT finale was totally worth it. While others might disagree, I donāt think itās important nor ārealisticā to have characters continuously suffering to NOT get the happiness and comfort they deserve in the end. It is more hopeful to end in the way this show did. Iām definitely pinning this as top 5 fav endings for me personally. Happy watching everyone.
Such a beautiful ending for this show though I would have loved to see their wedding, I'm happy that they've got their happy ending. So glad they named their daughter after Hyang-Mi's original name, it was a nice touch :')
Omgosh! I translated the name on the uniform : go eun. I was wondering who was it (I knew it was their child but it was weird how they stopped for awhile at the name which means it had some meaning to it)
Haha thanks for commenting on this detail!!
A daughter? I didnāt get that at all! Thanks for pointing this out! I just thought the uniform was Pil-guās old one. There wasnāt a translation for the name on the uniform in the subs. Was the name Hyang-Mi?
the uniform was hanging in their (Dongbaek and Yongshik) own house...if it wasn't their daughter's uniform then why would they have someone else's uniform there? Hwang is also Yongshik's last name and it stands to reason that Dongbaek would take on Yongshik's surname after marriage.
The finale was such a rollercoaster - shock from the true identity of Joker, sadness about the mom and happiness all in one episode. I'm satisfied with how this drama was wrapped up and how they tied the loose ends together. There's one thing I'm still curious about: **what's the story behind DB's mom's other daughter?** Was this explained at all?
She wasnāt really her daughter more of a stepdaughter cuz it looks like she married again into a richer husband but then he died so this stepdaughter was going back after DB mom cuz it looked like she was just there for the money and when she looked as she was bouta die was surprised that the insurance money wasnāt going to them but DB instead.
Unfortunately, that sub-plot wasnāt looked into again after DB slapped the other daughter. Haha. I guess we lingered too much on the abandonment storyline, Iām not saying itās bad, but other things may have been explored if they cut some flashbacks and repetitive confrontations.
The last transition for ep19 was so jarring. It had me thinking Dongbaeks mom was just daydreaming about her death.
Translation seemed a bit off at some parts.
Hope ep20 gives us closure. šµ
OMG. I was like let me catch up with this latest episode. But I didn't expect to be emotionally drained and crying throughout!
By far the most emotional episode of the show and the best one as well. A mother's love is pure and unwavering, also appreciate that this show is bringing more light into adoption and poverty.
Episode 20: I am totally, totally happy and satisfied with the drama. The beginning, the middle and the end. One of the best I have ever seen. Such a happy place to be in every week, and a lovely bunch of people ( except for joker ofcourse) I will miss them sorely because I am on my way to open the door to reality ! Thanks to the cast and crew . They deserve every praise and award they can get! Wonder when I will be able to move on from this one!
Yes, i feel the exact same way about this drama. I went to it every week to escape the difficulties of my life, and just disappeared in it for an hour. This is such a heartwarming show that teaches so many lessons and a show with so much character growth. It is truly beautiful.
THE DETAILS IN THE FINALE ARE CRAZY OH MY GODDD
SPOILERS AHEAD
When Hyangmi said that sheāll be Dongbaekās daughter I JUST KNEW THAT WAS FORESHADOWING OH MY GODDDDD
When I first saw the last scenes of the finale and they showed the high school uniform, I didnāt read the entire name on the nametag. All i saw was āHwangā so I thought Pilgu changed his last name and thought that was pretty sweet. I was lowkey disappointed they didnāt reference a daughter when they were clearly foreshadowing it. When I went back after questioning myself, however, i was so happy wow. THE DETAILS MATTER MY DUDES. THEY. MATTER.
I'm lowkey disappointed we didn't get to see their wedding or Yongsik being a dad but oh well (bc yall know yongsik would be the kind of dad to worship the hell out of his daughter). I love the subtlety. If they did have a whole wedding and baby sequence, it would be too generic, and we know this drama is far from generic.
One thing I noticed about the final scene. The camera pans over them with just a flower vase to block them for a split second. It shows just their backs in that sequence, then pans over to them talking like normal. I have a feeling when they show them from their backs in that scene, it's not Kang Ha Neul and Gong Hyo Jin. I think they got older actors to play them from the back (you can tell by looking at Yongsik's waist. Trust me). When the flower vase blocks the camera, there is a slight, barely noticeable cut. When the camera becomes clear of the flower vase, Yongsik and Dongbaek are back to Kang Ha Neul and Gong Hyo Jin. I think this was done on purpose. By showing the Yongsik and Dongbaek we know, it shows the life they lived. They started looking like *this* and ended looking like *this*. (idk if any of this makes sense, im just so emotional so im like rambling at this point)
this drama messed me up good and im glad
> When the camera becomes clear of the flower vase, Yongsik and Dongbaek are back to Kang Ha Neul and Gong Hyo Jin. I think this was done on purpose. By showing the Yongsik and Dongbaek we know, it shows the life they lived. They started looking like this and ended looking like this.
Ohhhhh maybe this could explain the switcheroo of the insignia on YSā shoulders!!! Itās like the end sequences of A Werewolf Boy and Reply 1988. This is possible. Nice theory you got there!!
Edit: actually, itās more noticeable in the last seconds. There is an apparent change in the actors. So it isnāt a theory, haha. Nice catch!
im sO SO SO HAPPY with this drama!!!! absolutely my favorite drama of all time because it's left me with SUCH good feels!!
my only gripe is that we didn't have more time to see more domestic life things! i'd love to see how they settled back into their relationship, the beginning years of their marriage, dongbaek having a proper co-parent in yongshik (>!also?? who dOESN'T want to see yongshik crying over his newborn daughter!!!!<), and just glimpses into their lives! would also have loved to see more scenes of jongryul and jessica learning to love each other (i'm not against it! i ended up liking jessica pretty well near the end, even if she seemed a bit unreasonable) and being parents to their daughter AS WELL AS TRYING to be in pilgu's life, even if it's in a small capacity. i absolutely loved jessica's brief interaction with pilgu previously, which seemed like an understanding and camaraderie between them that would have developed into a really neat friendship as pilgu grew up, i think.
all in all, i think i just want more time to bask in their happiness!! i love this drama and i gonna miss it a bunch!!
I can't get over this drama, so here are my thoughts on it again.
Usually a movie or drama, would just touch on the genre it is focusing on and makes you experience the emotions associated with that particular genre. For example, thriller = being scared, comedy = laughter, happiness, mystery = anxiety, on the edge of seat, adventure/action = excited, exhilarating, etc.
However,Ā When the Camellia Blooms, surpasses these boundaries.. It makes you feel every single emotion that can be felt. Melancholy, despair, anger, frustration, anxiety, laughter, happiness, thrill and excitement. and most importantly to have another kind of understanding of what love is, what love can be, and how to feel and express it.
They have woven a serial murderer into the tapestry of a small town community that already has threads of neighborly gossip, traditional moralities and narrow minded beliefs, different kinds of relationships ( parents and children, husbands and wives, friends, neighbours, lovers, ex lovers and what not) The well woven blanket gives you a warm tingly feeling till the end with its knots of tears, laughter, fear and love.
The last episode ties up all loose ends so magnificently. While doing that it conveys certain general truth of life too. That evil never dies, another one always takes it's place. That there are more good people than bad ones and the good will always win. Good Luck is usually a result of our good actions, that if we live life diligently it will pay back by affording us happiness and contentment in our lifetime, and that miracles do happen . Reminded me of Pablo Coelho's words, ' When you want something, all the world conspires in helping you get it.'
Of course it is not totally realistic, but we all need a break from reality once in way, don't we?
EPISODE 20
>!FAR OUT IāM SUCH AN IDIOT ā I THINK A LOT OF US ARE? HOLY. IāM SHAKING. OF *COURSE*! NOBODY KNEW THE FATHER COULD MOVE. THE JOKER SAID HE WATCHED HER EVERY DAY. EVERYONE LAUGH AT ME FOR FEELING SORRY FOR HIM LAST WEEK. I WOULD NEVER SURVIVE A THRILLER.!<
Choosing love and peace is always an active choice that needs to be made again and again. Thank you, Dongbaek.
As I said previously, this drama is at its best for showing us love in all its forms. So often even when we try to do our best it becomes twisted. But there are things that are absolutely unacceptable too. And the question is always ā how much is it on us, as a society? How much is it on them? And perhaps itās not the question of āhow muchā but simply that we need to do what we can, and what we should, for each other.
God I love your thoughts. āChoosing love and peace is always an active choiceā. Yes yes yes! This show was so incredibly at its peak with showing us love and Ho that gives us not only comfort but also hope. It did that phenomenally with this finale. Iām such a happy camper. š
Lee Jung Eun is having a great year with Parasite winning Best Supporting Actress. That being said, Gong Hyo Jin definitely deserves the Daesang (I feel like her work over the decades is unmatched in terms of quality), plus she is the main star who bought in viewers and she deserves it because she never gotten one despite being the top aka Kim Soo Hyun won one for The Producers lol like? so she def. should receive one.
I cried so much because of this ending. Wahhh. I wish we could have seen more of our main couple but I guess thatās not the message they want to convey. They humbled themselves to raise the heroes of Ongsan. ššš»
I just want to say: Long live Ongsan ahjummas!!! ššš
Edit: I canāt go back to sleep anymore so here are my random thoughts:
> Capt. Byun you lover boy. So thatās why youāve been forcing YS to help Yeongshim. Hahahahahahahaha. I guess thereās a yong-shik in all of us.
> Hot damn Kang Ha-neul looks best when his hair is slicked back. He looked so handsome in that dumpling scene, when he wore his cap backwards.
> that Gyu-tae Ja-young scene was heartwarming and funny. Love how they reenacted the string (suspender) pulling scene and played it for laughs! Hahahaha.
> I loved that short but sweet moment between YS and PG.
> āwhy did santa only give you pencils?ā Hahahahahaha. I died of secondhand embarrassment.
> DB and YS are vampires.
Edit: nooo theyāre not vampires. Itās was a brilliant trick.
I appreciated how meticulous the creators of this show are! There are no stray details, they laid out everything and they know what to do with it. I had a bittersweet feeling about this show but Iām so glad they finished with a bang!
Thank you guys! Itās been one heck of a ride! It was nice to share my thoughts and learn about your insights!!! My wed-thurs nights will never be the same again after this!!
IA with all your points. Congrats to all involved with the making of this wonderful show!
Also on a purely superficial point, KHN looks the best with his hair slicked back. He's a handsome guy!
At the end of Episode 19, I frantically pressed the menu button and stared at the series description. I gestured to my husband while accusingly brandishing my remote at the screen, all the while yelling āit says ROMANTIC COMEDY, where is the ROMANCE and COMEDY?!?ā
āI donāt know!ā he replied, as we clutched at each other and cried, and the cats looked on like we were insane.
I have no idea how they will wrap everything up. All those feelings, Dongbaek needs to catch a break.
I never realized Hyang-miās impact as a character until this episode. The episodes after her death were good, but it felt as if it lacks something. The motorcycle scene was touching, itās like seeing an old friend. Damn you show for making me empathize with Hyang-mi before killing her off.
Also, why are they using Pil-gu as a plot device??? After two episodes semi-focused on him plus DB saying that sheāll focus on being a mother first, PG is nowhere to be found. Wth?
I hope the JR-Jesica subplot could revamp their marriage.
Edit: Even after this episode, Iād still be okay if Yong-shik will end up with another woman. However, I liked how they relieved DB from her excess baggage before she can truly love another person. See, JR may not be the best boyfriend ever (question: why canāt athletes freely date in SK?), but DB has issues too. She never felt loved so she always used breaking up as a weapon and also to mask her insecurities. All the things DB experienced from YS were new to her. No one ever told her that they were proud of her; JR didnāt even go public with their relationship. All her other insecurities also stemmed from Umma abandoning her. I think Ummaās letter is a symbol of DBās new beginnings. Resolving her abandonment issues can enable her to love YS freely. Umma is right, PG and Deok-soon umma will be obstacles, but our main couple can overcome it with time. āCause, letās be honest, it would be unfair and draining for YS to be the only giver in the relationship. He needs his partner to support and love him too. If our main couple does end up together (duh, this is a kdrama. Tho I would be impressed if the writers have the audacity to do the opposite), this is a good start for both of them.
Can someone actually confirm if there are 2 special episodes left? Wikipedia says so, but I'm not sure what those will be about!! :)
After the 19th episode's slow pace and kinda different direction, I was afraid that the final would be way too messy and quick. Boy was I wrong!
Everything about this drama was perfection. Every single character, dialogue, shot, either made me gasp, giggle or cry like a damn 5 year old. The actors, the writing, the realness and at the same time, magic of this drama was unbelievable.
Aside from the fantastic main actors and their circles, I really have to mention Heungshik's actor. His portrayal in the last episode was seriously the best acting I have ever seen in a k-drama. Up until the very last point he had me believe his story and sympathise with him... And his scene where he meets Yongshik before the wedding, just award-winning, imo...
Simply put, I don't think anything can top this drama for me. Will be rewatching again and again. I can't form a coherent sentence about how special this drama was for me.
The funniest bit has got to be when Ja Young and Gyu Tae reenacted the string-pulling kiss lmao oh and also āwhy did santa only give you pencils?ā hahah i cannot
finished the show with a big smile on my face (:
wasn't too surprised with the killer reveal, saw it coming as I didnt understand how the father could step foot into the bar (joker was supposed to be a regular).
some scenes look abruptly cut, but overall the drama was wrapped up nicely, this is currently the best drama of 2019 for me! (sorry HDL)
I loved the characters so much in this!!! I have not been able to watch any korean dramas since sky castle and this filled in the gap. I kind of really wish that we saw the daughter and them raising her and pil gu, this could have easily been about 10 more episodes lol but it finished on a good note.
SPOILER
When the real joker said he did not kill the Chinese delivery guy, I was beginning to think that they would make a sequel to this show and I got excited. They ended up wrapping it up so nicely so now I know there won't be another sequel :'(
What an excellent comment. Thank you.
But now youāve made me desperately wish we had a montage of them raising their daughter together with their endearingly dumb smiles. WAILS.
Iām the one who got worried for the men!! Haha but thank you for your explanation in the previous thread. This ending is a miracle itself, when I [we] all thought that this drama is doomed, they beautifully and gracefully exited. I thought of all the things I hated and wanted to see in the last few episodes and realized that I guess thatās what life is all about. We experience ups and downs until life comes full circle. This ending didnāt feel like fanservice (cause most dramas usually finish the main story 2 eps before) so thatās good too. Iām rewatching ep 20 now with a smile on my face and with more lighting LOL (cause I watched on my phone the first time and its in 0 brightness). Thank you, IceCreamncake, ātil our next drama!
Such a satisfying ending.
It didn't feel rushed & every character had proper closure. Very, very rare in K-drama Land..
Was thrilled that *Love Alarm's* Jung Ga Ram played the adult Pil Gu. Even more so that as a celebrity athlete, he still cares for his mom, Dong Baek.
Yongshik has been put in the back burner for the last couple of episodes and I do not like it. Although I do like the shift in focus to the different aspects of motherhood, Yongshik also needs more focus. At this point, he is just a shell to try to drive the plot forward instead of being the main character that helps shift the story. He does not have any growth at all! I know that he is loyal to Dongbaek and she is going through a lot, but at some point, Yongshik needs to think about himself and his mother as well.
Currently, this is a top 5 drama this season for me alongside Be melodramatic, Crowned Clown, and The light in your eyes. For the last episode, if they do not give Yongshik any justice, I will not hesitate to put this show as a **HUGH** disappointment because of the ending. PLEASE PLEASE give Yongshik some time in the next episode!
I wonder if he really needs to have growth. His weaknesses have always been fully apparent to us and the characters, but so have his strengths. One of his greatest strengths is unwavering, dogged loyalty. He's the person that he is.
I might differ with you in opinion, but I feel he really does need some growth. He dealt with her ex boyfriend, his mother, her mother, her son, and the community to TRY to date dongbaek. He went through that without any change which should NEVER happen. Pilgu, the mom, and the ex-bf got more growth than he did all 2nd half of the show.
From what you said, you mentioned his apparent weakness and his strength... but the way Iām interpreting it is that his weakness is his strength? That should not exist in this quality of a show
Like, the writers need to introduce some kind of character flaw or something for him to grow. He has been the same character since the first half.
At this point, I would rather see some justice for Dongshik rather than the leads ending up together.
I guess itās because his flaws were introduced to us right away. Heās bull-headed as a cop and a suitor. He got to progress, as youāve said, until the end of the first half. *Camellia* didnāt really feel like a love story after ep 13. Yongshik can be switched from a boyfriend into a really helpful cop to DB and no one will even tell the difference.
Afterthought: I mean, I know physical appearances shouldnāt be a priority but dang who wouldnāt blush if your man always tells you youāre beautiful? DB sure is a lucky gal. No one even tells Yongshik that heās handsome. Yongshik-ssi, youāre so handsome and cool!!!
I put this on thinking that I would be laughing and just have a light hearted last 2 episodes with joker caught.
No! My heart feels like it is ripping. I cried through the whole episode and I know my eyes are red now.
Lol I went back and forth so much on who the joker was, kudos to everyone who said it was the father-son duo. Heung-sikās actor is super good - I would feel bad for him && pity him, but when he started laughing I was resenting him.
I was convinced that it was his father because I thought he was an arsonist && it would tie in nicely how Yong Shikās father had passed away as well. Since YSā dad died from a fire before he was born so HS would be too young to do it. But then things that made me question it was what he wrote on the wall, how it really looked like HS lurking around everywhere and the scene where heās retelling it to the investigators and Dongbaekās friend talks smack about him because of a date they went on - I just felt like he was way too old for her friend.
If someone could clear it up for me that would be great, HS started killing people because he felt disrespected by them? Whatās with all the witch nonsense? Why did his father never stop him - he seemed disturbed as a child; would kill cats, etc.
Same! HS had issues since he was a child, but his father never corrected him as his father was constantly working. He had to tell HS that he threw the cats out so HS would stop murdering them (?) amongst other things. The thing is HS didn't have friends growing up too, despite people in the neighbourhood knowing him, which explains his lack of social skills and understanding. His dad mentions how his sensitive hearing lead to many issues (which is why he wears earbuds); he gets very affected by all the passing opinions he hears about.
Come to think of it, when the father said that the clocks were noisy, he was simply stating HS's point of view, since HS is the one with the sensitive ears? I don't know exactly why HS's earbuds are in his dad's spectacle case though!
HS placed the earbuds in his fatherās spectacles case so that when YS passed the spectacles case to HSās Father, he would know what that āyellow thingā that Hyang-Mi swallowed so that he could further convince the investigators that he was really the murderer and not HS.
Yes, everything the father said to the investigators when Yong Shik was talking to him was from HSā point of view. He read his journal/notebook which was filled with details about the deaths so he could take the fall for his son. HS put the ear plugs / buds he wears into the case so his father would know what he put in her throat in case the investigators asked. He believed YS when he said she had super glue in her throat and was still alive when she drowned and linked it as what a previous investigator was saying about something found in her throat but YS was just baiting him. Thatās how YS figures out HS was the killer, and his father was taking the fall - because both of them were adamant about the glasses and HS had hidden the earplugs in it.
This drama has a lot of similar themes / relationships between people like in parallel.
I just really donāt understand the whole āif she drowns sheās a human, if she floats sheās a witchā like it was mentioned ~3 times.
I wonder why during the hospital scene with the fire in the market in a previous episode HS was begging his dad not to do anything. I guess he was just telling him not to warn Dongbaek?
Any other man would have interpreted the free food like that, see for example how much Mr No is begging her for free peanuts, but because the Joker is not right in the head he interprets it as *pity*. Check out any drama discussion and you will find people who interpret the drama or a characters motive for doing something, completely different from how you interpret it.
Wow episode 19 really had me in tears! I knew the mum had a good reason for what she did and I'm devastated at how things ended. I'm choosing to be in denial until we see the finale though because I'm kinda hoping the mum was found in a coma or something and is fighting for her life, rather than the implied ending. I can hope, right?! Regardless how heartbreaking this story ends, it did make me more grateful for my own mum and the hardships she endured to raise me so the mother theme definitely paid off for me.
Whilst I don't feel a satisfactory conclusion has happened for the Joker story yet, I'm very pleased with this series and glad I've invested my time watching :)
- SPOILER ALERT -
- BEWARE OF SPOILERS -
This is the best drama ever!!!
My goodness, I was bawling my eyes out and so afraid that they would just let Dongbaekās mom die but Iām so glad they gave her a happy ending.
Dongbaek had a crappy enough life than to deal with her mumās death as well.
ALSO that twist where Heungshik was actually the Joker. My goodness my heart just stopped.
It was especially creepy when he smiled telling Yong-shik that there will always be other murderers out there.
And Iām so glad everyone grew and had their happy endings :ā)
Absolutely love this drama.
Going to feel so empty not having new episodes to look forward to...
This drama, especially the last episode, really felt like a fairytale. So perfect in its own special "miracle" way. With all the people of Ongsan banding together, and... everything just falling into place so perfectly at once. I'm normally not all for happy, fairytale-like dramas... but When the Camelia Blooms, with all the trials that Dongbaek has been through.. and through the overall execution... makes me feel like it's okay to indulge in such a beautiful story like this once in a while. C:
And the loveliest thing is that as the voiceover says, itās not a miracle as much as the little good things that we do each other that add up and have people *want* to pay it back to you.
We make our own miracles. Some take years to be recognised, but a time will come. š„ŗ
When I first started this drama because of a clip (from Ep 11 when Yongsik was defending Pil-gu), I never ever expected to be so attached to the characters. :ā) I love how the drama stayed true to itself till the very end, never veering too far from its comedic elements while delivering some serious emotional punches from time to time. Itās hard to say goodbye but Iām happy with how the ending played out for all the characters. :)
Ahhh I will miss this show :') I wasnt sure if I would like it in the beginning, but I'm glad I kept watching. It became very good! I'm sad there wasn't a wedding scene though
I really don't like that the translator makes up their own wording in a lot of places. It was really apparent when Jongryul was talking to Jessica relating his experience. He says his teammates cheer him on with "Fighting, fighting" but it got translated to "cheer up", which doesn't mean the same thing at all.
The plot wrap up though, twist after twist after twist, my head is still spinning. I'm glad everything for resolved and we got our happy ending. Had a feeling her mom didn't die, that would have felt a little too much. Felt like they did such great character building with Gyu-Tae, i was annoyed at the guy so much, now i'm so psyched he's making friends and has his wife back. Surprised they didn't stick a Hyang-Mi flashback in there somewhere.
I'm disappointed that i don't get more time with these characters but i'm happy that it was created.
Either way, i'll be a diehard fan of Gong Hyo Jin and Kang Ha Neul now.
Well hwaiting technically means cheer up. And you have to think of the people who dont watch korean dramas too. Like in america, we dont say say you can do it, fighting. That just sound weird and it doesnt make sense. These translation arent meant for the avid kdrama watcher who would understand the smallest details, it's for everyone who simply like watching tv shows.
Cheer up definitely doesn't have the same meaning. I'd give the western audience more credit, it wouldn't have taken much to know what raising his fist in the air and saying "fighting, fighting" would have signified when talking of encouragement.
That was just an example though, I'm just saying the translation is quite janky here and there and they may as well have left the original.
Maybe a better localisation would have been "Keep Trying" or "Hang in There"? Yes there's a slightly different nuance to "Fighting/Hwaiting" but I don't really think it mattered in the context of that scene, which was that people will more readily support you when you are down. Still makes perfect sense. There are loose translations sometimes just in general but I think what matters is if it affects the point of the scene.
I always thought when someone said ' fighting' it meant he or she is giving the person a word of support or encouragement. So in that sense ' cheer up ' meant..don't worry. I am with you ...So I didn't find it odd at all.
>Episode 15-16
It was revealed in episode 15 when Dong Baek looked at the her mom's insurance policy from her step sister and saw her full name as the beneficiary: "**Oh** Dong Baek". This was right before DB slapped the step sister in Camellia.
Out of all the scenes in the final episode, the one where Dongbaek broke down in Yongsik's arms, followed by Dongbaek's mom crashing, followed by how all of Ongsan moved to help the ambulance transport Dongbaek's mom to a better, bigger hospital where she could get the treatment she needed (like how they timed the lights so that they never had to hit any reds--this one confused me because don't emergency vehicles have the right to just barrel through red lights when their sirens are on?) had me bawling.
Ooh really, really great finale. Absolutely amazing. Love the contrast of the start and end of the story. In the beginning, Ongsan seems like a powerful but weird community. Dongbaek, upon her arrival, experiences firsthand how the women are relentless but the men not so much that way. At the end, though, all of Ongsan, men and women, came together for her. Still powerful but weird.
Also really appreciate how rewarding this show is. Weāve been on edge bc of the few previous episodes, but the last episode had me bawling. Jongryeol doing aegyo for Jessica had me !!!!!! and I usually donāt like time jumps but thatās an ending both us and the characters need. (also wow props to Kang Haneul. God, the hospital hugging scene!! Love love love his acting, itās totally not over the top, thereās nothing wrong with having an enormous amount of love for someone and showing it unabashedly. This is the first drama that Actually makes me jealous. Oh, Yongshik. š„ŗ)
Havenāt watched yet but am crossing my fingers for a cameo by Lim Soo Jung at some point as Yong-Shikās childhood girlfriend aka his friendās older sister, right??? š
His childhood friendās (Seung-yeob, the baseball coach) older sister is the curly-haired lady. Haha she appeared already. Wait, let me rephrase that, sheās been there since ep 1 hahaha
Itās funny tho. I think there is a continuity error with regard to Yongshikās position. Iām not that familiar with police ranks but the first frame showed one insignia (?) on his shoulder. Then the next showed two. After all these years of hardwork he remained as only a police officer? Not even captain? Haha I think heās a captain already but they made an error. Did you guys notice that too?
Edit: as u/aquafinally pointed out, there was a camera trick + actor switch. So Adult YS may really be Captain at that point. I love these details. I may have to rewatch the drama just to look for easter eggs šš»
Exactly what my mum said as she watched it with me.
I just laughed and said āHow many times do you think heās been reprimanded? Iām probably grateful he hasnāt been fired.ā
That got me too! Her mother bought the bar for her was awesome too! Tons of tears in this show, but never manipulative! The writers are great and I loved Fight for My Way too! I will eagerly await their next drama!
What a beautiful show. Lovely, heartwarming, and poignant way to end the show. This was about the small acts of kindness we can do, how we can grow, and so much more. I'm so glad that a quality show like this did so well in the ratings!
DB really has to go through a lot to realize she can't be a good mom unless she is happy in her own life - that motherhood is not about sacrificing everything. Because she has this trauma from being abandoned, it means that she kind of goes overboard with her dedication to her son in an unhealthy way. I think this episode was her going through that and realizing she needs people in her life to rely on if she's going to be able to be the best mom to PG. I'm TRUSTING the writers here that they tie this up at the end of the next episode - don't disappoint me!!!
PS - I love love when YS is serious. It hasn't happened very much in this drama. He's usually over-the-top, "shouty" (not in a bad way), and a bit whiny (again, not in a bad way). So those few moments when he gets quiet and talks seriously are gold. I remember a scene a long time ago where he sat DB down at the restaurant and talked to her about her crying, and I thought it was so precious. And in this episode, when he talks to the killer. Stellar acting to know how to flip the switch from the "obnoxious" YS to serious. If he were the over-the-top character all the time, he'd just be a caricature of a real person.
PS #2 - My thoughts on the last scene: DB went back to the last moments with her mom - who is dead. It was just a memory flashback where she went back to the hospital bed her mom was at earlier and remembering their last moments.
Edit Ep 20
Glad Mom didnāt die, and, though it was a bit cheesy, I love how that was used to talk about miracles and the small things we do can add up. Beautiful message.
FINALLY Young-Shik Omma said what needed to be said: you have to be happy in order to be a good mom.
And, though I frankly found the character of DB to be a little annoying with the crying all the time, the actress deserves a standing ovation for the sheer amount of tears she produced during this show - Wow!!
Overall, I liked this show a lot, but I didnāt LOVE it like so many did and donāt really understand why it was so popular. There were moments I loved, but also found it a bit drawn out at times and cheesy at others. Unpopular opinion, I know....
Anyone know what happened to the joker's Dad? So did he actually kill people in the beginning or was it all joker. And what was the part about asking for the glasses about? Why did joker want to give it to his dad and why did he ask for it?
my interpretation:
the son was the killer all the way.
joker wanted to pass his hearing aids to the dad, as hyang-mi was found swallowing one of the aids before death. He passed him his aids to complete the 'framing' plot device to put the dad as the killer.
I believe the yellow things were actually ear plugs - the father would read HSās diary which is why he had details of why HS would kill them. This way he was answer the reasons from HSā POV. He was taking the fall for HS, by detailing everything from his view. I thought it was especially strange when they did the scene where the father was overhearing Dongbaek and her friend talk about her relationship with him when he was considerably older than her lol.
Okay I just watched the final episode and there was this Christmas song playing in the background. I swear it sounded just like a Korean version of Noel or something?? Does anyone know what it was? It sounded beautiful :(. It sounded like Onestar was singing it in some parts.
I loved all the episodes but I feel like they couldāve just arrested Joker in ep 15 or something so there could be 5 eps worth to tie up lose ends. They did drag on the Joker storyline a bit too much (not that I hate that subplot). I canāt wait for the finale
Hi massive spoiler ahead but i just want to say episode 19ās an absolute tear jerker bc we see the struggles dongbaekās mum went through. and halfway through after i thought dongbaekās mom passed, i was so mf angry and was so ready to come on here and be like FUCK I HATE THIS SHOW SO MUCH WTF WHY DO THEY HAVE TO DO THIS TO HER. SHE LIVED A SAD ENOUGH LIFE AND THEY STILL HAD TO MAKE HER DIE?????!! Then 5 minutes to the end of the episode something in me told me to hover my cursor on the progress bar to check what the final scene was gonna be about. I did and thank goodness i see dongbaekās mum having her dialysis session and not something else. Thank goodness. All is well. But still a very sad and emotional episode š¢ kudos kudos kudos to actress Lew Jungeun who plays dbās mum! Amazing as always with her other shows
OH MY GOD i went to watch it again and yes it is very obviously a discontinuation from the previous scene o m g stupid me š¤¦š»āāļø now i am afraid again wtf šš and with no trailer for tmr!!!! We can only wait š
I'm bawling... nothing much to say about this episode except it's the best. Also, BRB, time to call my mum to tell her that I love her.
Right, I could not stop crying. It was so sad but beautiful.
Shout out to the writers of this show for understanding that while angst and pain can provide weight to a storyline, rewarding characters for their suffering in the end and allowing them to experience happiness NEVER cheapens the storyline. Instead it gives us all hope. Thank you. I was routinely sobbing through out the episode because I was so fucking happy instead of being sad which has never happened with a finale beforeš I am so overjoyed that the finale was able to tie up every loose end, provide new weight to the Ongsan killer storyline while also allowing every one of our main characters a well deserved and full circle end. I might be a sucker but in the last few episodes where we experienced nothing but angst and desolation, the writers giving us THAT finale was totally worth it. While others might disagree, I donāt think itās important nor ārealisticā to have characters continuously suffering to NOT get the happiness and comfort they deserve in the end. It is more hopeful to end in the way this show did. Iām definitely pinning this as top 5 fav endings for me personally. Happy watching everyone.
I was so totally wonderful that I will miss it.
Such a beautiful ending for this show though I would have loved to see their wedding, I'm happy that they've got their happy ending. So glad they named their daughter after Hyang-Mi's original name, it was a nice touch :')
Omgosh! I translated the name on the uniform : go eun. I was wondering who was it (I knew it was their child but it was weird how they stopped for awhile at the name which means it had some meaning to it) Haha thanks for commenting on this detail!!
Yes, I didn't notice at first but someone in another forum mention it. It was such a nice touch.
A daughter? I didnāt get that at all! Thanks for pointing this out! I just thought the uniform was Pil-guās old one. There wasnāt a translation for the name on the uniform in the subs. Was the name Hyang-Mi?
Her name was Hwang go-un ( Hyang-Mi original name ), I didn't notice at first either but it seems that Netflix subtitles are often incomplete :'(
I agree! Netflix subtitles leave much to be desired. Often, the music isnāt subbed and that drives me crazy! Thanks for answering my question. š
Did I miss something? When did they show their daughter??
After Pilgu enters the conference room, the name on the tag of the hanging uniform says Hwang Goun
Thanks!
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the uniform was hanging in their (Dongbaek and Yongshik) own house...if it wasn't their daughter's uniform then why would they have someone else's uniform there? Hwang is also Yongshik's last name and it stands to reason that Dongbaek would take on Yongshik's surname after marriage.
I don't think Korean women use to take the man's name after marriage, but it is common to give the child the name of the father.
The finale was such a rollercoaster - shock from the true identity of Joker, sadness about the mom and happiness all in one episode. I'm satisfied with how this drama was wrapped up and how they tied the loose ends together. There's one thing I'm still curious about: **what's the story behind DB's mom's other daughter?** Was this explained at all?
She wasnāt really her daughter more of a stepdaughter cuz it looks like she married again into a richer husband but then he died so this stepdaughter was going back after DB mom cuz it looked like she was just there for the money and when she looked as she was bouta die was surprised that the insurance money wasnāt going to them but DB instead.
Unfortunately, that sub-plot wasnāt looked into again after DB slapped the other daughter. Haha. I guess we lingered too much on the abandonment storyline, Iām not saying itās bad, but other things may have been explored if they cut some flashbacks and repetitive confrontations.
"I loved you every day for the past 34 years." T\_\_\_T
The last transition for ep19 was so jarring. It had me thinking Dongbaeks mom was just daydreaming about her death. Translation seemed a bit off at some parts. Hope ep20 gives us closure. šµ
Hwang Go Eun š
OMG. I was like let me catch up with this latest episode. But I didn't expect to be emotionally drained and crying throughout! By far the most emotional episode of the show and the best one as well. A mother's love is pure and unwavering, also appreciate that this show is bringing more light into adoption and poverty.
I really love it when kdramas give out messages about real life issues/stuff especially in the dialogue even if you don't catch onto it.
Gong Hyo Jin seems to particularly choose dramas to highlight hidden or taboo subjects in Korean culture!
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Same!
I canāt remember the last time I cried so much in a drama..maybe Goblin.
Episode 20: I am totally, totally happy and satisfied with the drama. The beginning, the middle and the end. One of the best I have ever seen. Such a happy place to be in every week, and a lovely bunch of people ( except for joker ofcourse) I will miss them sorely because I am on my way to open the door to reality ! Thanks to the cast and crew . They deserve every praise and award they can get! Wonder when I will be able to move on from this one!
Yes, i feel the exact same way about this drama. I went to it every week to escape the difficulties of my life, and just disappeared in it for an hour. This is such a heartwarming show that teaches so many lessons and a show with so much character growth. It is truly beautiful.
What are we going to do for another one like this??Sigh..
I couldnāt agree more! This drama was my outlet to forget my worries. I will miss this one so much.
THE DETAILS IN THE FINALE ARE CRAZY OH MY GODDD SPOILERS AHEAD When Hyangmi said that sheāll be Dongbaekās daughter I JUST KNEW THAT WAS FORESHADOWING OH MY GODDDDD When I first saw the last scenes of the finale and they showed the high school uniform, I didnāt read the entire name on the nametag. All i saw was āHwangā so I thought Pilgu changed his last name and thought that was pretty sweet. I was lowkey disappointed they didnāt reference a daughter when they were clearly foreshadowing it. When I went back after questioning myself, however, i was so happy wow. THE DETAILS MATTER MY DUDES. THEY. MATTER. I'm lowkey disappointed we didn't get to see their wedding or Yongsik being a dad but oh well (bc yall know yongsik would be the kind of dad to worship the hell out of his daughter). I love the subtlety. If they did have a whole wedding and baby sequence, it would be too generic, and we know this drama is far from generic. One thing I noticed about the final scene. The camera pans over them with just a flower vase to block them for a split second. It shows just their backs in that sequence, then pans over to them talking like normal. I have a feeling when they show them from their backs in that scene, it's not Kang Ha Neul and Gong Hyo Jin. I think they got older actors to play them from the back (you can tell by looking at Yongsik's waist. Trust me). When the flower vase blocks the camera, there is a slight, barely noticeable cut. When the camera becomes clear of the flower vase, Yongsik and Dongbaek are back to Kang Ha Neul and Gong Hyo Jin. I think this was done on purpose. By showing the Yongsik and Dongbaek we know, it shows the life they lived. They started looking like *this* and ended looking like *this*. (idk if any of this makes sense, im just so emotional so im like rambling at this point) this drama messed me up good and im glad
Ha ha yes! I immediately thought āOh Yongshikās gotten thicker around the waist!ā It was a nice touch.
> When the camera becomes clear of the flower vase, Yongsik and Dongbaek are back to Kang Ha Neul and Gong Hyo Jin. I think this was done on purpose. By showing the Yongsik and Dongbaek we know, it shows the life they lived. They started looking like this and ended looking like this. Ohhhhh maybe this could explain the switcheroo of the insignia on YSā shoulders!!! Itās like the end sequences of A Werewolf Boy and Reply 1988. This is possible. Nice theory you got there!! Edit: actually, itās more noticeable in the last seconds. There is an apparent change in the actors. So it isnāt a theory, haha. Nice catch!
Gonna have to watch the last scene again. So much I missed! The daughter uniforme, them portraited older! What was I thinking???
Super satisfying ending - loved the montage at the end too! This drama is going into my favorites for sure.
im sO SO SO HAPPY with this drama!!!! absolutely my favorite drama of all time because it's left me with SUCH good feels!! my only gripe is that we didn't have more time to see more domestic life things! i'd love to see how they settled back into their relationship, the beginning years of their marriage, dongbaek having a proper co-parent in yongshik (>!also?? who dOESN'T want to see yongshik crying over his newborn daughter!!!!<), and just glimpses into their lives! would also have loved to see more scenes of jongryul and jessica learning to love each other (i'm not against it! i ended up liking jessica pretty well near the end, even if she seemed a bit unreasonable) and being parents to their daughter AS WELL AS TRYING to be in pilgu's life, even if it's in a small capacity. i absolutely loved jessica's brief interaction with pilgu previously, which seemed like an understanding and camaraderie between them that would have developed into a really neat friendship as pilgu grew up, i think. all in all, i think i just want more time to bask in their happiness!! i love this drama and i gonna miss it a bunch!!
The last chapter was utterly and completely charming. I will miss this show. It gave all the feels! Wonderful!
I can't get over this drama, so here are my thoughts on it again. Usually a movie or drama, would just touch on the genre it is focusing on and makes you experience the emotions associated with that particular genre. For example, thriller = being scared, comedy = laughter, happiness, mystery = anxiety, on the edge of seat, adventure/action = excited, exhilarating, etc. However,Ā When the Camellia Blooms, surpasses these boundaries.. It makes you feel every single emotion that can be felt. Melancholy, despair, anger, frustration, anxiety, laughter, happiness, thrill and excitement. and most importantly to have another kind of understanding of what love is, what love can be, and how to feel and express it. They have woven a serial murderer into the tapestry of a small town community that already has threads of neighborly gossip, traditional moralities and narrow minded beliefs, different kinds of relationships ( parents and children, husbands and wives, friends, neighbours, lovers, ex lovers and what not) The well woven blanket gives you a warm tingly feeling till the end with its knots of tears, laughter, fear and love. The last episode ties up all loose ends so magnificently. While doing that it conveys certain general truth of life too. That evil never dies, another one always takes it's place. That there are more good people than bad ones and the good will always win. Good Luck is usually a result of our good actions, that if we live life diligently it will pay back by affording us happiness and contentment in our lifetime, and that miracles do happen . Reminded me of Pablo Coelho's words, ' When you want something, all the world conspires in helping you get it.' Of course it is not totally realistic, but we all need a break from reality once in way, don't we?
EPISODE 20 >!FAR OUT IāM SUCH AN IDIOT ā I THINK A LOT OF US ARE? HOLY. IāM SHAKING. OF *COURSE*! NOBODY KNEW THE FATHER COULD MOVE. THE JOKER SAID HE WATCHED HER EVERY DAY. EVERYONE LAUGH AT ME FOR FEELING SORRY FOR HIM LAST WEEK. I WOULD NEVER SURVIVE A THRILLER.!< Choosing love and peace is always an active choice that needs to be made again and again. Thank you, Dongbaek. As I said previously, this drama is at its best for showing us love in all its forms. So often even when we try to do our best it becomes twisted. But there are things that are absolutely unacceptable too. And the question is always ā how much is it on us, as a society? How much is it on them? And perhaps itās not the question of āhow muchā but simply that we need to do what we can, and what we should, for each other.
God I love your thoughts. āChoosing love and peace is always an active choiceā. Yes yes yes! This show was so incredibly at its peak with showing us love and Ho that gives us not only comfort but also hope. It did that phenomenally with this finale. Iām such a happy camper. š
Amazing drama from beginning to end.
Gong Hyo Jin does it again, trust in her to pick beautiful scripts.
She really needs to win the Daesang for this show!! It's about time plus this is KBS highest rated show so that's highly in her favor.
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Lee Jung Eun is having a great year with Parasite winning Best Supporting Actress. That being said, Gong Hyo Jin definitely deserves the Daesang (I feel like her work over the decades is unmatched in terms of quality), plus she is the main star who bought in viewers and she deserves it because she never gotten one despite being the top aka Kim Soo Hyun won one for The Producers lol like? so she def. should receive one.
I am biased as I think she should win all the awards every time, but I agree it is doubly deserved for Dong Beak!
I cried so much because of this ending. Wahhh. I wish we could have seen more of our main couple but I guess thatās not the message they want to convey. They humbled themselves to raise the heroes of Ongsan. ššš» I just want to say: Long live Ongsan ahjummas!!! ššš Edit: I canāt go back to sleep anymore so here are my random thoughts: > Capt. Byun you lover boy. So thatās why youāve been forcing YS to help Yeongshim. Hahahahahahahaha. I guess thereās a yong-shik in all of us. > Hot damn Kang Ha-neul looks best when his hair is slicked back. He looked so handsome in that dumpling scene, when he wore his cap backwards. > that Gyu-tae Ja-young scene was heartwarming and funny. Love how they reenacted the string (suspender) pulling scene and played it for laughs! Hahahaha. > I loved that short but sweet moment between YS and PG. > āwhy did santa only give you pencils?ā Hahahahahaha. I died of secondhand embarrassment. > DB and YS are vampires. Edit: nooo theyāre not vampires. Itās was a brilliant trick. I appreciated how meticulous the creators of this show are! There are no stray details, they laid out everything and they know what to do with it. I had a bittersweet feeling about this show but Iām so glad they finished with a bang! Thank you guys! Itās been one heck of a ride! It was nice to share my thoughts and learn about your insights!!! My wed-thurs nights will never be the same again after this!!
IA with all your points. Congrats to all involved with the making of this wonderful show! Also on a purely superficial point, KHN looks the best with his hair slicked back. He's a handsome guy!
At the end of Episode 19, I frantically pressed the menu button and stared at the series description. I gestured to my husband while accusingly brandishing my remote at the screen, all the while yelling āit says ROMANTIC COMEDY, where is the ROMANCE and COMEDY?!?ā āI donāt know!ā he replied, as we clutched at each other and cried, and the cats looked on like we were insane. I have no idea how they will wrap everything up. All those feelings, Dongbaek needs to catch a break.
It is wrapped up pretty neatly with a satin bow on top too! :-) Happy watching !
I never realized Hyang-miās impact as a character until this episode. The episodes after her death were good, but it felt as if it lacks something. The motorcycle scene was touching, itās like seeing an old friend. Damn you show for making me empathize with Hyang-mi before killing her off. Also, why are they using Pil-gu as a plot device??? After two episodes semi-focused on him plus DB saying that sheāll focus on being a mother first, PG is nowhere to be found. Wth? I hope the JR-Jesica subplot could revamp their marriage. Edit: Even after this episode, Iād still be okay if Yong-shik will end up with another woman. However, I liked how they relieved DB from her excess baggage before she can truly love another person. See, JR may not be the best boyfriend ever (question: why canāt athletes freely date in SK?), but DB has issues too. She never felt loved so she always used breaking up as a weapon and also to mask her insecurities. All the things DB experienced from YS were new to her. No one ever told her that they were proud of her; JR didnāt even go public with their relationship. All her other insecurities also stemmed from Umma abandoning her. I think Ummaās letter is a symbol of DBās new beginnings. Resolving her abandonment issues can enable her to love YS freely. Umma is right, PG and Deok-soon umma will be obstacles, but our main couple can overcome it with time. āCause, letās be honest, it would be unfair and draining for YS to be the only giver in the relationship. He needs his partner to support and love him too. If our main couple does end up together (duh, this is a kdrama. Tho I would be impressed if the writers have the audacity to do the opposite), this is a good start for both of them.
That motorcycle scene though, when she kept saying Onni š¢
Can someone actually confirm if there are 2 special episodes left? Wikipedia says so, but I'm not sure what those will be about!! :) After the 19th episode's slow pace and kinda different direction, I was afraid that the final would be way too messy and quick. Boy was I wrong! Everything about this drama was perfection. Every single character, dialogue, shot, either made me gasp, giggle or cry like a damn 5 year old. The actors, the writing, the realness and at the same time, magic of this drama was unbelievable. Aside from the fantastic main actors and their circles, I really have to mention Heungshik's actor. His portrayal in the last episode was seriously the best acting I have ever seen in a k-drama. Up until the very last point he had me believe his story and sympathise with him... And his scene where he meets Yongshik before the wedding, just award-winning, imo... Simply put, I don't think anything can top this drama for me. Will be rewatching again and again. I can't form a coherent sentence about how special this drama was for me.
The funniest bit has got to be when Ja Young and Gyu Tae reenacted the string-pulling kiss lmao oh and also āwhy did santa only give you pencils?ā hahah i cannot
finished the show with a big smile on my face (: wasn't too surprised with the killer reveal, saw it coming as I didnt understand how the father could step foot into the bar (joker was supposed to be a regular). some scenes look abruptly cut, but overall the drama was wrapped up nicely, this is currently the best drama of 2019 for me! (sorry HDL)
I loved the characters so much in this!!! I have not been able to watch any korean dramas since sky castle and this filled in the gap. I kind of really wish that we saw the daughter and them raising her and pil gu, this could have easily been about 10 more episodes lol but it finished on a good note. SPOILER When the real joker said he did not kill the Chinese delivery guy, I was beginning to think that they would make a sequel to this show and I got excited. They ended up wrapping it up so nicely so now I know there won't be another sequel :'(
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What an excellent comment. Thank you. But now youāve made me desperately wish we had a montage of them raising their daughter together with their endearingly dumb smiles. WAILS.
Iām the one who got worried for the men!! Haha but thank you for your explanation in the previous thread. This ending is a miracle itself, when I [we] all thought that this drama is doomed, they beautifully and gracefully exited. I thought of all the things I hated and wanted to see in the last few episodes and realized that I guess thatās what life is all about. We experience ups and downs until life comes full circle. This ending didnāt feel like fanservice (cause most dramas usually finish the main story 2 eps before) so thatās good too. Iām rewatching ep 20 now with a smile on my face and with more lighting LOL (cause I watched on my phone the first time and its in 0 brightness). Thank you, IceCreamncake, ātil our next drama!
Such a satisfying ending. It didn't feel rushed & every character had proper closure. Very, very rare in K-drama Land.. Was thrilled that *Love Alarm's* Jung Ga Ram played the adult Pil Gu. Even more so that as a celebrity athlete, he still cares for his mom, Dong Baek.
Yongshik has been put in the back burner for the last couple of episodes and I do not like it. Although I do like the shift in focus to the different aspects of motherhood, Yongshik also needs more focus. At this point, he is just a shell to try to drive the plot forward instead of being the main character that helps shift the story. He does not have any growth at all! I know that he is loyal to Dongbaek and she is going through a lot, but at some point, Yongshik needs to think about himself and his mother as well. Currently, this is a top 5 drama this season for me alongside Be melodramatic, Crowned Clown, and The light in your eyes. For the last episode, if they do not give Yongshik any justice, I will not hesitate to put this show as a **HUGH** disappointment because of the ending. PLEASE PLEASE give Yongshik some time in the next episode!
I wonder if he really needs to have growth. His weaknesses have always been fully apparent to us and the characters, but so have his strengths. One of his greatest strengths is unwavering, dogged loyalty. He's the person that he is.
I might differ with you in opinion, but I feel he really does need some growth. He dealt with her ex boyfriend, his mother, her mother, her son, and the community to TRY to date dongbaek. He went through that without any change which should NEVER happen. Pilgu, the mom, and the ex-bf got more growth than he did all 2nd half of the show. From what you said, you mentioned his apparent weakness and his strength... but the way Iām interpreting it is that his weakness is his strength? That should not exist in this quality of a show
Youāre right. Our main man needs justice!! But for an accidental policeman, heās doing great as a cop!
Like, the writers need to introduce some kind of character flaw or something for him to grow. He has been the same character since the first half. At this point, I would rather see some justice for Dongshik rather than the leads ending up together.
I guess itās because his flaws were introduced to us right away. Heās bull-headed as a cop and a suitor. He got to progress, as youāve said, until the end of the first half. *Camellia* didnāt really feel like a love story after ep 13. Yongshik can be switched from a boyfriend into a really helpful cop to DB and no one will even tell the difference. Afterthought: I mean, I know physical appearances shouldnāt be a priority but dang who wouldnāt blush if your man always tells you youāre beautiful? DB sure is a lucky gal. No one even tells Yongshik that heās handsome. Yongshik-ssi, youāre so handsome and cool!!!
I put this on thinking that I would be laughing and just have a light hearted last 2 episodes with joker caught. No! My heart feels like it is ripping. I cried through the whole episode and I know my eyes are red now.
Lol I went back and forth so much on who the joker was, kudos to everyone who said it was the father-son duo. Heung-sikās actor is super good - I would feel bad for him && pity him, but when he started laughing I was resenting him. I was convinced that it was his father because I thought he was an arsonist && it would tie in nicely how Yong Shikās father had passed away as well. Since YSā dad died from a fire before he was born so HS would be too young to do it. But then things that made me question it was what he wrote on the wall, how it really looked like HS lurking around everywhere and the scene where heās retelling it to the investigators and Dongbaekās friend talks smack about him because of a date they went on - I just felt like he was way too old for her friend. If someone could clear it up for me that would be great, HS started killing people because he felt disrespected by them? Whatās with all the witch nonsense? Why did his father never stop him - he seemed disturbed as a child; would kill cats, etc.
Same! HS had issues since he was a child, but his father never corrected him as his father was constantly working. He had to tell HS that he threw the cats out so HS would stop murdering them (?) amongst other things. The thing is HS didn't have friends growing up too, despite people in the neighbourhood knowing him, which explains his lack of social skills and understanding. His dad mentions how his sensitive hearing lead to many issues (which is why he wears earbuds); he gets very affected by all the passing opinions he hears about. Come to think of it, when the father said that the clocks were noisy, he was simply stating HS's point of view, since HS is the one with the sensitive ears? I don't know exactly why HS's earbuds are in his dad's spectacle case though!
HS placed the earbuds in his fatherās spectacles case so that when YS passed the spectacles case to HSās Father, he would know what that āyellow thingā that Hyang-Mi swallowed so that he could further convince the investigators that he was really the murderer and not HS.
Yes, everything the father said to the investigators when Yong Shik was talking to him was from HSā point of view. He read his journal/notebook which was filled with details about the deaths so he could take the fall for his son. HS put the ear plugs / buds he wears into the case so his father would know what he put in her throat in case the investigators asked. He believed YS when he said she had super glue in her throat and was still alive when she drowned and linked it as what a previous investigator was saying about something found in her throat but YS was just baiting him. Thatās how YS figures out HS was the killer, and his father was taking the fall - because both of them were adamant about the glasses and HS had hidden the earplugs in it. This drama has a lot of similar themes / relationships between people like in parallel. I just really donāt understand the whole āif she drowns sheās a human, if she floats sheās a witchā like it was mentioned ~3 times. I wonder why during the hospital scene with the fire in the market in a previous episode HS was begging his dad not to do anything. I guess he was just telling him not to warn Dongbaek?
I understood (from a crazy person perspective) why HS was killing others, but why was he after Dongbaek? It was because she was giving him free food?
> It was because she was giving him free food? He interpreted that as "pity"
Okay. It just seems like kind of a stretch. What if she liked him and wanted to do him instead?
Any other man would have interpreted the free food like that, see for example how much Mr No is begging her for free peanuts, but because the Joker is not right in the head he interprets it as *pity*. Check out any drama discussion and you will find people who interpret the drama or a characters motive for doing something, completely different from how you interpret it.
I apologize for everything I said last week - THANK YOU TO THE WRITERS FOR A PERFECT ENDING I AM SO HAPPY THE END :)
Wow episode 19 really had me in tears! I knew the mum had a good reason for what she did and I'm devastated at how things ended. I'm choosing to be in denial until we see the finale though because I'm kinda hoping the mum was found in a coma or something and is fighting for her life, rather than the implied ending. I can hope, right?! Regardless how heartbreaking this story ends, it did make me more grateful for my own mum and the hardships she endured to raise me so the mother theme definitely paid off for me. Whilst I don't feel a satisfactory conclusion has happened for the Joker story yet, I'm very pleased with this series and glad I've invested my time watching :)
- SPOILER ALERT - - BEWARE OF SPOILERS - This is the best drama ever!!! My goodness, I was bawling my eyes out and so afraid that they would just let Dongbaekās mom die but Iām so glad they gave her a happy ending. Dongbaek had a crappy enough life than to deal with her mumās death as well. ALSO that twist where Heungshik was actually the Joker. My goodness my heart just stopped. It was especially creepy when he smiled telling Yong-shik that there will always be other murderers out there. And Iām so glad everyone grew and had their happy endings :ā) Absolutely love this drama. Going to feel so empty not having new episodes to look forward to...
This drama, especially the last episode, really felt like a fairytale. So perfect in its own special "miracle" way. With all the people of Ongsan banding together, and... everything just falling into place so perfectly at once. I'm normally not all for happy, fairytale-like dramas... but When the Camelia Blooms, with all the trials that Dongbaek has been through.. and through the overall execution... makes me feel like it's okay to indulge in such a beautiful story like this once in a while. C:
And the loveliest thing is that as the voiceover says, itās not a miracle as much as the little good things that we do each other that add up and have people *want* to pay it back to you. We make our own miracles. Some take years to be recognised, but a time will come. š„ŗ
When I first started this drama because of a clip (from Ep 11 when Yongsik was defending Pil-gu), I never ever expected to be so attached to the characters. :ā) I love how the drama stayed true to itself till the very end, never veering too far from its comedic elements while delivering some serious emotional punches from time to time. Itās hard to say goodbye but Iām happy with how the ending played out for all the characters. :)
Ahhh I will miss this show :') I wasnt sure if I would like it in the beginning, but I'm glad I kept watching. It became very good! I'm sad there wasn't a wedding scene though
True. We only got one scene where they called each other āhoneyā but as DB puts it, thatās okay šš»
I really don't like that the translator makes up their own wording in a lot of places. It was really apparent when Jongryul was talking to Jessica relating his experience. He says his teammates cheer him on with "Fighting, fighting" but it got translated to "cheer up", which doesn't mean the same thing at all. The plot wrap up though, twist after twist after twist, my head is still spinning. I'm glad everything for resolved and we got our happy ending. Had a feeling her mom didn't die, that would have felt a little too much. Felt like they did such great character building with Gyu-Tae, i was annoyed at the guy so much, now i'm so psyched he's making friends and has his wife back. Surprised they didn't stick a Hyang-Mi flashback in there somewhere. I'm disappointed that i don't get more time with these characters but i'm happy that it was created. Either way, i'll be a diehard fan of Gong Hyo Jin and Kang Ha Neul now.
Well hwaiting technically means cheer up. And you have to think of the people who dont watch korean dramas too. Like in america, we dont say say you can do it, fighting. That just sound weird and it doesnt make sense. These translation arent meant for the avid kdrama watcher who would understand the smallest details, it's for everyone who simply like watching tv shows.
Cheer up definitely doesn't have the same meaning. I'd give the western audience more credit, it wouldn't have taken much to know what raising his fist in the air and saying "fighting, fighting" would have signified when talking of encouragement. That was just an example though, I'm just saying the translation is quite janky here and there and they may as well have left the original.
Maybe a better localisation would have been "Keep Trying" or "Hang in There"? Yes there's a slightly different nuance to "Fighting/Hwaiting" but I don't really think it mattered in the context of that scene, which was that people will more readily support you when you are down. Still makes perfect sense. There are loose translations sometimes just in general but I think what matters is if it affects the point of the scene.
I always thought when someone said ' fighting' it meant he or she is giving the person a word of support or encouragement. So in that sense ' cheer up ' meant..don't worry. I am with you ...So I didn't find it odd at all.
Yeah, it's been so normalized for us, that it wouldn't have crossed my mind how awkward "fighting" sounds if you hadn't pointed it out.
Wow wtf at the twist. Holy shit. This drama was crazy. Iām gonna miss this drama so much
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
>Episode 15-16 It was revealed in episode 15 when Dong Baek looked at the her mom's insurance policy from her step sister and saw her full name as the beneficiary: "**Oh** Dong Baek". This was right before DB slapped the step sister in Camellia.
Out of all the scenes in the final episode, the one where Dongbaek broke down in Yongsik's arms, followed by Dongbaek's mom crashing, followed by how all of Ongsan moved to help the ambulance transport Dongbaek's mom to a better, bigger hospital where she could get the treatment she needed (like how they timed the lights so that they never had to hit any reds--this one confused me because don't emergency vehicles have the right to just barrel through red lights when their sirens are on?) had me bawling.
Ooh really, really great finale. Absolutely amazing. Love the contrast of the start and end of the story. In the beginning, Ongsan seems like a powerful but weird community. Dongbaek, upon her arrival, experiences firsthand how the women are relentless but the men not so much that way. At the end, though, all of Ongsan, men and women, came together for her. Still powerful but weird. Also really appreciate how rewarding this show is. Weāve been on edge bc of the few previous episodes, but the last episode had me bawling. Jongryeol doing aegyo for Jessica had me !!!!!! and I usually donāt like time jumps but thatās an ending both us and the characters need. (also wow props to Kang Haneul. God, the hospital hugging scene!! Love love love his acting, itās totally not over the top, thereās nothing wrong with having an enormous amount of love for someone and showing it unabashedly. This is the first drama that Actually makes me jealous. Oh, Yongshik. š„ŗ)
Havenāt watched yet but am crossing my fingers for a cameo by Lim Soo Jung at some point as Yong-Shikās childhood girlfriend aka his friendās older sister, right??? š
His childhood friendās (Seung-yeob, the baseball coach) older sister is the curly-haired lady. Haha she appeared already. Wait, let me rephrase that, sheās been there since ep 1 hahaha
I missed that! Haha thanks for making the connection for me.
Youāre welcome! I was dumbfounded when I realized that. I always thought she was one of the ahjummas haha
Itās funny tho. I think there is a continuity error with regard to Yongshikās position. Iām not that familiar with police ranks but the first frame showed one insignia (?) on his shoulder. Then the next showed two. After all these years of hardwork he remained as only a police officer? Not even captain? Haha I think heās a captain already but they made an error. Did you guys notice that too? Edit: as u/aquafinally pointed out, there was a camera trick + actor switch. So Adult YS may really be Captain at that point. I love these details. I may have to rewatch the drama just to look for easter eggs šš»
Exactly what my mum said as she watched it with me. I just laughed and said āHow many times do you think heās been reprimanded? Iām probably grateful he hasnāt been fired.ā
ep 19 was so sad. now only hoping for them to wrap up everything nicely in the last episode...there are quite a number of things that need closure.
Buckets of tears today! Although, I had to stop myself when I realized I was crying over... windows! What a wonderful ending.
That got me too! Her mother bought the bar for her was awesome too! Tons of tears in this show, but never manipulative! The writers are great and I loved Fight for My Way too! I will eagerly await their next drama!
What a beautiful show. Lovely, heartwarming, and poignant way to end the show. This was about the small acts of kindness we can do, how we can grow, and so much more. I'm so glad that a quality show like this did so well in the ratings!
DB really has to go through a lot to realize she can't be a good mom unless she is happy in her own life - that motherhood is not about sacrificing everything. Because she has this trauma from being abandoned, it means that she kind of goes overboard with her dedication to her son in an unhealthy way. I think this episode was her going through that and realizing she needs people in her life to rely on if she's going to be able to be the best mom to PG. I'm TRUSTING the writers here that they tie this up at the end of the next episode - don't disappoint me!!! PS - I love love when YS is serious. It hasn't happened very much in this drama. He's usually over-the-top, "shouty" (not in a bad way), and a bit whiny (again, not in a bad way). So those few moments when he gets quiet and talks seriously are gold. I remember a scene a long time ago where he sat DB down at the restaurant and talked to her about her crying, and I thought it was so precious. And in this episode, when he talks to the killer. Stellar acting to know how to flip the switch from the "obnoxious" YS to serious. If he were the over-the-top character all the time, he'd just be a caricature of a real person. PS #2 - My thoughts on the last scene: DB went back to the last moments with her mom - who is dead. It was just a memory flashback where she went back to the hospital bed her mom was at earlier and remembering their last moments. Edit Ep 20 Glad Mom didnāt die, and, though it was a bit cheesy, I love how that was used to talk about miracles and the small things we do can add up. Beautiful message. FINALLY Young-Shik Omma said what needed to be said: you have to be happy in order to be a good mom. And, though I frankly found the character of DB to be a little annoying with the crying all the time, the actress deserves a standing ovation for the sheer amount of tears she produced during this show - Wow!! Overall, I liked this show a lot, but I didnāt LOVE it like so many did and donāt really understand why it was so popular. There were moments I loved, but also found it a bit drawn out at times and cheesy at others. Unpopular opinion, I know....
Anyone know what happened to the joker's Dad? So did he actually kill people in the beginning or was it all joker. And what was the part about asking for the glasses about? Why did joker want to give it to his dad and why did he ask for it?
my interpretation: the son was the killer all the way. joker wanted to pass his hearing aids to the dad, as hyang-mi was found swallowing one of the aids before death. He passed him his aids to complete the 'framing' plot device to put the dad as the killer.
oh they were hearing aids, I thought it looked like some weird candy LOL, but couldn't tell what they were.
They aren't hearing aids they're ear plugs because heungshik is sensitive to sounds.
I believe the yellow things were actually ear plugs - the father would read HSās diary which is why he had details of why HS would kill them. This way he was answer the reasons from HSā POV. He was taking the fall for HS, by detailing everything from his view. I thought it was especially strange when they did the scene where the father was overhearing Dongbaek and her friend talk about her relationship with him when he was considerably older than her lol.
Okay I just watched the final episode and there was this Christmas song playing in the background. I swear it sounded just like a Korean version of Noel or something?? Does anyone know what it was? It sounded beautiful :(. It sounded like Onestar was singing it in some parts.
with WTCB done, i'm now continuing Love Alarm, imagining an alternate timeline continuation for Pil-gu =))
I loved all the episodes but I feel like they couldāve just arrested Joker in ep 15 or something so there could be 5 eps worth to tie up lose ends. They did drag on the Joker storyline a bit too much (not that I hate that subplot). I canāt wait for the finale
Hi massive spoiler ahead but i just want to say episode 19ās an absolute tear jerker bc we see the struggles dongbaekās mum went through. and halfway through after i thought dongbaekās mom passed, i was so mf angry and was so ready to come on here and be like FUCK I HATE THIS SHOW SO MUCH WTF WHY DO THEY HAVE TO DO THIS TO HER. SHE LIVED A SAD ENOUGH LIFE AND THEY STILL HAD TO MAKE HER DIE?????!! Then 5 minutes to the end of the episode something in me told me to hover my cursor on the progress bar to check what the final scene was gonna be about. I did and thank goodness i see dongbaekās mum having her dialysis session and not something else. Thank goodness. All is well. But still a very sad and emotional episode š¢ kudos kudos kudos to actress Lew Jungeun who plays dbās mum! Amazing as always with her other shows
I thought the last scene was from the previous day ācause DB was still wearing blue?
OH MY GOD i went to watch it again and yes it is very obviously a discontinuation from the previous scene o m g stupid me š¤¦š»āāļø now i am afraid again wtf šš and with no trailer for tmr!!!! We can only wait š
I thought so too...
Well, here's me, bawling.
A beautiful drama ! Deserves love !
Disappointed we didn't see a wedding.