When the Camellia Blooms (Hangul: 동백꽃 필 무렵) is a 2019 South Korean television series starring Gong Hyo-jin, Kang Ha-neul, Kim Ji-seok, Son Dam-bi, Kim Kang-hoon. It aired on KBS2's Wednesdays and Thursdays at 22:00 (KST) time slot from September 18 to November 21, 2019.[3][4] Each episode was released on Netflix in South Korea and most Asia-Pacific and English speaking countries after their television broadcast.[lower-alpha 2][5]
When the Camellia Blooms became the highest rated mini-series drama airing in 2019 with a single episode rating of 23.8%.[6] According to Nielsen Korea, the drama also became the second highest rated drama of 2019 with all episodes' average ratings of 14.83% behind SBS's The Fiery Priest.[7] The series was met with praise by critics and audiences for its production and solid actors' performances. It also received favourable reviews for its realistic plot and unique genre combinations of romantic-comedy and thriller.[8] The drama received 10 nominations at 56th Baeksang Arts Awards, winning 4 – Grand Prize for Television, Best Screenplay, Best Actor for Kang Ha-neul and Best Supporting Actor for Oh Jung-se and won multiple awards at 2019 KBS Drama Awards including Grand Prize for Gong Hyo-jin.[9][10]
Synopsis
When the Camellia Blooms is the story of Oh Dong-baek (Gong Hyo-jin), a single mother who moves to the fictional town of Ongsan and opens a bar named Camellia. Dong-baek faces many challenges and meets a variety of colourful characters as she attempts to settle down in the small town. Six years later, Dong-baek meets playful Yong-sik (Kang Ha-neul), a justice seeking police officer who declares his love for her. Meanwhile, a notorious killer sets out to claim Dong-baek as his next victim. Yong-sik balances his attempts to woo Dong-baek who does her best as a single working mother, while also discovering the killer’s identity.
Cast
Main
- A single mother who runs a bar called "Camellia" in Ongsan. She is the mother of Pil-gu and ex-girlfriend to Jong-ryul. Although initially she does not reciprocate Yong-sik's feelings, she eventually grows to like him the more he spends time with her and her son.
- A police officer with a strong instinct for finding and beating up criminals. He moves back to his hometown Ongsan after being demoted and there he meets and falls for Dong-baek. He vows to always be on her side and protect both her and her son, even at his mother's disapproval. He becomes focused on catching the serial killer known as "Joker" after Dong-baek becomes his next target.
- A famous baseball player and ex-boyfriend to Dong-baek. He is shown to be continuously self-centered and jealous of Yong-sik's relationship with Dong-baek and Pil-gu.
- Wife to Jong-ryul she's insecure and mainly focuses on trying to be a social media icon. She is mostly neglectful of her daughter and takes advantage of her relationship with Jong-ryul for fame.
- Dong-baek's landlord, who repeatedly hits on her. He is unhappily married to Ja-young.
- A very intelligent lawyer and wife to Gyu-tae. She often talks down to her husband because of his incompetency.
- A part time employee at Camellia and Dong-baek's friend. She is a kleptomaniac. She often talks about moving to Copenhagen and is always looking for ways to gain enough money, leading her to blackmail others.
- Dong-baek's 8-year-old son, who plays baseball and is very protective of his mother.
- Yong-sik's widowed mother who runs a marinated crab restaurant in Ongsan.
- Dong Baek's mother who abandoned her as a child.
- The chief police in Ongsan and Yong-sik's superior.
Supporting
Ongsan Crab Alley
- Kim Sun-young as Park Chan-sook
- Kim Dong-hyeon as Song Jin-bae
- Kim Mi-hwa as Kim Jae-yeong
- Lee Seon-hee as Jeong Gwi-ryeon
- Han Ye-joo as Jo Ae-jeong
- Lee Sang-yi as Yang Seung-yeop
- Kim Mo-ah as Yang Seung-hee
- Baek Hyun-joo as Oh Ji-hyeon
- Lee Joong-yeol as Han Tae-hee
- Jin Yong-wook as Choi Jong-rok
- Lee Kyu-sung as Park Heung-sik
- Carson Allen as Helena
Ongsan Police
- Lee Jae-woo as Kwon Oh-joon
- Park Yeon-woo as Park Seong-min
Others
- Hwang Young-hee as Lee Hwa-ja
- Baek Eun-hye as Sung-hee
- Yoo Yeon as Lee Ji-ho
- Jeon Guk-hyang as Hong Eun-sil
- Kim Geon as Song Joon-gi
- Yoon Seong-woo as Soo-bong
- Seo Jang-hyeon as Dae-seong
- Kim Dae-gon as Shaman performing funeral
- Jang Ye-rim as restaurant employee
- Jeong Eun-jeong as waitress
- Park Bo-eun as staff
- Kyeong Gi-hyeon as staff
- Kim Han-na as Hye-in
- Kang Tae-woong as Number 7
- Kwon Eun-seong as Hye-hoon
- Jeon Eun-mi as co-op member
- Hong Seo-joon as Jeong Chan-geol
- Kim Gi-cheon as Park Man-seop
Special appearances
- Choi Dae-chul as Hwang Kyu-sik, Yong-sik's eldest brother (Ep. 26)
- In Gyo-jin as Hwang Doo-sik, Yong-sik's second brother (Ep. 26)
- Jung Ga-ram as adult Pil-gu (Ep. 36, 40)
Original soundtrack
Part 1
1. |
"Foolish Love" (이상한 사람) |
John Park |
3:45 |
2. |
"Foolish Love" (Inst.) |
|
3:45 |
Part 2
1. |
"Loser" |
O.WHEN |
4:04 |
2. |
"Loser" (Inst.) |
|
4:04 |
Part 3
1. |
"You Are My Vitamin" (너는 내게 비타민 같아) |
Motte (ft. Yongzoo) |
3:59 |
2. |
"You Are My Vitamin" (Inst.) |
|
3:59 |
Part 4
1. |
"You Are As Pretty As A Flower" (꽃처럼 예쁜 그대) |
Onestar |
3:41 |
2. |
"You Are As Pretty As A Flower" (Inst.) |
|
3:41 |
Part 5
1. |
"Good To Be With You" (괜찮나요) |
Soyou |
4:20 |
2. |
"Good To Be With You" (Inst.) |
|
4:20 |
Part 6
1. |
"Like A Heroine In The Movie" (영화 속에 나오는 주인공처럼) |
Punch |
3:55 |
2. |
"Like A Heroine In The Movie" (Inst.) |
|
3:55 |
Part 7
1. |
"At That Time" (그 무렵) |
Kim Na-young |
4:33 |
2. |
"At That Time" (Inst.) |
|
4:33 |
Part 8
1. |
"When Winter Comes" (겨울이 오면) |
Kim Feel |
4:19 |
2. |
"When Winter Comes" (Inst.) |
|
4:19 |
Part 9
1. |
"Destiny Tells Me" (운명이 내게 말해요) |
Heize |
3:12 |
2. |
"Destiny Tells Me" (Inst.) |
|
3:12 |
Part 10
1. |
"I’ll Be With You" |
Ga Eun |
3:36 |
2. |
"I’ll Be With You" (Inst.) |
|
3:36 |
Part 11
Special OST
1. |
"The First Noel" (노엘) |
Kim Yeon-ji, Onestar, Yongzoo, Ga Eun, Ra.L, Lim Ji Eun, James Kang, Samma Choir |
6:19 |
2. |
"The First Noel" (Inst.) |
|
6:19 |
Pop OST
1. |
"Wrong Ideology" |
Kae Mi |
2:20 |
2. |
"Omg" |
Park Jeong Hwan |
2:02 |
3. |
"Why Are You Looking At Me Like That?" |
Yoo Min Ho |
2:10 |
4. |
"Bloom" |
Lee Geon Yeong |
3:08 |
5. |
"Ong-san, Spring" |
Park Mi Seon |
1:44 |
6. |
"Tiki Tiki" |
Park Yun Seo |
2:15 |
7. |
"Rash" |
Lee Seong Gu |
2:06 |
8. |
"Gustalas" |
Ra.L |
2:13 |
9. |
"Righteous Yongsik" |
Yoo Min Ho |
1:39 |
10. |
"Smell Like Something Fishy" |
Park Jeong Hwan |
1:46 |
11. |
"Sleepyhead" |
Lee Geon Yeong |
2:11 |
12. |
"Don't Stop Mess" |
Ra.L |
2:02 |
13. |
"I Mean, It's Almost" |
Park Mi Seon |
1:36 |
14. |
"What's wrong with you, Hyangmi?" |
Kae Mi |
1:46 |
15. |
"Jayeong" |
Park Mi Seon |
2:51 |
16. |
"Good Old Days" |
Park Jeong Hwan |
2:02 |
17. |
"Dongbaek and Yongsik" |
Park Mi Seon |
1:34 |
18. |
"Divorce Lawyer" |
Yoo Min Ho |
2:03 |
19. |
"Camellia" |
Yoo Min Ho |
4:55 |
20. |
"Dazzling" |
Lee Geon Yeong |
4:07 |
21. |
"Mom, My Mom" |
Kae Mi |
3:00 |
22. |
"Shadow" |
Lee Seong Gu |
1:29 |
23. |
"Hillside" |
Lee Geon Yeong |
4:16 |
24. |
"Why Tiptoeing Around" |
Park Yun Seo |
2:58 |
25. |
"Don't Mess With Me" |
Park Yun Seo |
3:41 |
26. |
"I said, Don't mess with me" |
Park Yun Seo |
3:12 |
27. |
"Neighbor" |
Lee Seong Gu |
1:22 |
28. |
"When the Camellia Blooms" |
Kae Mi |
1:50 |
Chart performance
Viewership
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Average TV viewership ratings
Ep. |
Original broadcast date |
Title |
Average audience share |
AGB Nielsen[17] |
TNmS |
Nationwide |
Seoul |
Nationwide |
1 |
September 18, 2019 |
The Woman with the Germanium Bracelet |
6.3% (11th) |
6.7% (8th) |
7.4% |
2 |
7.4% (6th) |
7.6% (7th) |
8.7% |
3 |
September 19, 2019 |
The Good, the Bad, and the Cheap |
6.7% (9th) |
7.0% (8th) |
6.4% |
4 |
8.3% (6th) |
8.7% (5th) |
7.9% |
5 |
September 25, 2019 |
The Mutt's Strategy |
8.6% (7th) |
9.4% (5th) |
7.5% |
6 |
10.0% (4th) |
11.0% (3rd) |
8.7% |
7 |
September 26, 2019 |
The Country Boy |
7.7% (8th) |
7.4% (7th) |
7.5% |
8 |
10.0% (5th) |
10.0% (4th) |
9.2% |
9 |
October 2, 2019 |
A Wish, an Affair, and Turmoil |
9.3% (7th) |
10.1% (3rd) |
8.4% |
10 |
11.5% (2nd) |
12.4% (2nd) |
9.3% |
11 |
October 3, 2019 |
1986.08.29. Born to Be a Hippo |
10.2% (5th) |
10.6% (5th) |
N/A |
12 |
12.9% (4th) |
13.7% (3rd) |
13 |
October 9, 2019 |
The Ongsan Fairy |
11.0% (5th) |
12.5% (4th) |
9.4% |
14 |
13.1% (2nd) |
14.9% (2nd) |
11.0% |
15 |
October 10, 2019 |
The Lynx of This Area |
11.0% (4th) |
11.6% (4th) |
10.7% |
16 |
14.5% (3rd) |
15.2% (2nd) |
12.9% |
17 |
October 16, 2019 |
I Will Welcome Everyone |
11.0% (5th) |
11.8% (4th) |
10.2% |
18 |
13.4% (3rd) |
14.7% (2nd) |
11.5% |
19 |
October 17, 2019 |
Nice People Can't Get Lucky |
12.1% (5th) |
13.3% (3rd) |
10.0% |
20 |
14.9% (2nd) |
16.1% (2nd) |
12.8% |
21 |
October 23, 2019 |
The Hero Appears at the Last Minute |
12.9% (4th) |
13.3% (3rd) |
10.3% |
22 |
16.9% (2nd) |
17.5% (2nd) |
14.0% |
23 |
October 24, 2019 |
Don't Forget Me |
13.3% (4th) |
13.3% (3rd) |
12.7% |
24 |
16.2% (2nd) |
16.1% (2nd) |
15.1% |
25 |
October 30, 2019 |
The End Of All The Flirting |
14.3% (2nd) |
15.3% (2nd) |
12.8% |
26 |
16.9% (1st) |
17.9% (1st) |
14.9% |
27 |
October 31, 2019 |
My Mom's Age Lines
"And That Is How My Mom Aged" |
15.0% (3rd) |
15.5% (2nd) |
14.3% |
28 |
18.4% (1st) |
18.8% (1st) |
16.9% |
29 |
November 6, 2019 |
Mother |
15.2% (2nd) |
15.5% (2nd) |
14.1% |
30 |
18.2% (1st) |
18.7% (1st) |
16.0% |
31 |
November 7, 2019 |
Switching Offense and Defense
(Feat. One Who Steps On the Accelerator) |
15.7% (2nd) |
16.5% (2nd) |
14.1% |
32 |
18.8% (1st) |
19.7% (1st) |
17.0% |
33 |
November 13, 2019 |
The Ongsan Avengers |
17.9% (2nd) |
18.8% (2nd) |
14.5% |
34 |
20.7% (1st) |
22.1% (1st) |
16.3% |
35 |
November 14, 2019 |
Life of an 8-year-old |
14.0% (3rd) |
14.6% (3rd) |
13.4% |
36 |
18.1% (1st) |
19.3% (1st) |
16.7% |
37 |
November 20, 2019 |
7 Years and 3 Months of Motherhood |
18.1% (2nd) |
18.6% (2nd) |
16.1% |
38 |
20.4% (1st) |
21.2% (1st) |
19.1% |
39 |
November 21, 2019 |
Do Miracles Happen? |
19.7% (2nd) |
20.8% (2nd) |
16.6% |
40 |
23.8% (1st) |
24.9% (1st) |
19.8% |
Average |
13.9% |
14.6% |
—[lower-alpha 3] |
|
Special Episodes |
1 |
November 27, 2019 |
The Camellia Has Bloomed |
8.8% (8th) |
8.8% (7th) |
9.1% |
2 |
9.1% (7th) |
9.4% (6th) |
9.0% |
3 |
November 28, 2019 |
6.6% (12th) |
7.0% (11th) |
7.5% |
4 |
7.6% (9th) |
8.1% (6th) |
8.2% |
- In this table, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings
and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.
- N/A denotes that the rating is not known.
- Each night's broadcast is divided into two 35-minute episodes with a commercial break in between.
|
Awards and nominations
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 In order to circumvent Korean laws that prevent commercial breaks in the middle of an episode, what would previously have been aired as single 70 minute episodes are now being repackaged as two 35 minute episodes, with two episodes being shown each night with a commercial break between the two.[2]
- ↑ For Japan, all episodes were launched at once on November 15, while for the rest of the world it was launched weekly from September 28.
- ↑ Due to some ratings not recorded, the exact average rating is unknown.
References
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External links