WATCH IT !
loved it!It's been a while since I binge-watched a show because I'm not enjoying it as much as I used to. but this brought the k-drama magic back for me.
I have loved the actress Gong Hyo Jin since watching Jalousy incarnate (don't dare to dream), and again, her performance was amazing!
Something I loved the most about this drama was the character, Hwang Yong Shik's personality. I would be so lucky if I get a man who would act and show me his love for me, like Hwang Yong Shik.
If you haven't watched it yet, you definitely should!and my concern before watching was that I had a bad ending or that it was too dark. But no, it has a happy ending, and there is crime, but the episodes are still not dark and have a good vibe.
My only complaint is that the ending wasn't rushed, but I just would have loved to see them more because I really liked it.
A funny thing is that it took me two days to finish the last episodes because I was procrastinating them because I didn't want them to end.It took me 2 days to watch 18 episodes, but 2 days for only the last 2 haha.
But again, go watch it if you haven't!
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When the Camellia Blooms Korean
I was pretty hesitant going into When the Camellia Blooms. I knew it was a hit with fans both in South Korea and internationally, but I’m so picky with more simple dramas like this. But thankfully, I loved it!And I can totally see why they chose Gong Hyo Jin for this role. She seems so natural as she plays these realistic and slightly awkward characters. Her mannerisms are just so spot on.
The town is then filled with so many great supporting characters including the gossiping women, the man vying for Dong Baek’s attention, that man’s wife who is onto his games, the woman always looking to get money, Yong Sik’s mother, as well as Dong Baek’s son and mother. Talk about a wonderful group!
ways with its focus on the characters and their relationships. Yes, it had the mystery surrounding the serial killer, but that felt like more of a subplot for the bulk of the drama. And this is a prime example of how a simple story like this can be just exciting as any more complex series or an action drama.
The show is written incredibly well, and it handled everything so beautifully. It peeled back the layers of the characters and their stories in just the right manner for maximum impact. It also dropped small hints at a variety of things early on and then tied everything together later in very satisfying ways. It pulled on all kinds of heartstrings!
I was thoroughly invested in these characters and their lives, so their experiences captivated me. This drama held my attention and charmed me from start to finish. What a lovely surprise it was!
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Piece of life Genre...
It's funny and at the same time angst. The balance between comedy, mystery and crime is drawn very well. The characters are real and there is no flawless know-it-all hero or heroine here. This is such a beautiful drama . Truly a piece of life genre . Very simplistic drama , starts off as a regular drama . But with every passing episode it gets better , places where you get you feel and live every characteristic's view point. The characters development is dynamic!Not the typical romcom you'd expect ! But a very mind blowing drama! Highly recommended, a sweet worthwhile drama.
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Unlikely blend of romance and mystery
I'll admit I gave up on this show twice when it first aired. That's because I didn't even get through the first episode. I only returned to it 3 years later when it was on Netflix and I had run out of things to watch.First off, the synopses found online for the show really don't do it justice. The drama is an unlikely mix of romance, underdog, and murder mystery. The real hook (for me) is the serial murder angle, which only appears right at the end of episode 1. Just based on the dongseng-noona romance alone, it's not my type of show even though I really like both Gong Hyo Jin and Kang Ha Neul. They're both excellent actors. However, the unlikely pairing of the romance with the undercurrent of a serial murder hooked me because the killer isn't revealed right until very nearly the end. I hate similar cop-serial murder mysteries of late where you know exactly who the serial killer is and part of the appeal of those dramas involves seeing it through their eyes.
All the characters in the village are loveable even though they don't start off that way. I like the folksy vibe and country-side setting of this and similar shows such as Hometown Cha Cha Cha and Our Blues . If you enjoy serial killer shows, suspend your skepticism and give this a try because it's not a straight cat-and-mouse show but also has romance and underdog drama, with a small slice of comedy thrown in. This show has something for everyone!
I deducted 1.5 stars because I felt the last 4 episodes were unnecessary. They dragged the show out beyond 16 episodes and went in a ridiculous direction.
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You will need tissues
I will admit that it took me a long time to progress from episode 1 to episode 2 cause I couldn't just get into the story. I was a little unsure of what to think about it. But then I actually said "I'm going to finish this" and for me it took a couple more episodes before I was able to be fully invested and by then... there was no turning back.Like the headline says, you will need tissues because you will cry/tear up multiple times through watching, especially in the latter half. I love the combination of romance with drama with crime investigation.
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This drama was jam packed with wonderfulness. While the serial killer part of the storyline takes a backseat to the town life of Ongson, it definitely added some spice to what might have been an otherwise unpropelled storyline. This does focus more on how everybody influences each other through everyday life. While the drama did move a little bit slowly, and I did feel like they could have condensed it a little bit, they chose instead to cover every minute detail. There were no loose ends in this bad boy. I do think one of my favorite parts about this drama was that Young-shik's character was just an honest-to-goodness gem. He wasn't one to play games and beat around the bush, and he only wanted the best for Dong-baek. It was refreshing compared to the copious amounts of cold-hearted male leads in many dramas. I like a good dramatic romance as much as the next one, but this one definitely felt more real. It was sweet and the Ongson community aspect had me cheering.
The drama pulled everything together nicely and the character development was great. (So much character development, yass) All in all a nice watch.
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This review may contain spoilers
first of all 20 episode was too much for this drama and make it slowbut not slow enough to make me get bored or dropping it
the usual 16 was more than enough and reduce all these unnecessary details
the last five eps. was all about Son Dam bi and investigations more
the acting was great specially son dam bi
and Kang han neul although he is not handsome but really he was brilliant and amazing actor
i've to say the directing was great and made the drama rich
i hated so much the FL character i found it annoying many times and i saw her weak, selfish towards the ML
every time she concedes easily and said let's break-up
even when she had the choice, she conceded him easily without trying to convince her son by time
i liked the ML character so much and i saw what happened to him really unfair from the FL
and they kept telling the ML stick to her
don't leave her
bear her ..... what about her guys ??? isn't she had to do the same ???
And she Deprived him from being a father
for the first time i supported what the ML's mother did to her
she was really unfair and selfish
i saw the psychological part wasn't convincing
because the killer was insisting to hurt the FL although she didn't humiliate him once
and told her i'll kill every one around you with no logical reason
and at the end, he just left her ???????????????????
for me the end was a little flimsy and lukewarm
but the ML's romance was really amazing and delightful which made me keep going on watching ^_^
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The drama had, first of all, great performances, especially from the three main actors and actress. The characters were pretty interesting too. Another thing that worked for them was the mystery. Although the episode before the last on seemed like it had wrapped up everything, the last one was pretty intense and had a nice, unpredictable twist. The romance, in addition, was good at first, but, honestly, it got a bit boring towards the ending. But the family drama was just right.
So, overall, eight out of ten.
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Female lead ruined drama
The cast was great. Every actor was great except the lead. Her role was written as meek but the actress did not pull it off. FL and her son were so grating I had to forward many of their scenes.The FL was self centered, selfish, prideful, annoying, etc. I was over her woe is me I’m a poor orphan shtick after the 3 episode. She was she was absolutely insufferable.
But everyone else was great. Story was good but the FL character really soured the whole drama.
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The plot is quite realistic and the whole story strongly emphasizes how important mothers are and that they can do anything for their children. This drama teaches you that family and relationships are very important and that you can get through any obstacles thrown at you by helping each other. When the Camellia Blooms is an incredibly funny, heartwarming, and at the same time heartbreaking drama coming from the relationships of the characters and their backstories.
The acting/cast of this drama was also perfect, each role given was perfectly suited to them. While all of them seriously portrayed their characters perfectly, I'd have to praise Kang Ha Neul for totally nailing everything! He did such a great job acting as some kind of over-the-top, straightforward, a bit idiotic character. Much love for you Kang Ha Neul!
Overall, this drama was an absolute treat! This is a must-watch drama! I wouldn't have ended the drama any other way; no loose ends, just perfect!
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