When the Camellia Blooms
When the Camellia Blooms (Korean: 동백꽃 필 무렵) is a South Korean television series that aired on KBS2 from September 18 to November 21, 2019. The series consists of 40 episodes and was broadcast in the Wednesday and Thursday 22:00 time slot. It follows the story of Dong-Baek, a single mother living in the fictional town of Ongsan, and her interactions with the local community and a police officer named Hwang Yong-Sik.
Plot
The narrative centers on Dong-Baek, played by Kong Hyo-Jin, who operates a bar-restaurant called Camellia while raising her son, Pil-Gu. As an orphan and a single mother, she often faces scrutiny from the residents of Ongsan. Despite the local gossip, she finds support in Hwang Yong-Sik, a local police officer portrayed by Kang Ha-Neul, who develops a deep affection for her. The plot also features the return of her ex-boyfriend, Kang Jong-Ryeol, a professional baseball player. Alongside the romantic and community-focused storylines, the series incorporates a suspense element involving a serial killer targeting the town.
Production
The series was directed by Cha Young-Hoon and Kang Min-Kyung, with a screenplay written by Im Sang-Choon. While the story is set in the fictional town of Ongsan, filming took place on location in Guryongpo, Pohang, in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. The series marked the first acting project for Kang Ha-Neul following his discharge from mandatory military service on May 23, 2019.
Cast
The main cast includes:
- Kong Hyo-Jin as Dong-Baek
- Kang Ha-Neul as Hwang Yong-Sik
- Kim Ji-Suk as Kang Jong-Ryeol
- Ji Su-Yeon as Jessica
- Oh Jung-Se as No Kyu-Tae
- Yum Hye-Ran as Hong Ja-Young
- Son Dam-Bi as Hyang-Mi
- Kim Kang-Hoon as Pil-Gu
- Ko Du-Shim as Kwak Deok-Sun
- Lee Jung-Eun as Jo Jeong-Suk
- Jeon Bae-Su as Captain Byun