[When the Camellia Blooms] You are strong and wonderful

I just finished watching it for the 4th time! It's a drama I love so much that I want to watch it periodically, and it makes me laugh and cry every single time.

The first time I watched it, I binged it so hard it almost interfered with my work. It has everything—human drama, thrills, and romance—and the excitement just keeps building as you get toward the second half. Yong-sik is a crybaby but also reliable, and despite his unrefined appearance, he says such wonderful things; he's the ideal type of approachable boyfriend. Kang Ha-neul, who plays Yong-sik, is just perfect for this role. (I heard he's actually known as a 'good deed machine' in real life, and he seems like such a genuinely good person.)

"I will tell you how wonderful you are every single day so that you don't forget."

"You are more than qualified to be happy."

"Decide for yourself. Being a pushover doesn't suit you."

"You've always made your own decisions, haven't you? That's exactly why I respect you, Dong-baek."

Yong-sik is a boyfriend who fully affirms, respects, and honors Dong-baek, who has low self-esteem, while her ex-boyfriend Jong-ryeol, a wealthy baseball player, just says, 'Why won't you do what I say?' Unlike when she was young, Dong-baek's choice to raise her child on her own is the right one. I think Dong-baek, who lived without giving in to the cold stares and pity of those around her, cultivated her inner strength even while shrinking away, and was destined to meet Yong-sik.

That said, her ex-boyfriend isn't a bad person either. He struggles in his relationship with his wife, and his wife Jessica, who is selfish and a bundle of self-display, is also pitiful and painful to watch. Jessica's mother, Hyang-mi, everyone is looking for their own place to belong.
Money is necessary to live, but having money doesn't mean you'll find a place to belong. The feeling of searching for a place to belong is something we all share, which is probably why this drama was such a hit.

The people who appear in this drama are ordinary people you could find anywhere—working in a rural town near the sea, raising children, gossiping, and meddling in others' business. The atmosphere of everyone raising the children together feels warm and nostalgic. It's annoying and bothersome, but sometimes they unite to help each other; it's easier to raise children in a community like that. In reality, if the neighborhood aunties were mean to me like that, I'd hate it, but raising a child in a city where people are indifferent to others is a dangerous thing.

At the end of the tear-jerking final episode, scenes of people working hard at various jobs play one after another along with a message. It's a cheer for everyone living in these difficult times, but I especially wanted it to reach all the single mothers I'm connected with through the children's cafeteria.

The strongest and toughest in the world,
More wonderful and more admirable than anyone else...
Having overcome numerous hardships—
I am rooting for you, who creates miracles every day.