Who Is The Joker?
After the latest twist in this winding tale, When The Camellia Blooms offers up a tasty treat; a tense episode with more hints that the joker may be someone we know. As we look at Yong-Sik’s list, there’s now a sense of paranoia surrounding the identity of the culprit which makes the show even more enjoyable and injects it with a sense of urgency. After discovering the daunting message, Yong-Sik discusses with Byun how the joker managed to write on the wall without being caught on camera. They conclude that he must be a regular to know where to go without being seen, but also that he must have come to the restaurant the day before as the camera has only been there for one day. Dongbaek explains to Yong-Sik that after the last murder, people were calling her a prostitute because only those kind of women fall prey to serial killers. With Pil-Gu always browsing the internet, she doesn’t want him to read anything like that about her mum. Yong-Sik vows to do anything to protect her and to catch the joker at all costs. Dongbaek decides to check on Pil-Gu soon after but Yong-Sik follows her, knowing how nervous she might be. When she gets there, she tells him that she won’t close the bar as she hasn’t once in the last 5 years. In the evening, Yong-Sik looks through the video footage and makes a list of all the people present while Byun paints the wall. As Yong-Sik reads the list of possible culprits, Byun shares his suspicions around Dongbaek’s mother and wonders if she really has dementia. After dropping Pil-Gu off at school with her mother, Dongbaek heads to the bank to apply for a small business loan. At the police station, Captain Byun mentions to Yong-Sik that he should also include in his list all the people who saw him install the camera. It’s here that we flashback to the day before, following Yong-Sik as he make his way from the shop to the bar. The list continues to get bigger too as Mr No, the women from Onsang, Ja-Young and even Jong-Ryeol, manage to become culprits. He also meets his mum who doesn’t seem impressed and tells him that he will not inherit the restaurant from her. While Dongbaek apprehensively returns to her bar on her own, Jong-Ryeol and Jessica have another argument about her studies, ending with her suggesting a divorce. This prompts Jong-Ryeol to head to the bank to withdraw as much money as possible for Dongbaek’s building lease. As he arrives at the estate agency, he’s surprised to see Dongbaek there. After leaving, Jong-Ryeol decides to head to Pil-Gu’s school, only to learn a fire just broke out. This enrages Jong-Ryeol and he berates the teachers for not being more careful. Determined to find her husband’s mistress, Ja-Young looks through their bank statement. This leads her to the motel where Hyang-Mi is staying. As she bumps into Hyang, she explains that her boyfriend is paying for her to stay there. Meanwhile Hyang-Mi continues to blackmail Mr No; he decides to give her enough money for a plane ticket. However, she’s not satisfied and mentions that she spoke to his wife in the motel earlier. Dongbaek arrives at Pil-Gul’s school, only to find out he walked home alone. She starts to panic and runs to the bar to make sure he’s safe. As he’s nowhere to be found, Dongbaek rushes to the police station, claiming her son is missing. We then cut to the beach where we see Jong-Ryeol and Pil-Gu eating lunch together. After looking for her son everywhere with the help of Yong-Sik, they find him at the bar with Jong-Ryeol. His mum tells him that she never wants him to walk home alone. This leads Jong-Ryeol and Yong-Sik to engage in a heated conversation about the well-being of both Dongbaek and Pil-Gu. Jong-Ryeol stands his ground though, telling him he thinks he has more right as he’s known Dongbaek for years. Later on, she confides in Yong-Sik, admitting she’s afraid to be alone in the bar. Yong-Sik replies that she’s strong and that they will overcome the joker together. As she listens, she breaks down, saying that she’s really struggling and wants to raise Pil-Gu somewhere safe, away from Onsang. Meanwhile, Hyang-Mi speaks to Jong-Ryeol about sending him a picture she thinks he’ll be interested in. However, he refuses to give her his number and as he drives away, Hyang-Mi deliberates over whether she should send a picture she has of Jong-Ryeol and Dongbaek to the paparazzi to see how much money she could make from it. We then end the episode with Yong-Sik investigating the fire at Pil-Gu’ school. The coach finds a lighter and as Yong-Sik sees it, she appears to know who it belongs to. When The Camellia Blooms is certainly becoming more tense and intriguing. After looking at Yong-Sik’s list, the finger seems to point at someone we know very well. However, I still have a feeling it’ll be someone we least expect. Dongbaek is slowly starting to crack under the pressure too, realising that even Pil-Gu might be in danger and not even Yong-Sik can reassure her this time. Hyang-Mi, on the other hand, is slowly becoming the cunning character, finding any way she can to get her hands on money to leave the country. The episode ends on another cliffhanger too, with Yong-Sik realising who could be responsible for the fire. Will it be the same person responsible for all the murders? We might not get that answer right away but for now, all these mysteries should keep you coming back for more.
