When the Camellia Blooms is the narrative of Dongbaek, an orphan who grew up to become a single mother. She runs a small bar also called "Dongbaek," which means "camellia" in English. When she meets Yongsik, a good-hearted police officer in their small town, her life changes. They fall in love despite the fact that being a single parent has a bad reputation. Yongsik was raised by a single mom, so he understands Dongbaek's problems and loves her deeply.