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Netflix Korea recorded its highest user count in two years following the successful release of the K-drama When Life Gives You Tangerines. According to IGA Works, a mobile data platform, Netflix Korea had a staggering 14,094,084 monthly active users in February 2025.
As per Financial News, the slice-of-life drama starring IU and Park Bo-gum is considered a key factor behind Netflix's latest milestone. This number represents the highest monthly active user count recorded on the OTT platform since the release of the revenge drama The Glory, featuring Song Hye-kyo and Lee Do-hyun, which recorded 14,012,131 users back in 2023.
When Life Gives You Tangerines has garnered widespread praise from viewers and critics for its captivating storyline. The drama tells the story of a Korean couple from Jeju during the 1950s. Reports indicate that viewers from Southeast Asia, South America, and Central America have also connected with the show.
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Fans and viewers celebrated this milestone on Netflix—
"Kdramas are paying their bills," a fan said.
"Damn that's incredible," a fan stated.
"DRAMA OF THE YEAR!!!!!," a user wrote.
Fans expressed their excitement while talking about the impact of When Life Gives You Tangerines despite not being aired on broadcast channels in South Korea.
"Hyekyo's light passed on by jieun ALL MY GIRLS UPHOLDING THE INSTITUTION OF TELEVISION AND CINEMA UP ON THEIR SHOULDERS we love to see," a fan wrote.
"Every time I look at the success of When Life Gives You Tangerines, it blows my mind that a slice of life drama could do that. It didn’t even air on typical broadcast channels but on OTT. Even with a semi binge format it keeps doing well. We really witnessed a classic," a fan commented.
"from here hopefully netflix will understand that korean slice of life enjoyers are this big and they want to invest more in this kind of genre," a netizen mentioned.
When Life Gives You Tangerines ft. IU & Park Bo-gum ranks #3 on Global Top 10 Non-English Shows
When Life Gives You Tangerines is about Ae-sun (IU) and Gwan-sik (Park Bo-gum), who fell in love in the 1950s in Jeju. Their lifelong story depicts both the struggles and victories, illustrating that true love can triumph over all hardships.
The drama aired in four parts each week from March 7 to March 28, 2025, on Netflix. It maintained its position in the Top 10 of the Global Top 10 Non-English Shows chart for the last four weeks.
When Life Gives You Tangerines ranked No. 3 on Netflix's non-English language chart for the most-watched series, accumulating 6 million views. The series also appears in the Top 10 of 39 countries, including Brazil, Chile, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, Qatar, and more.
Additionally, it achieved a 9.4/10 rating on IMDb, making it the highest-rated non-English series to air in 2025. The show also received a 4.35/5 rating on the social media platform Letterboxd and was enjoyed by 98% of viewers, according to Rotten Tomatoes.
All 16 episodes of When Life Gives You Tangerines are available on Netflix for streaming.
