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On April 2, 2025, IU attended When Life Gives You Tangerines' post-finale interview at the Ambassador Seoul Pullman Hotel. Reflecting on her K-drama, she admitted that the story made her consider marriage—under one condition. The actress says that if she could have a husband like Yang Gwan-sik and a family like Oh Ae-sun’s, she might be open to the idea.
“A husband like Gwan-sik and children like Geum-myeong and Eun-myeong. We are each other’s best family, and if those things are guaranteed (I will get married)," the K-pop idol asserted (via E Daily).
Fans flood social media in agreement with IU, with one X user saying:
"Guys of course it’s gwansik!"
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Gwan-sik, played by Park Bo-gum (young) and Park Hae-joon (older), has become a widely adored character since the show’s premiere. His unwavering devotion, love, and support for Ae-sun resonated deeply with audiences.
Even IU expressed admiration for how the writers created such a human yet “fantastical” character.
"I wonder how the writer created this character of Gwan-sik, who is both human and fantastical at the same time. Actors Bo-gum and Hae-joon perfectly portrayed the role of Gwan-sik, and it was amazing to see him move before my eyes," she continued.
Many reacted to her unexpected marriage standard, agreeing that Gwan-sik set the bar high.
"Gwansik set the bar too high🤧🙏," a fan remarked.
"Of course who else would she pick 😭😭🧡🧡," a person said.
"What kind of question is this? Gwansik is on a totally different league!," a user shared.
More such fan reactions read.
"Everyone’s ideal type is Gwan-sik💚," a viewer noted.
"IU said Gwansik supremacy," a netizen mentioned.
"We are all a fan of Gwansik," another fan added.
IU also mentioned her real-life boyfriend, Lee Jong-suk
IU also opened up about her boyfriend, actor Lee Jong-suk, in the same interview. When asked about the While You Were Sleeping actor's thoughts on the show, she admitted that he likely hadn’t watched it yet.
"First of all, he is very busy. That's probably why he hasn't seen it," the actress said.
She also joked that her world had revolved around Park Bo-gum throughout promotions. IU stated that since she had been fully immersed in her character’s story with Yang Gwan Sik (Park Bo Gum), she hadn’t thought about much else.
Now that promotions are ending, the songstress teased that she could finally focus on her own life again.
"When Life Gives You Tangerines is the last promotion until today, so I only know Kwan-sik. (Laughs) Tomorrow, it might be okay (to talk about my boyfriend)," she added (via OSEN).
IU and Lee Jong-duk have kept their relationship relatively private since confirming their romance.
The 16-episode K-drama When Life Gives You Tangerines aired from March 7, 2025, to March 28, 2025. Set mainly in Jeju, the drama follows Ae-sun and Gwan-sik from the 1960s to 2025 in Seoul.
It explores their lives across different eras. IU and Park Bo-gum lead the cast, with Moon So-ri and Park Hae-joon in key roles. The series gained attention for its period setting and storytelling.
