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The K-drama When Life Gives You Tangerines premiered on March 7, 2025, quickly climbed global charts. Starring IU and Park Bo-gum, the series ranked high on Netflix within a day of its release. It secured the #1 spot in South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Indonesia.
In the Philippines and Taiwan, it placed #2. The series reached #3 in Vietnam, Thailand, and Japan, and #5 in Malaysia. In India, it entered the top 10 at #9. Fans reacted to its popularity online, with one X user commenting that this drama may "sweep that Baeksang 2025." One of the most respected honors in South Korea, Baeksang Art Awards ceremony recognizes talents in film, television and theater.
"I have this theory that they wanna have all episodes out before April coz they know they'll sweep that Baeksang 2025!," an X user commented.
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Moreover, the K-drama's viral clips received millions of views on TikTok and other social media. Fans celebrated this feat with the following comments:
"Viralism left and right just twelve hours after Netflix released the first four episodes. actor IU and actor Bogum will definitely get that bag and awards!!!," a fan remarked.
"#WhenLifeGivesYouTangerines related clips flooded Tiktok after its official release," a viewer noted.
"Very thankful coz the engagements for #WhenLifeGivesYouTangerines on other platforms are literally that huge," a person wrote.
More similar fan remarks on When Life Gives You Tangerines:
"When life gives you tangerines is truly changing the trajectory of my life i can’t stop SOBBING bc of how cute the story is, i’m so in love with everything about it," a user said.
"When life gives you tangerines, it's the drama that everyone needs to see, 4 episodes were really good, acting, cinematography, everything is beautiful," a netizen shared.
"When life gives you tangerines w only for 4eps out already the best release of the year, I loved it so much," another fan added.
IU says the role of Ae-sun in When Life Gives You Tangerines is relatable
In When Life Gives You Tangerines, IU takes on the role of Ae-sun, a working-class dreamer chasing her dream of becoming a poet in postwar Korea. The series follows Ae-sun’s journey from childhood to adulthood. IU plays her character in her late teens and 20s, while Moon So-ri portrays her in later years. Opposite her, Park Bo-gum brings Gwan-sik to life, Ae-sun’s love interest in his youth.
In a conversation with TIME magazine on March 8, 2025, the Blueming songstress called it her most relatable role. She also talked about her character's struggles and resilience, stating:
“The way [Ae-sun] has such a fiery spirit, the way she's very competitive, the way she has a lot of dreams, and also her love of poems and literature. All of those things are what I share as my actual personality in real life."
The 31-year-old actress added that When Life Gives You Tangerines is a project that pushed her limits in new ways.
IU made her K-drama debut in Dream High (2011) before rising to superstardom in music and acting. Her acting career spans many genres and time periods. In Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016), she played a modern woman sent to 10th-century Goryeo. My Mister (2018) saw her as Lee Ji-an, a debt-ridden lady overseeing her sick grandmother. In Hotel del Luna (2019), she took on the role of a centuries-old hotel owner.
