“What does that have to do anything with the drama” — Fans react IU being questioned about Lee Jong-suk’s thoughts on When Life Gives You Tangerines

On Wednesday, April 2, When Life Gives You Tangerines star IU sat down for an interview with OSEN, the South Korean media outlet. The interview was reportedly held at the Ambassador Seoul Pullman Grand Ballroom in Jung-gu, Seoul. During the same, the actress was mostly directed with questions regarding her latest K-drama series that has received applauding reviews from netizens.

However, the interviewer also asked her about her boyfriend, Lee Jong-suk's reaction to the K-drama series and his thoughts on its global and domestic attention. For those who are unaware, IU and Lee Jong-suk have been dating publically since December 2022. Therefore, in response, IU stated that she's unsure about his reactions as she thinks he might not have seen it yet since he's usually really busy.

She also wittingly added that she will only talk about Gwang-sik, the male lead character's name played by Park Bo-gum, until the promotions for When Life Gives You Tangerines end. Therefore, after the promotion ends, she will resume addressing and talking about her boyfriend, Lee Jong-suk. Here's what she exactly stated, according to the South Korean media outlet OSEN:

"First of all, he’s very busy. So, I think he probably hasn’t seen it. That’s what I assume since I know he’s very busy.' She then wittily added, 'Today is the last day of promotions for ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines,’ so right now, all I know is Gwan-sik. I only know Yang Gwan-sik (laughs). Maybe tomorrow it’ll be okay to talk (about my boyfriend)."

Following the landing of this interview, fans and netizens were very pleased with how IU handled the question and were also happy to see her witty comment about the same. Regardless, fans were still frustrated with the interview inquiring about her private life since it wasn't related to the K-drama series.

One fan said,

"And that’s why I hate when celebs make their relationships public, y’all make it their whole personality, what does that have to do anything with the drama"

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Here are a few fan reactions regarding the same:

"she really said this ain't about iu and jongsuk, let's talk about aesun and gwanshik instead," said a fan on X.

"nice to know she jokingly talks about her boyfriend while still being so witty to focus on wlgyt she’s so smart with interviews," added another fan.

"i just love the way she answers interview questions," commented a netizen.

More fans and netizens shared their reaction to this topic.

"i love her for this but i hope people can stop bringing up her bf every single time bc it’s her drama..... come on," stated a fan.

"Oohh.. She said.. Im in a relationship but today i want to talk about my work," added an X user.

"what with the question, just talk about her work instead of her private life," said a netizen.

"she respectfully says, mind your own business," commented another X user.

All you need to know about IU and Park Bo-gum's latest Netflix K-drama series, When Life Gives You Tangerines

When Life Gives You Tangerines is a recent Netflix K-drama series starring IU, Park Bo-gum, Moon So-ri, and Park Hae-joon. The show was written by Lim Sang-choon and was directed by Kim Won-seok. It premiered on March 7, and the sixteen-episode-long series rolled out its finale on March 28.

The series revolves around the characters Ae-sun and Gwan-sik, two childhood friends who grew up together on the village seaside. Ae-sun is a rebellious, smart, and enthusiastic woman, while Gwan-sik is quiet, careful, and diligent. As they grow up, their dynamics evolve such that they become dependent on each other, eventually falling in love.

When her hometown grows small and restrictive of her dreams of becoming a poet, Ae-sun elopes with Gwan-sik, and the two start a new life in Busan. However, they face a lot of downs and struggles as they try to build a family of their own. Therefore, the show stands as a slice-of-life K-drama series that represents themes of love and family in a realistic and heartwarming manner.

All sixteen episodes of When Life Gives You Tangerines, starring IU and Park Bo-gum, are now available on Netflix.

About the author

Aishwarya is a pop culture writer who covers K-drama and K-pop at Sportskeeda. After completing her Bachelor's in English and Communication Skills, she sought a job that allowed her to explore her passion, and being a K-pop and K-drama reporter felt like the ideal fit. Aishwarya has 3 years of experience under her belt and previously took on several internships in the industry that further motivated her in choosing writing as a career.

Aishwarya believes in conducting extensive research and verifying facts with the help of reputable sources to produce accurate articles. She also spends a significant amount of time on Twitter to understand how netizens are reacting to the latest trends in the industry before crafting her content.

She admires SUGA from BTS for his dedication to his work and aspires to immerse herself into the things she loves, just like him. If she could go back in time, she would jump at the opportunity to be part of ""Reply 1988,"" a K-drama set in a time when neighborhood relationships were cherished and interpersonal connections were of utmost importance. Although she loves how technology has advanced, she would also love to experience living in an era before it was invented.

When Aishwarya's not writing and reading about the latest developments in the industry, she spends her time crocheting, sketching, cycling, reading Mangas, and cooking.

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Edited by Toshali Kritika