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Netflix's slice-of-life K-drama When Life Gives You Tangerines premiered on March 7, 2025. The show racked up 3.6 million views and was in the Top 10 in 24 countries within three days of its release, according to Korea Times.
Despite its surge in popularity, Netflix has classified When Life Gives You Tangerines as a "limited series" in its bi-annual engagement reports. This designation indicates that no second season will follow, effectively confirming the show's conclusion with a single season.
The drama follows the roller-coaster journey of young, vivacious Oh Ae-sun and her childhood love Yang Gwan-sik. The two get married at a young age and go through life together and all of its trials and tribulations.
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When Life Gives You Tangerines tops Netflix rankings
According to a Gallup Korea survey carried out from March 18 to 20, Netflix's When Life Gives You Tangerines was the number one most favorite program in Korea. The ranking is for both broadcast and OTT content, with the survey listing the show as first with 6.9% votes. It is Netflix's fifth original series to appear on the Gallup poll, following The Glory and Squid Game 2.
Following the release of its final volume (episodes 13 to 16) on March 28, 2025, the show is currently rated No. 1 on Netflix's global non-English chart.
Since its premiere on March 7, 2025, When Life Gives You Tangerines has been airing each Friday as a four-episode drop. It follows the travels of Oh Ae-soon and Yang Gwan-sik from the 1950s in Jeju to the present day. The drama stars IU, Park Bo-gum, Moon So-ri, and Park Hae-joon.
When Life Gives You Tangerines has received recognition for its emotional content and nostalgia. It is written by Lim Sang-choon (When the Camellia Blooms) and director Kim Won-seok (Signal, My Mister).
Other programs receiving some of the highest content-related ratings based on the popularity metric in the survey are TV Chosun's Mr. Trot 3 with 4.7%, KBS2's For Eagle Brothers with 3.5%, and KBS1's daily drama My Merry Marriage gained 3.2% of votes.
Other K-dramas that had their season 2 canceled by Netflix
1) When the Stars Gossip
Starring Lee Min-ho and Gong Hyo-jin, When the Stars Gossip was branded as one of Netflix's most ambitious K-dramas slated for 2025. However, the show received disappointing reviews and did not lead to strong viewing demographics.
This drama combines sci-fi elements into a romantic plot and takes romance outside of the Earth's boundaries. It was directed by Park Shin-woo and written by Seo Sook-hyang. However, due to its lackluster performance, Netflix promptly labeled it as a "limited series," confirming that there won’t be a second season.
2) The Potato Lab
Currently ranked ninth on Netflix's worldwide non-English list, The Potato Lab had 1.9 million views this week and made its Top 10 list in 19 different countries, as per OTT Play. Starring Lee Sun-bin and Kang Tae-oh (who just got out of the military), this rom-com has all the classic K-drama qualities: enemies-to-lovers, a small-town feel, workplace drama, and lots of warm feelings.
The premise follows a die-hard potato researcher who fights to keep her potato lab from a corporate takeover. A romantic twist occurs when a very strict new director shows up to put a wrench in her plans.
Netflix's description of the series reads:
“A passionate researcher’s life takes a turn when a strict director arrives at her potato lab — proving that love can sprout in the most unlikely places.”
3) When the Phone Rings
The 2024-25 K-drama starring Yoo Yeon-seok and Chae Soo-bin attracted much interest and was directed by Park Sang-woo, known for The Forbidden Marriage.
Against the backdrop of Korea's volatile political climate, the drama pulled viewers in with its engaging storyline. However, the on-screen sloganeering worked up some audiences with its war-like images. It received mainly positive reviews, yet despite its popularity, Netflix has declined to pick it up for a second season.
When the Phone Rings follow Sa-eon and Hee-joo, who have been secretly married for three years. He is the spokesperson for the President, and she is a sign language interpreter, coping with her selective mutism. They are distant in their relationship—until a call changes everything.
When Hee-joo is kidnapped, the kidnapper calls the other end of the line to Sa-eon. Unfazed, Sa Eon tells him to go ahead and kill her, not knowing Hee-joo is on the phone listening.
All 16 episodes of When Life Gives You Tangerines are available to stream on Netflix.
