'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
When Life Gives You Tangerines, the Korean drama streaming on Netflix, transports viewers to the Jeju Island of the 1960s, weaving a narrative of love, resilience, and personal growth.
The series, starring IU as Oh Ae-sun and Park Bo-gum as Yang Gwan-sik, unfolds over several decades. It captures the essence of their enduring relationship amidst societal challenges and personal aspirations. The older versions of IU and Park Bo-gum are played by Moon So-ri and Park Hae-joon.
In the show, Ae-sun dreams of going to the mainland (Seoul) and becoming a poet. Back in 1959, women did not have the opportunities to study, although they aspired to have the same oppurtunities like men.
Trending
But Gwan-sik is different. While other men of Jeju either works or leeches off their wives, 10-year-old Gwan-sik believes his purpose is to follow Ae-sun and be with her no matter what.
By the episode 4 of When Life Gives You Tangerines, Ae-sun and Gwan-sik end up marrying each other and having two kids: a daughter and a son. Their first child is a girl named Geum-myeong (played by IU as well), who resembles her mother.
When Life Gives You Tangerines: A story of Ae-sun and Gwan-sik's love
In When Life Gives You Tangerines, IU plays the rebellious Ae-sun, whose biggest supporter and cheerleader has been Gwan-sik since she was 10 years old. Being an orphan and raised in extreme poverty after losing her mother at the same age, Ae-sun has no one to rely on except Gwan-sik, who is hopelessly in love with her.
Episode 1: Spring in a Heartbeat
When Life Gives You Tangerines episode 1 introduces viewers to young Ae-sun, a spirited and imaginative 10-year-old girl, with dreams that stretch beyond the confines of her rural upbringing. Despite her family's financial hardships, Ae-sun harbors aspirations of becoming a poet, often penning verses inspired by the natural beauty surrounding her.
Her mother, Jeon Gwang-rye, portrayed by Yum Hye-ran, is a resilient haenyeo—a traditional female diver—who works tirelessly to provide for her family. The bond between mother and daughter is profound, with Gwang-rye encouraging Ae-sun's literary ambitions while cautioning her about the harsh realities of their world.
Tragedy strikes when Gwang-rye unexpectedly passes away, leaving Ae-sun and her siblings orphaned. This pivotal moment in When Life Gives You Tangerines forces Ae-sun to confront the fragility of life and the weight of her responsibilities. The episode portrays her grief, and her determination to honor her mother's legacy, setting the stage for her journey of self-discovery.
Episode 2: Sassy First Love
In the aftermath of her mother's death, Ae-sun finds solace and support in her childhood friend, Gwan-sik. Known for his steadfast nature and unwavering loyalty to her, Gwan-sik becomes Ae-sun's anchor during this tumultuous period. Their camaraderie deepens, evolving into a tender romance that defies the conservative norms of their community.
Episode 2 of When Life Gives You Tangerines shows how young Ae-sun gets treated as a housekeeper by her stepdad (played by Oh jung-se) after her mother passes away. Her mother, only 29 years old, dies due to weak lungs caused by excessive smoking and diving into the sea every day for all her life.
Ae-sun now plows the field and grows cabbages, also taking care of her two step-siblings, and cleaning and working at the house. Meanwhile, her stepdad wastes his time drinking or sleeping on the cot.
Episode 3: Yesterday Was Your Spring
In When Life Gives You Tangerines episode 3, as Ae-sun and Gwan-sik transition into adulthood, they face new challenges that test the strength of their bond. Ae-sun's ambition to pursue poetry clashes with the traditional roles prescribed to women, leading to friction within her community.
Gwan-sik, on the other hand, grapples with his own aspirations and the expectations placed upon him as the eldest son. The couple's journey takes an adventurous turn when they decide to leave Jeju Island in search of better opportunities. Together, they run away to Busan.
When Life Gives You Tangerines episode 3, captures their resilience and the sacrifices they make in pursuit of a shared future. After a lot of hardships, they get to stay at a motel to spend the night. The motel owner gives them free food and alcohol and later steals their suitcase and jewelry.
Episode 4: The Blazing Summer Sunshine
Ae-sun and Gwan-sik return to Jeju after his mother finds them in Busan and get the motel owner arrested for stealing their belongings. After their return, Ae-sun and Gwan-sik confront the realities of reintegration into their former lives. Ae-sun gets expelled from her school while Gwan-sik gets a week of suspension.
Ae-sun's uncle and aunt try to marry her off to a 30-year-old man who already has two kids from his first marriage. Gwan-sik's mother manipulates Ae-sun by telling her that if he stays with her, then he will have to sacrifice his dream of becoming a gold medal-winning athlete. She tells Ae-sun that Gwan-sik will lose his family too.
Hearing this, Ae-sun decides to push Gwan-sik away and get married to the old man so that Gwan-sik could have a better life. But the day Gwan-sik boards the ship to the mainland, Ae-sun runs to the shore and calls out his name, realizing that she could not live without him.
Gwan-sik hears Ae-sun calling his name. He jumps from the ship and swims to the shore as the village people watch the spectacle. They marry and begin to build a life together, but the challenges of cohabiting with Gwan-sik's family test their relationship.
When Life Gives You Tangerines episode 4, portrays the nuances of married life, highlighting the couple's efforts to cultivate their dreams while honoring their heritage.
When Life Gives You Tangerines weaves the personal and the universal against the backdrop of Jeju Island's culture and history.
When Life Gives You Tangerines episodes 5 to 8 will be aired on Netflix on March 14, 2025. Episode 9 to 12 will be released on March 21, and episodes 13 to 16 will be released on March 28, 2025.
