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When Life Gives You Tangerines starring IU, Park Bo-gum, Moon So-ri, and Park Hae-joon aired its four finale episodes on March 28, 2025. The Netflix series offers a poignant exploration of resilience, community, and the complexities of human relationships against a beautifully rendered backdrop.
The series is a heartfelt glimpse into love, endurance, and what it means to be human. Set against the backdrop of Jeju Island, the drama chronicles the overlaps in the lives of Ae-sun and Gwan-sik across six decades, starting in the 1960s.
Through its layered story and brilliant acting, the drama draws the audience into a world where individual dreams conflict with societal pressures and expectations.
When Life Gives You Tangerines is for everyone to watch; it takes viewers on a ride where they can see their own life and struggles through Ae-sun, Gwan-sik, and every other character in the series. The show reminds us of the home we all leave behind as we become adults, but never stop yearning for.
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Ae-sun's last words to Gwan-sik echo in the end as the series bids adieu:
“To my love, from when we were nine until now, thanks to you, my life has been a spring every day. This book wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for you. Until the spring we meet again, I’ll live as though every day is spring.”
When Life Gives You Tangerines: A once-in-a-decade type of story that leaves behind a bittersweet yet lovely memory
When Life Gives You Tangerines revolves around Ae-sun, played by IU, who is a vivacious young woman yearning for a life beyond her traditional upbringing. Her mother, a staunch haenyeo (female diver), represents the struggle of Jeju women who feel it is "better to be born a cow than a woman in Jeju."
This reveals the challenges Ae-sun encounters as she strives for a new future. She has Gwan-sik (Park Bo-gum), a stalwart and supportive individual whose silent strength grounds Ae-sun in the tides of life. Their evolving relationship centers the series, exploring the nuances of love and companionship.
When Life Gives You Tangerines is replete with symbolism, enriching its narrative depth. The tangerine, a staple of Jeju Island, serves as a metaphor for life's bittersweet nature. Its sweetness and acidity mirror the highs and lows experienced by the characters.
The sea, ever-present and omnipotent, represents both a source of livelihood and an unpredictable force, much like the societal tides the characters navigate. Furthermore, the changing seasons parallel the phases of Ae-sun and Gwan-sik's relationship, with spring symbolizing new beginnings and winter reflecting periods of hardship and introspection.
IU gives a layered performance as Ae-sun, with her unique strength and vulnerability embodied in every choice she makes. Her performance is instantly relatable, demonstrating the quiet turmoil of a woman caught between the weight of her own desires and her duty to her family.
Alongside IU is Park Bo-gum's Gwan-sik, who has a simple composure that oozes with depth and a character whose actions speak louder than any words. There is such a strong chemistry between the two leads that they communicated at times even without words.
Supporting performances, most notably Yeom Hye-ran as Ae-sun's mother, Gwang-rye, bring realism and pain to the heavy feeling of the story. Notably, the series ends on a poetic note with Ae-sun's poem collection being published by a famous editor who looks exactly like her mother, Gwang-rye.
Ae-sun was nine years old when her mother died at a young age of 29. Her mother always dreamt that Ae-sun would grow up to be a poet and have her own office desk. Episode 16 shows a 70-year-old Ae-sun staring at the sea and wishing that her mother would be reborn and get to become a boss in her next life.
The show beautifully completes Gwang-rye's heartbreaking story on a happy note. Although it wasn't Ae-sun's mother who was reincarnated, the series poetically hints that somehow Gwang-rye got to live Ae-sun's wish.
Moon So-ri and Park Hae-joon as older Ae-sun and Gwan-sik live up to their reputation as two of the most sought after South Korean actors. Their acting prowess was fully showcased throughout When Life Gives You Tangerines. Moon So-ri copied IU's way of showing Ae-sun's happiness whenever she confessed to being happy, to Gwan-sik.
This further showcases how meticulously Moon So-ri studied IU's portrayal of younger Ae-sun to mirror those few moments, which are established as some of the core traits of Yang Ae-sun.
Furthermore, the special cameos from Kim Seon-ho as Geum-young's husband and Lee Jun-young as Geum-young's first love add more layers to the story.
Under the direction of Kim Won-seok, known for Signal and My Mister, the series offers mesmerising cinematography that reveals the otherworldly beauty of Jeju Island and enhances the narrative.
The lingering shots of the beaches, tangerine orchards, and countryside amplify the characters' emotional experiences. The use of natural light and time-appropriateness of the settings allow the viewer to experience being in the era, producing an almost palpable experience of time and place.
When Life Gives You Tangerines examines the theme of perseverance, sacrifice, and desire for happiness rather than social commitments and expectations.
Juxtaposed with idealistic family values, this series recognizes women's resilience, especially that of the post-war generation in South Korea, who were often underrepresented despite their contributions to life with their genuine struggles and untold strength.
The intention of women to live a fulfilling life was put to the test as When Life Gives You Tangerines reflects on a common struggle — an individual's ability to live their dreams while being bound by expectations of family and society.
The expression "you've worked so hard," used in the Jeju dialect, is used as the basis for the title and throughout the show.
When Life Gives You Tangerines uses a slow, slice-of-life pacing that draws in every viewer. Its interest in banalities and subtle character episodics asks for patience and presents a story that prioritizes emotion over speed.
When Life Gives You Tangerines is an example of the strength of plain storytelling, where the beauty is in the layers of everyday life and human relationships. Its rich characterizations, cultural richness, and showcasing the real scenarios and struggles from real life make it extremely relatable for viewers.
When Life Gives You Tangerines is globally streaming on Netflix.
