When Life Gives You Tangerines starring IU and Park Bo-gum becomes the most expensive K-drama with $41.5 million budget

On February 4, 2025, WikiTree TV reported that When Life Gives You Tangerines, starring IU and Park Bo-gum, became the most expensive K-drama to date, with an investment of approximately 60 billion KRW (around $41.5 million).

When Life Gives You Tangerines is an upcoming South Korean drama that has garnered significant attention for its star-studded cast and substantial production budget. Starring IU and Park Bo-gum, the series is set against the picturesque backdrop of Jeju Island and delves into the intertwined lives of its protagonists.

This substantial budget reflects the high production values, including detailed set designs, authentic period costumes, and extensive location shoots across Jeju Island.

Notable high-end K-dramas include Moving and Lee Min-ho's When the Stars Gossip, which had a budget of 50 billion KRW (approximately $34.5 million). Song Joong-ki's Arthdal Chronicles had a total budget of 54 billion KRW (around $37.3 million).

Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won's Queen of Tears had a filming budget of 40 billion KRW ($27.7 million). Ju Ji-hoon's Kingdom was produced with a budget of 35 billion KRW ($24.2 million).

Song Kang and Lee Do-hyun's Sweet Home series and Lee Minho and Kim Go-eun's The King: Eternal Monarch had a budget of approximately 30 billion KRW (around $20.7 million). However, When Life Gives You Tangerines is the most expensive South Korean series to date.

---

When Life Gives You Tangerines: Release, plot, cast, and everything we know so far

When Life Gives You Tangerines is an upcoming South Korean television series set to premiere on Netflix on March 7, 2025. The series is a romance and slice-of-life drama that unfolds the adventurous life of Ae-soon, a "remarkable rebel" born in Jeju in the 1950s, and Gwan-sik, the "unyielding iron." Their story is full of challenges and trials throughout the four seasons.

The narrative delves into the bright stories of our parents' youthful days, resembling a tribute to their tender and still youthful seasons. The title, "폭싹 속았수다," translates to "Thank you for your hard work" in the Jeju dialect, reflecting the series' homage to the resilience and spirit of the older generation.

Lee Ji-eun, aka IU, portrays Ae-soon, a rebellious yet positive young woman from Jeju Island. Despite facing numerous challenges, she remains hopeful and dreams of becoming a writer. Her character is described as always shining and full of positivity, even though she is not well off.

Park Bo-gum plays Gwan-sik, a quiet and steadfast individual who harbors deep feelings for Ae-soon. His character is the "unyielding iron," facing life's challenges with resilience and determination.

Acclaimed South Korean actress Moon So-ri, known for her roles in Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born and Queenmaker, and Park Hae-joon, known for The 8 Show and The World of the Married, have joined the cast as well.

When Life Gives You Tangerines is penned by screenwriter Lim Sang-choon, known for his work on popular dramas such as Fight for My Way and When the Camellia Blooms. Kim Seok, acclaimed for his direction in Misaeng, Signal, and My Mister, is directing the series.

---

In April 2023, it was announced that PAN Entertainment had signed a production contract with Netflix to produce the series. When Life Gives You Tangerines is planned to be released in 190 countries.

On January 30, 2024, media outlets shared photos from the script reading session, confirming the series' exclusive release on Netflix worldwide. In January 2025, Netflix confirmed the series' release date as March 7, 2025.