A Comprehensive Look at when life gives you tangerines 2025
Dive Into the struggles of womanhood in 'When Life Gives You Tangerines'
An In-Depth Review of the Korean Drama 'When Life Gives You Tangerines'
Explore the intricacies of ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’. It is an epic Korean drama about the ups and downs of life’s journey. From its soothing storyline to its charming characters, discover why this drama is a must-watch.
Spoiler Alert
Important Notice
Please be advised that this review contains significant spoilers about the plot and characters of ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines.’ If you have not yet watched the drama, we recommend viewing it first to avoid any spoilers.
Series Details
General Information
Air Date: March 7 – March 28, 2025
Episodes: 16
Where to Watch: Netflix
Genre: Romantic Drama
Starring: IU and Park Bo Gum
Plot Overview
When Life Gives You Tangerines: Enduring Love and Motherhood
In 1950’s Jeju island, a young girl dreams of escaping the lonliness and poverty she has been raised in to become an educated poet in the big city. And her biggest cheerleader is her best friend; a quiet boy who has vowed to always love and protect her. As she grows up and raises a family of her own, life will hold many joys and struggles, as she learns life’s lessons about love, loss, and the uncertainty of an ever-changing world, from the perspective of a wife and mother.
Meeting the stars: IU and Moon So Ri
Lead Female Character: IU and Moon So Ri as O Ae Sun
O Ae Sun grew up as the daughter of a haenyeo on Jeju Island. She lost both her parents while she was still young and dreamed of leaving the countryside to study and write poetry in Seoul. But when she ends up pregnant, her dreams of getting out are cut short. She settles down and marries her childhood best friend, Gwan Sik. Together they raise a family and continue to dream and grow as life carries them along. After losing her mother to the sea, Ae Sun also loses her 3 year old son. But her remaining son and daughter give her the motivation to keep living.
Although she missed her chance to study, Ae Sun continues to challenge herself. After the kids are in school, she becomes the town’s first female deputy chief. And when her daughter is accepted to Seoul National University, no one is more proud than Ae Sun. As they move into their golden years, she and Gwan Sik, along with the rest of the country, face political unrest and financial hardships. But she gains strength from her husband’s unwavering love and support.
O Ae Sun suffered terribly because she came from a poor family. But despite the many setbacks, she is resilient and optimistic. She is bright and well-respected by her community. But no one lives their lives without wounds and scars, and Ae Sun suffers her fair share. Both IU and Moon So Ri did an amazing job in this role. Her character was emotionally complex and beautifully imperfect, and I am so thankful to these two women for bringing her to our screens.
Meeting the stars: Park Bo Gum and Park Hae Joon
Lead Male Character: Park Bo Gum and Park Hae Joon as Yang Gwan Sik
Yang Gwan Sik is from a prominent family and his grandmother is a shaman. He loves Ae Sun from the time they are small children, and used to bring her fish to eat when her family neglected her, even though his family never thought she was good enough for him. When they are teenager, Ae Sun threatens to run away, and Gwan Sik goes with her. When their family finally drags them home, Gwan Sik’s mother tries to separate them and get Ae Sun married to another man. But her plan is ruined when Gwan Sik refuses to leave her and the couple find out she is pregnant.
After getting married, the young pair live with Gwan Sik’s family for a time. But when he finds out they are abusing his wife, he takes them away to live on their own. While they struggle to land on their feet, he and Ae Sun live a happy life as newlyweds and eventually Ae Sun’s grandmother helps Gwan Sik buy his own fishing boat. Much later in life, he is forced to sell his boat and their house to get their son Eun Myeong out of jail. And a business scam almost costs them everything. But he and Ae Sun face it together and are able to move beyond it.
Yang Gwan Sik is the perfect husband and father. He is gentle and supportive in all situations. And although at the end of his life, he apologizes to Ae Sun for not making her life easier, she reassures him that she is thankful that she has never been alone. Park Bo Gum and Park Hae Joon were the perfect combination to play this character. The two of them shone in this role and I can’t imagine anyone who could have done it more convincingly.
Supporting characters
Choi Dae Hoon as Bu Sang Gil
Boo Sang Gil is a wealthy member of the Jeju community. He is a fishing captain who almost ends up marrying Ae Sun, and he never forgives Gwan Sik for taking her from him. Later he becomes the town chief before a scandal rocks his world and leaves him unemployed and eventually divorced.
Kang Yoo Seok as Yang Eun Myeong
Yang Eun Myeong is Ae Sun and Gwan Sik’s son. He is younger than his sister and has never felt like he could measure up to her. He falls in love with Sang Gil’s daughter, and while the adults all try to separate them, she ends up pregnant and they decide to marry.
IU as Yang Geum Myeong
Yang Geum Myeong is Ae Sun and Gwan Sik’s eldest child. She takes after her mother in being independent and bright. She gets into Seoul National University and gets a good job out of college before the financial crisis causes her to be laid off.
Highlights of 'When Life Gives You Tangerines'
Three Things I Loved
1. Lasting Trauma:
I thought this drama did a nice job of showing how trauma can trickle down into the lives of those around us, even years after the fact. Ae Sun’s family are all carrying the scars of Dong Myeong’s death in different ways. And even after years have passed, there is still guilt and feelings of inadequacy. Healing is not forgetting and this series does a beautiful job of bringing that truth to light.
2. The Hidden Actress:
I couldn’t help but be impressed when the drama finally introduced Jung Mi In, the actress Gwan Sik saved. I had noticed that car, but when they didn’t address it, I just forgot about it. But she was there the whole time. Well played, director! And isn’t it just like Gwan Sik to never take advantage or brag about their “relationship”?
3. IU’s Double Role
All of the cast members did a wonderful job in this drama. But I have to give an extra shout-out to IU for her double role. I thought she played these mother and daughter roles with sincerity and heart. While these characters were very similar in disposition, the actress gave each one their own voice.
Critiques of 'When Life Gives You Tangerines'
Areas for Improvement
1. Not Enough Park Bo Gum:
There’s not really much more to say on this point. Obviously, I loved Park Jae Hoon in this role as well, but I was a little disappointed that we didn’t get to see more of Park Bo Gum later in the drama. This role fit him so perfectly and I missed his sweet smile.
2. Disappearing Haenyeo:
I really enjoyed Ae Sun’s relationship with the haenyeos who had known her mother. Their role in her life was deep and meaningful. So I was a bit disappointed when fewer and fewer of them started showing up without any tribute to their passing. I thought their characters deserved better than that.
3. Park Yeong Beom :
Poor Park Yeong Beom! Of course, it was obvious that he wasn’t the best fit for Geum Myeong, and I loved that she found her own Gwan Sik in Cheong Seop. But it was also obvious that Yeong Beom did love her. My only consolation is that in the end his mother was as miserable if not more than he was.
The Conclusion of 'When Life Gives You Tangerines'
Drama Ending Explained
‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ ends much the way many lives do; in a mashup of bittersweet joy and grief. Gwan Sik’s new restaurant is thriving and the area around it is growing up. Geum Myeong has her first child and starts her own successful business in online education. And Ae Sun is writing poetry again. But just as Ae Sun and Gwan Sik start to celebrate a new spring in their lives, Gwan Sik is diagnosed with terminal cancer. In the time that he has left, he spends it with his family and he is still alive to witness Ae Sun’s first poem being published in a journal. But eventually the illness catches up to him and our “Steel Heart” has to say goodbye.
A time jump gives us one last glimpse into the Yang family. Geum Myeong’s business has continued to grow and Eun Myeong is working with her. Their children are growing up themselves. And Ae Sun is doing what she always does, which is make the most of the days she has while still missing those who left her too early. She has published a full book of poetry about her life with Gwan Sik, which she takes to Gwan Sik’s grave to share with him. And she volunteers, teaching older haenyeo in her spare time. Geum Myeong sends her mother’s work to a publisher suggesting it’s a story worth telling. And I guess she believes her, since we have this drama. The final voiceover is Ae Sun as she reflects on how she has come to realize that in her life with Gwan Sik, every day was spring.
Overall Rating
‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ is the heartbreakingly beautiful life story of a young woman growing up on Jeju Island in the 1950’s. The drama follows her life through her youth, young married life, and into old age. It is slow-paced, character driven, and emotionally raw, as it takes us through laughter and tears. The series especially focuses on societal roles and restriction for women and the complicated emotions that come with being a wife and mother.
This drama is not concerned with action or particularly unique plots. It’s beauty lies in the relatability of the characters and their stories. While it is unquestioningly a romance, it is not a giddy rom-com. This is the mature love of a long life, lived together through the good and the bad. And the bad is not always easy to watch. Some found the somber, realistic tone depressing. But the message is not one of sadness and defeat but perseverance and I found it deeply moving and strikingly memorable. I give ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ a 10 out of 10.
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