When IU and Park Bo-Gum's "When life gives you Tangerines" Tugs at K-drama lovers Heartstrings

When life gives you Tangerines

A mild drama filled with emotions and love has been winning the hearts of K-drama lovers, driving them through a bittersweet love story of two generations. The drama's name is “When Life Gives You Tangerines”. I’m sure you all must have heard about it. The Korean drama “When Life Gives You Tangerines is not only portrays a romantic journey of a countryside couple who are deeply in love with each other but also depicts life’s complexities in small moments.

Source: Internet

The drama became a hit and a masterpiece of the director Kim Won-seok, with excellent skill of lead couple IU and Park Bo-Gum. The drama became popular not only in India but across the world just after airing on the streaming platform Netflix. Soon, “When Life Gives You Tangerines” hit all records, becoming the grossing Korean drama of 2025 so far, and now is currently number 1 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English Shows from its release on March 7.

When Life Gives You Tangerines Review

The drama is focused on the lives of Oh Ae-sun (IU) and Yang Gwan-sik (Park Bo-Gum), a couple living in the countryside of Jeju Island, South Korea. In the drama, Yang Gwan is an introvert who develops a strong character with a strong dedication to his family. He falls in love with Oh Ae-sun, an assertive lady who aspires to be a future poet. They build a web of life from their childhood, crafting it inch by inch, finding moments of happiness.

Source: Internet

They became parents at a very early age and struggle with social pressure and ignorance, yet the protagonists never show disappointments in their decisions. Rather, they cherish each other's company and stay loyal till the end.

When life gives you Tangerines, it conveys the same message of the  English phrase when life gives you lemons, proposing encouragement in disappointment. The soft and heart-warming series runs at a slow pace, inviting viewers to enjoy bittersweet moments of life. The drama is seasoned drama, from the lead couple to their children.

In the drama, When Life Gives You Tangerines, IU delivers the outstanding performance she is known for. The portrayed the character of young adult Ae-sun, vulnerable yet fierce when it comes to her decisions. Her fun-loving character grows up with fluctuations of life, from touching bottom as a poor girl living among fishermen to a modern mother helping and moulding her children to face adversity.

Source: Internet

On her opposite side, Park Bo Gum's Gwan-sik emerges as the greenest flag in her life. The Gwan-sik is loyal to Ae-sun from beginning to the end. He stays beside her, in every situation fully devoting himself to his lover, his small acts of care flatter heart now and then throughout the series.

The chemistry between both leads leads the drama to an unimaginable success for the director and the team of “When life gives you Tangerines.”

About the director

The drama director of When Life Gives You Tangerines, Kim Won-seok, is an Esteemed personality in the K-drama world. He previously directed many dramas including master piece like “Signal” and “My Mister”. This is his second work with IU, as she had previously worked in his directional drama “My Mister”. 

When Life Gives You Tangerines doesn't fall into an easy category of K-drama that normally portrays pure romanticism; rather, it's a throughout journey of life, dealing with trials and tribulations, enduring traumas without losing hope and meaning.