Review: When Life Gives You Tangerines ripened as one of Netflix’s best picks yet

The highly anticipated production brings together two of Korea’s favourite artists, singer-songwriter IU and the nation’s boyfriend Park Bo-gum, for their first on-screen collaboration.

This marks IU’s first drama since Hotel De Luna (2019) and Park’s first project since his discharge from military service in 2022.

Since its release on the streaming platform on March 7, the K-Drama has taken the internet by storm and made headlines worldwide. All for the right reasons.

A journey through time

Set against the backdrop of Jeju Island, the story begins in the 1960s. It journeys through the life of Oh Ae-sun (IU) and her childhood sweetheart, Yang Gwan-sik (Park Bo-gum). 

Life wasn’t a bed of roses for Oh, who was raised by her haenyeo mother Gwang-rye (Yeom Hye-ran), alongside her step-father (Oh Jung-se). She had to deal with plenty of struggles while growing up.

 

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Unlike most of Netflix’s originals, where all the episodes are dropped together, the 16-part series is deliberately released across 4 weeks. Each represents a different phase in the protagonists’ lives. 

From the hopeful blossoms of spring, where young hearts start to bud, to the reflective snows of winter, where memories eventually settle, viewers are brought through to the highs and lows as Ae-sun and Gwan-sik grow from young to old. 

Generational shifts, life lessons

Spanning across three generations from the 1960s till present day in 2024, the series’ latter half delve deeper into their older selves played by Moon So-ri (middle-aged Ae-sun) and Park Hae-joon (middle-aged Gwan-sik). IU reprises the role of their daughter (Yang Geum-myeong).

Their younger selves had to grapple with traditional prejudices, hardships and turbulence. Their middle-aged versions had to cope with more responsibilities as a sandwiched generation: taking care of their children, parents and each other.

While younger Ae-sun was unable to fulfill her dreams of graduating from a university to become a poet, she lives vicariously through Geum-myeong.

She, too, experiences her own set of problems, navigating through class divide, heartbreaks and painful lessons growing up. 

Life comes full circle

The last chapter of the series is an exceptional tearjerker that hits home differently. It serves as a poignant reminder that our parents will eventually grow old and leave us. A reflection on who and what truly matters in life.

Helmed by director Kim Won-seok and written by Lim Sang-choon, the drama’s storytelling cleverly threads through multiple time jumps and flashbacks as their life events transpire in parallel.

When Life Gives You Tangerines (2025) intricately weaves in and references some of the country’s biggest historical events. These include the 1988 Seoul Olympics and the 1997 Financial Crisis, making it uniquely Korean in its storytelling.

Yet, the life lessons shared are relatable, and the values learnt are universal. Whether it’s dealing with death, embracing change, or treasuring kinship, amongst other narratives are explored.

Main acts

Park Bo-gum excels in his role as Gwan-sik. A quiet, devoted and unwavering individual, whose love and support for his partner knows no boundaries.

While this is reminiscent of his other iconic role as Choi Taek in Reply 1988 (2015), the deeper focus on him in this series allows for more nuanced character development.

However, fans of Park might be disappointed as his screen time is greatly reduced in the second half as the story transits. That’s probably our only complaint about the show.

To make up for that, viewers are treated to the appearance of Kim Seon-ho as Park Chung-seop. He is an artist whom Geum-myeong befriends. While initially teased only as a cameo, Kim plays quite a meaty role towards the end.

Much has to be said about the versatility of IU. Anchoring the two main characters of young Ae-sun, growing up from a teen to a young mum, together with her portrayal of Geum-myeong. 

Not forgetting Moon So-ri and Park Hae-joon, whose performances as the older Ae-sun and Gwan-sik are equally riveting. 

A journey through Jeju

There’s just something special about K-Dramas set in Jeju. Think Our Blues (2022), Welcome to Samdal-ri (2023). These K-dramas are often cathartic, allowing viewers to process their emotions slowly and find solace in each character. 

But unlike some of the past dramas, When Life Gives You Tangerines (2025) does not boast a star-studded ensemble cast nor big-name OSTs. Neither does it have any over-the-top plot twists.

Instead, it focuses on real moments, simple exchanges and raw dialogues which are incredibly real and relatable. 

The Korean title of the drama is a common phrase in Jeju dialect, which translates to “thank you for your hard work”. A fitting expression of the gratitude and maturity that emerge as one navigates life’s challenges.