When Life Gives You Tangerines
폭싹 속았수다 • Thank You for Your Hard Work, You Have Done Well, Life, Insaeng, Pokssak Sogatsuda, La Vie portera Ses Fruits
- Genre : Drama · Family · Romance · Slice of Life / Everyday Life
- Broadcast : March 7, 2025, through March 28, 2025
- Where to watch: Netflix
- Director : Kim Won-seok
- Screenwriter : Im Sang-choon
- Casting : IU, Park Bo-gum, Moon So-ri, Park Hae-joon, Kim Yong-rim, Na Moon-hee, Yeom Hye-ran, Oh Min-ae, Choi Dae-hoon, Jang Hye-jin, Cha Mi-kyung, Lee Soo-mi, Baek Ji-won, Jung Hae-kyun, Kang You-seok, Lee Soo-kyung, Lee Jun-young, Kim Tae-yeon, Lee Cheon-mu, Oh Yeon-jae, Oh Jung-se, Uhm Ji-won, Lee Mi-do, Kim Seon-ho, Kang Mal-geum, Kim Young-woong, Kim Soo-an, Kim Jae-young, Jeon Bae-soo, Kim Sung-ryung
The Story
On Jeju Island, in the 1950s, Oh Ae-sun (played by IU, then Moon So-ri as an adult) She grew up in poverty with a dream that seemed out of reach: to become a poet. Lively, candid, and determined, she refused, however, to let her hardships entirely dictate her future.
Next to him is Yang Gwan-sik (played by Park Bo-gum, and later by Park Hae-joon as an adult), a quiet, hardworking young man who has always been deeply in love with her. Not one for grand declarations, he shows his affection through constant loyalty and support. Their story spans decades, reflecting the changes in Korean society, financial hardships, bereavements, and the joys of family life.
The story also extends to their children, including Yang Geum-myeong (IU), their daughter, who looks back on her parents’ journey. Spanning several generations, the drama tells both a love story and a tribute to the quiet sacrifices, abandoned dreams, and tenderness of those who came before us.
Impact and Success
When Life Gives You Tangerines has established itself as one of the most acclaimed K-dramas of 2025, particularly for its writing, direction, and performances. The series won four awards at the 2025 Baeksang Arts Awards, including that of the Best Drama, from the Best Screenplay, as well as the awards for Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress. It also won the Grand Prize at the Blue Dragon Series Awards, where IU received the award for Best Actress.
By the end of 2025, its success had extended to the APAN Star Awards, including the award for Best Drama, Best Director for Kim Won-seok, and the Daesang for IU. This critical and public acclaim made it one of the most memorable Korean Netflix productions of the year.
Trailers
Casting
Did you like When Life Gives You Tangerines?
Similar dramas
