Masterpiece, THE Best Drama I've Ever Watched
Masterpiece. One of the best—no, actually, I think this is THE best drama I've ever watched.It's so emotional, so raw, with compelling characters. It's really wholesome, but not in a cheap way like some dramas that just throw in a "family" to make it feel heartwarming. The acting is great, IU 100% truly deserves to be recognized as one of the best korean actresses. No doubt about it, this is a true masterpiece.
I wasn’t expecting it to be this good. It’s perfect from beginning to end.
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Most Heartfelt Drama in Years
I haven't written a review in a long time. I've watched hundreds of dramas the last 20 years...but this one has left and indelible imprint on my heart. The weaving and storytelling was beautifully done, capturing almost every episode something that impacted me deeply. It is one of those rare dramas that is heartbreaking in its loveliness. Each character is multi-dimensional. Even the "villain" has a redemptive arc that felt real and believable. You reallly fall in love with Oh Ae-sun, Yang Gwang-sik and their children. The weaving of history was brilliant. After watching this, I want to be appreciative of the people around me, honor the elderly that sit around me and hear their stories. It makes me thankful that we now live in an age where our stories are being told and told so brilliantly. It's a drama that has something relatable to anyone if they want it to be. There's so much to love about this.Was this review helpful to you?
1
2"It takes a village to keep a person alive"
When Life Gives You Tangerines was a lovely bittersweet story of three generations of women, each desiring to do better than the previous generation. While the male characters were important, it was Ae Sun, her mother and her daughter that were the core of the story.Much of the drama took place on Jeju Island centered around the haenyeo and fishermen. Most of the people struggled to live day to day, relying on each other when things became dire. The sea is a harsh mistress and not only sustained life but took it as well. Yet there was laughter amongst the tears. And most importantly, there was the great love story between Ae Sun and Gwan Sik.
The different generations demonstrated the sacrifices that parents make for their children as well as their mistakes. Children learned that regret was a bitter pill to swallow once a parent was gone. The village relied on each other giving with compassion often accompanied by biting humor. Sometimes love was enough to sustain a relationship and sometimes it wasn’t. Life wasn’t easy about handing out answers regardless of the season people were in.
“It takes a village to keep a person alive.” The people of Jeju Island were generous, reconciliation often came after many tears, and the people showed great resiliency in the face of a collapsing economy. “Go together with others. If you do, 100 miles will feel like 10.” When Life Gives You Tangerines also reminded us that growing up is a lifelong process.
3 April 2025
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Life gives tangerines, love turns them sweet, a journey through struggles and growth with realism!
8.7/10This drama wasn’t about a passionate love story that swept you off your feet, rather it was about the journey of two people who loved each other through thick and thin, in every phase of their lives. It was realistic, capturing the hardships and complexities of their relationship as they navigated various challenges. We have seen this several times in dramaland, but the portrayal here felt sincere and deep. Each time they faced hardship or joy, I felt like I was right there with them, crying when they cried, laughing when they laughed.
Yang Gwan Sik and O Ae Sun’s romance wasn’t the usual typical fairy tale, but it was so comforting in its own way. While there were moments when I didn’t get why they made certain choices, but their loyalty to each other was unmatched. The way Gwan Sik literally crossed oceans for Ae Sun spoke volumes about the depth of his love and commitment. Gwan Sik’s as a husband and his daughter's father is something I could write essays about.
O Ae Sun had a tough childhood and the only person who ever really had her back was Gwan Sik. And he didn’t just have her back, he protected her with everything he had. But Ae Sun herself was a strong, fiery woman and an even fiercer mom. She was determined that her daughter wouldn’t go through the same struggles she did. The way she showed her protective love was so bittersweet, it honestly made me cry a few times.
Watching her journey with Gwan Sik, I realised, it was never about love but survival in the most romantic way possible. To me, this is what real love is, not star-crossed lovers, but two people who fight against all odds and still manage to be soft and gentle with each other.
The drama also touched on the subject of the parent-child relationship with such raw honesty, reminding me of a universal truth that as a child, it was easy to argue with my parents and feel frustrated by their decisions. But as I grew older, I began to see things from two perspectives - mine, which often felt difficult with my own struggles and expectations from life and the perspective of my parents, where I realized they were facing their own challenges. The drama gave me a humbling experience here and there. It was a reminder that sometimes, you can't truly understand someone’s choices until you walk in their shoes or at least try to. It beautifully captured that emotional journey, showing how perspective can change as we grow and mature.
With realistic portrayals come realistic disappointments from our projections. (Lol xD ) I feel a certain way about when a mother chooses to favour one child over the other. One child is left to fade into the shadows, while the other is bathed in her undivided attention, somehow because they are the living embodiment of her own unfulfilled dreams.
While I do appreciate how the drama portrays both men and women with depth, this issue of favouritism really bothered me a bit. The mother’s desire to ensure her daughter doesn’t face the same hardships she did is understandable and I don't think there's anything wrong with that. However, I felt the boy was somewhat neglected in the story.
Gwan Sik and Ae Sun as Geum Myeong parents should and would win Oscars for being the best parents , a woman could ask for but sadly in the case of Eun Myeong , they missed the mark. They did try to come around in Vol 4 but for me, it was a little too late.
Also, compared to vol 1 and 2,vol 3 and 4 felt a bit off in terms of pacing where few arcs felt streched out and also the transitions between the past and present seemed somewhat random, something I didn’t notice in the first two volumes.
The acting was excellent across the board and I have no complaints. The main cast, IU and Park Bogum, were at their absolute best. The supporting cast also had some incredibly seasoned actors and their performances only elevated the drama whenever they were on screen.
The cinematography and the opening credits were also remarkable. The struggles of village life, the beauty of the sea, the vast open fields and the stunning sunsets were captured beautifully. In fact, I never skipped the credits once. You can sense throughout, that the budget wasn't the problem.
Overall , it was raw and messy but in all the right ways. For anyone who has been through tough times, whether it's financial struggles in childhood or personal battles against societal pressures and expectations, this would get to you. It somehow also teaches you that life goes no matter what.
Tangerines here were like problems in life - unexpected, sometimes sour and hard to handle at first. But when life hands a tangerine, it may not be clear what to do with it right away. Over time, though ,the bitterness can be peeled back, revealing the sweetness inside, turning something challenging into something worthwhile. It’s about making the best of what life gives, even if it’s not what was wanted or expected. The drama did a good job at that. (At least what I inferred)
I would definitely recommend this drama and would also recommend a tissue box on the side for the ugly crying that will follow. xD
Thank you for reading my review! It was difficult to write this one without spoilers. I hope you enjoy the drama if you give it a try! <3
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This review may contain spoilers
A Raw and Heartfelt Journey
This drama made me cry a lot, ngl. Its story is both beautiful and deeply touching. However, I have to say, when a certain actor started showing up in later episodes, I just wanted to fast-forward through his scenes. I also wish they had focused more on Eun Myeong, and there were moments when Geum Myeong’s behavior frustrated me. That said, it’s understandable — her parents spoiled her a lot, and it showed.The first two arcs were absolutely incredible, but towards the end, the story felt a bit stuck in time, lacking the same creativity and depth. It was pretty obvious that they just recreated the same romance for Geum Myeong based on her parents' love story, which I found a little disappointing.
This kdrama isn’t a fairy tale: it’s raw, real, and human. That’s why, despite my reservations, I still gave it a high score. The main and supporting actors (let me ignore that one actor for now) were phenomenal, and I loved how every single character served a real purpose in the story, even if we didn’t realize it until 10 episodes later.
I highly recommend this kdrama to anyone ready to cry and experience life in its most unfiltered form through art.
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love this drama >____<
YOU MUST WATCH THIS because of park bogum and iu very suitable IN MY OPINION ♡_____♡ I really like gwansik's character like GREEN FLAG REALLY GUYS.. and I also want to have a husband like Park Toto AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA >< actually, I really empathy for Geumyoung's boyfriend, he's a good kid but his mom is NOT GOOD, GUYS, BELIEVE ME 🤬 her mother is really looking very social status LIKE? HUH? THE HELL.. 🙄🙄OKAY, from this drama I learned a lot of life lessons, they are really related to my life and we can take moral messages from this drama AND THIS WILL BE MY TOP BEST DRAMA IN 2025 LIST :D
MUST MEET GWANSIK AND AESUN ALL OF YOU EHEHHEHEHEHE RECOMMENDED
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This review may contain spoilers
cried a river T.T
It’s a family drama but a really really “depressing” one. This drama focuses on the reality of surviving when you are not from a wealthy family and also highlights the different stages in the life. How the choices they make affect their lives is also clearly shown. How parents can sacrifice so much for their kids and how the kids learn to appreciate their parents.I cried alot watching this show…somehow IU always picks really sad dramas but she is able to really portray her characters well. I was amazed because she had to cry almost every episode. As an actor I feel like that must have been so hard and tiring. IU has the main role in the drama, most of the scenes are of her.
Park bogum, unexpectedly doesn’t have much screen time but he did really well as well. He was loyal supportive and hard working. He was the perfect husband for Aesun so she never regretted marrying him.
The drama was directed very well with clips from the past and present blended nicely and presented in a clear timeline. It was not confusing to understand and the story was very heartwarming.
Overall a very good drama which shows the difficulties of the past and how a family managed to live on together.
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When life gives you tangerines you get see a whole Pie of life
This is not just one slice of life but a whole pie with cream and what not of life. As it offers us a bunch of glimpses in to several generations of life, struggles, love and more struggles.Ordinary people, in some extraordinary circumstances showing us that it can be the little choices that define us. And that being loved matters more than being controlled.
The main couple is as sweet as sweet gets. Pure, loving the type that will litterally do anything to protect each other not only physically but mentally too.
"You have six people in your in your house hold, why do you only buy five fish?"
Showing us how to stand op against family oppression, tradition and prejudges. They may have been poor but they gave their children love and tools to stand up for them selfs teaching them not to settle and know their worth. Without skimping on the hardships poverty brings.
I loved the village, and the it truley takes a village feel to this, I loved the family, the aunts, the kids, the pain... the sweetness. The window in to the different decades and society and day to day life as it was, without diving in to politics. Showing common people. I also enjoyed them showing us even more pain and the time skips with the date and time shown like they used to on old photographs.
I did not like the last 30 minutes or so of the drama, it had a bit to much of a preachy tone and did a bad job with making me believe IUS character was over 50. It also has one moment that feels a bit off and over the top in this otherwise pretty down to earth drama. Making me lower the score from a 9,5 to a 9. Then all the yelling crying, and more yelling knocked off another 0,5 stars giving this an 8,5.
A good drama indeed, and apparently there is a lot you can do with tangerines, if it is life or some one else who gives you them is however a different question as the tangerines seem to be the first to go when poverty hits.
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A Soft, Healing Drama That Stays With You
When Life Gives You Tangerines is honestly one of the most touching K-dramas I’ve ever seen. It’s not loud or flashy—no huge twists or wild cliffhangers—but that’s exactly what makes it so special. The story feels real. It’s slow and quiet in the best way, like sitting under the sun with your eyes closed, feeling every little breeze.The setting alone had me hooked. The drama takes place on Jeju Island, and the way it’s filmed is just breathtaking. The sea, the wind, the endless rows of tangerine trees—it creates such a calm, nostalgic feeling. It really felt like I was living there with the characters. The cinematography makes every small moment feel meaningful and poetic.
IU plays Ae-sun with so much honesty and heart. She’s such a strong, curious, and stubborn character, and I admired how she kept dreaming even when the world around her tried to hold her back. And Park Bo-gum as Gwan-sik… oh my god. He’s the type of male lead that just makes your heart ache—in a soft, quiet way. He’s not the typical romantic hero, but that’s what makes him feel so real. Their connection is full of tension and unspoken emotion. It’s not a romance filled with big declarations—it’s slow, complicated, and so deeply human.
Now, I have to mention Yang Geum-yeon, Ae-sun’s daughter. I’m going to be honest—she was annoying sometimes. There were moments when I just wanted to shake her and ask, “Why are you like this?!” She acted selfish or distant at times, and it made it hard to connect with her. But I also understand that she’s a product of her own time and pain, and her character still adds a lot of weight to the story. Not everyone is meant to be likeable all the time—and that’s real life too. By the end, I appreciated her more.
What really stuck with me about this drama was how deeply it explores the quiet pain and strength of everyday life. It shows how people love, wait, lose, grow, and keep going. It’s about ordinary moments and how those small things build the story of a lifetime. I cried more than once—not just because it was sad, but because it felt so true. Sometimes it hit a little too close to home.
If you’ve ever felt like you were waiting for something or someone, if you’ve ever had dreams that felt too far away, or if you just want to feel seen and comforted, watch this drama. It’s gentle, thoughtful, and full of heart. When Life Gives You Tangerines gave me so much. It made me reflect, feel, and just breathe. I’m really grateful I watched it.
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ITS DRAMA OF THE YEAR(2025) FR
……………………………….……………………………….……………………………….………………………………i loved how its so good i got hooked on like from the first ep. and each volumes were so good and message was so well done. i literally bawled almost every episode like a baby even though I’m like literally in my thirties. but thats the thing. its so relatable yet so magical story and it shows. i really hope every one who needs it find this masterpiece and get some lesson and motivation they need for them……………………………….……………………………….……………………………….
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Intelligent, moving, REAL
This was a remarkable drama. It was the 327th K drama that I have completed, and the third which I have scored at 12/10. I score dramas at more than 10/10 when they impact me in some way that is more meaningful or more powerful than simply being a more or less flawless viewing experience. This drama scored 12 for touching me deeplyIt really was a very intelligent drama which is a rarity. The characters behaved like real people, and said some very smart things and some very stupid things. There were no saints, and very few sinners.
For making me think about "yesterday", for moving me to tears as its characters “gathered together to get through this thing called life", and in so doing reminding me of personal spring days and winter days, I am truly grateful that this drama was made. The literal Korean/Jejumal title of this drama apparently means "you did well" and to everyone involved in bringing it to life, I say "well done, thank you for NOT giving me a lemon."
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