When Life Gives You Tangerines

Masterpiece like an old handwritten letter

One of the best kdrama that I watch and felt with all my being. It’s about resilience, survival, and the kind of love that doesn’t need to be shouted from the rooftops. Loved everything, from writing, acting, that is beyond words, how they developed the characters, an wonderful real life put on screen for inspiration of true partnership, hardworking, love, family, courage story about breaking generational trauma and the cinematography is like a poetry. At the beginning it was not my cup of tea, but somehow I felt to continue watching and yes, I am so grateful to watch this precious, beautiful love life masterpiece. It's a blessing to have a love, a partnership like this in these times. Truly profound and deep, to have this determination to choose, each decision made to move forward, to live on many times and to be happy and grateful at the end. After a week since I finished the story staid with me, has change some things inside me. Even if I cried at every episode I felt so much support to move forward even if life is hard and to trust God and Life and to act on my dreams. I don't have my own family, yet, but hope I will meet my own Gwan Sik to grow and to create together. So beautiful. So real. So painful. So full of joy.

I give it an 8 for rewatch as I think I don't want to be a witness second time. Maybe just if life puts me down, this is a good story to help me, to inspire to fight for my life, for my dreams, to be there for love. in that case it will be a 10.

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One for the ages: Unforgettable slice of life drama

Not sure how I could possibly articulate how I felt about this drama, but I truly felt like WLGYT will go down in history as a must-watch drama. Not often does a drama like this come along - one that makes your heart feel like it's ripping apart in pain, but also being mended together at the same time. I cried, I laughed, I hurt, I empathized, and at the end of it all, I sat back and reflected on how much their journey resonated with parts of my own life.

I cried almost every single episode, which I wasn't expecting. The drama is relentless in tugging at your heartstrings. For this reason alone, I don't know that I could rewatch this often. It required my full attention and focus in order for me to fully appreciate all that it had to offer.

IU and PBG were phenomenal in this. I felt like this was possibly one of IU's best performances yet. The acting all around was top notch, and I think played a huge factor in making this drama what it was.

Storyline - 10/10. The only thing I wished for more of, was exploring more about the favoritism on Geum-myeong and how that impacted the relationship with Eun-myeong. I know there was a lot of detail that they portrayed that didn't have to be said, but I think it would have been nice to focus on that just a touch more. The episode where they visited him in jail I felt was an incredible scene. Otherwise, no notes. They explored so many different dynamics between families, communities, siblings, relationships and across so many different years and eras. It was so beautifully done.

I think what made this drama special, was that if you could relate to all the dynamics, or you didn't relate, it still elicited either some form of gratefulness / understanding, or a sense of longing / wishfulness. I for example felt so much gratitude for all the mother-daughter dynamics as that is something I have felt my whole life with my mom. However, my relationship with my father was more complex, and so all father-daughter/son scenes tugged on a different heart string.

Slice of life drama's aren't for everyone, especially an incredibly emotional one like this one. That said, I think for those who enjoy these kinds of drama's will find that it is an exceptional drama.

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There’s something deeply human in the tendency to see life as a problem to solve, a raw material to reshape. But perhaps the true masterpiece—the work of a life well-lived—is learning to receive what’s given with wonder, not resistance.

I say this as someone who isn’t a parent. I wonder, though—do those who have held their child for the first time, who’ve learned to love in ways I can only begin to imagine, see this differently? Does the instinct to protect, nurture, and shape something so precious change how one receives life’s unexpected gifts?

To me, this series was a reminder that not every twist is a tragedy in disguise. Some are tangerines.

The actors—what they delivered was nothing short of immaculate. Their performances didn’t just serve the story; they became the story. I’ll carry this series with me for a long time, and I can’t help but wonder if they will too.

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No Words Can Describe

This is the first time I valued life seriously because of this. I am currently in a hard time situation with myself and my family and it is not good, I am depressed. The thing is, I have no GwanShik who will be on my side with all the ups and downs, and I also don't have a GwanShik father who will comfort me by patting my back, provide for us without getting angry, and be there for us personally. This drama touched my heart and went so deeply that I had to cry on every episode to let out all my loneliness, anger, and happiness. 2 days ago was the first time I had suicide thoughts and when I checked my phone I had a lot of signs from God that I shouldn't; I finished this drama to just let the time pass by, I cried a lot. This made me look back and appreciate people and hardships in life. I realized I need to be Ae Sun, she is strong, diligent and intelligent. Ae Sun is the person I really want to be. If I am gonna advice my own self, I will just say "be Ae Sun". She went through a lot and so am I. She may become a poet at the peak of her age but at least she did everything whether she liked it or not. Her and Gwanshik had a lot of dreams for themselves and their family but life isn't easy and perfect however they went through it because of their love and because of each other's bright. Ae Sun may not married a man who is rich that we all wanted but she married Gwan Shik because he was patient with her, he wanted to be happy with her, he wanted to share everything he knows and he owns, he fights for her until the end, even their hair turned gray, Gwashik still treated her like they were kids and most of all every way he do to speaks out for her. Those will never be heavier than being rich. I may want to die because of money but if I have a person like GwanShik, I will strive to live a long with my Mother's teachings and memories.

Her poems is so pretty. I cry everytime I read them, I hope I can read them in reality.

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i will never look at tangerines the same ever again

i've been trying to think about how i should start this review, what to say to convince any readers that need that extra push to pick this one up and how to do this drama justice through my words but i honestly think i won't ever be able to.

i was watching while it was airing then watched the last volume over the course of a month and a half because i just simply did not want it to end. i honestly can't recall a single form of media that has been able to evoke this much emotion from me. sure, i'm an empath, but crying every episode? multiple times? they laced the plot with something, i'm telling you...

it's jam packed with true, raw emotion that sometimes hits a bit too close to home. a story of love and sacrifice across three generations of a family, an absolute must watch if you're an eldest daughter or the 'pillar' of your family.

it will make you want to pick up the phone and call your loved ones asap. life is short, tell them you love them <3

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Parental Love is the Greatest Love

Just when you thought your life has been hard, always remember that your parents had face much more worst than what you can imagine. That was one lesson I've picked up from When Life Gives You Tangerine.

This drama highlights unconditional love that parents have towards their children. It depicts what a mother and a father can give in order to provide the best kind of life for them.

Moreover, this also proves that marriage is not scary if you marry someone like Gwansik. Someone who is ever willing to give up everything, his life, enjoyment, what he wants just to help Aesun out.

Overall this drama is such a great tribute to the greatest persons of our lives, our loving parents. A way to remind us of their sacrifices and what they have went through. Love your parents always.

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The unexpected drama that captivated me

I never thought I’d fall so deeply in love with a drama that wasn’t set in high school or didn’t center only around high school romance. That used to be my comfort zone, and I truly believed nothing else could ever top those kinds of stories. But because of the hype around When Life Gives You Tangerines, I decided to give it a try—without much expectation. After watching episode 1, I thought, Okay, this is good. But by episode 2, I was completely hooked. GwanSik and Ae Sun’s story pulled me in, and I couldn’t stop watching.

One particular episode that stayed with me forever was when GwanSik wanted to marry Ae Sun, but she had dreams of being rich and independent. She was supposed to go on a blind date with a man from the mainland—something she didn’t truly want, but with a crumbled heart, she went ahead with it. Deep down, Ae Sun actually wanted GwanSik, but her mind pushed her toward something else. But then, she suddenly had a change of heart. While GwanSik was on the ship, heading toward his future, Ae Sun came running to the port and called out his name. And in one of the most powerful scenes I’ve ever seen, GwanSik jumped from the ship and swam through the middle of the ocean to reach her. I honestly thought it was a dream—most dramas make moments like that imaginary—but no, it really happened. And that made me incredibly happy.

This drama shattered all my expectations. I cried rivers and oceans while watching it. The love, the sacrifices, the raw emotion—everything hit so deeply. GwanSik set a new standard for what a husband and father should be. Despite being poor, he treated his wife like a queen and loved his daughter with everything he had. Even after death, his presence remained in the little things. When Life Gives You Tangerines is not just a drama—it’s an experience. It has officially become my number one favorite, and I genuinely wish it gets the worldwide recognition it deserves.

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When Life Gives You Tangerines: A Bittersweet Mirror of Every Chapter I’ve Lived

I cannot remember the last time I cried over a K-Drama. I think I stopped crying over movies and series when life hit me hard, so no matter how heartbreaking the show is, nothing beats the drama IRL.

'When Life Gives You Tangerines' is typically not my usual K-Drama Genre, but when I saw that the lead actors are two of my favorites (IU & Park Bo Gum), no questions asked, I instantly watched it! Not to mention, Kim Seon Ho??? I know right? I didn't look up the cast, so when I saw him, I did not believe my eyes. After seeing his smile trend on TikTok, I realized it was actually him!

I have invested so much emotion in this show. Just like Ae Sun, I used to love writing. Writing helped me survive high school; it was my outlet, and the pen was my friend. I would write my heart out in the journals for our English subject, and I would feel huge relief afterward. But during college, when the pandemic hit, the fire in me started fading away, and one day... I just woke up, and I didn't care anymore. In high school, when I wanted to be saved, that is why I never stopped writing; it was a cry for help. But in college, I just didn't want to be saved anymore. Of course, I still had an outlet, turning an impossible dream into today's career. I was happy with what I have achieved with that ambition, but something is still missing. There is still a gap in my heart. (Which later turned out to be a condition according to my shrink, but that story is for another time.)

This K-Drama has broken my heart so many times. Somewhere between the subtle storytelling and the heart-wrenching silences, I found myself thinking of my mom. Of all the times, she chose to stay strong when the world gave her every reason to fall apart. Every scene felt like a memory I'd forgotten: how we used to ride the bus to her work in Pampanga, how she would take me to SM after that, how she never let me run out of CDs to watch (because I loved watching movies as a child), and how she carried dreams she never got to chase — all so I could chase mine. This reminded me of how love isn't always loud. Sometimes, it whispers, trying to hold everything together.

And tangerine as a metaphor? Sweet on the outside, but sometimes unexpectedly sour, just like life. Just like us. This K-Drama is a quiet reminder that even in pain, there's beauty. And in memories, even the ones that hurt, there's something worth holding on to, because that is what made us into the people we are today.

If you've ever felt lost, left behind, or nostalgic for who you used to be... this one will break your heart. (And it's gonna be worth it!)

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