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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it's a love letter
there's only a few productions around the world that can tell about mother's-daughter's love in such a significant and deep and real way. you can tell that everyone involved in the creation of this drama has such great love and understanding of life in such a poetic way, showing the love of generations of family. every character is it's own world of flaws and complexity but you can see it's just the effect of so much love and dreams happening inside of them.after warching this you'll see life in a different way. and also probably call your mom/dad
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when life gives you tangerines...in eyes
this drama is more than just a drama. it’s an EXPERIENCE. it's set against the breathtaking backdrop of jeju island (your classic sea side drama): a poignant tale of love, resilience, and generational struggles, capturing the quiet battles that shape a life.at its heart is oh aesun (iu), a fierce, determined woman fighting to break free from the limitations of her time. iu delivers a raw, deeply affecting performance, making ae sun’s struggles feel personal. opposite her, gwangsik (park bogum) is a steady, unwavering presence. his quiet devotion speaks louder than words, making their love story deeply moving and heartbreakingly tender. (he's adorable)
what sets this drama apart is its passage of time. we don’t just see young dreamers, we follow them across decades, witnessing their evolving love and the struggles of their children, yang eunmyeong and yang geummyeong. their lives mirror and contrast their parents’ journeys, emphasizing the cyclical nature of love and fate.
beyond romance, the drama beautifully weaves in korea’s socio-political history, particularly the struggles of women like ae sun’s mother (a haenyeo), whose quiet strength leaves a lasting impact.
☆ visually, it’s STUNNING. the cinematography turns jeju into a living, breathing character, and every scene feels like a painting. the soundtrack is phenomenal, folk-inspired melodies elevating the story’s emotional depth. and the dialogues? spectacularly written! heartbreaking, raw, and deeply poetic.
some dramas entertain while others stay with you. when life gives you tangerines does both. sweet yet tinged with bitterness, just like a perfectly ripe tangerine.
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More Than Just a Drama—A Heartfelt Lesson on Love and Family
I have watched many K-dramas before, but I never felt the need to write a review—until now. I’ve always watched for entertainment, but this drama moved me so deeply that I had to share my thoughts.If you love your parents or have ever hurt them—intentionally or unintentionally—this drama is a must-watch. It will change the way you see them and make you realize the struggles they’ve endured just to give their children a comfortable life, without expecting anything in return.
Beyond family, the love story between the two leads is incredibly touching. It beautifully portrays that love isn't just about saying "I love you" every day—it’s about showing it through actions. In fact, I think this is the first drama I’ve watched where the leads never even say those three words to each other because their efforts and devotion speak for themselves. Their love is pure, selfless, and deeply moving.
I guarantee that if you relate to this drama from the first episode, you will find yourself in tears throughout all 16 episodes. As an elder daughter, I connected with it on a personal level—it made me realize how much my parents have sacrificed and that I haven’t done enough for them yet. It has inspired me to work harder so I can give them the comfortable life they deserve.
Lastly, kudos to the writers, director, actors, and every person involved in bringing this masterpiece to life. They have done a phenomenal job, and this drama will always hold a place in my top five.
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Like A Tangerine: Sweet With A Touch Of Tartness
This drama gently breaks your heart, then wraps it in warmth. It’s poetic without trying too hard — just simple, real, and deeply human.The story captures life’s quiet moments: grief that lingers, love that heals, and how even the smallest things — like the smell of citrus — can carry the weight of memory.
It’s not loud or flashy, but it hits you where it matters. An emotional journey that lingers long after the final scene.
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A Tender Story That Touched My Heart
This drama leaves its mark on the soul; it will be difficult to overcome.When Life Gives You Tangerines quietly broke me in the best way. I didn’t expect to cry as much as I did, but so many scenes hit deep—sometimes because of what was said, and sometimes because of the silence between the characters. It’s a simple story, but full of emotion, nostalgia, and healing.
The slow pace lets you truly connect with the characters, and their journey felt so real it hurt—in a beautiful, cathartic way. The bond between the leads, the beautiful Jeju setting, and the quiet strength of the writing stayed with me long after I finished.
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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?
if could give it more than 10 i would!
I went in not having a clue what this kdrama was about. God damn it wrecked my heart. made me think of life and my parents and their sacrifices, but also my own husband and how much he does for me. the cast was fabulous, their acting was so heartfelt i just cried a lot lol, but i also laughed and could relate to so much of this drama, i never thought it could happen! this is an amazing drama definitely worth the watch and if you ever need a good cry this would definitely be the drama for it but not in a depressive way but just bitter sweetWas this review helpful to you?
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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one of the best kdramas of 2025
a love that spans throughout generations and a story of a family that endures all seasons 🍊any drama about family will make me cry, I remember crying my heart out while watching this series. even one of the scenes had me crying with sounds (hagulgol in tagalog lol). it’s really a heavy heartfelt drama. IU did an amazing job portraying her characters. i finished this for only five days since it was honestly good and highly recommend this kdrama (for both watchers and non watchers of korean drama). it’s been awhile since i watched something that resonated with me (as a first born son). this kdrama also reminded me that it is everyone’s first time in this life, so be kind.
the kdrama also made us of events that were aligned to the year it was set in, somehow it became a backdrop to it (e.g. IMF etc)
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This review may contain spoilers
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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