A poignant story following the love story of a couple that is always rooting for each other!
I had zero expectations coming into this drama. It was getting popular and my friends asked if I was watching, naturally I gave it a try.'When Life Gives You Tangerines' gave me the vibes of daily Japanese dramas called asadora(s). They typically follow a female protagonist throughout their life including building a family for themselves or making a name for themselves. That's exactly what we see in this drama but obviously condensed into 16 episodes. Usually I would think 16 episodes feels too short and fast paced to connect and understand each character but WLGYT was well paced and thought out. Every episode just felt perfect, not too fast and not too slow. Just the right pacing for me.
There were many life lessons that everyone can take from this drama.
I think my top three were: 1. Never settle for less and don't put yourself down just to please others. 2. Even if you grew up with nothing, know that your parents tried their very best to keep you fed and happy. 3. Cherish every moment, who knows what could happen. Take care of your family especially your parents. 😭
The acting of each and every actor and actress were amazing and natural. No complaints, just applause especially to IU.
Highly recommend! :)
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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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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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This review may contain spoilers
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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definitely the best Korean drama of 2025
if you do not want to cry you shouldn't watch this while this is definitely the best Korean drama I've ever watched I was definitely sobbing I mean it had the right amount of comedy to it as well so I was laughing too but overall you should just watch it because it's really good and it's based on a true story which helps tie all the things together but it's really good .Was this review helpful to you?
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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What gift to the world in spring of 2025! Thank you Thank youuu!
What a precious gift to give to the world in the spring of 2025! WLGYT✨🌸!This is arguably one of the best dramas of all time and I recommend EVERYONE to watch it. Wow what a raw, relatable, heartfelt piece of art!!! I am a better person after watching this masterpiece! Thank you to the genius screenwriters, director, cast, and crew for this gift in 2025 and for showing our generation what true love should look like and what "women's empowerment" truly means. At a time like this, when all media does is promote "be in your feminine energy" and sexualizes everyone and everything, even little girls, we truly needed this gem! Hope the world learns from WLGYT and makes more meaningful quality content :,)
And don't even get me started on the perfect casting. The actors did a marvelous job. Bogum and IU..... such acting gods <33 One scene that will forever haunt me is the ocean scene where Bogum and IU found their son.. it's the definition of "Oscar-winning tears". Bravo🧡 This drama will always have a place in my heart🧡
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A great k-drama
A very emotional, touching drama about the endless, lifelong love of two people. I cannot add anything else, it would seem anachronic and dusty. Everything, starting with actors' play, screenplay and directing is flawless, in my humble opinion. However, I am not sure I'll be able to watch it again.Was this review helpful to you?
A drama about life, loss, and love
This drama spans 3 generations with a little back and forth with the flashbacks. Usually I find these annoying but in this drama it helps one get a better perspective. No annoying or over the top leads, mature age appropriate roles and acting. I’ve been in a drama slump for a while and this one made me want to keep watching. It’s a story about dreams, love, loss, acceptance, but most of all about life.Was this review helpful to you?
They deserve all the awards in 2025!
They deserve all the awards in 2025! This is an exciting, fascinating series, with a very well-written plot and well-built characters! The story is so moving, I cried from the first episode to the last! For me, this series and My Dearest have entered my list of precious and poetic series! Congratulations to the actors and the entire team! I hope they win all the awards in 2025 because they really deserve it! A true masterpiece!Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
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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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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