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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KRAMA OF THE YEAR SO FAR.
"When life gives you tangerines" is for all daughters and their mothers, who were also once daughters.────୨ৎ────
in the end, we all end up living as orphans. even though parents die first, their children carry on. life goes on and on.
────୨ৎ────
it really showed all the ups and downs of parenthood, the countless sacrifices your parents make that you probably don’t even realize or might never realize and the story of womanhood. they knew exactly what they were doing by making me cry throughout this entire women's month with every episode. it felt like a love letter from women to women and made me think about the disgusting amount of misogyny that has existed in every part of the world for ages but i’m so proud of what women are becoming now — claiming what’s theirs and fighting for their rights. i just wish the world had been kinder to us.
i honestly can’t explain exactly how i feel. i have so much to say, but i don’t know how to arrange the words and put them together but in summary women are beautiful, amazing people.
also, my queen IU, ilysm <3
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Work of art!
An exceptional work of art. The narrative, characters, settings, emotional depth, and conflicts are remarkable. It's insightful to consider this a reflection of life's complexities. Life presents challenges; when faced with obstacles, frustration is often directed towards parental figures. Experiencing significant hardship at only 22 years of age, I find this drama both inspiring and motivating. The central relationship serves as a relatable and aspirational model. Beyond personal enrichment, this drama fosters perseverance in the face of adversity, reinforcing the belief that brighter times will follow. Collaboration and faith are key. Currently grappling with the consequences of a poor decision, this drama has reignited my motivation and resolve.Thank you for this outstanding production. This is truly exceptional.
452pm 51925
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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?
Masterpiece Series
The series is just mind blowing. Everyone should be watch the series. No matter how much I praise, words will fall short.The series is just mind blowing. Everyone should be watch the series. No matter how much I praise, words will fall short.
The series is just mind blowing. Everyone should be watch the series. No matter how much I praise, words will fall short.
The series is just mind blowing. Everyone should be watch the series. No matter how much I praise, words will fall short.
The series is just mind blowing. Everyone should be watch the series. No matter how much I praise, words will fall short.
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Masterpiece.
This kdrama touched my soul in a way nothing ever did. Decided to watch It after seeing everyone talking about It and It ended being the most beautiful show I've ever watched.It comforted me and broke me apart at the same time. I cried every episod, I can't.
It makes you realize how many things around us we take for granted, mostly our parents and what they do for us. I'm very attached to my family, mostly my mom, and some episodes were though, impossible to threathen my tears.
The cast Is amazing, the actors literally lived their characters, I fell in love with Iu and her acting skills, she managed to showcast mother and daughter perfectly, and have amazing chemistry with all of the male leads; but the way she portrayed AeSun is unforgettable, I coud always feel my empathy towards her no matter what.
Gwansik is THE standard, best male lead in kdrama history. The way he lived only for AeSun and his children until the very end. His ending broke me in tears: the way he asked for reassurance that she lived a happy life with him, the way he settled the kitchen lower because he wouldn't be around to help her and the way he brought hairclips for the next years after She told him who will buy them for her.
I will never get over them, may a love like their finds me every lifetime. They took care of each other until the end without regretting a single moment of how It went.
The scene where she cries in his arms in bed HAUNTS me. I love them too much.
I wanted to cry every scene that included adult Gwansik to be honest, his scenes with his daughter, the marriage and mostly his last scenes, they destroted me.
To the most beautiful drama, thank you for showing me what love is and what life Is about, thank you for showing us what to do.
"Thanks to you, my life has been spring everyday. Until the spring we meet again."
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if u didn't like it then u didnt understand the story n characters
I loved this drama so much 😭 i dont remember crying over a drama like this for so long, i loved the acting and that simple but not rly story. Remember to prepare tissues 🙂↕️ I almost drowned w my tears. I loved that we could see story from almost every character pov. IU's acting was so good that i lit didnt noticed that she played 2 characters. ......................................................................................................................................................Was this review helpful to you?
In the end , it's our family.
Drama is about life and family love. i end up crying is my husband gona be like main leads. it tells a perfect love story for generations and green forest male. That parents do love you and dialougs of daughter for her mothers were like my thoughts for my mother and i end up being angry over children that try to understand your parents bit and be nice but that's how we are..10\10
Theme: A story of persons , how we live ,how we need love .. story of generations . a person can't be perfect . always love yourself...
Character: Every character has it's own responsibility.. everybody is trying to live their best. characters are loving no one is being over. they make you cry so muchh.
Acting : Everybody knows what were they doing. acting really make you feel their emotions. everyone was lead.
Visual: Classic production , scenes are really pretty with actors beauty. everything was beautifully illustrated.
In the end a tearjerk, straight 17 mins in and i found my self weeping like a child..
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FEEL GOOD DRAMA?
Such a wholesome and heartwarming watch🩷.The countryside vibes, friendships, and family ties felt so real❤️.
It’s simple, yet it hits you emotionally in the best way🩷.
The characters grow on you and leave a lasting impact❤️.
A sweet reminder to find joy in the little things life gives us🩷
What makes this drama special is its simplicity🩷. There’s no unnecessary rush, no forced drama—just heartfelt storytelling😍. The characters feel real, like people you’d meet in your own life❤️. Their struggles, friendships, and moments of quiet growth are relatable and touching🩷. You’ll smile at their little joys and maybe even tear up during their silent heartbreaks❤️.
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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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Watch this drama if you want to become a better person
This drama by itself, is poetry for the profound ordinary that is depicted in life and in Korean culture. From beginning to end, it was bittersweet, but it made life feel beautiful, even during its ugliest moments.The story was simple yet deeply layered: the love story between Oh Ae-Sun and Yang Gwan-Sik. Acting was superb. Raw, emotional, and realistic. Production and cinematography captures the beauty of life quite well. I really wish I was fluent in Korean, because it was clear the subtitles on Netflix didn’t fully capture the depth of the writing.
The pacing started out a bit slow, not in terms of when things happened, but in how much substance there was early on. However, it quickly found its rhythm and maintained a steady, meaningful pace for the rest of the episodes.
Honestly, I don't exactly know how to feel about this drama. On one hand, everything was perfect, on the other hand, it became hard to watch because of my inability to cope with the reality of adversity that often comes upon the best and kindest people in this world. The only nitpicky criticism is that due to all the time jumps, I lost my immersion trying to calculate the ages of the characters.
Art, at its core, is the artist’s way of showing the world through their eyes. After watching this drama, I began to see and appreciate my own life through the lens they offered. It changed the way I reflect on my experiences and the community around me, and opened my heart to allow me to love more freely and openly. As the story progresses, I could feel myself growing and maturing along with the characters.
Entertainment and media have the power to influence what we believe, so why not choose to watch a piece of art that inspires you to grow, reflect, and appreciate your own life with more depth and beauty?
If you are looking for a show that depicts healthy parenting, men with green flags and green forests, resilient women, emotional slow burns, and nuanced story writing, then you will love When Life Gives You Tangerines.
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Wroth every second!
This story truly resonates with the heart. The emotional depth is evident throughout the narrative. It's a captivating experience from beginning to end. The beauty of the storytelling is simply remarkable. This is a must-see for anyone who appreciates a touching tale.I think this is this years absolut tearjerker 😭 Is such a beautiful story. ?🩷 Even though you gonna cry alot its worthwhile to watch.
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