Controversial opinion but I enjoyed the love story between Ae-Sun’s daughter Yang Geum-myeong, the military guy, Park Yeong-Bum and the artist, Park Chung-seob. I feel it was more developed and happened more linearly whereas Ae-suns and Gwansik happened way to quickly and there was no real development to them getting together. I personally don’t see the hype with this one, maybe it’s just the genre as it isn’t something I usually venture into. I really tried giving this one a go but after a while the characters became tiresome. Especially Ae-sun she’s so whiny and annoying! Gwansik changes so much from the beginning to when he’s an adult, his personality changes to the point where it feels like an entirely different character. The story felt way to melodramatic and just using it as a way to make people feel something. It really repetitive and annoying the fact that so many characters kept dying, I understand why it’s added but it got to the point where I couldn’t care less who it was. Ae-Sun & Gwansik aren’t the best parents either they completely sideline their youngest son not caring about him at all, whereas the oldest daughter gets the most attention and the best treatment. The flashbacks to present to past got really tedious too, the show would’ve been so much better if it just stayed linearly instead of jumping back and forth between the four decades. This drama just feels like another overhyped kdrama that’s really not worth watching.
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When Life Gives You Tangerines – A Heartfelt Slice of Life That Had Me in a Flood of Tears
I’m still emotionally recovering from this one. The ugly crying I did… THE SOBBING I DID… I can’t even. There was a flood in here.When Life Gives You Tangerines is not just a drama; it’s a deeply moving, painfully raw, and heartbreakingly real portrayal of life, love, and family.
This is NOT a fairy tale romance drama. There’s no sugarcoating, no magical happy endings that suddenly fix everything. Instead, it walks you through the highs and lows of life, the messy emotions, the regrets, and the love that exists even when it's unspoken. It shows how we hurt the people we love without meaning to and how we find our way back to them, often too late or in ways we never expected.
Yang Gwan Sik – The Man, The Myth, The Father We All Wish We Had
If there’s one character that completely took over my heart, it’s Yang Gwan Sik. A father, a husband, a man who carried his family with unwavering strength and quiet tenderness. EVERYONE would want a father like him. The way he loved, the way he silently endured, the way he put his family above all else—I just… I’m a mess. The way he would show his love in the smallest gestures, the way he was always there even when words failed—it broke me.
Parent-Child Relationships – Raw, Heartfelt, and Painfully Real
This drama understands something that most of us struggle with—our relationships with our parents. It’s not easy to argue with them and not feel regretful afterward. We don’t intentionally want to hurt them, but sometimes frustration builds up—frustration with ourselves, with our surroundings—and we say things we don’t mean. It doesn’t have to be something big, just a small slip of the tongue… sometimes we realize and feel sorry for it in that very moment, and other times, we realize it as we grow. This drama captures that feeling perfectly.
The way they showed their love for Geum Myeong melted my heart. They cherished her, cared for her in the tiniest ways, made sure she never lacked anything. But when it came to Eun Myeong… the contrast was clear. His mother, Ae Sun, saw herself in her daughter and wanted to shield her from the same struggles she faced. I understand her perspective—what parent wouldn’t want to ensure their child has a better life? But in doing so, it felt like Eun Myeong received less attention, often standing on the sidelines while Geum Myeong was at the center. It wasn’t outright neglect, but he still felt a little neglected, and it made me feel for him.
The Acting, The Cast, The Cinematography – PURE PERFECTION
The performances? Absolutely top-tier. Not a single weak link in this cast. The emotions felt so natural that I forgot I was watching a drama—I felt like I was peeking into real lives. The way the actors conveyed love, grief, regret, and unspoken emotions was just chef’s kiss perfection.
And let’s talk about the cinematography—STUNNING. The village, the sea —everything felt so alive, like a character of its own. The way the visuals complemented the emotions? Breathtaking. Every frame was soaked in nostalgia and warmth, yet tinged with an underlying melancholy.
Final Thoughts –
When Life Gives You Tangerines is not a light watch. It’s the kind of drama that lingers, the kind that makes you reflect on your own relationships, the kind that makes you want to call your parents just to say thank you or I’m sorry—or both.
It’s raw. It’s painful. It’s beautiful
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This review may contain spoilers
It might be boring if you watched a lot of kdrama
When Life Gives You Tangerines is a drama with a historical backdrop that introduces two generations, one from the 1970s and one from the 1990s. I’ll skip the summary and focus on the key points that I found important—things that will follow you throughout your viewing experience. There are both positive and negative aspects, so let’s talk about them!The cast is serious—you’ve seen it on the poster: Park Bo Gum and IU. Even the supporting cast is strong, featuring actors we often see on screen (perhaps too often, which can break immersion), such as Moon So Ri. The acting is good, very good. Park Bo Gum delivers deeply moving emotions—his performance reminded me of Ji Sung in The Devil Judge, where he conveys sorrow and pain without overdoing it. It’s an excellent contrast to IU’s rather average performance; in some scenes, she fails to truly break our hearts. For example, in the scene where she finds her son in a pitiful state after a long search, it was difficult to feel her pain in response to the event. I won’t dwell too much on the acting—it’s up to you to experience it for yourself. For me, a strong lead actor is enough to carry an entire series. Ji Sung and Park Jin Young are great examples of this.
Now, let’s talk about the plot, which I don’t find particularly impressive. More precisely, I think certain events are rather unnecessary. For example, the women on the island do nothing but complain, and Ae Sun’s mother constantly whines. The writer seems to want us to form an emotional attachment to her just because she is Ae Sun’s mother, but she quickly becomes irritating and tiresome. The mistreatment of Bu Sang Gil’s wife is somewhat touching but not deeply so, as he doesn’t seem to visit her often. At least, that’s what he says—his actions could tell a different story. Then there’s the feeling of uselessness and sadness surrounding Yang Gwan Sik, which wasn’t properly explored. Other dramas have delved into such emotions more effectively, even within a single hour, as seen in Move to Heaven. These are examples of moments that might touch your heart slightly, but if you have good emotional control, you won’t shed a tear—nothing is particularly surprising, and very few things are emphasized properly.
I can’t give the plot a high rating. For instance, if they had removed the scenes with the elderly, slightly deaf owners of the small house, and instead focused on Yang Gwan Sik’s difficult life, the drama could have been exceptional. We would have been fully immersed in Yang Gwan Sik’s heart, his pain, and his suffering.
The music isn’t great—it’s no Scarlet Heart Ryeo. I wouldn’t listen to any of the OSTs again. They fit the theme, but they lack charm. I also don’t think I would watch this drama a second time. Only Park Bo Gum’s scenes are truly interesting, and I believe he has more compelling dramas in his catalog.
I rate the drama 6.5/10.
Thanks for reading, friends, and enjoy your viewing!
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the most heartbreaking shit i have ever watched
guys like i can not be the only one 😭💔i had mixed feelings i cried and i laughed i really thought that i was crazy like the storyline😭💔😭💔😭💔the acting😭💔😭💔😭💔 i would consider this officially the best kdrama of 2025 like guysssss i cried so hard my eyes are still hurting
anyways i really really really recommend this drama i love this genre like i jqbabjakk1kk1k2jznbzbdbdvve
i mean it's youth of may + hometown cha cha cha mixed with jeong neon like the mix is really perfect
the cinematography eats too like guys is this even real😭💔
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A Staggering Masterpiece
You know when you watch something and know you're just watching art? Watching something that speaks to so many different things simultaneously while also being gorgeous to look at? To witness some incredible acting performances that should be awarded awards from ACROSS the world? That's what When Life Gives You Tangerines is.Kim Wonsuk, the director and Im Sangchoon the writer, just came together for a masterpiece that I don't know can ever be duplicated. Not only the skill of going between timelines, forward and back and with a dozen characters, is masterful. It all felt smooth.
IU, Moon Sori, Park Bogum, and Park Haejoon just brought themselves to levels above. About life, about family, about love, about generational pain. It's all here.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Promising Start That Fades Too Soon(for me)
Set in the 1960s on Jeju Island, this heartfelt drama follows Oh Ae-sun( played by IU), a bold and rebellious young woman who dreams of becoming a poet despite growing up in poverty. With no access to formal education, she refuses to let her circumstances define her, expressing herself through her love for literature.On the other hand, Yang Gwan-sik(played by park bo-gum) is a hardworking and reserved man who has always silently watched over Ae-sun. Though he doesn’t say much, his actions speak volumes, his unwavering devotion to her shapes the course of both their lives.
Reviewww~~~:
I have to say, I loved the beginning of this drama. The setting in the 1960s made it feel unique since I don’t usually watch K-dramas from that time period. The historical backdrop added an interesting layer, and the acting was incredibly realistic—IU and Park Bo-gum truly carried the emotions of the story.
But despite the strong start, I ended up dropping it. The romance followed the usual K-drama formula, and once the couple got together, there just weren’t enough exciting moments or new phases to keep me hooked. It started feeling like many other slow-burn romance dramas, and the lack of action made it drag for me.
Yes, it made me cry, and that’s thanks to the brilliant acting, especially from IU and Park Bo-gum. If it weren’t for them, I probably would’ve dropped it after the first episode (not saying other actors are bad! 🙏).
As for the OST, I honestly didn’t notice anything particularly memorable. No standout music or songs stuck with me after watching.
Final thoughts? If you’ve seen a lot of romance K-dramas, this one might feel overrated because it doesn’t bring anything new past the initial setup. It’s beautifully acted but lacks enough twists or action to keep it truly engaging.
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A wonderful drama
Absolutely loved it.From the beginning you get expectations about what the story may be or how it's going to end with the way the first episode starts, I had been given some spoilers as well, but I assure you, there is nothing preparing you for what you'll experience.
It was beautifully written, the dialogues were to remember, some very poetic, others very reflective, but always sort of fitting, just like the interactions between the characters, everything felt so natural and real. IU did an amazing job playing two different characters and, aside from the background, the date and other elements indicating which version she was playing, you could tell from the differences in personality between the mother and the daughter and that speaks volumes of the kind of actress she is. The rest of the cast will not let you down either.
It made me feel happy, sad, nostalgic and hopeful. It shows you how much a life can go through and how precious every moment is. How life doesn't have to be flashy to be meaningful, and love can be cute and devoted, but also passionate or simply comfortable and it's equally rewarding no matter which is the case.
The pace of the series was really good, it honestly didn't disappoint in any way. The only reason I wouldn't watch it again would be I don't wanna cry because it does pull the strings of your heart a lot, and I don't usually cry. I would recommend this to anyone that appreciates a good story and is not afraid to drop a tear or two.
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My first time wanting to rewatch a drama
I thought long and hard about writing a review to reflect just how much this drama impacted me but I just decided I wanted to just make it simple. This is the most beautifully Written drama I have watched in a very long time if not ever. There were no villains in this, just the complexity of humanity and their stories.I decided to Rewatch it today because I didn’t put my full attention at the beginning and now it is an even more beautiful experience than the first time. I’m crying as I type, that’s how deeply this story impacted my heart.
The writers, the actors, the Director, the cinematographers, the crew… All absolutely phenomenal!
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WATCH IT PLEASE IT IS LIFE CHANGING
“Parents dwell on what they couldn’t give, while children dwell on what they couldn’t get” 🍊🍊🍊Where do I even start? This series is a MASTERPIECE. It is indeed ONE FOR THE BOOKS!!!! The dialogues, acting etc. is exceptional. I can’t even find a word to describe it, from episode 1-16 I find myself crying non stop. When I tell you that I have never been this swollen in my entire life from crying. Sooo many life lessons that has been tackled here, very very insightful. The love between Aesun and Gwan Sik was unbeatable, their love story can be called “LEGENDARY” by itself. One thing that I will always remember anout this series that has taugh me was to not take our parents for granted, always make time for them and be there for them until their last breath. Thank you for this series!!! 🧡🧡🧡🍊🍊🍊
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A Love Story That Stands the Test of Time
Some stories don’t just entertain; they touch something deep within you, leaving behind a feeling you can’t quite put into words. When Life Gives You Tangerines is one of those rare dramas—a beautifully tender and bittersweet journey that unfolds like poetry on screen.Set against the breathtaking landscapes of Jeju Island, the drama follows Ae-sun and Gwan-sik as they navigate love, longing, and the weight of time. From their youthful days in the 1960s to the present, their story isn’t just about romance, it’s about endurance, sacrifice, and the quiet strength of the heart. IU and Park Bo-gum deliver performances that feel achingly real, making you believe in their love, in their struggles, and in the unspoken words that linger between them.
Every moment in this drama is drenched in emotion, not through grand declarations but through the subtle glances, the lingering silences, the way time passes and yet some feelings remain unchanged. It’s a story that understands that love isn’t always loud,it’s sometimes found in waiting, in yearning, in simply existing side by side despite the years that slip away.
Beyond its moving narrative, When Life Gives You Tangerines is a visual masterpiece. The golden glow of the tangerine orchards, the vastness of the sea, the warmth of a fading sunset, every frame is a work of art, capturing not just the beauty of Jeju, but the emotions woven into its landscapes. The cinematography doesn’t just set the scene; it breathes life into it, making the past and present feel like memories unfolding before your eyes.
This isn’t just a drama, it’s an experience. It’s the kind of story that lingers in your heart long after it ends, like the taste of something sweet and nostalgic. When Life Gives You Tangerines reminds us that love, in all its forms, is timeless. And sometimes, even when life takes us in different directions, the heart remembers where it belongs.
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Once in a Lifetime Drama
A true masterpiece, it's one of those dramas that will stay with you forever. I never felt so many emotions watching a drama. So thankful to the cast and crew who contributed towards this masterpiece. Everyone did such a fantastic job in this show; I am truly speechless. It has taken the position of No. 1 drama in my heart. I recommend this show to everyone; please watch it.Was this review helpful to you?
Simple yet Epic
Other (awesome) reviews on this site have gone into great detail. I’ll be brief:This show depicts the extraordinariness of the ordinary.
Across multiple generations, these characters live normal, simple lives, that are (of course) anything but simple, or ordinary.
So beautiful. So real. So painful. So full of joy.
I love everything about this.
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That is where I wanted my review to end, so you can stop reading now. However, I have to hit 500 characters, so let me just praise IU by saying I’ve loved her in everything I’ve seen her in.
My Mister and now When Life Gives You Tangerines are both on my list of most loved, most moving, most thought-provoking K-dramas of ALL TIME.
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