Everything to know about ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When life gives you tangerines? Watch Netflix.

The latest K-drama to storm the Netflix charts is When Life Gives You Tangerines, a slice-of-life romance that explores the highs and lows of a lovestruck couple across 50 years. Kim Won-seok (Signal, My Mister) served as director, while Lim Sang-choon (When the Camellia Blooms) wrote the episodes.

Since debuting on March 7, the K-drama has charted the streamer’s top 10 in 42 different countries, making it a global hit.

So, what is When Life Gives You Tangerines about? And why does its star look so familiar? If you’re thinking of plucking this tangerine off the branch, we’ve got you covered. Read on for everything you need to know about When Life Gives You Tangerines.

What is When Life Gives You Tangerines about?

When Life Gives You Tangerines follows the tender and tumultuous relationship of Ae-sun and Gwan-sik across a half-century in Korea, from the humid shores of Jeju Island to the bustling thoroughfares of Seoul and Busan. The story begins in the 1960s and carries through to the present day.

Throughout Tangerines, the couple’s love is tested by natural disasters, disapproving parents, economic setbacks, and political strife. It’s not all dire, though — the series shows how struggle often coincides with great moments of beauty, from personal triumphs and career opportunities to building a family.

Director Kim Won-seok described it as “a tribute to the generations of grandmothers, grandfathers, fathers and mothers who have lived fiercely, and a song of encouragement for the daughters and sons who will navigate the world ahead,” per The Korea Herald.

Who’s in the cast of When Life Gives You Tangerines?

Leading When Life Gives You Tangerines is Lee Ji-eun, a performer better known as IU, her stage name as one of K-pop’s reigning idols. A crossover success, she’s been lauded by the likes of Billboard, Rolling Stone, and NME.

She’s also an accomplished actress, having previously starred in South Korean projects like My Mister (2018), for which she was nominated for a Baeksang Arts Award, and Dream (2023), one of EW’s favorite Korean movies on Netflix.

IU plays two roles on When Life Gives You Tangerines — a younger version of Ae-sun and, later, Gwan-sik and Ae-sun’s daughter, Geum-myeong. The Korea Herald commended her performance for “showcasing a remarkable range as vastly different characters living through different times.”

She stars alongside Park Bo-gum, who plays Gwan-sik. The Korea Herald also hailed his turn, saying that he “perfectly embodies Gwan-sik’s lovely, steadfast charm, creating an undeniable on-screen chemistry with Lee.”

The actor and musician has won several awards, including a Seoul International Drama Award and a Baeksang Arts Award for Love in the Moonlight (2016). His other credits include Hello Monster (2015), Reply 1988 (2015–2016), and Wonderland (2024).

Elder depictions of Ae-sun and Gwan-sik are played by veteran South Korean performers Moon So-ri and Park Hae-joon. Rounding out the cast is Yeom Hye-ran as Ae-sun’s hard-edged mother Jeon Gwang-rye and Kim Yong-rim as Park Mak-cheon, Gwan-sik’s shamanic grandmother.

How many episodes are there of When Life Gives You Tangerines?

There are 16 episodes of When Life Gives You Tangerines. They are split into four volumes, each representing a season.

What are critics saying about When Life Gives You Tangerines?

When Life Gives You Tangerines has been well-received, with critics praising the chemistry among its performers and the scope of the series, which folds the political and cultural milieu of Korea in tandem with its central relationship.

“When Life Gives You Tangerines can’t be bothered with genres. It isn’t a melodrama or a comedy, a slice-of-life or a character study, a romance or a mystery. It’s a culmination of those things,” reads a rave write-up from RogerEbert.com. “Painful when life is, filled with funny situations, immersed in day-to-day living, romantic because of their unending kind of love, and mysterious because we’re never sure what’s coming their way.”

In its 5-star review, the South China Morning Post says the series “masterfully bridged past and present, blurring the line between nostalgic reverie and pressing reality.”

It continues, “From creator Im Sang-choon’s rich scripts to the wonderful cast led by a magnetic IU and a sensational Moon, not to mention all the extraordinary technical contributors of this ambitious and sumptuously realised production, this is a gripping and rewarding show from start to finish.”

Where can I watch When Life Gives You Tangerines?

All 16 episodes of When Life Gives You Tangerines are currently streaming on Netflix.

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