When Life Gives You Tangerines is kind of like a Michelin-star meal. There are a lot of ingredients and prep that goes into the small dish. You may not taste and appreciate all the details that went into it, but it’s still delicious. That’s how I felt watching this drama. There’s so much layered storytelling happening that I know I missed a few details, but it’s overall a great drama.
Here’s my review of When Life Gives You Tangerines.
For those who haven’t watched it
Should you watch this?
If you want a show that feels quite realistic about what it’s like to live through a tough life, you should watch this.
If you want to cry, you should watch this show.
If you want something fast paced, you should avoid this show at all costs.
What is When Life Gives You Tangerines about?
For Those Who Have Watched It
The Good
Rich Storytelling In Just 16 Episodes
The drama covers 50 years worth of life across three different generations of IU’s character. That’s a lot of ground to cover in just 16 episodes. But somehow, the drama pulls it off.
You really get to see how each generation differs, how society and cultural norms shift over time, and how those changes shape each character’s life.
What stood out to me was how much of it felt relatable. Just like IU, I was that troublesome kid in school, and my Mom always got involved with the teachers. When I was in college, I wanted to go study abroad, but it was hard to come up with the money. And as someone currently in the young working adult phase of life, I really connected with IU in those moments about work-life balance and everyday stress from family and loved ones.
The drama also does a great job weaving together different perspectives. Some of the perspectives that stood out to me included: IU as a child versus as an adult, husbands and wives trying to raise a family, parents and kids navigating growing up and growing apart. I felt like these shifting viewpoints added depth and richness to the story, making it feel quite honest and grounded.
IU’s Role In The Drama
IU did a phenomenal job on and off screen. She acted two different characters, sang a song for the drama (I only learned about this after finishing the drama), and narrated throughout the drama. I’m a big IU fan already, but her work on this drama was truly impressive!
Playing multiple characters is extremely tough because you have to convince the audience that you’re two different people. I thought IU did that really well with her as a mom versus her younger self.
I really appreciated the drama for including her narration during scenes. It really helped me understand her character, her thought process, and what was going through the mind of her character.
Yeom Hye-ran as Ae-sun’s Mom
Even though she was primarily there for only one episode (she pops in and out in other episodes), she did a phenomenal job as Ae-sun’s mom. She brought all the emotions into her character to really make me believe that there was more to her than just being a tough and emotionally callused Mom. She loved and cared for her kids so much.
I’m glad that she won the Best Supporting Actress Award at the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards.
The Relatively Shorter Episodes
I’m really glad most of the episodes were under an hour. If they were any longer, I honestly don’t think I would’ve stayed as focused.
The drama is pure slice-of-life. It explores the ups and downs of everyday living. And while the Jeju setting adds some seaside charm, the theme itself isn’t exactly new. Plus, it covers a lot of stages of life – from childhood to working adult to parenthood. Because of the wide scope, the story didn’t always resonate with me. The shorter episodes definitely helped keep me engaged.
The Bad
A Little Too Much Crying
I’m pretty sure there was crying in almost every episode. I could be wrong, but it definitely felt like a lot, especially in the beginning. Some of the sobbing even felt a bit forced at times, which made those moments less impactful and more cringy for me.
What I thought could’ve been better
More Time Dedicated To Life After Gwan-sik’s Death
We see how devastating Gwan-sik’s death is for the family toward the end, but that moment felt short-lived. I felt like everybody moved on quickly. I really wish the drama had spent more time exploring the aftermath. What about Gwan-sik’s Mom? What about Ae-sun’s daily life as the widow? Did she continue working at the shop or did she sell it?
This actually ties into a bigger point: what the drama does well is also where it struggles. There’s so much happening that certain storylines don’t get the time they deserve. The pacing felt very front-heavy, and as a result, some of the later moments didn’t get the emotional weight they needed.
Life themes in When Life Gives You Tangerines
Parents Are Human Too
They aren’t perfect. They make mistakes. They don’t always know what’s best. But that’s because, just like us, they’re human.
As Gwan-sik said right before he died: try not to nag and be kind to your parents. You never know the weight they were carrying.
We Are To Be Better Than Our Parents
Our parents work hard to give us the life they never had. As their children, we also grow up with more resources, more tools, and more knowledge than they did.
So in some way, we carry a responsibility to not just honor our parents, but to also become better versions of them. To live in a way that reflects their sacrifices and extends their own hopes and dreams.
Hard Work Pays Off and Builds Character
Hard work doesn’t always pay off right away, but if you show up consistently, give your best, and stay patient, the fruits of your labor will come—just like they did for Gwan-sik.
When people recognize your hard work, you earn a little something called respect. Respect may not buy you your freedom, but it will earn you character and reputation that lasts.
The Walk of Life is Never A Straight Line
The path is curvy. It’ll go up, down, forwards, and backwards. Sometimes, you’ll have to take 4 steps back just to take 3 steps forward.
Marriage Isn’t Just Marrying Your Partner
When you marry somebody, you’re not just marrying them. You’re also marrying their family as well. If their family doesn’t like you, that can be enough to break off the marriage, which is what happened to Ae-sun.
Give Without Expecting Anything In Return
When you give without expecting anything in return, you open the door for life to surprise you in profound ways.
We see this in Gwan-sik. He saves a lady from killing herself. When the lady comes back to thank him and offers to give back, Gwan-sik gently declines. He didn’t save her just to gain favor; he did it because it was just something he wanted to do.
Later, we see the same lady come back on her own free will and help Gwan-sik draw the much needed attention to his restaurant.
Music
The music was alright. I didn’t have a particular favorite. I think it’s because the drama takes place in the mid-1900’s to early 2000’s.
When Life Gives You Tangerines Quotes
Episode 1
“I am the poor one, not you. Don’t hang back. Live your life to the fullest.” – Gawng-rye (IU’s mom) to IU (as a child)
Episode 4
“Parents dwell on what they couldn’t give. And children dwell on what they couldn’t get.” – IU narration
Episode 5
“I thought that once you grew up, your hands and heart would naturally become calloused. But everything is still too hot for me. I get burned everyday, but it hurts every time. Am I the only fool in the world? Is everyone else adulting just fine?” – IU (as a young mom) to Gawn-sik (as Park Bo-gum)
Episode 6
“One day, life might get so tough that you feel like you can’t go on. Don’t just lie still. Struggle with all your might. Stomp wash your blanket. Plow the field or even do odd jobs to earn some money. Tell yourself you won’t die and you must survive, no matter what.” – Gawng-rye (fisher mom) to IU as a kid
Episode 9
“The road ahead could be a million miles long, but the great joy you will ever have is the one in front of you.” – IU narration
“It turns out none of us have it all figured out.” – IU narration
Episode 10
Episode 11
“If you don’t think you’re worth 100 won, who’s going to think you’re worth 1000? So instead of pitying yourself all the time, try to find the courage to talk yourself up instead.” – IU to Chung-seob
“Claiming independence as an individual is actually a pretty impressive accomplishment.” – IU to Yeong-bum
Episode 12
“But it was only when my own sun began setting that I realized how warm it was to sit by my dad’s side.” – IU narration
“We think we arrive at the picnic together, but people all leave at different times. Just as the tides ebb and flow, some leave us, but some return to us.” – IU narration
Episode 14
“A child may abandon sick parents, but not the other way around.” – IU narration
Episode 15
Episode 16
“When guilt outweighs longing, it can never become a cherished memory.” – Moon So-ri to Gawn-sik
Rewatchability
I think the story itself is really just about life and survival. Those are meaningful themes, but they’re also ordinary. Nothing about it really pulls me back in. I might watch it again someday if I have kids and want to share something that gets what I’m going through.
What did I watch before this?
Overall Rating
I hope you enjoyed this review of When Life Gives You Tangerines.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on it. Did you resonate with anything here?
