When Life Gives You Tangerines: Undoubtedly  Netflix’s jewel of 2025 and one of the noteworthy K-dramas ever crafted. If there is anyone who has ever loved, lost, and dared to dream, which for sure all of us have at some point or most of our lives, and planning to watch this drama, please… please .. keep a tissue close or grab some tangerine close, you may need them by the end.

Directed by Kim Won – Seoke

Casts of When Life Gives You Tangerines

• IU as Oh Ae-sun

• Park Hae as Yang Gwan-sik 

• Moon So- rias middle age Ae-sun

• Park Hae-joon as middle age middle-aged

Release Date- March 2025

Episodes-16

When life gives you Tangerines: from bitter to better journey of life…..

The storyline starts in the 1950s and follows multiple generations of a family, showing how their lives, relationships, and struggles shape them as individuals and as companions over time. The drama beautifully explores the complexities of parenthood, friendship, and love with remarkable depth through the portrayal of sacrifices, the unconditional bond between family and friends, and the bittersweet journey of letting go.

Even more impressive was how the drama twirls these themes with the ripple effects of our choices, growth, and karma, showing every emotional payoff feels earned and consequential. The stories are emotionally rich, and certainly too emotional even for a slice of life genre. Begins in the 1950s and follows multiple generations of a family, showing how their lives, relationships, and struggles shape them as individuals and as companions.

At its core, this series is the story of a woman, Ae-sun, whose resilience and quiet strength unfold across seven decades, depicted with breathtaking nuance by Moon So-ri and IU( as the older and younger Geum-myeong). The story continues without any plot twist, but just life depicted as it goes for everyone in a non-linear narrative. Narration within episodes is often given by an older Geum-myeong poetically recollecting about her feelings on events of the past.

Watching Ae-sun navigate love, loss, and the persistent passage of time with each chapter is more heartrending than the last. His bond with the Gwan-sik is the heartbeat of the show- a love built on loyalty, sacrifice, and the kind of devotion that redefines soulmates; a journey from youthful spark to wrinkled hands clasped in old age. Geum-myeong’s journey surely burst the ‘one true love’ myth, instead honoring love’s evolving forms.

IU delivers a career-defining performance reverberating the show’s philosophy, ‘Life ‘ is not about the love you lose, but the self you find’. All episodes are just love’s echo; from Ae-sun teaching poetry in her twilight years to Geum-myeong bridging generational divides through education, each moment is a tribute to how ordinary lives leave an unfading mark.

The show does not even flinch from showing hard truths where history and humankind collide. Set against  Jeju’s lush landscapes and Korea’s march towards modernity, the series weaves personal and historical threads showing moments like Ae-sun’s stolen education or Geum-myeong’s fight against  class prejudice are not just plot points—they are mirrors reflecting decades of struggle

Cannot recommend this drama enough. Surely a 10/10  series and a must watch…Every character is crafted with such clarity and depth, imperfect yet lovable, human yet extraordinary, that their journey stays with you long after its ending. It will make you laugh, ache, and reflect, all while keeping you invested. It’s not just a show; It’s a celebration of life’s messy, beautiful connection.