Netflix's upcoming Korean drama "When Life Gives You Tangerines" has revealed its first look along with details about its unique release schedule.
“When Life Gives You Tangerines” is set in the 1950s and tells the story of a rebellious, determined young girl, Oh Ae Sun (played by IU), who always has hope despite difficult circumstances, and a quiet but intelligent, trustworthy boy, Yang Gwan Sik (Park Bo Gum), who grew up together in a small coastal village on Jeju Island.
The series spans four seasons, portraying the lives and growth of the characters.
The Korean title "폭싹 속았수다' (Pokssak Sokassuda)" comes from the Jeju dialect, meaning "thank you for your hard work".
The English title “When life gives you tangerines” is a play on the popular idiom “When life gives you lemons,” emphasizing Jeju’s regional image by replacing lemons with tangerines, a local specialty.
In addition to Park Bo Gum and IU, the work features actors Na Moon Hee, Oh Jung Se, Yeo Hye Ran and Jo Jae Yun.
According to Korean media, “When life gives you tangerines” was highly anticipated before it aired, because this is a project with a “huge” budget of up to 60 billion won, along with investment in the production team and cast.
The script was written by famous screenwriter Lim Sang Chun of "Fighting Youth" and "When the Camellia Blooms" and directed by Kim Won Seok - who directed the series "Signal", "Scent of Life", "My Uncle" (IU plays the main role).
Director Kim Won Seok shared, "This is a story about a girl who dreams endlessly but faces consecutive failures due to poverty, her island upbringing, and simply being a woman. However, she always rises up.
On the contrary, Gwan Sik is a trustworthy man who would do anything for Ae Sun. Their journey, whether together or apart, is a great adventure in life.”
In the first image released by Netflix, Ae Sun looks a little sad in her school uniform, while Gwan Sik stands silently beside her, watching her. Even in this single frame, the contrasting yet complementary energies of the two characters are clear. Ae Sun's strong gaze and Gwan Sik's steadfast presence arouse curiosity about their journey together.
Director Kim also praised IU and Park Bo Gum's on-screen chemistry: "I think this will be one of the most entertaining and charming couples you can imagine.
Park Bo Gum will show a side of himself that people have never seen before, while IU will show all the charms she has shown in previous works and more.”
Netflix Korea senior director Bae Jong Byung added: "Viewers will wonder, why didn't they collaborate earlier?"
Instead of being released in one sitting like other Netflix series, the 16-episode series will be released in multiple weekly installments, similar to a TV schedule. Four episodes will air each Friday night from March 7 to March 28.
Director Bae Jong Byung explained, “Since the story has a four-act structure, we discussed with the creators how to best convey the content to viewers.
We concluded that releasing 4 episodes per week for 4 weeks would allow the audience to fully appreciate the storytelling intent and enjoy the experience to the fullest.”
