The film "When life gives you tangerines" is the latest work on Korean television. As soon as it was released on March 7, the film received many positive responses and impressive achievements on the Netflix platform.
The film tells the story of Ae Soon (IU) and Gwan Shik (Park Bo Gum) over the years, from the 1960s to 2025. In addition, the story of female divers on Jeju Island (Korea) is also a highlight.
In the film, Gwang Rye (Yum Hye Ran) - the female lead's mother attracted attention when she decided to prevent Ae Soon from being a diver, even though she has lung disease and continues to diving to take care of her daughter. Or Ae Soon was confirmed by her husband's family to become a diver because this was considered the most suitable job on the island.
In fact, not only in the movie When Life Is for You, but the story of Korean female divers has appeared in many TV series. Among them, we can mention the films "Golden mustard", "Blues on green islands", "Welcome to Samdalri"...
In particular, the words of female diver Go Mi Ha (Kim Mi Kyung) in the movie "Welcome to Samdalri" once created a buzz when not only emphasizing professional rules but also bringing an insistent message: "Don't be greedy. Just stay in the water as long as your breath allows. The ocean seems peaceful but is full of danger. So stay in the water as much as your body allows. And when you cant hold on anymore, swim back to the water.
In addition to the stories created by the screenwriter on the small screen, many documentaries in Korea also choose female divers as the theme of exploitation. For example, the film The Last of the Sea Women records the fading reality of the female diving community through the lives of real divers.
The Korea Herald said that the film was first shown in the documentary section of the 49th Toronto International Film Festival and was later invited to attend the Busan International Film Festival. Korean-American director Sue Kim was inspired by an 84-year-old female diver she met in Jeju and recorded their lives after hearing from divers say they could be the last generation of female divers.
The Korean newspaper added that in real life, the presence of female divers on Jeju Island is decreasing. According to the report, the number of female divers active on Jeju Island in 2023 is 2,838, down significantly from 3,226 in 2022. This marks a sharp decline in the industry every year. While in the 1970s, Jeju had more than 14,000 female divers.
However, the success of the film "When Life Is for You" is not only a tribute to the previous generations of divers but is also expected to encourage those pursuing this difficult and dangerous career.
