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South Korea · Drama · 2025
When Life Gives You Tangerines (폭싹 속았수다) traces the life of Oh Ae-sun, a poor but spirited girl born on Jeju Island in 1951 who dreams of becoming a poet, and Yang Gwan-sik, the steadfast young man devoted to her since childhood. Their intertwined story unfolds across five decades, moving between Jeju's seaside villages and Seoul as Korea itself transforms from postwar poverty into a modern nation.
Rather than a straight chronology, the series is framed through the memories of their adult daughter, who narrates and reflects on the hardships, small joys, and quiet sacrifices that shaped her parents' marriage and her family's history. Along the way, Ae-sun and Gwan-sik face class prejudice, economic struggle, and personal loss, but their enduring love and Jeju's close-knit community carry them through.
IU and Park Bo-gum play the younger versions of Ae-sun and Gwan-sik, with Moon So-ri and Park Hae-joon portraying them in middle age, alongside a large supporting cast including Kim Yong-rim, Na Moon-hee, and Kim Seon-ho. The drama was widely praised on release and was named one of the best Korean dramas of 2025 by international press.
There is no confirmed real-life romance between the lead actors of When Life Gives You Tangerines. While fans have praised the on-screen chemistry between IU (Lee Ji-eun) and Park Bo Gum, both actors have maintained a strictly professional relationship during and after filming.
Their natural connection and emotional performances sparked dating rumors online, but no official statement or credible evidence has supported these claims. Both IU and Park Bo Gum are known for their professionalism and privacy, especially regarding personal matters.
So, while the romance between Ae Sun and Gwan Shik may feel incredibly real on screen, it remains a beautifully acted story rather than a real-life love story.
| Ep | Title | Air date | Status | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Episode 1 | 2025-03-07 | Aired | |
| 2 | Episode 2 | 2025-03-07 | Aired | |
| 3 | Episode 3 | 2025-03-07 | Aired | |
| 4 | Episode 4 | 2025-03-07 | Aired | |
| 5 | Episode 5 | 2025-03-14 | Aired | |
| 6 | Episode 6 | 2025-03-14 | Aired | |
| 7 | Episode 7 | 2025-03-14 | Aired | |
| 8 | Episode 8 | 2025-03-14 | Aired | |
| 9 | Episode 9 | 2025-03-21 | Aired | |
| 10 | Episode 10 | 2025-03-21 | Aired | |
| 11 | Episode 11 | 2025-03-21 | Aired | |
| 12 | Episode 12 | 2025-03-21 | Aired | |
| 13 | Episode 13 | 2025-03-28 | Aired | |
| 14 | Episode 14 | 2025-03-28 | Aired | |
| 15 | Episode 15 | 2025-03-28 | Aired | |
| 16 | Episode 16 | 2025-03-28 | Aired |
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