On Jeju Island in the 1960s, the always dependable Gwan-sik falls in love with gifted but troubled Ae-sun — and, ever since, he’s devoted his life to her. Over the course of several decades, the two fated lovers forge a life together despite the disapproval of Gwan-sik’s family and Ae-sun’s personal setbacks. Starring IU, Park Bo-gum, and Moon So-ri, the sweeping romance series When Life Gives You Tangerines was created by Kim Won-suk (My Mister) and Lim Sang-choon (When the Camellia Blooms). 

At the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards, When Life Gives You Tangerines received four honors: Best Drama, Best Screenplay for writer Lim, Best Supporting Actor for Choi Dae-hoon, and Best Supporting Actress for Yeom Hye-ran. 

When will When Life Gives You Tangerines be released?

Stream it now. The series will release four new episodes every Friday through March 28. 

Where can I find the trailer for When Life Gives You Tangerines?

Check it out at the top of this page. 

Who’s in the cast of When Life Gives You Tangerines?

• IU (Broker) as Oh Ae-sun and Yang Geum-myeong, Ae-sun and Gwan-sik’s daughter
• Park Bo-gum (Wonderland) as Yang Gwan-sik, who’s been in love with Ae-sun since he was 10 years old
• Moon So-ri (Queenmaker) as older Ae-sun
• Park Hae-joon (The 8 Show) as older Gwan-sik
• Yeom Hye-ran (The Glory) as Jeon Gwang-rye, Ae-sun’s mother
• Choi Dae-hoon (Crash Landing on You) as Bu Sang-gil, who grew up with Gwan-sik
• Kang You-seok (Black Knight) as Yang Eun-myeong, Ae-sun and Gwan-sik’s son
• Cha Mi-kyung (Itaewon Class) as Park Chung-su, who harvests fish with Gwang-rye (aka a haenyeo)
• Lee Soo-mi (Emergency Declaration) as Choi Yang-Im, a haenyeo
• Baek Ji-won (The Fiery Priest) as Hong Gyeong-ja, a haenyeo
• Kim Yong-rim (Hello, Me!) as Park Mak-cheon
• Na Moon-hee (You Are My Sunshine) as Kim Chun-ok
• Oh Min-ae (The Glory) as Kwon Gye-ok
• Jung Hae-kyun (The Whirlwind) as Oh Han-mu

What happens in When Life Gives You Tangerines?

Now in her 70s, Ae-sun (IU), looks back on her life growing up on South Korea’s Jeju Island. As a kid in the ’60s, she watches her mother, Gwang-rye (Yeom), struggle to make ends meet after Ae-sun’s father dies. Gwang-rye maintains a tough exterior; beneath, she is utterly devoted to Ae-sun and committed to making sure she has the best life possible. But when tragedy strikes, Ae-sun is left in dire straits. It’s her friendship with Gwan-sik (Bo-gum), a fisherman’s son who grew up alongside Ae-sun in Jeju, that brings her comfort. When Life Gives You Tangerines follows Ae-sun and Gwan-sik as they build a life together, despite the odds.

Is When Life Gives You Tangerines based on a book?

No, it’s an original story. 

Where does When Life Gives You Tangerines take place?

The series takes place across a span of 50 years on Jeju Island and in Seoul and Busan in South Korea. 

What are haenyeo?

Haenyeo are women who free dive in the waters off Jeju Island to harvest seafood. In When Life Gives You Tangerines, Ae-sun’s mother is part of Jeju’s haenyeo community, and dives for abalones and seaweed. Haenyeo have reportedly existed for 1,000 years in Korea. 

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