If you haven’t started watching ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ yet, what are you waiting for? This gem of a K-drama premiered on March 7, and it’s well on its way to becoming a classic!
The 16-episode Netflix original series follows the lives of the fiery Ae-sun (played by Lee Ji-eun, or also known as singer IU) and Gwan-sik (Park Bo-gum) both born in Jeju. The show captures their emotional journey through life’s ups and downs together as they go through different phases of life. Following a four-episode-per-week schedule, the show’s next episodes will air next Friday, March 21 and release episodes 9-12.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that after just one episode, I knew this was going to be one of my all-time favorite K-dramas. Come on—don’t tell me you weren’t completely hooked just a few minutes in! Or that you didn’t cry thinking about your parents?
Just within the first four episodes alone and it already feels like this drama will be going down in K-drama history as a masterpiece. The storyline? Amazing. The cinematography? Gorgeous. The acting? Oustanding. The way it takes you through such a wide range of emotions—one moment you’re laughing, the next you’re sobbing—makes it so real.
And if I had to point to one more thing that makes this show absolute perfection, it’s the dialogue. The lines in this drama aren’t just words; they’re emotional gut punches. So, let’s talk about some of the most unforgettable quotes from episodes 1-4.
1. “My mom whose back aches, my mom who coughs…With 100 hwan everyday, I want to let her rest”
Please tell me I wasn’t the only one deeply moved by this poem 10-year-old Ae-sun wrote for her mom. Whether you are 15 or 50, we’re forever our parents’ children, and just like Ae-sun—who worried about her mom and dreamt of becoming the breadwinner—we all carry those same worries. That desire to achieve great things for our parents, to finally let them rest, hits home for all of us.
2. “She’s spent her whole life working hard and has never been on a plane…I was going to fly her on a plane.”
Okay, if you weren’t already crying, this scene must have definitely had you in tears.
Watching little Ae-sun sitting by the sea, screaming to the sky in tears, completely shattered my heart. Her mom died at just 29, having spent her short life working endlessly, making sacrifices most of us can’t even imagine. She even stayed away from Ae-sun, leaving her with her birth-father’s family, just so her daughter could go to college. How could anyone watch this without instantly thinking of their own mom, their hidden struggles, or the dreams they quietly gave up? And let’s be real, didn’t this also make you think of all those things you wanted to say or do for her but never got the chance? This scene is a reminder to hug your mom more often and tell her how much you love her.
PS: If you never told your mom “I love you”, do that. ASAP!
3. “It’s better to be born a cow than to be born a woman in Jeju.”
Through Ae-sun’s story, we see how tough life was for women back in the 1950s. Like seriously, remember how Ae-sun wasn’t even given the same as the boys? Or how she got expelled from school while Gwan-sik got off with just a warning? And let’s not even start about how Gwan-sik’s family kept pressuring Ae-sun to have a son—as if having a daughter wasn’t enough. Even Ae-sun’s mother-in-law once casually said, “All that fuss for a girl, treating her like a prince.”
Sadly, even today there are plenty of places and situations where girls and women face prejudice simply for being women—something many of us can still relate to.
But wait—did anyone else catch that line subtly playing on the TV in episode 4: “One well-raised daughter is better than 10 sons”? Hope I wasn’t the only one who noticed!
4. “I can’t give you everything”
Honestly, this one’s my personal favorite. From childhood, Gwan-sik only ever had eyes for Ae-sun. He was always there—when her mom passed away, saving special treats (like fish!) for her, plowing the fields alongside her, selling cabbages with her—just always quietly caring. Even later, when he became her husband and a father, that love stayed just as pure. And yet, despite loving Ae-sun deeply, he didn’t give her empty promises like, “I’ll give you the moon and stars” (even if that’s exactly what Ae-sun wanted to hear). Instead, Gwan-sik was sincere enough to admit he couldn’t give her everything—but he would always try his best. Because our earnest, diligent Gwan-sik can’t lie, right?
5. “My dad got his golden girl instead of a gold medal”
Rather than regretting the gold medal he didn’t win, Gwan-sik fully embraced becoming a father. He fell completely in love with his little daughter—his “golden girl.” This scene reminds us beautifully that fathers, too, silently sacrifice a lot for their children. They don’t always talk about it, but their struggles are just as real and meaningful.
6. “The heart matters more than blood”
One of the most touching themes in this show is how family isn’t always about blood relations. Sometimes when your own relatives aren’t there for you, it’s strangers who step in and show true kindness. Like Ae-sun’s quiet bond with her stepfather’s wife, or that pawn shop owner in Busan who woke up super early just to give Gwan-sik a wedding ring. It’s these unexpected connections that really touch your heart.
7. “Parents dwell on what they couldnt give. And children dwell on what they couldnt get.”
Lines like this go straight to the soul. It reflects the silent pain both parents and children carry. Parents often have regrets on the things they couldn’t provide for their children. Meanwhile, children sometimes feel disappointed or resentful about what they didn’t receive—whether it’s attention, love, or material stuff.
Sometimes, these feelings are unsaid but still very much present in families.
Final Thoughts
It was so good to see IU and Park Bo-gum back on screen, but I honestly didn’t expect to be blown away like this. Episodes 5-8 are already out, and I’m guessing there’s going to be a lot more crying—and definitely plenty more laughing too. So, get ready!
Also, don’t forget to drop a comment telling us which dialogue or quote from the show touched you the most!
Written by Diksha Gangadeen
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