'When Life Gives You Tangerines' explores love, life spanning decades

With reported W60b budget, series among biggest Netflix Korean dramas this year

Lee Ji-eun (left) and Park Bo-gum pose for a photo at a press conference in Yeouido, Seoul, Wednesday. (Yonhap)

One of most highly anticipated Netflix Korea series of 2025, "When Life Gives You Tangerines," starring Hallyu titans Park Bo-gum and Lee Ji-eun, better known to K-pop fans as IU, is poised to move audiences with its touching exploration of life and love.

Premiering this week, the series set on Jeju Island follows the romantic narrative of Ae-soon (Lee) and Gwan-sik (Park). The series sees the characters and their relationship later in life as well, with the middle-aged roles portrayed by acclaimed actor Moon So-ri and Squid Game star Park Hae-soo, respectively.

The new series also boasts a stellar lineup behind the camera, with Lim Sang-chun of “When the Camellia Blooms” and “Fight for My Way” penning the script and director Kim Won-seok of “Misaeng,” “Signal” and “My Mister” helming the series.

Reported to have cost a whopping 60 billion won ($41 million) to produce, Kim, though unsure of the precise figures, acknowledged the significant financial and creative resources that went into the series.

"Much of the budget was allocated to the visual elements and filming-related components. We built an open set, which alone cost a substantial amount," he said at a press conference in Yeouido, Seoul, Wednesday.

"As the story spans decades, from the 1960s to 2025, we invested heavily in art to make it realistic, and even employed VFX (visual effects) technology to make it appear authentic," he added.

While the series was initially conceptualized with Korean audiences in mind, the involvement of Netflix has broadened its scope, Kim said.

"At first, I envisioned the series for a domestic audience, but once it was picked up by Netflix, I wondered how it could resonate globally," added Kim.

"We focused on ensuring that Korean-specific references and lines would be effectively conveyed to international viewers through accurate subtitles. I think things such as the Korean War, the plight of refugees and the 1997 financial crisis would not be difficult for international audiences to understand," he said.

"When Life Gives You Tangerines," starring Lee Ji-eun (Netflix)

Lee, returning to the small screen for the first time in six years since her role in "Hotel Del Luna," shared that the English title of the series encapsulates the show's core essence. The title, a twist on the American adage "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade," replaces lemons with Jeju Island's regional specialty.

"The English title, 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' reflects the idea that even if life presents you with bitter tangerines, you can transform them into tangerine syrup and enjoy a warm cup of tangerine tea," Lee said. "We see this drama as a warm cup of tangerine tea for our viewers, hoping it will offer a moment of calm reflection on life."

The first four episodes of "When Life Gives You Tangerines" will be available for streaming on Netflix on Friday, with four new episodes releasing weekly. The series is to consist of 16 episodes unveiled over four weeks.

"I felt that if viewers binge-watched it all at once, like other Netflix dramas, they might miss the essence of this series. I made this decision hoping that audiences would savor it slowly," the director said, "like picking and enjoying dried persimmons one by one.”