'When Life Gives You Tangerines' presents ways to grow stronger: actors
March in Korea has been swept by the emotional powerhouse drama, "When Life Gives You Tangerines," a Netflix original that peels back the lives of Koreans as they navigate everyday struggles, tangled family dynamics and heartfelt romance.
Lee Ji-eun, who takes on the dual role of Ae-sun in her youth and her daughter Geum-myoung, emphasized the series’ central message: “Life goes on if you keep living.”
“I felt that the series conveys a sense of resilience, encouraging audiences not to give up but to endure and overcome sadness and farewells. It seems to instill strength in people,” Lee said during a group interview Wednesday in Jung-gu, Seoul.
“I see this as a work that presents a way for people to grow stronger,” she added.
She also noted that the series conveys its message with warmth.
“There’s a fable where the wind and the sun compete to make a traveler take off his coat. Instead of using force like the wind, the sun shines warmly, making the traveler remove his jacket voluntarily. In the same way, this story suggests a gentle but powerful way for people to find strength,” she explained.
“Whether someone is going through a difficult time or feeling lost in today's world, questioning why they should keep going, or believing that life is meaningless or unfair -- this drama offers them a reason to think, ‘Maybe I should try living a little longer,’” she continued.
Lee shared that her own experience as a daughter helped her fully embody Geum-myoung.
“‘You’re annoying,' that’s something Geum-myoung often says to her parents. But in reality, it comes from a place of deep love, guilt and worry. She just can’t express all of those emotions properly, so it comes out as ‘annoying.’"
“I can relate to that. Even when my own parents were sick, they would still clean and cook meals, and all I could say was that they were 'annoying.' I know that kind of frustration all too well. I think I was the same way -- especially as a child and even into my early twenties. I completely understood that feeling,” she added.
"When Life Gives You Tangerines" marks another milestone in Lee’s extensive career, which includes standout roles in "Dream High" (2011), "Producer" (2015) and "Hotel Del Luna" (2019). When asked if she feels she’s grown as an actor, Lee admitted she isn’t sure how to define growth in this industry.
“The word growth feels somewhat vague. Since I’ve been consistently working in this field, there isn’t a clear moment where I can definitively feel, ‘I’ve grown.’” she said.
“If my next project doesn’t turn out well, does that mean I’ve regressed? Even after doing this job for over ten years, I still don’t really know the standard for growth and decline,” she reflected.
Moon So-ri, who portrays Ae-sun in her middle age, said she thought that the series’ core theme centers around the idea that no one lives in isolation.
“Stories about people helping each other could have been dull, but the way this drama delivered it so emotionally was truly impressive,” the seasoned actor said.
“What allowed Ae-sun to keep going was the unwavering love of the haenyeo (female divers) she was close to, Gwan-sik’s unchanging love and the love for her children. Without that, Ae-sun would have collapsed long ago,” she said.
Moon also highlighted the series’ broad emotional reach.
“Some may relate to the story of Gwang-rye, Ae-sun, and Sae-bom -- mothers and daughters connected through generations -- and some viewers focus on (Sang-gak's) growth and how significant that is in the context of modern Korean society. Others are deeply moved by Eun-myoung’s story or the struggles of second-born children,” she said during the group interview held on Wednesday.
“This drama offers a wide range of emotional anchors for different people to connect with,” Moon added.
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