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Daily Mail
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Netflix viewers left 'hardcore sobbing' by acclaimed drama with perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score - weeping 'how am I supposed to move on?!'
Netflix viewers have been left 'hardcore sobbing' by an acclaimed drama with a perfect 100 per cent Rotten Tomatoes score, weeping 'how am I supposed to move on?!' When Life Gives You Tangerines was released on the streaming platform on March 7 - and the Korean TV series has maintained its impeccable approval rating ever since. Starting in 1951, on South Korea 's stunning Jeju Island, it follows a poor young woman named Oh Ae-sun, played by K-pop singer IU, who refuses to give up on her dreams of becoming a poet. Along with her love interest Yang Gwan-sik, played by Korean singer, actor and musician Park Bo-gum, the slice-of-life drama tracks the couple's daily trials and tribulations over the years. The 16-part show has racked up an astonishing 32.9million views, despite not being as heavily marketed as other Netflix-made content, adored for its grounded profundity and quiet, thoughtful power. Fans have taken to X to express their appreciation, with the central romance proving as heartbreaking as it is beautiful. Starting in 1951, on South Korea's stunning Jeju Island, it follows a poor young woman named Oh Ae-sun (pictured), played by K-pop singer IU, who refuses to give up on her dreams of becoming a poet One said: 'Just finished watching When Life Gives You Tangerines and I'm staring at my laptop screen crying. How am I supposed to move on from this show?' Another added: 'I just finished When Life Gives You Tangerines, I've been hardcore sobbing for the last hour.' Someone else weighed in: 'Wow, y'all were not playing around saying When Life Gives You Tangerines is sad. 'I put it on as something light to watch as I eat and now I'm crying into my food.' One person only got quarter of the way through when the tears already started flowing: 'Bruh, why is When Life Gives You Tangerines so sad, like wtf? I'm crying so badly and I'm only at episode four.' Another user warned: 'Do not watch When Life Gives You Tangerines if you don't want to be a sobbing mess five times per episode.' The meaning behind the show's unique title reflects its emotional rollercoaster nature. A tangerine has traditionally represented luck in Korean culture, with being given one said to bring the recipient good fortune. A tangerine has traditionally represented luck in Korean culture, with being given one said to bring the recipient good fortune The show has, amazingly, got a 100 per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes (pictured) This older symbolism has been brought together with the phrase 'when life gives you lemons' to create a title for the show about making the best of a bad situation. Lead actress IU, mostly known at home as a popstar, has said it is about using the sourest tangerines life throws at you to make a beautiful tea. She has also previously said she worked really hard with her co-star to bring the central relationship to life. IU told Time earlier this year she felt 'at ease' from day one and a year spent working with Bo-gum just solidified their friendship - now in their thirties, the pair have known each other since they were teens, when they appeared in an advert together. She said: 'Bo-gum is someone who's just a really great person.' They worked particularly, she said, on the scenes earlier in the show's timeline: 'We wanted to bring out that really pure and lovable side when you meet the characters as teenagers and while, at the same time, not making it feel forced... 'We went through a lot of different discussions and also we did many different versions of the takes.' Their efforts clearly paid off, with film review site Roger Ebert praising the leads' subtle, understated approached and natural chemistry. Fans have taken to X to express their appreciation (pictured), with the central romance proving as heartbreaking as it is beautiful IU said earlier this year she felt 'at ease' from day one and a year spent working with Bo-gum just solidified their friendship The reviewer said the series eloquently conveys 'four seasons of love', as the central relationship blossoms 'little by little, with acts of care, loyalty and fierce protection'. The show's strong sense of place has also proven a key draw, with its showcasing the haenyeo divers of the Jeju Island setting, women who earn their living by diving to harvest mollusks, seaweed and other aquatic life. It reportedly had a budget of around $40million, making it one of the most expensive series ever made in the K-drama genre. Fans' raving about the Korean show, starring K-pop star IU, comes after another icon of the musical genre revealed the cruel training young idols are forced to undergo - revealing that she was made to take photos of her food before she could eat. Danielle June Marsh, of global supergroup NJZ, which was previously known as NewJeans, has laid bare the struggles of growing up in the industry. Bullying, abuse and exploitation are said to be commonplace, with youngsters subjected to gruelling training regimes and daily weigh-ins, and pressured into both plastic surgery and contracts that control their every move. The young star, who is now 19 but was only 15 when she joined the label Hybe - also behind internationally renowned BTS - took to Instagram live earlier this year to reflect on the strict routines she and other bandmates had to follow. 'You're constantly being watched over when you're in the practice room so you didn't have much freedom at all,' she explained in the clip, which has been shared on YouTube. The young star (pictured with her group NJZ in 2023), who is now 19 but was only 15 when she joined the label Hybe, took to Instagram live earlier this year to reflect on the strict routines she and other bandmates had to follow 'I also actually remember this is kind of weird, I remember having to take pictures of what I ate before I was actually able to consume it and I had to send the pictures to our manager and she would have to check it.' Danielle added there lots of 'little things' which added to the pressures - and trainees often feel like they can't push back. 'The reason that we had to follow all these rules - this is how I felt... is otherwise we felt like we weren't gonna be able to debut,' she continued.
Metro
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Netflix smash hit racks up 32,900,000 views and a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score
Some Netflix shows grab our attention with huge marketing campaigns, plenty of hype, enormous budgets or a whole stack of cliffhangers. When Life Gives You Tangerines, however, takes a slightly different path. Since its release back on March 7, the breakout Korean drama has steadily found an audience, reaching the 32.9 million views mark last week and earning a perfect 100% audience score over on Rotten Tomatoes. It has been described as emotional, grounded, profound and quietly powerful, standing out from a crowded field of new releases with its different, thoughtful tone Set on Jeju Island in South Korea, the series follows Oh Ae-sun, a young woman with big dreams who never quite gives up on them, even as life pushes her in different directions. Her long-standing connection with Yang Gwan-sik provides a steady thread through a story that spans the decades. Rather than dramatic twists, the show focuses on the quieter shifts that happen over time – ambition, family and love, all of which evolve down the years. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. When Life Gives You Tangerines leans into some interesting themes, including things like resilience, loss and cultural identity. The setting is key too. Jeju Island's traditions, including the lives of the famous haenyeo divers, give the story a strong sense of place. Mostly known in her home country for being a pop star, IU plays Ae-sun with a mix of fire and restraint, while Park Bo-gum brings a quiet steadiness and stoicism to the character of Gwan-sik. The two leads reportedly spent significant time working together before filming to build natural chemistry, something many reviewers have picked up on and cheered. Their performances have been described as understated rather than showy, while critics have also praised the series as a whole. called When Life Gives You Tangerines 'four seasons of love,' highlighting how the show allows relationships to shift gradually over time in a patient and rewarding way. The South China Morning Post praised its 'intimate' approach and 'exquisite' performances, while reviewers also enjoyed the show's uniquely slow rhythm. However, some have argued that the pace makes it a challenge to get through the 12-episode run, as Decider wrote: 'Those of us who aren't diehard fans of K-dramas may struggle to sit through 12 episodes of a conflict-light slice-of-life story. 'At a certain point, we get the feeling that this show would have been better told in less episodes, or better yet, a long-ish feature film. Both would be able to capture the epic nature of Ae-sun's life while moving things along faster'. Many fans have connected with the way the show portrays aging, changing expectations and long-standing relationships without going overboard on the melodrama or becoming soap-y. A Rotten Tomatoes reviewer added: 'Ae-sun's journey is bittersweet… it's sad to see how life distanced her from her dreams, but joyful to see she found sweetness in life'. Directed by Kim Won-seok and written by Lim Sang-choon, the series had a reported budget of around $40m, making it one of the most expensive K-dramas ever made. While fans have been enjoying the show, it's by no means an easy watch. Gwan-sik's illness plays havoc with the happiness the two main characters crave. There are plenty of reasons to keep a box of tissues nearby, so be warned – this is a show that is designed to tug seriously hard on your heartstrings. When Life Gives You Tangerines arrives at a time when Korean dramas are experimenting more with genre, tone and pacing – although it doesn't have the global buzz of a thriller like Squid Game or the spectacle of The Glory yet , it has carved out its own space rather well. More Trending The show hasn't relied on huge twists or sensational headlines to find its audience. Instead, it has built a reputation slowly, through word of mouth and strong, steady reviews. Whether we're all drawn in by the setting, the performances or the broader themes, it's clear that the series has become a success in its own right. View More » When Life Gives You Tangerines is available to stream on Netflix now. MORE: WWE star uses fan's prosthetic leg as a weapon in 'craziest match ever' MORE: Netflix's bizarre reason for Twister's rating and 9 other odd trigger warnings MORE: 'I made one of Netflix's most popular shows – it's changed people's lives'
South China Morning Post
22-03-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Jeju Island looks to K-drama When Life Gives You Tangerines, festivals to draw tourists
By Lee Hae-rin Advertisement The global popularity of Netflix's original Korean series When Life Gives You Tangerines could help spark a long-awaited rebound in the stagnant tourism industry of the southern resort island of Jeju. First released on March 7 in 190 countries, the series ranked 5th on the global chart for top television shows on Netflix, according to the streaming analytics website FlixPatrol on March 18. It also emerged as the most popular series in nine countries, including Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan and the Philippines. The series follows the adventurous life of Jeju-born Oh Ae-sun ( played by IU ), described as 'rebellious and clever', and Yang Gwan-sik ( played by Park Bo-gum ), described as 'foolish and sturdy'. Their story unfolds across four seasons on Jeju Island, capturing the essence of its changing landscapes. The series has brought attention to the natural landscapes of Jeju, once the leader of Korea's domestic tourism, highlighting its evergreen beauty and captivating scenery.
