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Upcoming star-studded drama 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' with 60 billion KRW (41.3 million USD) budget sparks high anticipation

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Posted by Sophie-Ha 3 hours ago 1,787

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A highly anticipated Korean drama with a star-studded lineup, including not only the lead actors but also the director and writer, has stacked up immense expectations. With a production cost of a whopping 60 billion KRW (~41.3 million USD), the drama is already generating much buzz.

'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' is set to premiere on Netflix on March 7 and has been at the center of attention.

The Netflix drama 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' tells the story of a determined and capable young girl, Oh Ae Soon (played by IU), and a hardworking, intelligent boy, Yang Gwan Sik (portrayed by Park Bo Gum), who grew up in a small seaside village on Jeju Island. The drama spans across the four seasons, portraying the characters’ lives and growth.

The title Korean title, "폭싹 속았수다' (Pokssak Sokassuda)" is derived from a Jeju dialect, meaning "thank you for your hard work." The English title 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' is a play on the common idiom "When life gives you lemons," emphasizing the regional image of Jeju by replacing lemons with tangerines, a local specialty.

'When Life Gives You Tangerines' features top Korean actors such as IU, Park Bo Gum, Na Moon Hee, Oh Jung Se, Yeo Hye Ran, and Jo Jae Yun.

IU is taking on the lead female role of Oh Ae Soon, a girl with a determined character, who remains hopeful despite challenging circumstances, even though she is unable to attend school. IU debuted in the music industry in 2008 and became one of the leading solo female artists with hit songs like "Good Day," "You and I," "Autumn Morning," and more. She continued to build her career and became a household name after gaining recognition for her acting skills, starring in dramas including 'You Are the Best,' 'Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo,' 'My Mister,' and 'Hotel Del Luna. '

Park Bo Gum, who debuted in 2011 and quickly became one of Korea's top actors, has appeared in hit dramas like 'Reply 1988' and 'Love in the Moonlight,' as well as films such as 'The Admiral: Roaring Currents' and 'Coin Locker Girl.' In 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' he portrays Yang Gwan Sik, a quiet and solid character, who is diligent, and intelligent, but clumsy in love. Despite being a hardworking and talented individual, Yang Gwan Sik is naive and has an innocent side when it comes to his unrequited love for Ae Soon.

Not only is the cast stellar, but the writer and director are also well-known for their previous successes. The drama is written by Im Sang Chun, the writer of popular dramas like 'When the Camellia Blooms' and 'Fight for My Way,' and directed by Kim Won Seok, who has helmed 'Misaeng,' 'Signal,' and 'My Mister.'

'When Life Gives You Tangerines' is a 16-episode drama, and instead of being released all at once, it will be aired in a unique format — four episodes each week over four weeks.

At the 'Next on Netflix 2025 Korea' event held on February 4, Baek Jong Byeong, Senior Director at Netflix Korea, explained, "We chose this release format through discussions with the creators to fit the storytelling and provide a better viewing experience. From the beginning, we discussed with the director and writer that this would be a four-act drama, and we wanted the audience to enjoy it in that format."

The release dates for 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' on Netflix are as follows: