‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ Ok-Drama Review: This emotionally wealthy, profound show is a must watch

Park Bo-gum and IU in a nonetheless from When life Gives You Tangerines
| Photo Credit: Netflix

Once in a whereas, a Ok-Drama comes alongside to remind you of the magic of fiction, and its capability to have you ever invested, shed many (MANY) tears, and partake within the happiness of a household and a set of characters who stick with you a lot past the runtime of sixteen episodes. When Life Gives You Tangerines, Netflix’s newest slice-of-life drama, is a story propelled by its girls. Women who dream massive, girls who need to overcome poverty and a patriarchal society, girls who break generational cycles, and most significantly, girls who’re their mom’s daughters. 

Early in When Life…, Ae-sun(IU) dolefully agrees with what her mom (Yeom Hye-ran) at all times says — it is higher to be a cow than a lady in Jeju. A shiny scholar and an aspiring poet who has her sights set on school, neither the instances she has been born into nor the atmosphere round her are the kindest. Ae-sun’s world is one the place ladies from poor households can’t be class presidents regardless of pretty profitable the bulk vote. At dwelling, she is made to do housekeeping and rarely will get the great fish; residing together with her uncle’s household means every part goes to her cousin, the boy of the home. Much of Ae-sun’s willpower comes from her mom, a Haenyeo or a feminine deep sea diver who harvests seafood. Having to place her life in danger continuously, she desires her daughter to be well-educated, take a completely different path, and rid herself of the abject poverty they stay in.

In all this turmoil, the one strong and regular presence in her life is Gwan-sik(Park Bo-gum), a steelheart who stays Ae-sun’s loyal shadow. This is a fixed topic of awe and mock in equal measure among the many group within the small coastal city they stay in. When the 2 do ultimately elope and get married, not many are stunned, even when all of this does come within the wake of a lot drama.

Park Hae-joon and Moon So-ri play the older variations of Gwan-sik and Ae-sun

Through the show, we comply with Ae-sun and Gwan-sik’s lives set in opposition to a quickly evolving South Korea — governments come and go, the economic system battles a monetary disaster, sporting victories, new music, films, and extra. The show is fantastically shot by way of seasons, alternating between Jeju’s yellow canola flowers and blue seas, and the chilly and dreary metropolis. The couple (Moon So-ri and Park Hae-joon play the older Ae-sun and Gwan-sik) battle by way of one private disaster after one other as they navigate their means round all of this whereas wanting one of the best for his or her kids, Geum-myeong(Also performed by IU) and Eum-myeong (Kang You-seok). As Geum-myeong trudges by way of an financial downturn, her first heartbreak and subsequently discovering love, she grapples with the burden of her mother and father’ religion and perception in her as their excessive achiever first-born daughter. 

There is a lot that is relatably profound and heart-wrenching within the on a regular basis lives of this household. Ae-sun’s helplessness as a lady who offers up on her desires owing to her circumstances, Gwan-sik’s fond smiles at his spouse when she dances round in pleasure after they purchase a new fishing boat, and the grief when the couple lose a youngster and resolve to choose themselves up in report time as a result of they are not looking for their different kids to bear the burden of their unhappiness. In one scene that is certain to really feel all too acquainted, Ae-sun and Gwan-sik waste no time plying a dejected and heartbroken Geum-myeong with meals and fussing over her when she pays them a shock go to. The couple are so immediately cheered up by her presence that Geum-myeong can’t assist however surprise how silent and lonely the home must have been simply minutes earlier than her arrival. 

The narrative switches between Ae-sun’s previous and current and this is a intelligent alternative given how the writing spotlights its girls and the all-too-similar societal challenges they encounter. Writer Lim Sang-choon, who beforehand wrote When The Camellia Blooms is in tremendous kind right here. We see Ae-sun passionately inform Gwan-sik that she doesn’t need her daughter to set a desk, however to flip it, and years later, when Ae-sun sees Geum-myeong quietly ladle out meals for her boyfriend’s conniving mom, she intervenes.  The girls listed here are decided to interrupt on a regular basis microaggressions like this, and guarantee generational cycles aren’t repeated. The writing is nuanced, layered and gripping – not a phrase typically related to a slice-of-life show however this is that uncommon drama that does preserve you hooked. There are not any villains, solely life’s many twists and turns to take care of. 

IU in a nonetheless from When Life Gives You Tangerines

The show has an ensemble forged that is so good that it appears like a grave injustice to single out a efficiency as spectacular. IU is stellar in two roles, because the fiery younger Ae-sun and the extra sober, weak daughter Geum-yeong and Park Bo-gum because the steadfast, heat Gwan-sik turns in his profession greatest. Playing their older variations, Moon So-ri and Park Hae-joon guarantee these characters are by no means one-note and outlined solely by their grief and struggling. Your coronary heart would possibly break for them time and again, however their stolen hugs, heat phrases of affirmation, and unwavering religion in one another regardless of their circumstances, shines by way of.

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There are lingering “what ifs” that When Life… desires its viewers to take a seat with; all through the show and far after it has ended. How completely different would Gwan-sik’s life have been if he had turn into an athlete? Would Ae-sun have conquered school? When Life…is a type of uncommon reveals that stays with you a lot after it has ended. There is a lot that is compelling about this bittersweet, profound life, the place the lows are low, and the triumphs carry a lot pleasure. Watch with tissues helpful for the tears; each pleased and unhappy.  This could be among the finest Ok-Dramas ever made.

When Life Gives You Tangerines is streaming on Netflix