IU, left, and Park Bo-gum during the press conference for 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' March 5, 2025. Photos courtesy of Netflix

In chronicling a love story that unfolds across decades, the romance series “When Life Gives You Tangerines,” which has generated buzz for casting beloved K-drama stars IU and Park Bo-gum in the lead roles, hopes to connect people from different generations.

“It’s a story that captures all four seasons of life... This series is a tribute to past generations of our fathers and mothers. It’s also an anthem of encouragement for the daughters and sons who will navigate the world ahead. We created the series with those hopes,” director Kim Won-suk said Wednesday in an online press conference.

“We were also hoping that this story will help break down the invisible barriers between generations,” he said through an interpreter.

Set against the scenic backdrop of Jeju Island beginning in the 1960s, “When Life Gives You Tangerines”—which premieres March 7 on Netflix—follows the story of Ae-sun, a headstrong young woman with a passion for literature who dreams of becoming a poet, and Gwan-sik, a reserved man known as “the unyielding iron” for his unwavering loyalty.

Because the series appears to cover nearly the entire lives of its protagonists, Ae-sun and Gwan-sik are portrayed by two actors. IU takes on the role of the younger Ae-sun while veteran actress Moon So-ri (from “Queenmaker”) plays her in her later years. Similarly, Park Bo-gum brings to life the younger Gwan-sik while Park Hae-joon (“The World of the Married”) portrays the character in his adulthood.

Tearjerker yet humorous

The actors agreed they accepted the project because they were big fans of its writer, Lim Sang-choon, whose other works include “Fight for My Way” and “When the Camellia Blooms.”

“I have always been a huge fan of the writer Lim Sang-choon. The moment I got the offer, I just wanted in right away. Even before I read the script, I was so eager to jump onto the project,” IU said. “After reading the script, I couldn't stand to not be a part of the project.”

“Once I read the script, I could vividly feel the chemistry between Ae-sun and Gwan-sik, and the four seasons they brought to life. I loved that,” Bo-gum remarked.

(Left to right) Park Hae-joon, Moon So-ri, IU and Park Bo-gum

Touching on the story’s hope of bridging generations, So-ri said the script “reminded me of my parents and touched my heart so much.”

“Out of the scripts that I read in my life, this was the one that made me cry the most. That meant I had to be part of the project,” she said.

But director Kim, who previously worked with IU in the acclaimed series “My Mister” and directed other K-dramas such as “Misaeng” and “Arthdal Chronicles,” was quick to clarify: “The actors were saying how much they cried while reading the script. And this might give [viewers] the wrong idea, making the story seem like something that's too sad or sentimental.”

“I just wanna highlight that it will tear you up, but it's also very fun and will make you laugh so it's fun and it has a tinge of humor, but at the same time, you will be crying,” he said.

IU

Same character

Because different actors play the characters at various stages of their lives, they had to ensure consistency in their performances. In IU and So-ri’s case, the actresses practiced their lines together, with the veteran actress even inviting the “Love Wins All” hitmaker to her home, allowing them to form a close bond.

It was a different case for Gwan-sik’s actors. “We didn’t go to each other’s homes like So-ri and IU. We didn’t exchange our lines like them. But on set, we were very happy to meet each other, and we would constantly encourage and root for one another,” Hae-joon said.

“[Bo-gum] had shot quite a number of scenes as the younger Gwan-sik. So for me, I was able to refer to that and monitor what he had done. There are some scenes where you'd see similar actions or way of speech, I tried to connect it in that sense,” he said.

Park Bo-gum

IU and Bo-gum also found it easy to work with one another, as they are of the same age and have known each other for a long time already. 

“I think we had the best chemistry because we're of the same age, we’re friends. We’ve known each other since our teenage days but it’s the first time [for us] officially working together on a series,” the 31-year-old actress said.

“I think I just relied on him a lot... I would ask him for his input and opinion for each take and we could really freely exchange our ideas while filming. He was the best partner I could ever wish for,” she added.

Correct historic details

Director Kim said the setting plays a crucial role in the story, especially for Ae-sun’s character. He also emphasized that Jeju adds historical depth since it served as a “melting pot” for Koreans during the 1950s and 1960s, with many mainlanders relocating to the island.

But for Kim, one of the challenges in making the drama was capturing “so many generations in one series.”

“It’s quite a rare thing [to capture many generations in a series] as well. I think it’s rare because it’s too challenging to put together,” he said. “The characters are influenced by the times, the era... So it was very important to get those historic details and the authenticity right for us because it’s such an important part of the series.”

Director Kim Won-suk (left) with the cast of 'When Life Gives You Tangerines'

Director Kim noted that since the story is set in past decades, the translation team is working hard to help foreign audiences appreciate its historical context.

“For us, when we were first envisioning the series, we put it together with the hopes that many Korean viewers will be able to resonate with it,” he recalled.

“Then we decided to partner with Netflix and that got us thinking about how we could draw global viewers in. Our translation team is really working hard to accurately translate all of those nuanced expressions and everything that has to do with the historical context.”