When Life Gives You Tangerines is the hidden gem of Netflix
In the search for a new series to binge, the Netflix top 10 is a good starting point. Still, I want to challenge you to look a little further, as you will find quite a few hidden gems there. The recommendation of the moment: ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’. This Korean series receives an IMDb score of 9.4, even higher than Adolescence, and is considered one of the best Netflix Originals ever. And that's not surprising.
The romantic story of When Life Gives You Tangerines
In the series, we follow the lives of Oh Ae-sun and Yang Gwan-sik. The two seem to be opposites in almost everything. Oh Ae-sun is a quirky woman with a strong will, dreaming of becoming a poet; far away from the island of Jeju where she grew up. She has never known wealth or been able to go to school, but she remains positive and determined to make her dreams come true. Yang Gwan-sik is a quiet but steadfast man, who is quite content with life on the island. He doesn't easily talk about his feelings, but shows through his actions that he would do anything for his loved ones, especially Oh Ae-sun; for whom he wants to go all out, despite disapproval from his family. The series takes us back to the couple's childhood and follows their journey to adulthood. A journey full of special highlights, but also many setbacks. One thing is certain: love always remains their anchor.
When Life Gives You Tangerines, a clever title
Does the title remind you of something? It naturally resembles the well-known phrase ‘when life gives you lemons, make lemonade’. A motto for resilience and persevering when things get tough; and that is exactly what the creators of the series wanted to convey. They just swapped lemons for tangerines, an important feature of the island of Jeju where a large part of the story takes place. The title is not a precise translation of the Korean name. ‘Pokssak Sogatsuda’, as the series is actually called, means ‘you have worked hard’. By translating the name slightly differently and playing on the well-known saying, the creators hoped to convey the message of the series more clearly and attract a larger international audience. And it seems to be working well.
Praise-worthy reactions
The high IMDb score is not the only evidence that the series is doing well. Praiseworthy reactions are appearing all over social media. Viewers praise the story for not being a standard drama, but for providing a realistic picture of how life can unfold. Especially the message of love and appreciating the people around you seems to resonate well. Additionally, the acting of lead actors IU (Oh Ae-sun) and Park Bo-gum (Yang Gwan-sik) receives great applause. In the Netherlands, the series has not yet found its way to the top 10, but after the good international reception, that may just be a matter of time.
Curious about this (still) hidden gem? All sixteen episodes of ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ are now available on Netflix.
Image: Netflix
