Warning: Spoilers for When Life Gives You Tangerines ahead.
Fans are having two main reactions to Netflix’s When Life Gives You Tangerines trailer. The first is that IU and Park Bo-gum make for an all-star line-up, understandably. With hit songs like “Blueming” and “Celebrity” and esteemed dramas like My Mister, IU has garnered a dedicated fan base. Similarly, Park’s performances in must-watch dramas like Reply 1988, Record of Youth, and more have made him a fan-favorite. The second is particularly devout K-drama watchers forewarning that this is going to be a tearjerker. (Spoiler alert: It is.)
Set in Jeju, South Korea, the drama follows Ae-sun, played by IU, and Gwan-sik, portrayed by Park, as they grapple with growing up, familial clashes, poverty, and life in general. Ae-sun fronts a strong-willed personality, promising her mother that she’ll beat all the odds to go to college and become a poet. Still, the adversities of life take their toll on her, and the only one who happens to catch her vulnerable moments — because he’s pretty much always physically and figuratively by her side — is Gwan-sik.
He, in turn, swaps his gentle nature for fierce determination to be there for her. Whereas he won’t fight back against his own bullies (and stares in awe as she does it for him instead), he’ll shamelessly tell off an adult to ensure she’s being treated right. Together, they throw their quaint island town for a loop again and again. For this drama full of laughs, tears, and everything in between, IU and Park pull out all the stops, sparing no detail.
Ahead of the premiere, Teen Vogue chatted with IU and Park about When Live Gives You Tangerines. Below, read all about what drew them to the drama, their reactions to the castings, preparations for their roles, and that relatable first kiss scene.
Park Bo-gum: For me, the first time that I read the script written by writer Lim, I thought instantly that all of the seasons that the two characters Gwan-sik and Ae-sun go through are so beautiful and so endearing and lovable. And I thought it was something that I just really wanted to be a part of. I also thought that this was the type of project where, after a long time passes by, it's something that you can watch with your family and think to yourself, "I'm just so grateful that I was a part of something like this."
IU: For me, I think I was drawn to the fact that it was a character I hadn't ever showcased throughout my acting career before. And also the fact that I'd be working with director Kim Won-suk, writer Lim Sang-choon, and also of course my co-star Bo-gum. That was also yet another very important reason that I wanted to do this.
IU: Well, actually the both of us, our characters don't speak in the Jeju dialect in the series as much. However, I thought to myself that it's going to be so much easier for us to go into character if we were used to what the Jeju dialect sounds like. So I attended a few Jeju dialect classes where the more senior actors in our show were taking lessons and I would just sit in to listen to that as well so that I can get used to it. If you watch our drama series, it really stretches over a long period of time from the 1960s to 2025. There's a lot of different historical events and social trends that are a part of the script. So just reading the script itself actually naturally gave me almost a history lesson in that sense.
PB: Yes, that's right. And also I think through the script and also by shooting all of those scenes, we were able to live vicariously through eras that either of us haven't experienced in real life. It gave us a deeper understanding of those times. And for me, director Kim actually came to me and said that, "Because Gwan-sik is a character who's very athletic, you need to increase your stamina. And also I would love for you to maybe gain a little bit more weight for the character." So I happily took on the project and I worked out a lot and ate a lot of good food.
IU: I don't think that there was a lot in terms of what I could bring or borrow from my previous characters because it was a new challenge for me when it comes to what kind of character she was. I think more than that, I saw a lot of similarities between the character Ae-sun and myself in real life. So I would say that I channeled a lot of my own self, whether it was how the character is or how she spoke.
PB: For me as well, I think he wasn't anything like any of the previous characters that I took on. He's someone who's very reserved and very strong-willed and also very diligent, someone who you can trust with putting any kind of task on him. Through Gwan-sik, I just learned a lot by acting and becoming that role. He's someone that I grew to admire truly.
IU: From what I remember when I first heard that Bo-gum was cast for the role of Gwan-sik, the first thing that came out of my mouth was, "Is it okay for him to be that good-looking? Is it okay for the character Gwan-sik to look like that?" Because if he were that good-looking, I'm sure everybody that knew him on the island would probably have a huge crush on him and I don't think he's going to be able to stay on the island.
PB: And that Gwan-sik meets Ae-sun and they fall in love. [Laughs.] For me as well, when I heard about the casting, she is someone both as an actor and an artist that I have wanted to work together with for a very long time. When we were in our teens, we first met to do a commercial together. Then in our 20s actually, I made a special appearance in the series The Producers, so we got to meet briefly back then. Now after we were both in our 30s, we finally got to work on the same project. Especially because we're both the same age as well, I think we had great chemistry. We were very much at ease with one another. I almost wish that the amount of time we spent together was longer. Especially now that the time has passed, [when] I look back on it, I just think that we had such a fun time on set and I hope that we get to work together again.
PB: For me, I think when I was thinking about the situation and the emotional state that both Ae-sun and Gwan-sik were in, because IU did such an amazing job expressing the emotions of Ae-sun, I felt like it just came about naturally where all we needed to do was look at each other in the eyes and we would immediately begin to tear up. We would just hold hands and then that would immediately get us going, get our tears going as well. I think director Kim also did an amazing job capturing those moments. So I just want to take this opportunity to say a huge thanks to IU for that.
IU: For me, I have to get the crying right for the director to say okay with the cut. Once you feel that kind of pressure and anxiety, that leads to just waterworks right away. Just that pressure and knowing that unless I get the crying right, we're not going to move on to the next scene.
IU: That particular scene is written down to every little detail in the script. So there actually was a line that said, "You see a fist that trembles." And so we just really try to stay loyal to everything that was written in the script as possible.
PB: Yes, that's right. You know how in that scene, Gwan-sik ends up kissing her on the upper lip the first time? That detail was also already written in the script. So we try to stay as loyal as what was written by the writer. And also, IU just looks so good with her very short-cut hair, her bob that you see. I think I speak for any guy out there that if you just see Ae-sun, you're going to feel your heart flutter and you're going to feel that sort of excitement.
IU: I think that when you watch our drama series, it really has everything from the most happiest of times to extremely painful times where it almost feels like you're being literally torn apart. And also times of resilience as well. And I think that makes our drama series very realistic in that sense. So I hope that after you watch our drama series, I hope that it's not something that tires you or something that you feel fatigue from, but I think it's definitely going to be something where you feel like my life also, just as much as the lives that are portrayed in the series, has their ups and downs. And I want to look forward to what's to come. I want to become more interested in where my life is going to take me. And I'm curious about how my life's going to pan out. I hope that's something that our viewers can feel after they watch the drama.
PB: In our lives, we also have our ups and downs where we laugh and cry, and it's a repetition of those different moments. So I hope that after you watch our drama series, you will feel the urge to really express your love to those around you more and also appreciate the people in your life that show you that much love too. And I hope that through our drama series, it will bring you on a very warm and happy journey.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. IU and Park Bo-gum spoke in Korean via an interpreter.
