Netflix announces ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ release date and shares new teaser trailer
Netflix has shared a first look at the new K-drama When Life Gives You Tangerines, starring singer IU and actor Park Bo-gum.
Set in South Korea’s Jeju in the 1960s, When Life Gives You Tangerines follows Ae-soon, a spirited rebel with unyielding passion in the face of adversity, and Gwan-sik, a dedicated yet romantically fragile young man who dreams of a better future.
As their lives intertwine, they navigate the turbulence and struggles of a society in transformation while finding solace and strength in each other under the weight of tradition, love, and the unavoidable passage of time. The series’ Korean title, 폭싹 속았수다, is Jeju for ‘Thank you for your hard work.’
Netflix recently shared a teaser clip that also announced its release date as March 7th 2025. In the clip, we see a montage of a local street market through the series’ four seasons, intertwining with personal and intimate moments between the lead characters in a flower field.
Written by Lim Sang-choon (When The Camellia Blooms) and directed by Kim Won-seok (Arthdal Chronicles), When Life Gives You Tangerines will also boast actors Choi Dae-hoon, Na Moon-hee, Lee Jun-young, Baek Ji-won, and others appearing in various supporting roles.
Netflix has been heavily invested in K-drama for a number of years, capitalising on the immense audience intrigue that exploded in the 2010s across various markets. More recently, series like Crash Landing on You and Squid Game supercharged their decision to continue their investments following a surge of audiences rushing to the platform to watch the content.
Alongside partnering with South Korean Studios to broaden their K-drama offering, Netflix has also recently teamed up with different social media and app platforms, including Duolingo, which helped fans of Squid Game to learn Korean ahead of its release last year.
On the app, users could also learn over 40 keywords and phrases used in the show, with references to scenes and items from the first season, like the sugary treat ‘dolgana’ alongside remarks like ‘trust no one’ and ‘you’ve been eliminated’.
As a result of the collaboration, the chief marketing officer of Duolingo, Manu Orssaud, said that the company experienced a 40 per cent rise in those learning Korean following the release of the show after it gained over 330 million viewers on the streaming site.
Although When Life Gives You Tangerines is certainly a different game entirely from the Hwang Dong-hyuk dystopia, there is no denying the ongoing global appeal of K-drama in all its forms, as Korean writers and actors remain at the forefront of extraordinary storytelling that resonates beyond its physical borders.