Is there going to be a Season 2 of When Life Gives You Tangerines? Speculations, explored

When Life Gives You Tangerines has been earning praise for its earnest portrayal of South Korean culture, history, and life. The show, a slice-of-life romantic K-drama, premiered on Netflix on March 7, 2025, and received rave reviews from critics and audiences.

Over the course of 16 episodes, the show takes the viewers on an emotional journey about two individuals, Oh Ae-sun and Yang Gwan-sik, who fall in love on the island of Jeju. The series traces their lives from the 1950s to the present, as they go through various highs and lows.

The 16 episodes were divided into four volumes, which finished airing on March 28, 2025. Fans of the show are now wondering if and when there will be a When Life Gives You Tangerines Season 2. Well, the show has not been officially renewed for another chapter as of now. Keep reading to know what could be the future of the series.

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The possibility of a When Life Gives You Tangerines Season 2

Netflix has not yet announced a When Life Gives You Tangerines Season 2. Unfortunately, there is not a high possibility of the series being continued for another season, despite its popularity and critical acclaim.

We say this because the Korean drama has been billed as a limited series, which usually lasts for only one season. Though there have been instances in the past where limited shows have been turned into multi-season projects due to popular demand, the first season of When Life Gives You Tangerines ended in such a way that it did not leave much room for another installment.

The first chapter depicted various phases of Oh Ae-sun and Yang Gwan-sik’s lives. It was a deep exploration of their relationship and family. There is not much scope for the story to move forward, as all the plot points have been tied in the first season itself.

However, if Netflix still chooses to move forward with another installment of the show, it might end up following an anthology format and focus on the life journeys of a fresh set of characters. A similar trend has been followed in another hit Netflix limited series, Beef, which has been renewed for a second season with a new storyline and cast.

Hence, When Life Gives You Tangerines Season 2 has not been greenlit, and the story of Oh Ae-sun and Yang Gwan-sik has reached its conclusion. It remains to be seen if Netflix decides to continue the show for another season in the future.

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More about When Life Gives You Tangerines

The show is told from the perspective of Ae-sun, who is now in her 70s. She retrospects on her life and remembers the various challenges she faced, from growing up in a poor household in the 1950s on Jeju Island to falling in love with Gwan-sik and building a life with him against all odds. The official synopsis for the show reads:

“On Jeju Island in the 1960s, the always dependable Gwan-sik falls in love with gifted but troubled Ae-sun — and, ever since, he’s devoted his life to her.”

“Over the course of several decades, the two fated lovers forge a life together despite the disapproval of Gwan-sik’s family and Ae-sun’s personal setbacks.”

The series stars IU as Oh Ae-sun and Park Bo-gum as Yang Gwan-sik. The cast also includes Kim Yong-rim as Park Mak-cheon, Oh Min-ae as Kwon Gye-ok, Na Moon-hee as Kim Chun-ok, Yoo Byung-hoon as Yang Sam-bo, Yeom Hye-ran as Jeon Gwang-rye, and Jung Hae-kyun as Oh Han-moo.

All episodes of When Life Gives You Tangerines are streaming on Netflix.