When Life Gives You Tangerines cast and character guide: Who plays whom in Netflix's latest drama show?

Netflix's latest South Korean drama series, When Life Gives You Tangerines premiered on March 7, 2025.

The story follows the lives of Ae-soon and Gwan-sik in the 1950s as they navigate love and family. The slice of drama is a heartwarming depiction of first love, reminiscent of old-school love. The show is set against the beautiful backdrop of Jeju Island and will leave your heart full of emotions.

Here is the complete cast and character guide to When Life Gives You Tangerines.

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The lead cast and characters of When Life Gives You Tangerines

1) IU as Ae-soon and Yang Geum-myeong (Ae-soon's daughter)

Termed as the remarkable rebel, Ae-soon is a free-spirited girl in the 1950s who is a dreamer with a flair for literature. She dreams of becoming a poet and is very much in touch with her artistic side.

Navigating the harsh waters of her time, she is also a rebel who wants to challenge societal norms but hesitates to do so. But her grit and determination are still headstrong, and she does her best to emerge triumphant in every situation.

Lee Ji-Eun, famously known by her stage name IU, is a popular South Korean singer and actor. Her notable performances include Korean dramas like Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, Dream High, and Hotel Del Luna.

Child actress Kim Tae-yeon plays Child Ae-soon, and Moon So-ri (A Good Lawyer's Wife) plays middle-aged Ae-soon.

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2) Park Bo-Gum as Gwan-sik

Termed the cast iron, Gwan-sik is Ae-soon's counterpart, who has loved her wholeheartedly from childhood. As a typical Korean drama lead, he is also head over heels for the woman and tries his best to support her through her life's challenges.

Gwan-sik is a hardworking individual who remains determined and adds another layer of romance and charm to the story.

Park Bo-gum plays Gwan-sik in When Life Gives You Tangerines. He has previously worked on Korean dramas like Encounter, Reply 1988, and Love in the Moonlight. Child actor Lee Cheon-mu plays a child Gwan-sik, and actors Moon Woo-jin and Park Hae-joon play teen and middle-aged Gwan-sik, respectively.

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Supporting cast and characters of When Life Gives You Tangerines

The supporting cast and characters are as follows:

• Kim Yong-rim as Park Mak-cheon
• Na Moon-hee as Kim Chun-o
• Yeom Hye-ran as Jeon Gwang-ry
• Oh Min-ae as Kwon Gye-ok
• Choi Dae-hoon as Sang-gil
• Jang Hye-jin as Yeong-ran
• Cha Mi-kyung as Chung-su
• Baek Ji-won as Kyung-ja
• Oh Jung-se as Yeom Byeong-Cheol
• Uhm Ji-won as Na Min-ok

Actors Kim Seon-ho, known for Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha and Start-Up, and Lee Soo-mi, known for Hospital Playlist and Find Me In Your Memory, will also appear in guest appearances.

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What is the plot of When Life Gives You Tangerines?

The latest Korean drama explores the life of Ae-soon on Jeju Island through the 1950s as she navigates the turbulent times with her childhood friend Gwan-Sik. The show is reminiscent of the old and simpler times and tells a heartwarming tale of first love through four different seasons.

16 episodes are divided into four volumes, each depicting another season in the lives of Ae-soon and Gwan-sik. Volume 2, depicting the Summer season, will arrive on Netflix on March 14, 2025.

Also Read: Top 5 K-dramas for your watchlist this summer

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