When Life Gives You Tangerines Ep 1 and 2 Review: Park Bo-gum and IU's K-drama is a sweet and sour take on first love and life hurdles

When Life Gives You Tangerines plot

Netflix's latest K-drama titled 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' recently premiered its initial episodes on the platform. Featuring the formidable duo of Park Bo-gum and IU, this romance and melodramatic K-drama revolves around two youngsters Ae-sun (IU) and Gwan-sik (Park Bo-gum) as they navigate life's hurdles with their own share of mistakes and lessons.

When Life Gives You Tangerines Review

Set against the scenic Jeju island, When Life Gives You Tangerines is a soothing drama about first love, life and loss. Several instances in the story takes you on a bittersweet journey about the different phases that we experience in our lifetime. Among the simple yet beautiful observation is the makers ability to reflect on the four seasons as a part of life and its moments. From the cheerful spring to the withering winter, Park Bo-gum and IU's drama is a sweet and sour mix of romance and slice-of-life themes.

Directed by Kim Won-seok, the series brings a depth with its consistent pace and strong performances. It is truly mesmerising to see IU shining alongside Reply 1988's Park Bo-gum with their seamless chemistry. The sparks of first love gives you butterflies as the duo presents their scenes in a compelling way.

Park Bo-gum and IU's heartfelt romance K-drama is packed with emotions and dramatic moments that reflects on life's hardships. The coming-of-age K-drama explores Bo-gum and IU's relationship from the 1960s to the present day and how they struggle to survive amid the social differences and family disapprovals.

Also Read: IU and Park Bo-gum's When Life Gives You Tangerines release date announced with first teaser: Here's when and where you can watch the new K-drama

When Life Gives You Tangerines blossoms into a heartwarming tale of setbacks and triumphs as it depicts two youngster's journey juggling with their relationship proving how love requires patience and endurance with a test of time.

One of the positive aspects about the series is how the makers have meticulously created the plot. It is commendable how a simple storyline can manage to hold your attention and keep you captivated without getting bored. From dreams and aspirations to dealing with grief and financial crises, the series lives up to its name and highlights the tangy flavours of life. In the first two episodes, we get a glimpse of the series that narrates the story in a flashback with a consistent timeline jump to keep you intrigued.

The star-studded ensemble cast also features Kim Yong-rim, Na Moon-hee, Yeom Hye-ran, Oh Min-ae, Choi Dae-hoon, Chang Hyae-jin, Cha Mi-kyeong, Lee Soo-mi, and Baik Ji-won, Cheong Hae-kyun, and Oh Jung-se.

Also Read: Post Lovely Runner success, Byeon Woo-seok finalizes his next drama opposite K-pop star IU? Here's what we know

When Life Gives You Tangerines Verdict

Park Bo-gum and IU's melodrama is a breath of freshness with a tangy twist about life. It is binge-worthy with lots of bittersweet moments that keep you hooked to the plot. The initial episodes are quite compelling and makes a great pick for the weekend.

When Life Gives You Tangerines will premiere a new episode every week.

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