For a slice-of-life K-Drama like When Life Gives You Tangerines, do you wonder what emotions they leave their audience with after it ends?
Your emotions toward the end of the shows that you’re watching reflect your unconscious thoughts? Some might claim the drama left them hanging and unable to move on for a while. These viewers might have something they were reflecting while watching it.
Others might feel sad. Maybe they were the ones who related the most and wanted to change something in the drama that they are unable to change in reality.
But when people are happy as they watch the end, they are those who have accepted everything. So what makes When Life Gives You Tangerines ending happy? Let’s discuss that.
- Part 1: What Is The Storyline of When Life Gives You Tangerines Movie?
- Part 2: When Life Gives You Tangerines Ending Preview
- Part 3: More Movies Similar to When Life Gives You Tangerines on ReelShort
- Part 4: Why Choose ReelShort to Watch Movies?
Part 1: What Is The Storyline of When Life Gives You Tangerines Movie?
Before anything else, here’s a quick recap of When Life Gives You Tangerines plot.
This drama tells the coming-of-age stories of Ae-sun (actress IU) and Gwan-sik (actor Park Bo-gum) to their children Eun-myeong (Kang You-seok) and Geum-myeong (IU), with a specific focus on their eldest daughter Geum-myeong later on.
Set in the 1950s on Jeju Island and spanning through decades of change and hardship, Ae-sun and Gwan-sik dreamt and started their aspirations as childhood best friends.
Ae-sun’s mother died young. She and her siblings were taken in by Gwan-sik’s family. The two children, bound by loss and hardship, grew close over time. Ae-sun loves poetry and dreamed of publishing her works. On the other hand, Gwan-sik wanted to enter the national team for swimming sports.
The two worked together at the market for their dreams. She sells fish, he sells vegetables. Their friendship slowly evolved into a deep, unspoken love.
Despite Ae-sun’s plan to pursue her education and aspirations, due to poverty, she had no other option but to marry a rich man. Gwan-sik, unable to confess his feelings, quietly boarded the ship to find opportunities in the city.
But just as the ship started to sail away from the port, IU realized her feelings for Gwan-sik. She ran to the port to chase after him. Seeing her from afar, Gwan-sik decisively swam from the ship across the ocean.
The two got married. Geum-myeong was soon born. Being unable to pursue her dreams for herself, Ae-sun swore not to cage her daughter in this small countryside. She fought against her in-laws and Gwan-sik always had her back.
However, a tragedy soon befell them. During a typhoon, their youngest son drowned and died.
After a family drama and confrontation with their two young children, the story then shifted to Geum-myeong’s teenage years.
Geum-myeong’s Plotline
When Life Gives You Tangerines plot shifted to their daughter. Geum-myeong grew up ambitious and talented. She went to a prestigious university. She struggles with pressures and high expectations, including guilt.
During her college years, she met someone and they quickly became a couple. They even got engaged. However, when Geum-myeong met his family, things spiraled from then on.
His family looked down on hers. Geum-myeong wasn’t someone who’d take it lying down. She confronted her boyfriend, but all she got was a sorry. He never intended to take her side.
Geum-myeong decisively broke up with him despite still loving him. Yeong-bum (Lee Jun-young) tries to win her back, but Geum-myeong’s bottom line is her family.
Shortly after that, she met Park Cheong-sub (Lee Seon-ho), an aspiring artist and everything her dad is not. In the end, she married him while Yeong-bum silently watches them from afar.
The When Life Gives You Tangerines series has 12 episodes in total and it’s available on Netflix for streaming.
Part 2: When Life Gives You Tangerines Ending Preview
When Life Gives You Tangerines Ending
As When Life Gives You Tangerines’ ending nears, the Yang family sees a period of flourishing. Ae-sun and Gwan-sik run a thriving squid restaurant, Eun-myeong is a responsible father of two, and Geum-myeong has become a successful figure in the online education space
But this peace is short-lived. Gwan-sik is diagnosed with terminal blood cancer. Despite his illness, he continues to care for his family. He spends precious time with his children and deeply impacts them with his final acts of love.
In one of the most touching moments, Ae-sun achieves a lifelong dream: publishing her poetry. Gwan-sik, overwhelmed, carries her on his back.
As he lies on his deathbed, Gwan-sik asks if their life together was good. Ae-sun replies, tearfully, that she was never lonely.
After his passing, Ae-sun channels her grief into meaningful fulfillment. She becomes a mentor in her community, teaching elderly Haenyeo women how to read and write.
Geum-myeong honors her parents’ legacy—marrying the gentle artist Chung-seop, having a child, and buying back her grandmother’s house to ensure Ae-sun has roots and comfort.
When Life Gives You Tangerines Ending Explained
What makes the When Life Gives You Tangerines ending happy? Maybe it is because after all the hardship Ae-sun and Gwan-sik endured for their children, they finally succeeded in life.
We watched Ae-sun give up her ambitions and become a housewife, serving her husband and daughter as well as her in-laws. We saw how they tried to cut her wings and convince her again and again that Geum-myeong should just grow like her.
But Gwan-sik and Ae-sun never gave up. They worked hard and were able to send Ae-sun to a good school, and are now reaping the benefits of success. Despite Gwan-sik’s death, they were able to continue their lives.
It just shows that death isn’t the end. It can also symbolize a new beginning.
Part 3: More Movies Similar to When Life Gives You Tangerines on ReelShort
Can’t get over with When Life Gives You Tangerines series? Here are some ReelShort movies that you might want to check!
3.1 Mama Sing Me a Lullaby
One ReelShort movie like When Life Gives You Tangerines Netflix series is Mama Sing Me a Lullaby. It follows the story of Tracey, a single mother who raises her twins on her own.
Her son, Henry hates their life and his twin brother, Logan. Logan got into an accident and was adopted by a rich family. Despite being rich already, he never stopped searching for his mother.
3.2 The Return of the Lost Heiress
Another series similar to When Life Gives You Tangerines is The Return of the Lost Heiress. Lana witnessed her father’s death, leading to trauma and an inability to speak. When her bodyguard kidnapped her and planned to traffic her, her family lost her.
She was then adopted by Ryan, an ordinary man who cared and loved her despite having no blood relations.
3.3 The Lady Boss CEO Is My Daughter
The Lady Boss CEO Is My Daughter is another ReelShort movie similar to When Life Gives You Tangerines Netflix series. It follows the story of Mathilda, who lost her daughter when she was kidnapped.
Years later, she never stopped searching for her, only to meet her again as a demolition boss. She wants to destroy the very home she grew up in and the only remaining clue to their reunion.
Part 4: Why Choose ReelShort to Watch Movies?
ReelShort is designed for quick, addictive storytelling that fits perfectly into busy schedules and your mobile phones. With fresh releases added regularly, there’s always something new to watch, without worrying if you’ll ever get to finish it.
