For four weeks, Netflix’s “When Life Gives You Tangerines” took viewers on an emotional journey, weaving together love, family, womanhood, ambition and generational struggles. At the heart of it all was IU, the acclaimed K-pop artist and actor, delivering a dual performance as the spirited young Ae-sun and her daughter, Geum-myeong.

As the series unveils the twists and turns of life, IU found herself reflecting on her own — questioning, rediscovering and relating to the very themes that shaped her characters.


“I wondered if I could really pull everything off [in life],” IU said during an interview with reporters at the Ambassador Seoul Pullman Hotel in Jung District, central Seoul, on Wednesday. “In a way, acting it out made it feel even more difficult. It isn’t just about marriage, but about every step ahead in life.”

The series touches on different aspects of life, but its core message, which the actor also found most meaningful, was that “life finds its way in the end.”

The 16-episode series, released on March 7 and wrapping up on March 28, was directed by Kim Won-suk, who was behind hit series “My Mister” (2018) and “Signal” (2016). “When Life Gives You Tangerines” is the actor’s second collaboration with the director after “My Mister.”

Mainly set in Jeju, it follows the life journeys of Ae-sun and Gwan-sik, spanning from the 1960s in Jeju to 2025 in Seoul. The show features a star-studded lineup, starring IU and Park Bo-gum alongside actors Moon So-ri and Park Hae-joon.

Ae-sun and Gwan-sik’s story struck a chord with the actor, which naturally brought up thoughts of her own parents. IU said that it was the first project where her own mother, who is in a similar age group as Geum-myeong, watched as an actual viewer, fully immersed in the story — rather than as a parent evaluating her daughter’s work.

“While my mom gave me feedback, she was so emotionally invested in Ae-sun and Geum-myeong,” IU said. “It made me realize how things can look completely different from a mother’s perspective.”

“Also, she usually watches my projects to see how I did, if I had made any mistakes or if my performance was okay. But for the first time, she was fully immersed in the story, and told me that she saw me as Ae-sun and Geum-myeong, not just as her daughter.”

Geum-myeong’s narration runs throughout the entire series, offering her perspective as she reflects on her mother’s life.

IU shared that the narration, which she voiced, was one of the key topics she had discussed with the director, spending nearly two months perfecting it, as she had to voice act the older version of Geum-myeong.

“The director told me to never forget that I’m acting as someone 50 years or older, from start to finish,” she said.

“We worked on the narration for almost two months, going through countless revisions and creating multiple versions. Even right up until we had the final version of the show handed over to Netflix, final tweaks were being made. The director would listen to the recordings and say things like, ‘It sounds a bit too young’ or ‘The tone is too high.’”

As the series continues to gain widespread success, the actor’s 2024 song “Shh..” is also resurfacing, as it was inspired by the series, according to IU.

“If I hadn't done this show, I think the song wouldn’t have fully come together until later,” she said. “The song became more specific as I was shooting the series.”

“In ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines,’ so many incredible women or women whose stories feel deeply familiar and impossible not to relate to are portrayed. So, the lyrics capturing those images just came to me naturally.”

Young Ae-sun, who has a deep love for literature — especially poetry — dreams of becoming a poet.

When the 31-year-old actor, who first debuted as a singer in 2008 and spent her 20s and 30s in the entertainment industry, was asked what she would title a poetry book about her journey so far. She chose “I'll Sharpen My Pencil Again” — a reflection of her readiness to step forward once more after a moment to reset.

“I think I passionately spent my 20s expressing, working and writing, pouring everything into my work,” she said. “As I entered my 30s, I believe that the sharp pencil had worn down a bit, which I also actually like, in its own way.”

“But now, as I enter my mid-30s, I feel it’s time to sharpen my pencil again.”

The series follows Ae-sun and Gwan-sik’s journey through all four seasons — spring, summer, fall and winter. And for the actor, she sees herself in autumn.

“I had carried ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ in my heart for so long, and now that it’s finally out in the world and receiving so much love, it feels like autumn — a season of harvest.”


BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]