When Life Gives You Tangerines: Meet the real life couple whose struggles shaped the world’s highest-rated K-drama

The Korean drama When Life Gives You Tangerines has become one of the biggest hits of 2025. It’s not just popular in Korea but has captured the hearts of people around the world. What’s even more surprising is that China’s Global Times, a newspaper closely linked to the Chinese Communist Party, has praised the show. This is rare, especially since Global Times is usually critical of Korea and its entertainment.

The drama stars some of Korea’s most loved actors, including IU and Park Bo-gum. IU plays Oh Ae-sun, and Park Bo-gum plays Yang Gwan-sik. Other stars like Lee Soo Kyung, Park Hae-joon, and Moon So-ri also play important roles. According to a report by Moneycontrol, When Life Gives You Tangerines has become the highest-rated Korean drama on IMDb, beating other famous shows like Squid Game, Kingdom, and The Glory.

As of April 2025, the drama had an impressive 9.3 rating on IMDb. Its final episode scored a nearly perfect 9.8, showing how much fans around the world loved the story. It also gained over 5.5 million views and topped the charts in six different countries. On DouBan, one of China’s biggest review platforms, it got a strong rating of 9.4, making it one of the best-rated Korean dramas in recent years.

The drama's strength lies in its simple, emotional story about love, empathy, and family. It follows a couple facing many challenges while fighting against societal expectations. One unique thing about the show is how it portrays parenting and the everyday struggles of women, giving men a deeper understanding of womanhood.

What makes this drama even more touching is that it’s inspired by a real-life couple. The main character, Oh Ae-sun, is based on a woman named Hong Kyung Ja, who lived on Jeju Island. She had a tough childhood; her mother died when she was just five, and she took care of her siblings by diving into the ocean to collect octopuses and sell them for money. A tribute to her appears in the first episode of the show.

Her husband, who inspired the character Yang Gwan-sik, was known for his deep love and constant support. They met as kids, fell in love, and got married after six years of dating. He even won a “Beautiful Husband Award” in 2002 for being such a devoted partner. Though he passed away seven years ago, his story continues to inspire people across the globe.

This heartfelt drama reminds us that love, kindness, and support can make all the difference—even in the toughest times.