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Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 7 of When Life Gives You Tangerines, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring IU as Oh Ae-sun, Park Bo-gum as Yang Gwan-sik as young adults, Moon So-ri as Oh Ae-sun and Park Hae-joon as Yang Gwan-sik as older adults, and Lee Jun-young as Park Young-beom. We’ll also discuss Yeom Hye-ran, the actress who plays Jeon Gwang-rye, Oh Ae-sun’s mother. We discuss:

• The song featured during the recap: "To the Land of Hope" by Choi Baek-ho, a song that evokes nostalgia and the passage of youth.
• Feedback from our amazing listeners, including a poem shared by Winfor Lam and insights from Malcolm, Seven Seas, and Sue about character development and OST impact.
• How Gwan-sik is portrayed as the "perfect man," which we all think is unrealistic.
• Ae-sun’s powerful transformation, stepping into her role as a leader by lying in front of a government truck to defend the haenyeos.
• The portrayal of Korea during the 1980s, including steps the government took to modernize the country before the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
• The clash between the haenyeos and Bu Sang-gil’s efforts to shut down their market — a symbolic fight for community survival.
• Ae-sun’s eventual election as Chief, her "harvesting season" after years of hardship and injustice.
• The bitter-sweetness of Ae-sun’s triumph because she missed her mother so much.
• Geum-myeong’s dangerous situation in Seoul, being framed while refusing to commit academic fraud under pressure from a wealthy family.
• Eun-myeong’s struggles and acts of rebellion, highlighting the sibling dynamic and the emotional weight of living in Geum-myeong’s shadow.
• The cultural references to "Aegukga," Korea's national anthem, and the interesting use of "Auld Lang Syne" in East Asia.
• The deep camaraderie and subtle politics among village women, including the surprise of Yeong-ran voting for Ae-sun.
• The tradition and symbolism of gifting rice cakes (tteok) when Ae-sun thanks the haenyeos for their lifelong support.
• Spotlight on Yeom Hye-ran, her acting background, her accolades, and her pivotal role as Gwang-rye in When Life Gives You Tangerines.

Next week, we will recap and analyze episode 8 of When Life Gives You Tangerines. We’ll also talk about Park Hae joon, the actor who plays adult Gwan sik. Did you know that he was once named “the nation’s adulterer?”

References

• Aegukga - Wikipedia (South Korean national anthem)
• Aegukka - Wikipedia (North Korean national anthem)
• Lim Young-woong - Wikipedia
• Trot (music) - Wikipedia
• Choi Beck Ho on Spotify

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Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 6 of When Life Gives You Tangerines, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring IU as Oh Ae-sun and Park Bo-gum as Yang Gwan-sik. We discuss:

• The song featured during the recap: Hwal Hwal by Hwang So-yoon (aka So!YoON!), a blazing track that mirrors the episode’s emotional intensity.
• The tragic and pivotal loss of Dong Myeong, Ae-sun and Gwan-sik’s son, and the overwhelming grief that overtakes the family.
• The episode’s haunting realism in showing how each family member carries deep guilt for Dong Myeong’s death.
• Listener Malcolm’s brilliant comparison of the haenyeos to a Greek chorus that offers communal commentary, humor, and moral perspective.
• The emotional support network of Jeju villagers, especially the haenyeos and the elderly couple who helped the family survive.
• The revelation that Min-ok paid the rent under the guise of a “moral scholarship,” and how language misinterpretation played a key role in the mystery behind who paid the rent.
• The deeply affecting scene of Gwan-sik breaking down at the government office while declaring Dong Myeong’s death.
• Ae-sun’s evolution, embracing help from others despite her strong sense of pride and independence.
• The powerful legacy of Gwang Rye, Ae-sun’s mother, whose advice and memory give Ae-sun strength to carry on.
• The return of hope through Geum Myeong’s acceptance into Seoul National University, a major family milestone.
• Cinematic details like the realistic typhoon scene and the use of the Jeju Fishing Village Set.
• 2 possible, new K Drama elements: the kick to the shins, and reading poetry.

Next week, we’ll recap and analyze Episode 7 of When Life Gives You Tangerines. We’ll also talk about Yeom Hye-ran, the actress who plays Jeon Gwang Rye, Ae-sun’s mother—nominated for a Baeksang Award this year!

References

• Hwang So yoon on Spotify
• Protecting Haenyeo: Ritual and Spiritual Practices of Jeju Haenyeo
• Behind the Scenes: When Gwan sik Collapses Upon Seeing Ae sun and Dong Myeong
• Social Support and the Perception of Physical Slant
• Jeju Island - Wikipedia
• Jeju Province - Wikipedia
• Jeju language - Wikipedia

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Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 5 of When Life Gives You Tangerines, the hit K Drama on Netflix the hit K Drama on Netflix starring IU as Oh Ae-sun and Park Bo-gum Yang Gwan-sik. We discuss:

• The song featured during the recap: Spring in a Heartbeat by Park Sung-il, a beautiful instrumental piece that plays during the heartwarming scene of Ae Sun and Gwan Sik on their boat with their growing family.
• The complex and emotional back-and-forth between two timelines—Ae Sun and Gwan Sik’s love story and their daughter Geum Myeong’s journey—and how it adds depth to the drama.
• A powerful conversation about shame, gender roles, and vulnerability inspired by Gwan Sik’s struggle to provide for his family and Brene Brown’s research on shame.
• Ae Sun’s desperate visit to her grandmother, who gives them money to buy a boat—a game-changing gift that symbolizes hope and a fresh start.
• The emotional weight and cultural significance of the language used between Ae Sun’s grandmother and Gwang Rye, especially words like 어머니, 애미야, and 아가.
• Gwan Sik and Ae Sun’s christening of their new boat and the ceremonial offerings to the Dragon King, an important sea deity in Korean mythology.
• Ae Sun’s rising confidence and new role as Deputy Chief of the village, and how her wardrobe changes reflect her rising status and better life.
• The scandal at the social dance club and how Ae Sun saves Bu Sang Gil’s wife and daughter from humiliation, revealing unexpected layers of solidarity and empathy.
• The symbolic act of Ae Sun boarding the boat and painting the name “Geum Eun Dong” after their three children—gold, silver, and bronze—and what it reveals about their dreams and values.
• Ae Sun’s hilarious and sarcastic comments about Gwan Sik’s jeon-making skills and ancestral rites, poking fun at traditional gender norms while asserting her power.
• How the couple buys Ae Sun’s mother’s former house, making it a warm and beautiful home, and how the mother-of-pearl wardrobe becomes a lasting symbol of their pride and love.
• A sweet kiss between Ae Sun and Gwan Sik as they celebrate their love and achievements, with Ae Sun taunting the Dragon King and embracing her role as the family’s lucky charm.
• The ominous foreshadowing from grown-up Geum Myeong, warning us that this happy chapter may soon come to a tragic end.
• The real-life couple who inspired the story of When Life Gives You Tangerines, especially Hong Kyung Ja and her devoted husband, who was honored for his love and support.

Next week, we will discuss episode 6 of When Life Gives You Tangerines. We’ll also talk about Jeju Island, the popular tourist destination and setting for many hit K Dramas!

References

• Park Sung-il list of songs on K Drama OSTs
• Brene Brown’s TED Talk: Listening to Shame