Skip to main content

11.7 - Podcast Review of Episode 7 of When Life Gives You Tangerines

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


###

K Drama Chat is a weekly podcast where we take one Korean (K) Drama each season and and recap and analyze each episode. K Drama Chat is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Pandora.

 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Thanks for your comment on this episode!

Popular posts from this blog

5.4 - Review of Episode 4 of Mr. Queen

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 4 of Mr. Queen, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Shin Hye-sun as Kim So-yong, Kim Jung-hyun as King Cheojong, Seol In-ah as Jo Hwa-jin, Na In-woo as Kim Byeong-in, and Choi Jin-hyuk as Jang Bong-hwan. We discuss: Then songs we played during the recap: Conspiracyby Kim Deuk-su  and Lost Memory by Howl.  Last week’s episode was so funny, while this episode is really dark and there are bad guys everywhere.  The Queen has figured out that it was the King who tried to kill her in the alleyway.  The King is still desperately trying to figure out what the Queen knows.  The many plots to frame someone for the Queen falling into the lake.  The Queen accuses the King of going after her because she’s weak; this makes him wonder if the Queen is plotting against him or if she really is someone different.  Jo Hwa-jin goes to Grand Dowager Queen to confess they she pushed the Queen into the lake When the King tries to defend Jo H...
1 comment
Read more

11.1 - Podcast Review of When Life Gives You Tangerines

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 1 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: Midnight Walk by d.ear. The song feels nostalgic and represents Ae-sun’s longing for the past. The deeper themes of family, love, and survival that make this show feel unique compared to other historical K Dramas. The emotional opening with an elderly Ae-sun reflecting on the word "eomma" (mom) and how it carries deep significance throughout her life. The realistic and historical setting of Jeju Island, which makes this drama feel different from the more fantastical K Dramas we have covered before. The contrast between the English title, When Life Gives You Tangerines , and the Korean title Pokssak Sogatsuda , which means "You’ve worked hard" in Jeju dialect. The introduction of young Ae-sun and Gwan-sik and how their childhood relationship sets t...
17 comments
Read more

10.1 - Podcast Review of See You In My 19th Life

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 1 of See You In My 19th Life, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Shin Hye-sun as Ban Ji-eum, Ahn Bo-hyun as Moon Seo-ha, Ha Yoon-kyung as Yoon Cho-won, Ahn Dong-goo as Ha Do-yoon, and Cha Chung-hwa as Kim Ae-kyung. We discuss: The songs we featured in this episode: Remember by Kim Jin ah Silence by Sunwoo jung-a The reaction of our listeners to our choice of show for Season 10 The characters we first get introduced to: Ban Ji-eum, Moon Seo-ha, Ha Do-yoon and Kim Ae-kyung. The concept of reincarnation. The Korean concept of inyeon, which roughly translates to providence or fate. The three elements of flamenco. When Kim Ae-kyung began to believe that Ban Ji-eum was the reincarnation of her uncle. The story of how Yoon Ju-won met Seo ha, got to know him, and died on his birthday. Ban Ji-eum’s mission to see if Moon Seo-ha is alive and ultimately be with him. The ages of our characters in the different timeframes. The importance of pools to Moon Seo-...
25 comments
Read more