IU, Park Bo-gum’s new series to debut on Netflix
The much-anticipated series “When Life Gives You Tangerines” (working title), which created a buzz with its lead actors Lee Ji-eun, also known as IU, and Park Bo-gum, will be released on Netflix, the streaming platform said Wednesday.
The series will follow the lives of two Jeju Island locals, Ae-sun (Lee) and Gwan-sik (Park) in the 1950s. Ae-sun is a feisty girl who dreams of becoming a poet despite her unfortunate life. She tries to defy her destiny and stays optimistic even under circumstances that make going to school challenging for her.
Gwan-sik is a diligent and hard-working boy whose strength is his perseverance. He has loved Ae-sun since they were young and has shown unyielding love ever since. Staying by her side, he joins Ae-sun’s adventurous journey through life.
Veteran actors Moon So-ri and Park Hae-joon will play the older versions of Ae-sun and Gwan-sik.
The series is led by the popular director Kim Won-suk, who is known for helming the hit television shows “Misaeng: Incomplete Life” (2014), “Signal” (2016) and “My Mister” (2018), and is scripted by writer Lim Sang-Chun, who previously wrote the rom-com shows “Fight for My Way” (2017) and “When the Camellia Blooms” (2019). Lee will be working with director Kim for the second time since the hit drama series “My Mister.”
This will be Lee and Park’s first television work in years, since “Hotel Del Luna” (2019) for Lee and “Record of Youth” (2020) for Park.
Lee, who debuted as a solo singer with the album “Lost and Found” in 2008, shot to stardom after making a hit with her song “Good Day” (2010). She has built a successful music career, releasing a string of hit songs, including “Red Shoes” and “Twenty-Three.” She made her way into acting after landing a lead role in the teen series “Dream High” in 2011 and has been starring in various films and series, including the comedy series “The Producers” (2015) and the drama film “Broker” (2022).
Netflix plans to launch the Korean series globally in 190 countries later this year, although the specific release date has not yet been announced.