When Life Gives You Tangerines Shines at 61st Baeksang Arts Awards with Netflix Triumph

Netflix’s original Korean series, When Life Gives You Tangerines, made a sweeping impact at The 61st Baeksang Arts Awards with Gucci, securing wins in four major broadcasting categories — Best Drama, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress — during the ceremony held on May 5 at COEX D Hall in Gangnam, Seoul.

The drama was nominated in eight categories total, including Best Direction and Best Actor and Actress, proving its standing as the most talked-about production of 2025. The series is produced by PAN Entertainment and co-produced by Baram Pictures.

Producer Park Sang-hyun of PAN Entertainment expressed his gratitude by saying, “These awards are possible thanks to Netflix’s Kang Dong-han, our co-production partners, and the hard-working crew. Stories never disappear as long as there are people to tell them. We’ll continue striving to deliver joy, comfort, and inspiration through our dramas.”

Writer Im Sang-choon added, “My hope was for this project to inspire people to call their parents or hug their children. I’m deeply thankful and will stay grounded as a writer quietly working behind the scenes.”

When Life Gives You Tangerines portrays the life journey of Aesoon and Gwansik, born in 1950s Jeju, across the changing seasons. Their personal stories of hardship, perseverance, and timeless love serve as a tribute to past generations and a message of encouragement for the future.

Directed with delicate precision by Kim Won-seok and written with emotional warmth by Im Sang-choon, the series received critical acclaim globally. The stellar cast — IU, Park Bo-gum, Moon So-ri, Park Hae-joon, Yeom Hye-ran, and Na Moon-hee — delivered intensely emotional performances that resonated deeply with audiences.

Following its release, the series skyrocketed to No.1 in South Korea and ranked No.4 in Netflix’s Global Top 10 (non-English) category. It eventually climbed to the top spot globally for non-English series and sustained its place in the Top 10 for eight consecutive weeks.

According to Good Data Corporation, the show commanded 50.71% of the TV-OTT drama buzz in the fourth week of March (March 24–30). In parallel, Gallup Korea‘s broadcast program surveys for March and April placed the drama at No.1 for two straight months, giving rise to what fans now call the “Tangerines Syndrome.”

The show’s soundtrack became a centerpiece in its own right. Spearheaded by music director Park Sung-il of My Mister, Signal, and Misaeng fame, the OST includes talented musicians like IU, d.ear, Choo Dahae, Kwak Jin-eon, Hwang Soyoon, Choi Baek-ho, and Hong Isaac. Seamlessly intertwined with the narrative, the music heightened emotional immersion and conveyed deep resonance and comfort.