'Aesoon's son' and 'Aesoon's uncle' come to mind naturally. 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' has reached 2nd place globally on Netflix and gained popularity, and the moves of actors such as Kang Yoo-seok and Jung Hae-kyun, who played supportive roles, are also attracting attention.
On the 19th, Netflix announced that the Korean original series 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' (written by Im Sang-chun and directed by Kim Won-seok) has reached 2nd place in the global TOP10 non-English institutional sector.
'When Life Gives You Tangerines' is a Netflix series that tells the adventurous life of Aesoon (IU, Moon So-ri), a rebellious girl born in Jeju, and Kwan-sik (Park Bo-gum, Park Hae-jun), a foolish but kind-hearted boy, through the four seasons. The delicate expressions of writer Im Sang-chun, who gained recognition through 'When Camellia Blooms,' combined with the meticulous direction of Kim Won-seok, who is acclaimed for 'Signal,' 'Misaeng,' and 'My Mister,' alongside the capital strength of global OTT platforms, has resulted in exceptional quality that has garnered positive reviews. Currently, it continues its global popularity by reaching 2nd place in the non-English sector of Netflix.
Particularly, the popularity and artistry of this drama are drawing attention to the actions of supporting actors, not just the leads. While IU and Park Bo-gum lose their names and are referred to as 'Aesoon' and 'Kwan-sik,' the supporting characters are also being called 'Aesoon's xxxxx' and 'Kwan-sik's xxxxx', creating feelings of familiarity. Among them, Kang Yoo-seok, who plays 'Aesoon's second son Eun-myung,' and Jung Hae-kyun, who plays 'Aesoon's uncle,' are typical examples.
Firstly, Kang Yoo-seok is one of the popular actors in the entertainment industry, quickly confirming his next and upcoming projects, including the new tvN drama 'Resident Playbook' premiering on April 12 and another new drama 'Seochodong.' He plays Eun-myung, the second son of Aesoon and Kwan-sik, in 'When Life Gives You Tangerines.' He appeared starting from the second act, and his significant contributions are anticipated in the third act, drawing great attention from viewers.
With news about future projects like 'Resident Playbook' and 'Seochodong' being revealed, curiosity towards Kang Yoo-seok's journey is rising. In 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' he appears as Eun-myung, who seems to cause trouble for Aesoon with his carefree high school life in a rural village in Jeju, but in 'Resident Playbook,' he appears as a resident who is busy saving patients. This has sparked curiosity, wondering if he is indeed the same person.
Meanwhile, Jung Hae-kyun is also drawing attention through promotion outside of projects. Recently, he was seen visiting a sit-in protest urging the dismissal of President Yoon Suk-yeol, with the news released on YouTube. A video shared on the YouTube channel 'Voice of Seoul' on the 18th, titled 'Actor Jung Hae-kyun visits sit-in protest urging dismissal at 2 a.m. amid heavy snowfall,' has garnered public interest.
In the video, Jung Hae-kyun visited the sit-in protest urging the dismissal of President Yoon Suk-yeol, held at 2 a.m. in Gwanghwamun, Jongno, Seoul. In an interview with the production team, he calmly explained the reason for attending the protest: 'I came to the Gwanghwamun gathering to participate in the candlelight vigil and, after finishing with my juniors and a beloved younger sibling, I wanted to have a drink, and I missed Gwanghwamun.'
He also noted, 'I love soccer and baseball, but I haven't been able to watch Son Heung-min's highlights since December 3rd (the day of President Yoon Suk-yeol's declaration of a state of emergency). I've been a fan of Hanwha Eagles for over 10 years, but even while they're playing practice games, I haven't been able to watch.' While he retained his humor, he emphasized, 'If this (the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol) isn't resolved, I don't think I'll be able to watch it anymore. I want to fight for my everyday life. I want to fight for peace and values.'
Jung Hae-kyun played the role of Aesoon's uncle in 'When Life Gives You Tangerines.' Although he gained disapproval from viewers for not properly roasting a piglet for Aesoon during childhood, in reality, his character is depicted as an ordinary citizen. There are positive reviews noting the resemblance between the everyday values highlighted in 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' and Jung Hae-kyun's real life.
'When Life Gives You Tangerines' continues to captivate domestic viewers by drawing attention even to the minor moments of supporting characters. This serves as evidence of the intense interest in the work and the abundance of positive reviews. The drama is still ahead of its third and fourth acts, making keen expectations for the future direction of 'When Life Gives You Tangerines.'
[Photo] Provided by Netflix and tvN, source from YouTube.
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