As the episodes of "When Life Gives You Tangerines" continue, the screen time for lead actor Park Bo-gum is decreasing, and Netflix has made a statement.

On the afternoon of the 22nd, Netflix stated to OSEN, "'When Life Gives You Tangerines' is a work depicting the adventure-filled lives of Ae-sun and Gwan-sik, and we expect to provide much fun and emotion through both the young Ae-sun and Gwan-sik and their middle-aged versions as parents, and we would like to ask for your interest in the stories of the remaining 4th act, including those of Geum-myeong and Eun-myeong."

The Netflix original series "When Life Gives You Tangerines" follows the adventurous life of the 'rebellious and charming' Ae-sun (played by IU) and the 'foolish and strong' Gwan-sik (played by Park Bo-gum), set against the backdrop of Jeju Island in the 1960s, unfolded through the four seasons. The series has generated excitement, produced by writer Im Sang-chun, who is beloved for stories filled with a unique human touch like "When the Camellia Blooms" and "Fight for My Way," and director Kim Won-seok, known for his works like "My Mister," "Signal," and "Misaeng," with a production cost reportedly around 600 billion won. Additional cast members include IU, Park Bo-gum, Moon So-ri, Park Hae-joon, Yeom Hye-ran, and Oh Jung-se.

This format stands out compared to the previous releases, which opened all episodes at once. Starting with the first act reflecting spring on the 7th (episodes 1-4), a total of 16 episodes will be released weekly, with 4 episodes each week over 4 weeks. By the 21st, the content corresponding to the third act (episodes 9-12) has been released, but some viewers have reacted, stating, "Since the second act, Park Bo-gum's screen time has noticeably decreased," and "He seems to have disappeared despite being a lead actor."

Previously, the first act mostly focused on the youth stories of Ae-sun and Gwan-sik, leading to explosive responses for the charming chemistry between IU and Park Bo-gum. In the second act, Ae-sun and Gwan-sik become parents through marriage, introducing their daughter Geum-myeong (played by IU), while the third act features new character Park Chung-seop (played by Kim Sun-ho), alongside Geum-myeong's boyfriend Park Young-bum (played by Lee Joon-young), leading to speculations such as, "Is Chung-seop her future husband?"

IU, recognized as a dual lead, has been passionately portraying both the youthful Ae-sun and her daughter Geum-myeong but with 'young Gwan-sik' Park Bo-gum's screen time disappearing, fans have expressed their disappointment. Viewers expecting the duo's scenes have valid reasons for their dissatisfaction.

However, since "When Life Gives You Tangerines" is not simply a romance, but a work that covers the protagonists' lives from 1960 to the present year of 2025, it is natural for Park Bo-gum's screen time to reduce in the latter part, as the middle-aged versions of Ae-sun (played by Moon So-ri) and Gwan-sik (played by Park Hae-joon) are becoming more important. Additionally, Geum-myeong's growth period is expected to be a focal point.

Meanwhile, the conclusion of "When Life Gives You Tangerines," the fourth act (episodes 13-16), will be released on the 28th on Netflix.

[Photo] Provided by Netflix

[OSEN]