China, which is restricting the import of content such as Korean dramas under the 'limit Korean wave' (한한령·韩流禁止令) and blocking Netflix's entry, is reportedly engaging in 'pirate viewing' of Korean dramas. Recently released on Netflix, 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' has risen to 2nd place in the Netflix global top 10 series (non-English) category.
According to Professor Seok-kyung Deok of Sungshin Women's University on the 20th, 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' has a rating of 9.4 on 'Douban,' a Chinese film, drama, and book review site, as of that day. 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' is currently airing in Taiwan under the title '苦盡柑來遇見你' (Endure苦首次гл与果品阳菜) and is referred to by the same title in China.
Douban described 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' as a total of 16 episodes that started airing in Korea on March 7, featuring the 'rebellious and brave Aesoon' (played by IU) and 'stubborn Gwan-sik' (played by Park Bo-gum) in a moving story of the four seasons blooming and wilting in Jeju Island.
Over 400 reviews from netizens saying they have watched the drama have been posted on Douban. Chinese netizens commented, 'It could be a sequel to Reply 1988,' and 'I think I will be in tears when the next episode is released.'
Despite the limit on the Korean wave, it seems that fans of Korean dramas in China are already watching 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' through various channels. Videos of the entire series released so far have been uploaded on various online video services (OTT), and evaluations and analyses of the drama are also being published in real time by Chinese media and blogs.
China blocked the import of Korean wave content in 2017 as retaliation against the deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. However, China has since unlawfully posted Korean dramas and films on OTT platforms. Even after Netflix dominated the global content market, China continued to block Netflix's entry. Nonetheless, Chinese viewers have illegally seen Korean content on Netflix such as 'The Glory,' 'Squid Game,' and 'Culinary Class Wars.'
Professor Seok-kyung noted on his Facebook that 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' is suffering again from illegal viewing in China, pointing out that 'pirate viewing' has become a daily occurrence within China.
Professor Seok stated, 'Until now, China has freely used the portraits of Korean wave stars who have appeared in K-content and created counterfeit products for sale, turning them into their own revenue sources, which has led to significant controversy.' He emphasized that Chinese netizens should not make unreasonable claims that 'Korea has stolen Chinese culture' but should first cultivate a respect for the content of other countries.