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What changes did IU make to her makeup while playing Oh Ae Sun on When Life Gives You Tangerines? Fans have ideas
IU embraced a bare-faced, natural look for Oh Ae Sun in When Life Gives You Tangerines. Fans noticed minimal makeup, untrimmed eyebrows, and soft, earthy tones that captured the 1960s vibe.
Bringing a character to life from script to screen is no easy task. It takes more than just reciting lines or hitting marks— it demands heart, instinct, and an eye for the tiniest, most human details. For IU, though, it’s something she makes look effortless as if slipping into another life comes naturally to her.
In When Life Gives You Tangerines, IU turned heads with her raw, unfiltered portrayal of Oh Ae-soon, a bold and spirited girl growing up on Jeju Island in the 1960s. The Netflix series has captured viewers with its nostalgic, lived-in atmosphere, and IU’s performance stands firmly at the very heart of it. What’s striking is how she communicates so much through the quietest, subtlest choices — including something as simple as leaving her eyebrows completely untouched.
This level of dedication to her character has earned IU even more praise from audiences. One fan commented that this is “next-level attention to detail,” while another said, “This is why they felt so real — it looked natural and stayed true to their characters.” Another fan added, “Untrimmed brows actually make her look even more youthful and fresh.”
At a time when most period dramas might still smooth things over for modern tastes, IU made a deliberate decision to keep Oh Ae-soon’s eyebrows natural, slightly wild, and untrimmed. It’s a small, easily missed detail, but speaks volumes about Oh Ae Sun’s character.
Even in behind-the-scenes snapshots taken during filming, IU stayed fully committed to Oh Ae Sun’s rawness in When Life Gives You Tangerines.
Not just in When Life Gives You Tangerines, IU, despite primarily being a singer, has consistently delivered electrifying character sketches in dramas like Hotel Del Luna, My Mister, and more, earning praise for her versatility.
When Life Gives You Tangerines follows the story of Oh Ae Sun and Yang Gwan Sik (Park Bo Gum), a stubborn but tender-hearted man. The Netflix series unfolds in four seasonal acts, representing the four phases of life. Though the drama concluded on March 28, its attention to delicate, human details like IU’s untamed eyebrows continues to resonate with audiences, proving that sometimes it’s the quietest things that leave the deepest mark.
