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When Life Gives You Tangerines: From IU's beauty mark, hairpins to Haenyeo tewag, 5 hidden symbols uncovered
When Life Gives You Tangerines in an enduring cumulation of heartwarming events. Here are some hidden symbols in the drama that add to its charm.
When Life Gives You Tangerines has emerged as a worldwide sensation, solidifying its status as one of Netflix's top K-drama offerings. The show's touching storyline and the cast's authentic performances have impressed audiences. While it may appear to be a cheerful exploration of daily life across different eras, it contains profound themes and subtle symbols that you may not have noticed.
Here are five concealed details in this cherished series:
IU’s Beauty Mark
In When Life Gives You Tangerines, IU portrayed two characters: O Ae Sun and her daughter Geum Myeong. To differentiate between them, IU's character Ae Sun featured her distinctive beauty mark, which was applied with makeup, whereas Geum Myeong did not have this mark. Additionally, the beauty mark was also applied to the faces of other actors who represented various stages of O Ae Sun's life.
Haenyeo Tewag
In episode one of When Life Gives You Tangerines, a traditional tewag (a floating device used by Jeju's women divers, Haenyeo) bore the name Hong Kyung Ja. This subtle tribute honored the real-life inspiration behind the drama. Hong Kyung Ja, born in 1950, endured hardships that paralleled the challenges depicted in the series.
Children's Names
Yang Gwan Sik (Park Bo Gum) named his firstborn Geum Myeong (gold), elder son Eun Myeong (silver), and younger son Dong Myeong (bronze), which are significant because he sacrificed his seemingly bright athletic career to take on the role of a loving father and husband. He later named his boat 'GeumEunDong', as a tribute to his children, showcasing his unparalleled love towards them.
Car Badge Charms
Eun Myeong (Kang You Seok) got in trouble for stealing and selling his teachers' car badge letters as lucky charms for university admission. Geum Myeong was later seen with an 'S' charm, which might have been given to her by her brother. In that case, the charm might be considered to have worked, as she got accepted into the prestigious Seoul National University.
Hairpins
Yang Gwan Sik's gift of hairpins to O Ae Sun as a teen became a symbol of his enduring love. He continued to gift them to her throughout their marriage and filled her drawers with a lot of them before his death, ensuring she would have enough of them while he wasn't around anymore.
