List of When Life Gives You Tangerines characters

Oh Ae-sun Oh Ae-sun (born in 1951) is the main protagonist of When Life Gives You Tangerines. Ae-sun was a small, timid literary girl who, despite needing to be resourceful in many ways, had a voice that trembled like a goat's whenever she rebelled. She was a child who had little but was not embittered. She is a resilient character like a wildflower tenaciously lifting its head toward the sun, even under the harsh shade of a wall that let in no sunlight. Even when circumstances prevented her from attending school, she dreamed of becoming a poet, unreservedly weeping when sad and laughing loudly enough to echo across the entire sea. She was assertive and capable. Ae-sun's character is described as yo-mang-jin, a Jeju dialect term meaning "smart and clever." She is a lovable girl with infinite dreams and abilities, striving to get through life despite being frustrated by poverty and her gender. She possesses a girlish yet strong personality and maintains a beautifully positive outlook on life. Ae-sun's late mother, Gwang-rye, was a haenyeo—a female free diver who harvests seafood. Gwang-rye worked herself to death to ensure Ae-sun would never become a haenyeo and would be free to chase her dreams of becoming a poet. Despite her intelligence and ambitions, Ae-sun was unable to graduate from high school or attend college on the mainland. She married her first love, childhood friend Yang Gwan-sik, and gave up her own dreams to become a mother at a young age, having her first child at 18. Although Ae-sun escaped becoming a haenyeo, she did not become a writer or attend university. Instead, she became a housewife to a fisherman and repeated her mother cycle of sacrifice—working, cooking, and cleaning every day—in the hope that her daughter, Geum-myeong, would have opportunities she never enjoyed. She was deeply concerned about her ability to be a good mother, fearing she might fail to provide the love and care her child needed. This anxiety fueled her dedication to raising Geum-myeong with exceptional care, projecting her own hopes and insecurities onto her, making maternal love and commitment the core of her life. Ae-sun began publishing poetry in her 60s, with her poems appearing in magazines. In her 70s, she released a collection of poems titled You Have Done Well (). After her husband's death, she volunteered teaching residents of a Jeju nursing home how to read, write, and express themselves through poetry. The residents called her "teacher," which brought her a sense of fulfillment. She lived in her renovated family home—originally her mother's—which had been sold to fund Geum-myeong's education but was later repurchased by Geum-myeong. Moon So-ri plays the middle-aged Ae-sun, Seo-yeon as teen Ae-sun and Kim Tae-yeon as child Ae-sun. IU and Kim Tae-yeon received praise for their performances in the drama, leading to IU's nomination for Best Actress – Television and Kim Tae-yeon's nomination for Best New Actress — Television at the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards. IU also considered for the Grand Prize. She also won for Best Actress in 2025 Blue Dragon Series Awards. IU ranked second place in Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year annual poll, after co-star Park Bo-gum (Gwan-sik). Yang Gwan-sik }} Yang Gwan-sik (born 1950) is the main male character and Ae-sun's love interest, boyfriend, and later husband. He is described as "a character as silent and unyielding as cast iron and as unshakable as an old tree." He understands the power of true dedication. However, in matters of love, he is as fragile as a ripe peach. Ae-sun's smile can make his heart falter, and her tears deeply affect him. Nevertheless, his loyalty remains unyielding. From the very beginning, he loves and cherishes Ae-sun alone, never wavering in his commitment. Using the circumstances of their era as a pretext, he guides Ae-sun through pivotal moments in her life—sometimes steering, pulling the emergency brake, or even stepping on the accelerator. Gwan-sik named his children Geum-myeong, Eun-myeong, and Dong-myeong. In English, geum translates to gold, eun to silver, and dong to bronze. Having given up a promising career as an athlete, his children became his greatest achievements. He later named his boat—bought for him by Ae-sun's grandmother—Geum Eun Dong as a tribute to his kids. Together, they lost a child but raised two to adulthood. They are grandparents and beloved members of the community, having done it all side by side. Lee Cheon-mu the child Gwan-sik, and Moon Woo-jin as teen Gwan-sik. Park Bo-gum's portrayal received widespread praise by audience and critics domestically and internationally, earning him his second nomination for Best Actor – Television at the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards. He is also nominated for Best Actor in 2025 Blue Dragon Series Awards and won the Popularity Award. In addition, the role earned him two Grand Prizes (Daesang): Best Actor of the Year – OTT at the 10th Asia Artist Awards and Performer of the Year at the Fundex Awards. Park was named the 2025 Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year, his second time being selected. He is the first actor to top the poll for a streaming project. Yang Geum-myeong Yang Geum-myeong (born 1968) is the eldest and only daughter of Ae-sun and Gwan-sik, born when her parents were 18 and 19 years old, respectively. While Geum-myeong resembles her mother in appearance, her personality is distinct; she is often portrayed as speaking harshly to her affectionate parents. Her emotional struggles stem from the loss of her sibling, Dong-myeong, which left her with significant suppressed guilt. Throughout her youth, she found solace in academic achievement, viewed as a way to bring pride and joy to her family. The character was portrayed by IU as Yang Geum-myeong, Lee A-ra as child Geum-myeong (10–12 years old), Ahn Tae-rin as child Geum-myeong (7–10 years old), and Shin Chae-rin as child Geum-myeong (4–7 years old). == Supporting characters: People from Jeju ==