Title: When Life Gives You Tangerines
Year: 2025 (Expected)
Country: South Korea
Genre: Romantic Drama, Slice of Life
Director: Kim Jee-woon (A Tale of Two Sisters , The Good, the Bad and the Weird )
Cast: IU (Lee Ji-eun), Park Seo-joon, Shin Min-a, Yoo Hae-jin
Runtime: ~128 minutes
Platform: Theatrical Release / Later on Netflix & Disney+
Short Description:
“When Life Gives You Tangerines” is a heartwarming romantic drama set in the small coastal town of Gangneung, where dreams are as fragile as tangerine peels and life often throws you something unexpected.
IU stars as Min-joo , a once-promising classical pianist who returns to her hometown after failing to make it big in Seoul. There, she stumbles upon an old music school — now abandoned and covered in dust — but filled with memories of her childhood. With help from Tae-min (Park Seo-joon), a quirky local handyman with a passion for vintage instruments, she decides to restore the building and open a community music center.
What starts as a quiet project turns into a journey of self-discovery, healing, and unexpected love. As they gather locals — from elderly violinists to teenage rappers — the duo learns that sometimes the sweetest melodies come not from perfection, but from life’s imperfections.
This film blends poetic storytelling, beautiful seaside cinematography, and a soulful soundtrack composed by Oscar-winning composer Joe Hisaishi .
Latest News:
News 1:
📅 May 2, 2025
Director Kim Jee-woon confirmed in an interview with Variety that “When Life Gives You Tangerines” will be his first full-length romantic drama since A Bittersweet Life . He described the film as “a love letter to dreamers who’ve lost their way.”
News 2:
📅 April 20, 2025
IU released a teaser clip of her playing piano for the film’s original score, which has already gone viral on social media. Fans praised her performance, calling it “emotionally powerful” and “cinematic in itself.”
Table: Key Details About the Film
| Title | When Life Gives You Tangerines |
| Genre | Romantic Drama, Slice of Life |
| Director | Kim Jee-woon |
| Main Cast | IU, Park Seo-joon, Shin Min-a, Yoo Hae-jin |
| Runtime | ~128 minutes |
| Music Composer | Joe Hisaishi |
| Filming Locations | Gangneung, Jeju Island, Seoul |
| Expected Premiere | Summer 2025 (Cannes or Toronto Film Festival) |
| Language | Korean |
| Subtitles Available | English, Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, French |
Quote from IU:
“It’s not just about coming back home — it’s about finding yourself again in the place you thought had nothing left for you.”
Stay tuned for more updates, trailers, and behind-the-scenes content! This film promises to be one of the most touching cinematic experiences of 2025.
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