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Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 3 of When Life Gives You Tangerines, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring IU as Ae Sun and Park Bo Gum as Gwan Sik. We discuss:

• The song featured during the recap: “Neoyeong Nayeong” by Ahn Eun Kyung and Eunyong Sim, a haunting blend of traditional and modern sound, sung in the Jeju dialect and about young love.
• How the show is beautifully infused with Jeju-specific language, culture, and music.
• Our heartfelt shoutouts to listeners, including Ellen’s birthday and Joanna’s meetup with Akiko in Tokyo.
• The folk tale of the honest woodcutter and its metaphorical significance for Ae Sun’s comparison of Gwan Sik to a steel axe.
• The heartbreak of Ae Sun pushing Gwan Sik away—not out of lack of love, but to set him free.
• The injustice of Ae Sun’s expulsion from school while Gwan Sik only gets suspended, a commentary on gender and social status.
• Gwan Sik melting down his doljanchi rings to make a ring for Ae Sun—rings full of cultural symbolism and maternal sentiment.
• The chilling portrayal of Ae Sun’s potential suitor, a widower looking more for unpaid labor than a partner.
• Gwan Sik’s dramatic decision to swim back to Ae Sun after hearing her cries at the harbor—an epic open water swim of love and determination.
• Our leads’ emotional reunion, wedding, and the symbolism of Ae Sun’s wide-brimmed hat and new ring.
• The support of the haenyeos and their reference to the Cowherd and Weaver Girl folktale, a beautiful metaphor for star-crossed love.
• The reveal that Ae Sun was pregnant from their night in Busan, explaining the early birth of their daughter and the "conception dream" of Gwan sik’s grandmother.
• The bittersweet final scene, where Ae Sun and Gwan Sik acknowledge that while they gave up dreams of poetry and athletic stardom, they have no regrets about choosing each other.
• Our deep dive into IU's stellar career as a singer, actress, and philanthropist—highlighting why she’s beloved by so many around the world.

Next week, we’ll recap and analyze Episode 4 of When Life Gives You Tangerines and talk about the handsome and talented Park Bo Gum!

References

• Known as the “Poet of Flag,” Yu Chi-hwan
• Folk songs of Jeju
• The Honest Woodcutter
• The Weaver and the Cow Herdsman: A tale of two lovers whose deep affection triumphed over loneliness