11.10 - Podcast Review of Episode 10 of When Life Gives You Tangerines

Comment on this episode by going to KDramaChat.comToday, we’ll be discussing Episode 10 of When Life Gives You Tangerines, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring IU as Oh Ae-sun and Park Bo-gum as Yang Gwan-sik as young adults, then Moon So-ri as Oh Ae-sun and Park Hae-joon as Yang Gwan-sik as older adults. We discuss:The featured song during the recap: “Theme of Ae-sun” by Park Sung-il, the musician who also wrote “Theme of Gwan-sik,” “Spring in a Heartbeat,” and “Two Faced Summer” from this OST.The Baeksang Awards wins for this show—Best Drama, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Supporting Actor—and how validating it feels to have picked a gem for Season 11 of our podcast!How this episode focuses on three mothers and their powerful love for their children: Ae-sun, Yeong-ran, and Chung-seop’s mom.The symbolic and cultural significance of white rice, and how Bu Sang-gil uses it as a weapon in his drunken tirade.Oh Seong’s boiling anger against his father and sister, and his tragic learned behavior from witnessing his father's abuse.Hyeon-suk’s origami cranes and how they parallel Geum Myeong’s cranes from Japan—symbols of hope, wishes, and emotional solace.How the village haenyeos serve as the Greek chorus, offering wisdom, gossip, and commentary with humor and truth.Eun Myeong’s cigarette-selling side hustle and his rebellion against his parents.The painful disparity in how Yeong Beom’s mother treats Geum Myeong and Eun Myeong.Chung-seop’s shy but grateful reaction to Geum Myeong’s kindness to his mother, and their growing closeness.Cultural and cinematic references throughout the episode: Cinema Paradiso, Lambada, Choi Jin-sil, and the long-running radio show Two O’Clock Date.The origin story of Ae-sun’s deep anxiety about her daughter, which probably stems from an attempted kidnapping during her childhood.Ae-sun’s and Geum Myeong’s mirrored dreams and trauma over the day Dong Myeong died, and how regret is a recurring theme in this show.Ae sun’s dramatic save of Geum Myeong from carbon monoxide poisoning; we see that Ae-sun’s intuition leads her to save her daughter.What we’re watching now, including The Match, Big Mouth, and Reply 1988, plus a shoutout to Lee Soo-kyung, the actress who plays Bu Hyeon-suk, as a rising star to watch.ReferencesChoi Jin-sil - WikipediaEyes of Dawn - WikipediaMy Love, My Bride (1990 film) - WikipediaJesa - WikipediaLee Choon-jae - Wikipedia