The popularity of Park Bo-gum's portrayal of Gwan-sik started a viral challenge on social media called "My Own Gwan-sik" where fans post about their partners, husbands, and fathers behaving like the character.
A domestic and international hit, the series received praise for its performances, screenplay, and direction. It has been favorably compared to the acclaimed period drama Eung-dab-ha-ra 1988 (2015), also starring Park Bo-gum, for eliciting nostalgia and warmth rooted in the Korean experience.
When Life Gives You Tangerines marks IU and Park Bo-gum's return to television after six and five years respectively. It is also Park's first drama after his discharge from mandatory military service.
Lead actors IU and Park Bo-gum, both born in 1993, are same-age friends who first worked together on a commercial in their teenage years. They met again in their 20s when Park had a cameo in IU's drama "The Producers", and was brought together once more in their 30s for this series.
The drama was originally titled "You Have Done Well" before being renamed "When Life Gives You Tangerines," referencing the idiom and symbolizing Jeju Island's famous citrus groves. The Korean title, "Pokssak Sog-atsuda," comes from the Jeju dialect and means "Thank you for your hard work," carrying a deeper cultural significance.