When Life Gives You Tangerines ending explained: 5 burning questions finally answered in IU and Park Bo Gum’s story finale

Also read: When Life Gives You Tangerines Review: Don’t skip IU & Park Bo Gum’s K-drama if you’re dealing with life’s sour moments

Gwan Sik dies, leaving Oh Ae Sun behind 

One of the biggest fears for fans of this drama was watching their beloved characters face separation, and sadly, that fear came true. IU’s daughter, Geum Myeong, finally thrives in her career and can afford her parents’ expensive treatment in Seoul, only to be confronted with the harsh truth about her father’s condition. Park Bo Gum’s character succumbs to arthritis, which ultimately leads to cancer. The show follows a pattern of women outliving their husbands, as seen in Oh Ae Sun’s case and her mother’s and mother-in-law’s lives. Since childhood, Oh Ae Sun had always leaned on Gwan Sik, who took care of her in every way. Even in his final days, he worried about her future without him. Now that he’s gone, she’s devastated, but she still has her family, his memories, and, most importantly, the hairpins—yes, we need to talk about those.

Also read: IU and Park Bo Gum react to their ‘awkward’ kiss in Netflix’s When Life Gives You Tangerines, reveal 13-year friendship

What does Oh Ae Sun’s hairpin imply?

Since childhood, IU’s character, Ae Sun, has had a deep love for wearing hairpins, and her husband, Gwan Sik, always made sure she had one, no matter how tough their circumstances were. She wore them throughout her life. But after Gwan Sik’s death, for the first time, we see her ditching her signature hairpins. However, once Ae Sun finds herself again, after her poem book, which she began writing in one of their last springs together, gets published, she reconnects with her ‘book worm’ self. This was one of Gwan Sik’s promises, a dream he wanted to fulfill but couldn’t, telling his daughter in the hospital that he couldn’t make it happen. But little did he know, it would come true. After publishing her first book, Ae Sun finds a new sense of identity, and with it, she starts wearing her hairpins again. It’s a simple gesture, but a powerful one, each hairpin a tiny reminder of Gwan Sik, a little pat on her head from him every time she wears it.

Who does Geum Myeong marry?

Oh Ae Sun’s daughter, Geum Myeong, didn’t end up marrying her first love, Young Beom (played by Lee Jun Young). After he fails to stand up for her in front of his parents, their engagement falls apart. Later, we find Young Beom married to someone else, with his mother’s approval, but life has a way of hitting back. Geum Myeong is seen struggling with depression, cursing his wife and questioning why she should suffer. Young Beom feels bad for his mother and himself, thinking about the time she wronged Geum Myeong. He tells her that this is the life she chose for him.

Years later, Geum Myeong’s path crosses again with the Picasso guy (played by Kim Seon Ho), who earlier introduced her to a part-time theater job. The two fall in love, and with Gwan Sik and Oh Ae Sun’s blessing, they have a traditional Jeju wedding. The couple eventually welcomes a daughter. Geum Myeong later starts a business that flourishes after South Korea’s IMF crisis, eventually rising to become the CEO of her company.

Who is editor Chloe H. Lee?

We all did a double take, replaying the segment to make sure our eyes weren’t deceiving us. Yes, the editor who published Ae Sun’s book on such short notice, without charging extra, looked exactly like Ae Sun’s mother. Later, it was revealed that she was the same woman who had once found Ae Sun’s gold ring, the one Gwan Sik had proposed with, in a cabbage field, only for Ae Sun to angrily throw it away. Chloe Lee, the editor, seemed to embody the very kind of desk job Ae Sun had always hoped her mother would have if she were to reincarnate.

Who is the mystery woman Gwan Sik met

Yang Eun Myeong (Ae Sun’s son) marries Bu Hyeon Suk (Bu Sang Gil’s daughter) after she becomes pregnant, and the couple later welcomes two children. At one point, Eun Myeong is framed for a crime and serves jail time. To bail him out, Gwan Sik sells his boat. This sacrifice weighs heavily on Eun Myeong, pushing him to turn his life around, even if it means selling rice cakes to make an honest living.

Meanwhile, Gwan Sik and Ae Sun finally break their long-standing promise and sell their cabbage field to open a restaurant. But just when they think they’ve found stability, they get scammed, leaving their business on the brink of collapse. Then, fate steps in, a single phone call changes everything. A famous actor dines at their restaurant and, moved by their story, promotes it, turning it into an overnight success. That actor was the very woman Gwan Sik once saved when she was on the verge of ending her life. Years ago, when she asked how she could repay him, he had asked for nothing. But now, when he and Ae Sun needed help the most, she finally returned the favour.