When Life gives you oranges, this is a globally popular K drama that is praised for its heart-warming stories about love, family and real life inspiration and has a 9.3 IMDB rating.
When life gives you orange
Korean drama has become one of the most popular hits of 2025 when life gives you oranges. It is not only popular in Korea, but it has attracted the hearts of people around the world. What is even more surprising is that China’s Global Times, a newspaper closely related to the Communist Party of China, praised the performance. This is rare, especially because the global era often criticizes South Korea and its entertainment.
The drama is one of some of South Korea’s most popular actors, including IU and Park Bo-Gum. iu plays Oh, Ae-sun, Park Bo-Gum plays Yang Gwan-Sik. Other stars like Lee Soo Kyung, Park Hae-Joon and Moon So-Ri also play important roles. According to a report by MoneyControl, the highest-rated Korean drama on IMDB beats other famous shows like Squid Game, Kingdom and The Glory.
As of April 2025, the TV series has an impressive rating on IMDB. Its final episode scored an almost perfect 9.8, showing fans around the world love the story. It also received over 5.5 million views and ranked first in six different countries. On Diaman, one of China’s largest review platforms, it has a rating of 9.4, making it one of the highest rated Korean dramas in recent years.
The power of the play lies in its simplicity, emotional story about love, empathy and family. While fighting social expectations, a couple faces many challenges. One of the unique features of the show is how it portrays women’s parenting and daily struggles, giving men a deeper understanding of women.
What makes this drama even more touching is that it is inspired by real-life couples. The main character Oh, Ae-sun is based on a woman named Hong Ja Ja who lives in Jeju Island. Her childhood was difficult. Her mother died when she was only five years old, and she cared for her siblings by diving into the sea to collect octopuses and selling siblings for money. The first episode of the show showed a tribute to her.
Her husband inspired the character Yang Gwan-Sik, known for his deep love and constant support. They met as kids, fell in love, and got married after six years of dating. He even won the “Beautiful Husband Award” in 2002 for being such a devout companion. Despite his death seven years ago, his story continues to inspire people around the world.
This heartfelt drama reminds us of love, kindness and support can make everything different, even in the toughest times.
