The popular drama “When Life Gives You Tangerines” has reached its emotional end, leaving many viewers in tears after the final episodes aired recently. The long-awaited wedding of Geum-myeong (played by IU) and the poignant farewell of Gwan-sik became the central points of discussion and heartbreak among netizens.
Geum-myeong’s Wedding and a Father’s Last Words
While the wedding of Geum-myeong was a significant moment, it was the scenes surrounding Gwan-sik‘s final moments that deeply affected viewers. After witnessing his wife, Ae-soon‘s dream of publishing her poetry come to fruition, Gwan-sik lay beside her, offering comforting words. He said,
Whenever Ae-soon cries, it feels like I’m about to leave this world. If you cry, I won’t be able to fly away.
Shortly after this tender moment, Gwan-sik collapsed and was rushed to the hospital by his family. The emotional impact intensified when Geum-myeong expressed the sorrow of their father’s final moments, saying,
The last face our father saw of us… was one in pain.
Gwan-sik’s Peaceful Departure and Lasting Memories
As many viewers had anticipated, Gwan-sik passed away in the final episode, concluding his fifty years of devotion to Ae-soon. Unlike the tragic fates of other loved ones in Ae-soon‘s life, Gwan-sik‘s death occurred peacefully in the hospital.
The scenes within the hospital, portraying the raw grief of the remaining family members, proved particularly difficult for many to watch.
The drama concluded with Ae-soon remaining in their home, quietly awaiting visits from her daughter. Gentle flashbacks of Ae-soon and Gwan-sik in their younger years, amidst the serene and bright canola fields, provided a beautiful contrast to the present sorrow. The title of the final episode, “Congratulations to Mom and Dad for Living a Full Life,” added another layer of emotional depth.
Despite the peaceful ending, viewers flooded social media platforms with expressions of deep sadness. Viral clips featuring Gwan-sik and Ae-soon triggered uncontrollable sobbing for many. Some viewers even admitted to skipping the ending to protect themselves from further heartache. Comments from netizens included:
Instead of ending with the couple holding hands watching their grandchildren, the writer really said “Let’s make them cry one more time.”
Too tired to cry anymore. I’ll stop at Geum-myeong’s wedding. That’s enough for my heart.
Watched this at work, cried secretly, and my coworkers thought I was sick.
Writer-nim, how could you be this cruel?
If I’m crying just from the pictures, how can I survive the full episode?
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