31 Quotes from When Life Gives You Tangerine That’ll Wreck and Heal You

While I'm still not over this K-Drama, let's relive the moments of Gwan-sik and Ae-sun's life through these memorable quotes.

61st Baek Sang Awards are over now... And my favorite K-drama from this season, When Life Gives You Tangerine, has won the Best Drama award. It also secured wins for Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor (Choi Dae-hoon), and Best Supporting Actress (Yeom Hye-ran).

But honestly? Awards or not, this drama is a masterpiece that’ll remain etched in my heart forever. It’s not just a show, it’s an entire circle of life captured in four volumes. Through moments of laughter, sorrow, tears, heartache, hope, and healing, this drama reflects on family, love, regrets, and generational gaps we often overlook.

For me, it bridged a few unspoken gaps between me and my parents. It made me reflect, cry a little harder, and hold my loved ones a little tighter.

And while I’m still soaking in the lingering essence of this beautiful drama, let’s revisit 31 quotes from When Life Gives You Tangerines that have touched my soul.

Family & Parental Bonds Are the Best Shield When Life Gives You Tangerine

1. "For others, it was as though I was writing a love letter. I was mindful of every word that came out of my mouth. But with my mom, whom I owed my life to, I spoke like I was scribbling on scrap paper." — Yang Geum Myeong

   
   

2. "If you keep pitying yourself and saying your life’s pathetic, it’ll really become that way. If you think you’re worth 100 won, who’ll treat you like you’re worth 1,000? Stop pitying yourself. Say something kind to yourself so you can stand tall." — Geum Myeong

   
   

3. "Parents often have no idea when their child’s heart breaks. And when they do, they'd rush to protect them — so maybe that’s why God prevents them from knowing."  — Geum Myeong

   
   

4. "No child grows up without heartbreak."  — Geum Myeong

   
   

5. "Mom never forgot the day Dad turned around for her. His family always said he was the first husband to turn around and eat with his back to the table in Dodong-ri. He picked his battles — and never left Mom alone on the battlefield." — Geum Myeong

   
   

6. "Breaking Mom’s heart breaks my own too."  — Geum Myeong

   
   

7. "Don’t be too harsh on a child. Even a leaf can be torn in a gentle drizzle." — Haenyeo

   
   

8. "If you keep hammering at tough shells, they might seem unaffected, but eventually cracks will show. Never show favoritism to your children, because they’ll remember it forever." — Haenyeo

   
   

Fate, Loss & Life Lessons Straight from Dodong-ri

Image Credit: Pinterest

9. "A broken heart isn’t just a saying. It really hurts. It clenches painfully inside your chest."  — Geum Myeong

   
   

10. "I wanted to cry like a child, but the moment I heard Mom’s voice, my anger melted. I was mad at her for being poor, knowing full well she was poor because of me."  — Geum Myeong

    
    

11. "It turned out my first love didn’t have a fairytale ending."  — Geum Myeong

    

    Image Credit: Pinterest

12. "I love you — how can I not? But I love myself too. I can't keep being sad. I don't want you to live like this, either. How could I be happy if your heart is breaking?" — Geum Myeong

    
    

13. "You’re right. Don’t live like I did. But I found happiness too. There was sunshine in my life. I had picture-perfect moments. Just… acknowledge that my life was worthwhile too." — Oh Ae Sun

    
    

14. "There’s no warm place in this world for me. The only person who cares about me at all… is you, Yang Gwan-sik." — Oh Ae Sun

    
    

When Dreams Feel Too Heavy & Come Wrapped in Regret

A Glimpse from Guem-Myeong's Life

15. "They say it takes countless lifetimes of fate to meet someone once in this life. And if you miss them when they pass by… that’s the end." — When Life Gives You Tangerines

    
    

16. "If she hadn’t run that day… could she have stopped the destiny racing toward her?"  — Geum Myeong

    
    

17. "I swallowed their dreams and spread my wings, holding my mother’s dream like a seed in my heart. A dream so heavy and blazing that it finally made the sound of wings flapping."  — Geum Myeong

    
    

18. "With grief, time can dull the pain. But when it cuts too deep, you just bury it." — Oh Ae Sun

19. 
    

20. "We constantly struggled to be independent. From college exams and graduation to meeting the in-laws — life has always been a series of parental summons." — Oh Ae Sun

21. "At my house, I was a bratty kid. At his, I was a black sheep — as if everything was my fault."  — Geum Myeong

    
    
    
    

Adulting Hurts More Than Hot Soup on a Burnt Tongue

21. "I thought growing up would callous my heart and hands. But everything’s still too hot for me. I get burned every day, and it hurts every single time. Am I the only fool here? Is everyone else adulting fine?" — Oh Ae Sun

    
    

22. "They all just pretend to be adults because they’re told they are." — Yang Gwan Sik

    
    

23. "Maybe if I sleep less, you both can sleep more. But it only wakes me up." — Yang Gwan Sik

    
    

24. "To know what a man is like, look at his father. That’s where they learn how to treat their family." — Oh Ae Sun

    
    

25. "Who proposes with an oil boiler instead of a diamond ring?"  — Geum Myeong

    
    

26. "In poetry, poverty can sound dignified. But there’s nothing beautiful about not having money. Poetry only gives it beauty." — Park Changseob

    
    

27. "I’ve carried a coffin on my back all my life, yet I still fear death. Maybe that’s why I never took a picture of myself." — Gwang Rye

    
    

28. "If I work for a day, we'll get through another day. But to work a day, it just feels so unfair." — Yang Gwan Sik

    
    

Love Hurts, Self-Love Heals — The Tangerine Way

Image Credit: Pinterest

29. "I never cared where I lived — a stuffy apartment, your parents’ spare room, it didn’t matter. Because you're my home. And that's enough." — Oh Ae Sun

    
    

30. "Now you decide. Do you want to be a good husband or a good son? You can't be both. I don’t want a man who tries to please everyone."  — Geum Myeong

    
    

31. "I think you're like a Christmas tree. Trees do their job just by standing still. Wherever it stands — in an apartment or a lonely corner store — it always shines, taking your breath away." — Park Changseob

Whether it made me tear up or reflect quietly, these words are a soft reminder that life is bittersweet, messy, and achingly beautiful.

💛 Which theme or quote touched your heart the most? Share it in the comments — let’s treasure this timeless drama together.