Park Bo-gum and Park Hae-joon raised standards for men all over the world when they took up the role of When Life Gives You Tangerines Yang Gwan-sik. This character not only changed Ae-sun’s life for the better but also showed women everywhere what a green flag really looks like. He didn’t show any extravagant actions or surprises but simply loved Ae-sun with all his heart, and it was his simplicity that made her the object of jealousy among every woman in town.
When Life Gives You Tangerines (폭싹 속았수다) follows a rebellious girl with a dream and a boy ready to give his all to fulfil her wishes. A story of endless love, this show takes us to the 1950s. Directed by Kim Won-suk, the drama stars IU, Park Bo-gum, Moon So-ri, Park Hae-joon, Kim Tae-yeon, Lee Chun-moo, and other cast members.
The new Korean drama is filled with heartwarming emotions and feelings of nostalgia that not only succeeds in bridging the gap between various generations but also shows us what a happy life really looks like. It isn’t the extravagant affairs but the simple bond of love and contentment that create memories which will give you a life that makes you happy. However, one of the biggest factors in this happy tale was none other than Yang Gwan-sik, who truly showed us how easy it is to keep the person you love happy. He doesn’t just raise your standards but also picks up the broken pieces of many hearts with his words for his wife and daughter.
With this, let us look at some of our favourite green flag moments of our beloved Yang Gwan-sik, who made this show one of the top Korean dramas at the moment!
When Life Gives You Tangerines Yang Gwan-sik Moments!
His Support for Ae-sun’s Decisions
Taking ourselves back right to the beginning of the show, we begin with Gwan-sik’s relentless support for everything Ae-sun does. So much so that he made it clear that Ae-sun was the one for him in his childhood when he wished to be the first lady of President Ae-sun. His support only gets stronger through the years, be it supporting Ae-sun after her mother’s death, selling her vegetables, or even running away from their town when she tells him to. He never hides away from being his warm place in this cold place, and he does it like it’s as simple as breathing.
Gwan-sik Crosses the Sea!
Who can forget the iconic moment when Gwan-sik decided to jump off a ship and swim back to Ae-sun when she called his name? This scene had our hearts fluttering in a moment while also giving rise to many male influencers posting videos of their swimming practice to do the same when they as called in a similar manner. This moment was a part of their passionate love period and Gwan-sik showed us all just how passionate he can be for his beloved Ae-sun.
Wife Before Family!
Our second most favourite moment has to be when gwan-sik chose to stand for his wife rather than his family when he separated from them. He never held her back from doing anything and even supported her in her wishes, always ready to clean up whatever mess that comes along with it. The moment he stood up for the person whom he loved with all his heart without creating a huge ruckus was all we needed to fall in love with Gwan-sik.
The Bearer of Pain
Gwan-sik is the silent protector of Ae-sun and his family; he always made sure to take away all their pain and give them their support without letting them know of his pain. After the demise of their son Dong-myeong, he kept his pain and guilt hidden away to make sure his wife could heal herself. Be it silently following her to Dong-myeong’s grave or not letting Ae-sun know of his guilt until years later when he spills it under the influence of anesthesia. Just like our fathers, he too made sure to be the backbone for his family and always stayed strong.
His Gold Medal Geum-myeong
For Gwan-sik, Geum-myeong was no less than the gold medal he could have won through an athletic career that he let go after jumping off that ship. His love for her is endless, and he makes sure to let her know that he will always be there for her if she ever wishes to run away from anything in life. Gwan-sik really warmed our hearts with his many words to his beloved daughter, especially when he made sure to prove his words and provide a safe haven for her from everything.
His Unrequited Love for Geum-myeong and Eun-myeong
His love for his children has always warmed the hearts of many viewers, and this was especially so in two particular scenes. The scene when he takes Geum-myeong out into the sea early in the morning and the scene when he sells the very same boat for his son Eun-myeong. These two scenes made us cry, melt, and gave us such a mix of emotions that we still cannot watch them without shedding a few tears.
The Neverending Love for Ae-sun
Finally, there is no way we are ending this without talking about his neverending love for Ae-sun as he always wishes to make her the happiest. When going through his treatment, he saw what Ae-sun’s future would be without him and made sure to tell Geum-myeong all about the wonderful woman Ae-sun has been so that she can love her mother through his eyes, almost as much as him. A whole night filled with Ae-sun’s stories, he only asked for her to never let her mother be alone after he has gone.
If this wasn’t enough, he went further ahead and made arrangements for his beloved Ae-sun after he had gone. Filling up her drawers with hair pins that she tends to easily lose, fixing the door, and also bringing down everything from the top shelves so that she can reach them. This scene in particular had us crying all the more, and we still find it hard to get over the man that Gwan-sik has proved himself to be.
Which is your favourite Yang Gwan-sik moment? Let us know in the comments below!