K-Drama

Chinese Communist Media Praises “When Life Gives You Tangerines”, Korean Ban to End?

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According to media outlet BNT News on March 29, in a rare and surprising move, Chinese state-affiliated newspaper Global Times has given high praise to the Netflix K-drama When Life Gives You Tangerines (Korean title: 폭싹 속았수다), sparking speculation about a possible shift in China’s long-standing ban on Korean pop culture, known as Hallyu Ban.

The Jeju of Dreams When Life Gives You Tangerines Captures

The drama, starring global K-pop and K-drama icons IU and Park Bo Gum, was featured prominently in the March 27 edition of Global Times as the top entertainment article, with the headline: “A New Hit in Korean Period Dramas.” The publication highlighted the show’s strong domestic and international reception, noting the high praise it has received since its Netflix release on March 7

What makes this article noteworthy is that Global Times is widely seen as a strategic mouthpiece for the Chinese Communist Party in foreign communications. The outlet’s generally critical tone toward Korean content has been part of a broader cultural freeze between South Korea and China since 2016, when THAAD missile deployments triggered the Hallyu Ban — restricting the import of Korean content into China.

When Life Gives You Tangerines" Hit by Rampant Illegal Streaming in China

Despite the fact that Netflix is not available in China, and Chinese citizens cannot legally stream the show, Global Times cited viewer ratings from Douban, a major Chinese review platform, reporting that “When Life Gives You Tangerines” received a high score of 9.4. The paper also noted it as one of the highest-rated Korean dramas in recent years even calling it a “new milestone” for Korean period storytelling.

Additionally, this praise comes at a time when diplomatic signs between China and South Korea hint at warming relations. On March 21, during a meeting in Japan, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reportedly conveyed interest in restoring cultural exchanges with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul. This followed other positive developments, including the Chinese release of Bong Joon-ho’s Hollywood-backed film “Mickey 17”.

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However, observers note that “Mickey 17” was an American production, despite being directed by a Korean filmmaker. In contrast, “When Life Gives You Tangerines” is fully produced, performed, and written in Korea, marking a more direct and culturally significant endorsement.

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