IU Reveals Her Most Devastating Scene Had Zero Crying in “When Life Gives You Tangerines”: No Tears, All Pain

IU is no stranger to emotional performances, but one particular scene in When Life Gives You Tangerines left an unforgettable mark on her, as well as viewers. During her interview on B tv’s Piaakia with Lee Dong-jin, IU shared the behind-the-scenes intensity of filming the heartbreaking moment in Episode 6, when Ae Sun must face the death of her child.

What made the scene so powerful wasn’t a dramatic breakdown, but the absence of one.

“Ae Sun is written as someone who cries a lot… but in that scene, it was written that she does not cry. Instead, it’s Gwan Sik who breaks down,” IU explained. That reversal of emotion between her and Park Bo Gum’s character made the moment even more devastating.

IU admitted the scene was incredibly difficult to perform: “Every time I felt like I was about to tear up, the director would remind me, ‘Ae Sun is not sad. She doesn’t cry here’.” She revealed that simply holding back tears was far more emotionally draining than letting them flow. “I realized that not crying could be more heartbreaking.”

Adding to the weight of the scene was the child actor’s remarkable performance. IU recalled, “Even though I knew it was acting, it was so sad. His movements… you could physically feel it.”

Despite the pain, IU believes the emotional restraint served the story. “Portraying someone who’s in denial and cannot process the grief was way harder,” she said.

That moment, haunting and silent, became one of the drama’s most unforgettable scenes, not because of what was shown, but because of what was held back.