Veteran actress Oh Min-ae opened up about her intense role in the Netflix drama When Life Gives You Tangerines, including the now-viral slap scene with IU, during the May 7th Parents’ Day special of MBC’s Radio Star.
Oh, who portrayed Yang Gwan-sik (Park Bo-gum)’s mother, said she joined the cast due to her admiration for director Kim Won-seok, known for My Mister.
“This drama had a strong reputation even before filming started. I think almost every middle-aged actress in Korea auditioned,” she revealed.
Regarding her on-screen son Park Bo-gum, she quipped, “He’s great as Park Bo-gum, but not as Gwan-sik!”
She also reflected on her famous line, “The dog’s better. The dog’s better… the dog is,” which became a catchphrase among viewers.
One of the show’s most talked-about moments was when Oh Min-ae’s character slapped IU (Ae-soon).
“People kept asking me, ‘How could you slap IU?’ I felt so pressured to get it right on the first take. IU was incredibly professional—she was ready for multiple takes. She was that committed,” Oh explained.
She added, “After filming that scene, I felt so sorry I took both Bo-gum and IU out for a nice meal.”
Describing her character as the archetypal Korean mother who receives little recognition or affection, she said, “I imagined what a woman like that would look like as she aged—not soft, but hardened. That’s why I stayed cold-faced during filming.”
Oh also admitted that after a year of filming, her character’s stern tone slipped into her everyday life. “I found myself snapping like a cranky mom in real life,” she joked, adding, “I even adjusted my voice over time as the character aged. These days I’m studying vocal performance too!”
Asked by Song Il-kook if she would do a musical again, Oh replied, “I’d love to if given the chance. I’ve done it before—sang a whole solo!”
When Life Gives You Tangerines continues to generate buzz for its emotional depth, nuanced performances and memorable lines—thanks in no small part to Oh Min-ae’s powerful portrayal.