Wait, that’s not what Koreans call it? How Netflix completely reimagines K-drama titles for Western audiences
That Korean drama you’ve been obsessively binging? Koreans might not even recognize the title you’re using.
Netflix’s latest sensation “When Life Gives You Tangerines” has captivated international audiences with its heartwarming story — but Korean viewers aren’t watching anything with citrus in the name. The actual Korean title “폭싹 속았수다” (Poksak Sogassuda) is a Jeju Island dialect phrase meaning “thank you for your hard work” — a linguistic choice so regional that even mainland Koreans struggle to understand it.
So why “tangerines” for English speakers? Netflix’s globalization team brilliantly adapted the famous American saying “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” replacing lemons with tangerines (Jeju Island’s famous specialty fruit). This cultural substitution maintains the philosophical message while establishing the setting — something a literal translation could never accomplish.
“The title captures the essence of making something warm and comforting from life’s bitter moments,” explained IU, who stars as Oh Ae-soon. “It’s about making sweet tangerine tea from the tangerines life throws at you.”
This dramatic title transformation isn’t unique. Remember the breakthrough hit “Extraordinary Attorney Woo”? In Korean, it’s actually called “이상한 변호사 우영우” — literally “Strange Lawyer Woo Young-woo.” Netflix carefully avoided potential negative connotations by choosing “extraordinary” over “strange” or “weird” to describe its neurodivergent protagonist.
Even more surprising is “Culinary Class War” — which Koreans know as “흑백요리사” or “Black and White Chef.” Netflix completely reimagined this title, wisely avoiding potential racial misinterpretations of “black and white” in markets where racial tensions exist.
The strategy has clearly paid off. “When Life Gives You Tangerines” reached #1 on Netflix’s non-English TV shows list within just three days of its release, topping charts in 24 countries including Korea, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Peru, and Bolivia.
“When creating English titles, our goal is to localize the creator’s intent and cultural nuances for English-speaking audiences,” explained a Netflix globalization team member. “We focus on striking the right balance between helping viewers understand the feeling and genre of a show from the title alone, while not completely losing the original title’s essence.”
So next time you recommend your favorite K-drama to friends, remember you might be using a completely different title than Korean fans — and that’s not a translation error, but a carefully crafted cultural bridge designed to make you fall in love with stories you might otherwise scroll past.
냉동굴 ‘노로바이러스’ 
