WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU TANGERINES
THE BLAZING SUMMER SUNSHINE
The sun is so bright. It's blazing.
It's the perfect weather to torment your daughter-in-law.
Just 108 prostrations should be enough.
If it was, it would've worked by now. Instead, she's wasted five years.
Even Buddha would get tired of 3,000 prostrations.
Pain brings out devotion.
You're so heartless.
How can a mother-in-law be so harsh and still expect more children?
To put it bluntly, not all children survive.
You might give birth to eight, but two could die.
She married into a family that values sons.
She should fulfill her duties.
How could she expect everything for free?
She didn't bring us anything, not even a silver spoon.
What about you?
Did you bring a silver spoon? Is that why you only had two kids?
You can't stand me, so she's precious to you, right?
Ae-sun, let's go.
If you made her do 3,000 prostrations,
she'd be too tired to perform her wifely duties.
Oh, and she's doing such a good job.
Make sure you tell him before bed.
Tell your husband I made you do 3,000 prostrations.
Gwan-sik may side with you for now,
but no man likes a wife who talks badly about his mother.
Even the worst son in the world
wants his wife to be the most devoted daughter-in-law.
So watch what you say.
Did you say that for my benefit?
I won't tell him.
Yeah, right.
He groans in pain every night.
How could I give him more reasons to suffer?
Oh yeah, 'cause you're so great.
They say a man stays with the wife he loves,
even if he hates her family.
It's the same for me.
You little…
Serves you right.
Your daughter-in-law is a cut above mine.
She's so annoying. Should I teach her a lesson?
Hey! Why'd you smack the hareubang's nose?
Why? Hey!
Why did you smack its nose?
I'm so sorry.
Stop right there!
YEOM SUN-NAM, YEOM SUN-BONG
Even the government says having only one child is patriotic.
They go on and on about sons.
What's the point of raising them?
What did they get out of raising Gwan-sik?
All that work just to give him to me.
Why does she keep throwing red beans at me?
So what if my mom's spirit is with me?
My mom misses me, so she wants to see me. So what?
I guess I can't visit your house anymore.
That's not fair.
I miss you even more now that I'm a mom too.
I miss you even more.
Not being able to come here anymore must be driving you crazy, huh?
You can bring her all you like, but we aren't going to accept her.
We're not taking in new members.
Why keep bringing her? She's so young.
Every master haenyeo starts diving at the age of six or seven.
Who on earth starts diving at six or seven?
They just gather kelp in the shallow waters for fun.
Exactly. That's what I mean.
I heard that spot is for beginners.
She has to play in the water so she won't be scared.
Is she your daughter?
I really don't want to talk to her at all.
Does Ae-sun know? Did she give her permission?
Why do I need her permission? She's not the boss of me!
Both people and horses must prove their worth to make a living.
That's why we want her to learn a skill. Why stand in the way?
Listen, Mak-cheon.
Every single day before we dive, we pray that we'll make it out alive.
Gwang-rye used to tell Ae-sun every day,
"Don't dive."
"Don't even learn how to dive."
Gwang-rye didn't want her daughter to do it.
Why would she want her granddaughter to?
Will Geum-myeong be your breadwinner?
Enough! Just let her dive!
You haenyeo are so damn nosy!
Gosh!
-Give it! -Goodness!
Let's go!
Let's go.
Seriously!
Whatever!
Who else can you blame that you're born to be a maid?
The move is in two weeks,
so why are you packing for the kids?
Don't they have hands?
How will you manage without those brats to clean up after?
They're not brats.
And I have a temper.
-Also, my in-laws-- -Yeah, I know.
They have a relative high up in the Jeju provincial office.
How many times have you told me your in-laws are well-connected?
But does their influence reach all the way to the mainland?
Those kids have got me.
Don't be mean to Sun-nam and Sun-bong. Make sure they get plenty of food.
I'm gonna be mean to them. So what?
I want to be mean to them once in a while, but it's not easy.
How can I be mean to them when they cuddle me and call me "Mom"?
If you raise kids in your home for ten years,
they become your own, no matter where they came from.
The heart matters more than blood, you know.
Really? You can't even do that?
Give it to me.
You must have
a lot to vent about but no one to talk to.
Call me.
You can bitch to me about the bean-throwing hag.
I'm a good listener.
You know our relationship is ridiculous, right?
Frankly, I wasn't a mistress. It wasn't an affair or anything.
I lived with him almost ten years after she passed.
There's no need for us to be hostile.
Still, we're just too different.
Is that why you stole my yellow dress and ran away at night?
Too different.
I admire you.
Now that I've been part of this family,
I really admire you.
It's not your fate to be a maid.
You just have the caring heart of one.
So,
just keep it up.
They say being good will pay off.
Then, please…
What?
Please…
What?
-Say it. -Please look after them.
My siblings.
Please let them finish school.
Stop worrying about my children.
Still, I'm not like someone who only bought four ice pops.
If I bring corn cobs, I always bring five.
I'm giving you this tricycle instead of ice pops.
Just think of this tricycle
as a kind of moral scholarship
that I am giving to Geum-myeong.
Who gives a used tricycle for a scholarship?
After all you did for this family, you're only stealing the tricycle?
What do you mean "stealing"?
You told me to take it!
One well-raised daughter is better than ten sons.
Korea Family Planning Association.
Gosh!
She took corn to them again today.
This time, I actually counted how many we had.
We barely have enough for ourselves, yet there's a thief in our home.
If she had a proper family, she'd be bringing us things.
But instead, she's taking everything we have
and giving it to people who are barely family.
There's a tilefish inside.
There's a tilefish?
Let's just say I bought the corn with the tilefish.
Is your wife all you care about now?
Who's going to be on my side if my only son takes his wife's side?
Dad's supposed to take your side.
What?
-I can't look at my own husband? -No.
I should've just raised dogs.
Hey, you stole the corn from the pot!
Ae-sun, are you fleeing as a refugee?
I gave them five corn cobs and brought all of these back.
Look.
Is this real?
Why the hell did you bring this? Planning to go back to Busan in it?
Throw red beans at it.
Some of their old clothes are almost like new.
Honestly, she could've kept the tricycle to give to her own baby,
but she chose to give it to Geum-myeong.
Throw the tricycle away. Girls shouldn't ride tricycles.
My husband would've hit you on the head with his pipe if he were alive.
We'll trade it for candy with the junk dealer.
Geum-myeong, did you go play by the sea again today?
Geum-myeong, let's go to bed.
Are you going to bed already?
Sleep early.
Good night.
Sleep well.
Then you won't be so cranky.
COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM PREPARATION WORKBOOK 1
OH AE-SUN
GENERAL EQUIVALENCY DIPLOMA NAME: OH AE-SUN
Where have you been?
I just love red beans so damn much.
Is it hard for you?
Should I just keep my mouth shut?
If the young master says something, they won't just hate me.
They'll want to kill me.
Then what do I do?
If you let me, I'll be or do whatever you want me to.
The tricycle.
Let Geum-myeong ride the tricycle.
I really want her to ride it, no matter what.
No matter what?
If she can't even ride that,
she'll spend her whole life in the kitchen.
I want her to have everything.
And I want her to do everything,
every single thing she wants.
I don't want her to set the table.
I want her to be the one to flip it.
You flip it too.
If you flip it, I'll take care of the rest.
Stop making me cry.
You can flip or break it. Just say "Ready, go" before you do.
I'll be the one they take it out on.
I know where I stand and what I'll do.
I stole their fish for you, didn't I?
-I was a bad son-- -Go.
-What? -Ready, go.
I said, "Go."
Grant her a son. Please bless her.
Please bless her with a boy.
Please grant her a son, I beg you.
I beg you.
Get down.
You'd better not tell Gwan-sik
that I've been throwing red beans at you first thing every morning.
A woman who talks too much is good for nothing.
A lazy woman who talks too much is a complete waste of space.
Watch it!
I've told you a million times not to mix the beans!
Unbelievable.
"Ready, go."
Mom's day started the same every day.
Even though she was confined to a small treadwheel,
she still managed to find…
small joys in life every day.
I paid 2,000 won for it.
Swap it for 2,000 won worth of candy if you like.
Are you smiling?
Peas, I want some peas.
Peas, here are your peas.
Peas, I want some peas.
Where are the peas? Where are they?
-I'll eat at this table from now on. -Why?
Why? You punk!
I also
want to eat with you, Mom.
Dogs are better.
Peas, I want some peas.
CATCH A SPY BRING HONOR TO THE FAMILY
Why don't you just carry her in a dignitary palanquin?
All that fuss for a girl, treating her like a prince.
-I'm off. -Be careful by the sea.
Always smiling brightly,
Ae-sun spent her entire twenties in that cramped kitchen.
If she can't even ride that,
she'll spend her whole life in the kitchen.
I want her to have everything.
And I want her to do everything,
every single thing she wants.
Oh dear.
What are you, a centipede?
Goodness, you'll never get a chance to wear all of these.
When will she ever get to wear all of these?
Are you going to run a shoe store?
So just live with your mom.
Your mom and her indoor plants.
Your parents must've worked so hard to send you to school
with what little they had.
They must be thrilled that you're dating Yeong-beom.
Yes.
-They're happy about it. -I'm sure they are.
Why wouldn't they be?
So, you just got a job?
Yes.
Actually, I tend to hear a lot of nice things at work.
They say I'll be promoted very quickly.
You're gonna keep working?
Sorry?
You're gonna keep working after marriage?
Well…
We…
I mean, Yeong-beom and I have already talked about it.
Don't you think
too much greed can stem from some kind of emptiness?
That kind of emptiness can lead to vanity.
Sudden wealth often leads people to show off.
It's funny to see poor women who marry into wealth
start to love luxury brands.
What? Have I offended you again?
Then let me be frank.
Wouldn't you rather be the next vice minister's daughter-in-law
than get promoted to manager?
Yeong-beom is our eldest son, and he's talented.
So why would his wife
need to be out working instead of supporting him as a housewife?
Put yourself in my shoes.
Wouldn't you be angry?
The thing is…
I don't want Geum-myeong to ever feel inferior to anyone, anywhere.
I'm just as capable as Yeong-beom.
I'm also the eldest in my family.
I want to support my family with my own money.
Also…
I feel quite empty,
so getting hired isn't enough for me.
I want to do it all. Be the manager, supervisor, and even the CEO.
That's nothing to be ashamed of, is it?
You're right.
They say
good looks come with a good heart, and indoor plants are not as twisted.
So, you're not…
an indoor plant either?
What can I do?
I'm not pretty, and I'm the twisted eldest daughter.
I've had enough, okay?
It's not like I can't live without you, or I'm dying to get married.
Good grief.
There are more shoes here than I've ever worn in my life.
Is this how you spend your entire salary?
I never asked you to clean my place. It's so cold, so why do you keep…
These are all cheap.
They aren't even proper shoes. Goodness gracious.
Why are you so obsessed with shoes?
This is all vanity and a waste of money.
I heard vanity stems from emptiness.
What did you say?
Maybe I want to buy so much
because I grew up poor.
Maybe it's a deeply rooted issue.
For field trips,
you made me beg for three days just to get new clothes.
I wanted things, but we had no money.
I grew up yearning for so many things I could never have.
So now, I don't hold back at all.
They're nothing but cheap shoes,
but I buy them anyway.
It's not like I bought what I wanted
and didn't get you what you wanted.
I still gave you the best food and clothes I could
with what we had.
Is poverty something to flaunt? Should being pitiful be praised?
Is something wrong?
Is it your work?
Damn it.
Is someone bothering you?
What would you know anyway?
If you're burned out, take a break.
Take some leave if you can.
Try working at a company. You can't rest, no matter how bad it gets.
If it's that bad, just quit and get married--
And what?
Should I live like you?
Marry into another poor family with the bare minimum
and spend my whole life…
Breaking Mom's heart
makes my own heart break as well.
You're right.
You're right. Don't live the life I lived.
But you know…
I found happiness in my own way.
There was sunshine in my life too.
I've had so many picture-perfect moments.
I just want you to acknowledge that my life was worthwhile too.
It's an odd thing.
I'll just take the whole box.
Sure.
Parents dwell on what they couldn't give.
And children dwell on what they couldn't get.
Ae-sun, pay your respects.
Who? Me?
So I had no idea
that my impoverished childhood…
I may be a shaman, but a mother's blessings are unmatched.
Nothing surpasses a mother's devotion to her child.
…that even that humble childhood
was only possible because they built such a sturdy fortress.
There's no better job in Jeju than a haenyeo.
If we have one in the family, she'll be our pillar.
She'll be able to make enough on her own and won't need to ask anyone for help.
As the eldest daughter, she can fulfill her duties as the breadwinner.
You can't expect a girl to become a president,
let alone a judge or an attorney.
There's no better job than a haenyeo.
You!
What are you doing?
Oh my. That girl…
-What in the… -How dare you.
She's my daughter!
She's my daughter, not the breadwinner of the house!
My daughter won't be a haenyeo.
I won't let her be!
You…
Have you lost your mind? Where are you taking her?
My mom died young from a breathing illness caused by diving.
Until her last breath, she told me not to dive or live as a maid.
But just because I'm living like a maid, that doesn't mean my daughter--
What? "Maid"?
Is that what you call supporting your in-laws and our ancestors?
I won't let her live like me and my mother.
Not my daughter, no.
You can go if you want, but you're not taking a Yang's daughter!
She's my daughter! Mine!
If you want a haenyeo so badly, make your daughter do it, not mine!
Hey, she's lost her mind.
How dare you glare at me and raise your voice!
"Make your daughter do it"?
Oh, Guardian God, Dragon King.
Please watch over us.
"Make your daughter do it"?
How dare you run your damn mouth so recklessly!
I told you! Her mother's spirit is in her.
Her spirit has possessed that girl. That's why she's gone mad!
It's so obvious! Why wouldn't it be?
It's obvious she didn't have much to look up to growing up!
You grew up in a messed-up family, raised by lowlifes.
How dare you do this in this honorable household!
Please watch over us.
Hey, Gwan-sik.
Did you see what she was doing? She says Geum-myeong isn't my grandchild.
She disrespected our ancestors.
She just glared at me and kept yelling at me!
Say no more. Kick her out.
Kicking her out is the only thing the ancestors would accept!
Grandma, you've been throwing red beans at her?
Kick her out!
I've never hit her before today.
Good grief. This is just unbelievable.
I don't think I can breathe properly.
Oh no. You're giving her a heart attack!
Oh dear.
Mom, Grandma.
Ae-sun came to live with me, not to be your daughter-in-law.
What?
You will
never see Ae-sun again.
I won't let her live here.
How could he?
Kick her out!
Why don't you wear them?
It seems like they were made for you.
They do fit me very well.
You should've married a rich guy.
Then you could always be covered in the floral patterns you love so much.
Tell the truth, you must regret it a little?
If you told me to go back
and marry your father again--
Of course you wouldn't.
I would.
I'd do it again.
Geum-myeong.
What's this?
Goodness.
I told you not to buy two bags, didn't I?
It's not like she can't buy her own peas.
How much were they? Did they rip you off again?
I brought this whistle too.
-Don't! -It's a scary world out there.
Look at these. Aren't they pretty?
They look good.
-They fit perfectly. -They look good.
DODONG-RI VARIETY SHOP
ONE ROOM, ONE KITCHEN MONTHLY RENT, NO DEPOSIT NEEDED
GA, NA, DA, RA…
Geum-myeong, you want some peas?
I want some peas.
-One more time, here are some peas! -Here are some peas!
Yes. Good girl.
One more time.
-You want some peas? -I want some peas.
Well done!
-Squid. -Squid?
You want some squid?
Squid!
Squid.
-Good girl. -Is it good?
The landlord!
It's fine. The aunties gave us the abalones.
You think he'll ask why we're eating them when we can't pay rent?
Yes, sir!
Sir, well,
I'm looking for new fishing jobs here.
Could we pay the rent at the end of the month?
Why not just pay me in the fall?
No, sir. I'm not saying we're trying to get away with it.
I'll watch your store more often, and--
Someone came by earlier and paid three months' rent. You didn't know?
Pardon? Who did?
Someone paid for three months' rent?
Is there someone named Mo in your family?
We have a relative named Mo?
Someone from the Mo family paid it.
If you pay the rent on time,
I'll even give you some pork.
MO O-RAN SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNT: 10,000 WON
Why do you keep glaring at me?
Who is she?
-What? -Who is O-ran?
I've been by your side since you were ten.
Come on. O-ran?
You're right. Yeah, no one ever had a crush on you.
How can you be so sure?
I don't know anyone from the Mo family.
It's not your grandma?
My grandma's name is Kim Chun-ok.
My aunt's name is Hyeon Yi-suk.
Besides, my grandma is broke.
My grandmother is Park Mak-cheon. My mom is Kwon Gye-ok.
Maybe it's my mom.
Maybe my mom entered the body of a rich woman
and stole her family's bankbook, then…
What in the…
Come on now!
Now they're going too far, aren't they?
Your landlady said, "They get busy as soon as the clock strikes nine."
I guess you kids are quite diligent, huh?
You're so diligent about turning off the light at night.
How could the goddess of fertility not come and bless you?
Look how the baby came after she left the in-laws.
Your body and mind must be at ease to conceive.
Say her husband comes home after the in-laws tormented her all day.
She wouldn't wanna talk to her mother-in-law's son,
let alone… you know.
Who'd wanna do it with their mother-in-law's son?
It's morally wrong.
Diligence is one thing, but what's impressive is…
Let's just say Geum-myeong is a good daughter.
Look at this tiny room.
Goodness gracious.
If they are determined,
people can have six kids in a one-room house.
Goodness me.
Isn't she just like Gwang-rye now?
The Literary Girl has gotten rather bold.
If you lived close, we'd see you as often as we saw Gwang-rye.
The rent might be cheap, but why come all the way here?
Leave her alone.
If she lived nearby, her mother-in-law would visit a lot.
Still, it's easier to make a living if you know people.
Island folk don't take kindly to newcomers.
Hey, how's Gwan-sik's fishing job?
He's hard-working, you know.
He hasn't told you what it is he does, has he?
You and your big mouth!
She deserves to know.
Why? What is it?
Do you know who Gwan-sik is working for?
Oh my, what's wrong with his hand?
Oh no!
What is this?
-What happened to your hand? -It's fine.
You should've come as soon as you got hurt.
If you hesitate too long, your finger will heal crooked.
Are you a fool? Can't you speak?
If you were hurt, you should've asked them to turn back to shore.
What's so glorious about fishing
that you'd pull the net until your finger breaks?
You're as quiet as a mouse!
Life itself isn't evil, but money is.
It's hard to farm without renting a plot from a rich landowner.
And it's hard to fish in Dodong-ri without working on one of that family's boats.
Still, how could he go on that boat?
Don't act like you know.
He's young, but he's trying his best as the head of his family.
Honey!
Honey.
Can't you hear me?
Help me carry the table.
You're sleeping without eating again.
Dad's a baby. He sleeps all day.
Honey.
Oh my.
It's hot.
You should get changed, okay?
You keep sleeping in long sleeves.
Anchovies.
Fresh anchovies for sale.
Anchovies.
Fresh anchovies for sale.
Anchovies.
Anchovies for sale.
Do you need to be on that squid-fishing boat?
A person needs sleep to live.
Dad, bring us a hundred squids.
Dad doesn't have to bring squids with him.
I'll bring you heaps of squid.
Honey!
Catch a lot of fish!
Catch a lot of squids!
-Go. -Go.
It looks yummy.
CREAMER - INSTANT COFFEE
You only get four for free.
I'll just buy another can of sugar.
Goddamn it!
-Die! -Why would I die?
Goddamn it!
You dare mess with your older brother?
Goddamn it!
You really want to fight me?
I couldn't come to help with your move or to make kimchi.
I still haven't said hello, so…
Is his finger all right?
Did it heal?
Yes, well,
he's getting acupuncture.
Actually, I told my husband off.
If a man was hurt, he should've turned the boat back.
As if squids are more important.
Mr. Kim and Mr. Park asked him to turn the boat around.
They just happened to have full nets that day.
So I guess that's why my husband got a bit greedy.
But Mr. Yang is something else.
How did he stay on that boat all night with his finger like that?
If it were me, I'd be rolling on the floor in pain.
The captain
didn't turn the boat around?
Sorry?
He didn't turn the boat around?
My husband still can't open his hand all the way.
He spends every night moaning in pain.
Please don't worry about that.
I asked my husband multiple times not to lay a hand on Mr. Yang.
He says he has stopped beating him up.
I don't understand why he's only mean to Mr. Yang.
My husband can be hotheaded,
but he's not a bad person.
Goddamn it!
You wanna mess with me? I'll knock some sense into you!
Goddamn it!
You wanna mess with me?
Why do you always leave so early? Who do you think you are?
That man has someone precious at home.
You always bring a packed lunch. What the hell is in there?
-Goodbye now. -Hey, you bastard!
You'll drive today.
Come on, Captain. Have you got a crush on Gwan-sik?
Why do you always stop him when he's about to go home?
I'm going to drink a whole crate of alcohol.
Stand by and drive me home.
But Captain, you live nearby.
Listen!
No one gets off the boat until the captain does!
Catering to the captain's needs is part of the job!
Got it?
What would you know?
All right, let's get to work.
Let's get to work now. Here.
You don't want to?
You wanna mess with me? Speak up if you don't want to.
Speak up, and you can get your own boat.
What?
Why don't you say, "Shut it, mister" again?
But when something isn't right, it isn't right, ma'am.
Life can take cruel turns,
but I believe
what isn't right isn't right.
Come on, speak up if you don't want to.
You can't do it, can you?
Is that because you don't have a boat?
All right.
You're right. I don't want to.
I can't lie.
Hey!
But…
Got someone precious at home?
Answer me!
Why are you taking my squid?
You can't take anything unless I let you.
Got a boat?
Take these if I let you, and stay if I say so.
Why do you always run off?
You actually like your wife that much?
What's so great about her?
Come on, say something.
Are you crazy about her?
Are you two hot every night?
Do you love her that damn much?
Yes!
I love her that damn much.
What?
You pair of losers.
Little punk, what the hell do you know?
Goddamn it! I should just…
Captain, why don't you ever want to go home?
-What, you punk? -Why?
Are you lonely at home?
Are you not respected there either?
Goddamn it!
Seriously?
Son of a bitch.
You punks need a beating to knock some sense into you.
What did you say to me?
You son of a bitch!
Son of a bitch!
Hey, you son of a bitch!
Son of a bitch!
Dad used to say
that Mom was more like a whistle than a cosmos flower.
My husband
won't be working for you anymore.
He won't be working for you!
Fine. Then don't. Please don't.
You know my brother is the fishing co-op chief, right?
Don't even think about getting on a boat in Dodong-ri again!
I almost stepped in dog crap. "Son of a bitch"?
Goddamn it! You shameless brat!
Like husband, like wife, huh?
"A beating knocks some sense into you"?
You little…
You damned…
You!
How about you come to your senses first?
Then we'll see who's really dog crap!
Goddamn it!
You!
Goddamn it!
We need to change Shit-gil's nickname to "Dodong-ri's son of a bitch."
"Son of a bitch."
Oh man.
It hurts so much.
You're a whistle.
A human whistle.
You kicked him. Why are you crying?
Rice cake for sale!
Buckwheat jelly for sale!
She's got a boiler that doesn't run on coal, so that's good.
But are there any drafts?
I heard you told Geum-myeong
you'd marry me again if you were asked to.
Mom used to say…
Would you?
Why would I?
It'd be tiresome.
…she felt even sorrier for Dad than she did for us.
Steel wears out, too, doesn't it?
Why is your body already breaking down?
It's scaring me.
Oh my.
You've been carrying a heavy burden since you were ten.
No wonder you're worn out.
Don't worry. I'll live longer than you.
Why? You want a new wife after I die?
Do you want a new wife?
How could I leave you behind?
I'd feel better
if I gave you a good send-off first
and followed afterward.
"THE SAME SKY, THE SAME STARS, ETCHED IN THE SAME HEARTS."
Subtitle translation by: Sung In Jang