When Life Gives You Tangerines chronicles the adventures of Ae Soon, "the remarkable rebel," and Gwan Shik, whose nickname means "unyielding iron," in Jeju Island, including Gwan Shik's long-standing crush on Ae Soon since they were young. The series' Korean title pays homage to the Jeju dialect, translating to "thank you for your hard work," lending cultural authenticity to the narrative.