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2025 · Netflix · Grandmacore

IU's Grandmacore Fashion
in When Life Gives You Tangerines

From 1950s Jeju to 1990s Seoul, IU wears two distinct characters with two completely different wardrobes. Both are masterclasses in quiet, timeless beauty. Here's how to wear each one.

March 29, 2026

When Netflix released When Life Gives You Tangerines in March 2025, it didn't just top the global charts — it reignited interest in a style movement that had been quietly building for years. Grandmacore: the fashion aesthetic rooted in vintage textures, hand-me-down warmth, and the unhurried elegance of another era.

IU plays two characters across different generations. As Oh Ae-sun, she wears 1950s–70s Jeju island clothing — floral dresses, dot scarves, pearl necklaces. As her daughter Yang Geum-myeong, she dresses in 1990s Seoul university style — herringbone coats, flannel layers, and earth-tone trousers. Both wardrobes sent Korean shopping sites into a frenzy. Pearl hairpins, dot scarves, and herringbone coats sold out within weeks of the premiere.

This guide breaks down both characters' signature looks and shows you how to recreate them with pieces you can shop today. For more K-drama fashion inspiration, explore our K-Drama Style page.

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1950s–70s Jeju

Oh Ae-sun (오애선)

When Life Gives You Tangerines (2025) — Played by IU (Lee Ji-eun)

Vintage Florals Pearl Accents Jeju Folk Style

Ae-sun is Jeju-born, spirited, and described in the drama as "요망진" — smart and fearless in the Jeju dialect. Her wardrobe reflects the era: practical yet beautiful. Floral midi dresses, a signature polka-dot scarf she ties loosely around her neck, pearl jewelry, and monochromatic dresses in dark navy or forest tones. Every piece looks borrowed from a grandmother's closet — in the best possible way.

Oh Ae-sun Vintage Sunday Best — floral midi dress look

Look 01

The Vintage Sunday Best

Ae-sun's most iconic look: a floral midi dress with long sleeves, a loosely tied polka-dot silk scarf at the neck, and a strand of pearls. Simple, warm, and unmistakably 1950s Jeju.

👗 Floral Midi Dress (Long Sleeve) See price
🧣 Polka Dot Silk Scarf See price
✨ Pearl Strand Necklace See price
👠 Block Heel Mary Jane Shoes See price
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Oh Ae-sun Timeless Monochrome — navy dress look

Look 02

Timeless Monochrome

For formal occasions, Ae-sun wears a single-color dress in deep navy or forest green — clean silhouette, structured fabric, minimal accessories. Quiet confidence made visible.

👗 Monochrome Midi Dress (Navy or Olive) See price
🎩 Wide Brim Hat See price
👜 Small Structured Handbag See price
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Pro Tip

The dot scarf is the most affordable way to get the Ae-sun look. Tie it loosely around the collar of any solid-color dress — not knotted, just draped. That casual softness is the whole point. Keep everything else minimal: small pearl studs, nothing more.

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1990s Seoul

Yang Geum-myeong (양금명)

When Life Gives You Tangerines (2025) — Played by IU (Lee Ji-eun)

Herringbone Coats 90s Layering Earth Tones

Ae-sun's daughter — a Seoul university student in the 1990s. Her fashion tells a completely different story: structured coats in herringbone and tweed, layered with flannel shirts and dark turtlenecks, wide-leg denim, and canvas backpacks. If Oh Ae-sun represents the beauty of restraint, Geum-myeong represents the casual cool of 90s Korean campus life.

Yang Geum-myeong Herringbone Campus — coat look

Look 01

The Herringbone Campus

The look that went viral: a double-breasted herringbone coat in earth brown or dark grey, over a black turtleneck, straight-leg jeans, and white sneakers. Pearl hairpin optional — but highly recommended.

🧥 Double-Breasted Herringbone Coat See price
👚 Black Ribbed Turtleneck See price
👖 Straight-Leg High-Waist Jeans See price
📌 Pearl Hairpin (the viral detail) See price
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Yang Geum-myeong Blush Coat Layer — beige coat look

Look 02

Blush Coat Layer

The softer side of Geum-myeong: a blush pink or warm beige tailored coat, worn over an oversized cardigan and corduroy trousers. Canvas backpack slung over one shoulder. Effortless 90s academic energy.

🧥 Blush / Warm Beige Tailored Coat See price
🧶 Oversized Cardigan (Cream or Oatmeal) See price
👖 Wide-Leg Corduroy Trousers See price
🎒 Canvas Backpack See price
Shop Similar on Amazon

Pro Tip

Geum-myeong's magic is in the layering: every look has at least three layers, but they never look bulky. The key is proportion — a longer coat over a slightly shorter mid-layer, with something slim underneath. Keep the palette within two tones (earth + neutral) and it always works.

What makes When Life Gives You Tangerines a fashion landmark is that both wardrobes feel wearable right now — not costume, not ironic. IU's styling team understood that the most powerful fashion doesn't announce itself. It just exists, quietly, season after season.

The Grandmacore trend this drama helped define is still going strong in 2026. If you're building a wardrobe that lasts, start with one herringbone coat, one dot scarf, and a handful of pearl hairpins. The rest follows naturally.

Looking for more K-drama fashion? Check out our guide on dressing like K-drama characters and the complete K-Drama Style page.