‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ star IU shares that playing pregnant on screen felt ‘natural’: There wasn’t even time to feel awkward

IU, who has been doing rounds since the global success of her show ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’, has been actively doing interviews. The show, which traces the journey of IU’s character Oh Ae Sun from adolescence to adulthood, has not only showcased her impressive acting range but also sparked conversations about love, marriage, and the realities of motherhood. On a YouTube show, ‘B TV’s Piaakia with Lee Dong Jin’, the singer and actress talked about how it was playing a pregnant woman on screen.
Host Lee Dong-Jin talked about the character, saying how IU plays the role of a pregnant woman for about a quarter of the show’s runtime. In response to the statement, IU shared that “I wondered briefly if it would feel awkward, but once I read the script, it felt completely natural. On set, it came even more easily.”
She also added that "I naturally started doing things like putting my hand on my back or sitting with my legs apart. There wasn’t even time to feel awkward; it all just flowed."
The lead actress also credited the writer of the show, as well as co-star Park Bo-gum, for making the portrayal natural. She shared that "The writer described everything so clearly that there wasn’t anything I didn’t understand," as quoted by Pinkvilla.
Along with this, the actress also shared that the role’s accurate portrayal was due to the costume design team. "Since I was pregnant for most of the show, we used various belly wraps to show the progression of pregnancy. It didn’t weigh as much as an actual pregnancy, but it gave just enough weight to make my movements feel more realistic."
The host of the show also talked about IU’s portrayal on screen and how difficult it was to play a character that goes from a high schooler to an adult to a pregnant woman. The actress replied with ease, sharing that “I did think it would be challenging, but that very aspect is what made me want to do this project.”