Queen of Tears (2024)

Just another makjang out there

Amidst the buzz surrounding this show, touted as the highest-rated TvN series of all time, I couldn't help but wonder what all the fuss was about. Yet, as is often the case, the reality fell far short of the hype. It seems these days that any production flaunting an attractive cast and lavish production values is promptly lauded, regardless of its glaring flaws in storytelling and reliance on tired clichés.

Initially, the premise held promise. Rarely do K-dramas dive into a story with the leads already married. However, the trope of the cold CEO female lead paired with the cheerful male lead has been beaten to death (cue memories of "My Demon"). The acclaim seems to stem largely from praise for the actors, cinematography, and OST, all crucial components of any successful show. But amidst all the glitz, does anyone even care about the story?

No one seemed to bat an eye when Haein miraculously emerged from brain surgery looking as glamorous as ever. Was I supposed to suspend disbelief entirely? And don't get me started on Park Sung Hoon's character, a disappointingly one-dimensional villain devoid of any real depth or nuance. The family dynamics, meanwhile, followed the tired chaebol archetype, culminating in a contrived unity against a common enemy. The lack of character progression and depth in Haein's reconciliation with her mother was glaring.

The writing, helmed by Park Ji-Eun, leaves much to be desired. The pacing is all over the place, with the initial episodes serving little purpose before a rush to shoehorn in crucial plot points towards the end. The shock tactics employed, notably the accident, felt contrived and did little to enhance the narrative. It's as if the showrunners were simply ticking boxes to fill the 16-episode quota.

Despite its shortcomings, I begrudgingly acknowledge the stellar performances of the cast and the visually stunning cinematography. However, these elements alone cannot salvage what is ultimately a hollow and superficial endeavor. If you value your time, steer clear of this overhyped disappointment.

Despite its flaws, QOT does manage to harken back to the standards of makjang dramas and those from 2016. In comparison to the K-dramas released in the past 4 or 5 years, it's passable. While it may not reach the heights of recent hits, it does provide a nostalgic nod to earlier drama conventions.

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exciting series with incredible characters

a marvel!!! This drama is very moving, I watched it with a tissue by my side. Throughout the series I was very moved by the stories of all the characters, performances by millions, super exciting!! Everyone put on a great performance, what a beautiful story of a lot of learning and overcoming, family relationships have their ups and downs, just like all relationships, loving, friendly, but the feeling is greater than anything. CHARACTERS who forgave each other and loved each other above all else. It's inexplicable what the drama does to us. The ost is also incredible, I listen to the ost on Spotify every day!

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what a wonderful journey!

I felt a lot of feelings while watching this drama. it feels like being beaten up throughout the drama and ends with a feeling of peace because we managed to get rid of another fist. I like Haein-hyunwoo's humane portrayal. they forget their promise, but I like the development of the character who keeps trying to be better. Honestly, all the characters experience the development. This is a relief because not many dramas include other characters undergoing changes. I like the parallel scenes that happen a lot in this drama. I like how Haein and Hyunwoo deal with their separation caused by death which could very well happen. I liked the shot at the ending dan every epilog scene. Beautiful. quiet. peace. it feels like I grew up with them. yongduri feels like my hometown. Actually I still don't like Eunsong. I don't like how he keeps winning at every turn. but seeing him die just like that without a loved one crying and only showing his mother's greed made me feel sorry. even so, I will miss this drama. btw, I'm glad I didn't drop this drama and continued to survive because of Ji-won and Kim Soo Hyun. if it weren't for them, maybe I wouldn't be able to watch this drama until the end. Their chemistry is top notch!

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IT HAS SOMETHING SPECIAL THAT RESONATED WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE

CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS!!!

I want to start by saying that I rated this drama an 8.5. I did so because, for me, this rating indicates that the drama is above average (average is 8 for me). The reason it’s not higher is that, although I think this series excelled in some aspects, the quality of the second half was not as strong as the first half. When deciding on a rating, I consider various factors, but I’m not too fixated on any one of them, nor am I a strict critic. My view is that all the technical and emotional aspects of a drama should serve the sole purpose of making you feel (I think QOT excels at this) and buy into the story the creators are trying to convey. Therefore, as long as this is achieved to a high enough degree, I don’t get too caught up in the individual technical aspects themselves. In other words, I personally don’t care about how they go about doing this, whether it’s done messily or more polished as long as I can feel it and buy into it.

Think about those films where you have one character who is well-trained but lacks that extra spark, and then you have another character who is not technically gifted but has raw talent and passion despite being rough around the edges. Simply put: they captivate you. "QOT" falls into the 'rough around the edges but has something special' category for me. The series managed to resonate with so many people from so many different demographics, which is no easy feat. Its ability to make you deeply empathise with the characters and the story made it such a huge success. Even if you are someone like me who doesn't follow actors and went into this series blind and without bias, you could sense that there was something special about "QOT" that had the ability to draw you in. This doesn't mean the series was perfect—it's not perfect—but you can recognise that there is something about the way in which it conveys emotion that captured a large audience, whilst also acknowledging that it was not as consistently strong in other aspects.

I watched this series week by week while it was airing and I was impressed with how well the narrative was structured in the first half of the series. Everything from the dialogue, scene setting, framing, editing, and story flow was well executed. I noticed how skilfully the story was developed from episode to episode and scene to scene. The narrative flowed smoothly and had a clear direction. It didn't surprise me that it had mass appeal, given its structuring.

I noticed that as with many k-dramas in recent years, the quality of the story presentation tends to decline in the second half of the series. This ultimately affects the overall quality. Until the second half, I was ready to rate this series 9.5 out of 10. I usually base my rating on how well I feel the creators have a handle on the story. While I initially felt that they had a secure handle on things in the first half, it became less so in the second half.

I cared about not only the leads, but also their family and friends. I even enjoyed the characterisations of the bad guys, though I didn't like them as people. Usually, I only care about the main characters in dramas and certain side characters. The rest I'm pretty neutral about as long as it doesn't impact the main leads too much. But with this series, I found the supporting characters equally compelling. I can't say for certain why it's these specific characters in this specific series, but if I had to guess, I'd say it's the show's ability to convey honest emotion in a relatable way that makes it stand out. The emotional resonance of this series brings together heartbreak, hope, and love (both romantic and filial), in a way that keeps it uplifting and prevents it from becoming too despairing.

I particularly enjoyed the family dynamics of both the FL and the ML's families, both separately and together.

We find out a lot about who the two main leads are as people through their love and resentment for each other, which is shown first amidst their broken marriage. The FL is a strong and formidable character, much like the other women in her family. She appears intimidating and cold on the surface, but this is her defence mechanism against her harsh upbringing, particularly with her mother. She is headstrong and a force to be reckoned with, far from the typical naive female lead. The ML is introduced at a point in their marriage where he desires to leave. Initially, he is portrayed as a man traumatised by his wife, seeking to escape her by any means possible (similar to Beom Ja's previous husbands), to the extent that he sees her impending death as his salvation and celebrates his chance at freedom. As the series progresses, my compassion grows for both the ML and the FL. It becomes evident that they still love each other, and something has greatly strained their marriage. Furthermore, the audience gains insight into the strengths and capabilities of the ML. He too is smart, skilled and can hold his own (unlike Beom Ja’s previous husbands). You realise that he matches the FL quite well despite initial perceptions. After a few episodes, you come to view them as a unit/a pair in the way they are characterised. Their interactions and love for each other comes across as genuine and refreshing. The audience becomes invested in their relationship and what they go through.

Above all, I was deeply moved by the relationships the characters had with each other. Their emotions felt nuanced and was palpable throughout. It felt really genuine as if they were those people going through those things. The main credit of course goes to the talented actors who portrayed the roles. Although I usually hesitate to watch emotionally heavy dramas, this series balanced the difficult emotions with an underlying sense of hope. It made me feel optimistic for the characters and their futures, amidst all the heartbreak, pain, and grief portrayed in the series.

There were also weaknesses in some of the characterisations too. Specifically, I felt that the backstories of SML and his mother (the mistress) were leading towards a more significant connection to the main family in the past, but this aspect seemed sidelined in the story. The story functions ok without it, but I can't help feeling that their characters were incomplete by the end. The mistress's motivation being solely about her greed didn't align with the direction I thought the story was taking, and it made her extreme actions to steal the family's fortune less convincing. If there had been a backstory about her scamming other people or if the main family had wronged her in some way, then her character would have felt more complete to me. The same goes for the SML and the grandfather, since their plot-line in the past were interconnected.

What stood out to me about the ML and the FL’s relationship's was that their love for each other was always evident, even when they were not physically together or going through a rough patch in their marriage. The series effectively depicted the complexities of their emotions - they could be upset, distant, or hurtful to each other, yet their love and care for each other remained strong. The main couple felt very real, showcasing the genuine impact of the struggles within their marriage. Despite the typical drama and clichés found in most k-drama romances, their relationship felt grounded, authentic and believable.

The one-sided, obsessive love that the SML had for the FL was interesting. Usually, I get annoyed by the second leads chasing after one of the main leads, but this time, I was fascinated by the layers to this. I believe the toxic nature of the 'love' he felt for the FL was well-explored, as well as how it was tied to the abandonment he experienced when his mother left him for the FL's family. There were multiple levels to his character, such as his desire to possess the person he felt was more deserving of his mother's attention, as if by possessing her, he would become worthy and gain access to the family from which he was excluded as a child. His hatred and contempt for the FL transformed into 'love' as a means to rationalise the intense emotions he felt for her. It's evident that he had never experienced love before, nor learned how to express it in a healthy way. It's unclear whether he truly feels love for the FL or simply believes he does. There's a great deal to analyse here, including the psychotic aspects of his character and how they shape his 'love' for the FL.

Overall, I am satisfied with the ending of the series, though a criticism I often hear is that it ended on too much of a bitter note because it revealed the death of the main character, although she died some years later. Some viewers wished it had ended before we found out she died, which I think is a valid point. Personally, I liked the bittersweet ending because we know she lived for a substantial amount of time afterwards. I found the final scene to be a powerful release of both emotion and conclusion; culminating in the main character joining his wife in the afterlife. The shot of him walking away as he turns into a spirit was very beautiful and emotional. I think the writers could have had their cake and eat it too just by showing a few minutes of a montage depicting their life together after everything transpired, instead of just showing us photos. For example, they could have shown them with their child, with the rest of their family thriving, growing old together, etc. This would have made it feel like less of a loss when we came to the final scene. It would have felt more like a life well lived and less bitter.

This series had its fair share of problems. I believe it had the potential to be a perfect series, but I think it's still a great series with that extra something. I found it to be heartfelt and emotionally beautiful.

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Did not undercook or overcook.

I don't think the show undercooked the story and did not overcooked, to be honest when I started watching it at first I did know what to expect (I did not do any research or watch any trailers or seen any of the ads) and I think that story was fine sure their were some weird things that happened and I think some people will get bored due to how long each episode spans and that for me impacts the rewatch value, but when it comes to the show I try my best to understand what each episode has in store sure it's not the typical k drama romance but that for me makes it unique I like how the first few episode it's Hyun Woo regretting his life choices in marrying Hae In and his in-laws beratting him to be a better husband, man, etc and I was shock on how early they said lets make the ML have the idea to divorce his wife at episode 2 but not fall through with it cause she's going to die soon and so now the ML best friend says why not win her over so she can change her will and thus you have a couple of episodes where the ML is over reacting and being all lovey dovey with the FL so that she can revise the will which I think is a good part of the story sure we know that the ML is just doing all this lovey dovey husband thing so he can have a share of her assets when she dies, but behind the scene they start to rebuild their marriage to the point where when they go overseas he ends up forgetting about divorcing her cause he doesn't act like a family member or husband that want's the assets that she has and despite all the up and downs with her ex boyfriend which he is a complete psychopath even taking of advantage of the FL when she forgets everything after the surgery I was cheering the Fl on for her to try to remember Hyun Woo and this were "The mind may forget, but the heart remembers" comes in despite losing her memory her heart still remembers her true husband and all the good deeds she did to other people along side the stuff she wished to remodel in her department store which made my all the more fall in love with the story, sure the psycho boyfriend could have just said to her 'I'm your husband Baek Hyun Woo' and when she sees the real Hyun Woo she would disregard him as a fake and he could have said 'This man *shows photo of Hyun Woo* is Yoon Eun Seong your crazy ex boyfriend' but no my guy tries the "I'm your ex boyfriend and I'm protecting you from your crazy ex" that's where I think he messed up but all the more I like how in the epilogue parts she still does not like him made me laugh my guts out cause no matter what he did the FL all was said "I'm fine I can do it myself" for me this has to be one of those show where understanding each episode is the best thing you can do to understand the story it's not some show you can breeze through like the rest of the k drama romance and rewatching it could be a hassle and leave a sour taste in your watch cause you already know what to expect and I think understanding each episode and taking you time to watch each episode will leave you feeling refreshed and satisfied that you took the time to understand each episode. That's all I can give on this review.

[TLDR: Understand each episode and the show is not overrated or undercooked.] (personal opinion)

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It's a must watch drama

So I'm watching kdrama since 2019 and this is the first drama with touched me , I love all the kdrama my fav was crash landing on you but Queen of tears have a special place as the emotions I felt while watching this drama was insane, PPL are complaining like they drop after 3-4 episodes but I feel it's imp the build up characters and all u just need to be patient and then you can feel the depth of every plot that immense love for each other and willingness to do anything to save her wife by and husband Baek Hyun woo 🙌 was amazing it's a mixture of every emotion like family, love, death and after marriage how things goes and love fades away but it's love and no matter what you just love you partner and ur not ever of the depth of love until u realise that they are leaving, Kim soo Hyun will surely make you cry that man did a phenomenal job ...... please do watch this drama....I feel teenagers don't get it that much

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Queen of Tropes

Let's start by saying that I'm not a sworn enemy of tropes. Euripides and Shakespeare used them all the time to good effect in similarly dramatic works. QoT *almost* uses a million of them to good effect. The problem is that they wore out by episode 12. After that you have to get to the bottom of the barrel to keep the bad guys getting badder and the good guys, um, gooder. By the end, in which all just deserts are served and loose ends are tied up, the tropes are about as appetizing as a bar rag at 3 am.

As others have said this show is carried by the acting. The leads' performance is nothing short of spectacular. I can find no fault in the acting, production, or directing, all of which maximized the middling potential of the overambitious script that they were given. I've spent enough time on sets to recognize the brilliant work of the crew in scenery, lighting, outdoor settings, everything. And I couldn't get enough of Berlin.

This is not my usual style of show. I didn't even like CLOY. But it caught my attention. The only thing that held back QoT's binge potential for me was that it was emotionally INTENSE. I rarely watch anything twice but understand why others would want to do so. For all these reasons I rate it highly.

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Literally became the Queen of Tears watching this.

I just want to say, this deserve all the hype its getting. It broke me out of my kdrama-drought.
If you don't like angst then this is not for you. I don't think I've ever cried this much watching a k-drama.

I give it a solid 8. My thoughts are all over the place but will just use bulletpoints.

- Great cast and acting from all characters!
- Top-notch pairing KimxKim couple!
- OST is on repeat as we speak!
- Story/plot was there but felt like it was lost near the last few eps, so it felt rushed and seemed like it just needed to end and tie it all in somehow.
- EunSeong was unbearable, like boyyyy that's not love, that's obsession but didn't care much for the villains tbh.
- I would have loved to see a "what went wrong in our marriage" conversation between the leads. eg. the miscarriage pain T_T
- Why didn't HI see/watch HW pre-recorded video??? would have loved to cry some more.
- The final ep where they show they grew old and HI died first of old age was nice but I needed more, like the life before they grew old, maybe HI remembering more memory here and there not just a quick scene of them with their kid.
- I did like the auntie at first but she got a bit too much and did not need to have that many scenes esp for the final ep.
- May rewatch but only if I wanna cry or watch their sweet/funny scenes.
- Will pay to see eps about their pre-marriage hehe

Random fact: I didn't see them, but I was in Berlin last year July, just crazy to think they were also there filming! Would have loved to see them!!

Soooo, what do I watch now.... T_T BRB just gonna scroll Tiktok for more behind the scenes and fan edits.

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BAD WRITING , WRITER LOVES THE VILLANS,A MELODRAMA

Queen of tears showed us marriage isn't always the happily ever after, you can marry the love of your life and still be unhappy and miserable, that love alone is not enough to hold a marriage together, without understanding and communication it will fall apart.“till death do us apart.” these words are really embodies their relationship. their love story is way too beautiful since the beginning, it’s a whole life history🥹.
the beginning to end we got to see their journey of broken marriage to a happy family 🥹.The drama might have a bigger audience but for me the only good thing about the story was the cast's excellent acting. Plot was all over the place, it got too unrealistic and filmy after the second half.

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Am I weird if I liked the beginning much more than the ending?

The story definitely had potential. When I started watching, I was hoping for a lot of interesting action, especially in connection with Hyun-woo being tormented and abused by Hea-in's family, I secretly hoped that maybe he would want to take some revenge on them. Ultimately, however, we get another love story in which ML has to be perfect and do everything for FL. I see a lot of wasted potential. I will probably rewatch the first episode, but never the entire series. Over time, the story becomes terribly boring and predictable 🤷🏼‍♀️ Nothing fresh, nothing surprising.

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