Nelly
Canada
Enjoyable, but overrated
OVERALL
This drama has an almost makjang-esque quality that makes it both old and new. Watch it if 1) you like the sassy, confident FL, 2) you're into the re-romance trope, 3) you're looking for DRAMA (with capital letters). If you have low tolerance for clichés or bipolar series, skip.
THE STORY
I enjoyed Queen of Tears. I really did. But when I hear people say it's one of the best K-dramas ever made...I'm confused. This drama is basically a melting pot of recycled clichés. Zero originality. FL is the child of Song Yi (My Love from the Stars) and Moon Young (It's Okay to Not Be Okay); ML is basically a watered down ML from It's Okay to Not Be Okay. The plot is also filled with the oldest and most annoying tropes in the drama book: misunderstandings, terminal illness, despicable mom, crazy psychopath third wheel, and more. There are definitely elements that are promising at the start of the drama. I loved the idea of seeing a relationship crisis through both perspectives (ML and FL), or watching the main couple mend wounds from the past. But the drama never really delivers what it promised. There is never a return to the breaking point of romance, the main leads never identify and resolve the issues that made their relationship fail the first time around (which is not only super important but also the most interesting part of the setup). As for the perspective aspect...after the first ep, the drama kind of gives more importance to one perspective than the other, so that too ends up being disappointing. Recycling clichés is perfectly fine when you do something new and refreshing with them. Unfortunately, I did not get that feeling from Queen of Tears.
There are entertaining things in this drama, of course. I enjoyed the growth of FL's family members and the cute romantic scenes. Some parts are fun, and the excessive, bombastic drama is enough to keep you going. But really, I found that halfway through the drama, I was no longer emotionally invested because nearly everything was predictable. I also had a hard time with the wishy-washiness of genres (but that seems to be the trend in Kdramaland these days). It's hard to combine romcom and melo in a way that feels coherent and seamless. I feel like the drama did not quite succeed on that department.
Bottom line: It's a good drama to watch with your mind off, but I expected a lot more, to be honest. Some people have said it's better than Crash Landing. Not in my world. Crash Landing was both original and superbly written. This one is none of the above.
THE ACTING
That was fab. Nothing else to say. I love Jiwon and Soohyun! They also have awesome chemistry (though nothing to make me forget the Jiwon-Jin Goo duo in Descendants of the Sun).
THE MUSIC
Not to my taste, but not annoying or ugly.
REWATCH VALUE
Rather low, I'd say.
This drama has an almost makjang-esque quality that makes it both old and new. Watch it if 1) you like the sassy, confident FL, 2) you're into the re-romance trope, 3) you're looking for DRAMA (with capital letters). If you have low tolerance for clichés or bipolar series, skip.
THE STORY
I enjoyed Queen of Tears. I really did. But when I hear people say it's one of the best K-dramas ever made...I'm confused. This drama is basically a melting pot of recycled clichés. Zero originality. FL is the child of Song Yi (My Love from the Stars) and Moon Young (It's Okay to Not Be Okay); ML is basically a watered down ML from It's Okay to Not Be Okay. The plot is also filled with the oldest and most annoying tropes in the drama book: misunderstandings, terminal illness, despicable mom, crazy psychopath third wheel, and more. There are definitely elements that are promising at the start of the drama. I loved the idea of seeing a relationship crisis through both perspectives (ML and FL), or watching the main couple mend wounds from the past. But the drama never really delivers what it promised. There is never a return to the breaking point of romance, the main leads never identify and resolve the issues that made their relationship fail the first time around (which is not only super important but also the most interesting part of the setup). As for the perspective aspect...after the first ep, the drama kind of gives more importance to one perspective than the other, so that too ends up being disappointing. Recycling clichés is perfectly fine when you do something new and refreshing with them. Unfortunately, I did not get that feeling from Queen of Tears.
There are entertaining things in this drama, of course. I enjoyed the growth of FL's family members and the cute romantic scenes. Some parts are fun, and the excessive, bombastic drama is enough to keep you going. But really, I found that halfway through the drama, I was no longer emotionally invested because nearly everything was predictable. I also had a hard time with the wishy-washiness of genres (but that seems to be the trend in Kdramaland these days). It's hard to combine romcom and melo in a way that feels coherent and seamless. I feel like the drama did not quite succeed on that department.
Bottom line: It's a good drama to watch with your mind off, but I expected a lot more, to be honest. Some people have said it's better than Crash Landing. Not in my world. Crash Landing was both original and superbly written. This one is none of the above.
THE ACTING
That was fab. Nothing else to say. I love Jiwon and Soohyun! They also have awesome chemistry (though nothing to make me forget the Jiwon-Jin Goo duo in Descendants of the Sun).
THE MUSIC
Not to my taste, but not annoying or ugly.
REWATCH VALUE
Rather low, I'd say.
Was this review helpful to you?
