Queen of Tears (2024)

Everything-in-one-pan sort of comfort food.

I was trying to work out why this one blew up and got the attention it did. And I don’t think I was the only one, I think the whole company were probably a little surprised too. So what I came up with was that they managed to find the perfect recipe for how to appeal to the maximum number of possible audiences - a producer’s dream. And how, imo, did they do it?

By cherry picking from all the genres and eliminating the potential bitterness before making a judicious blend of sweetness, with a twist of out-of-the-ordinary, that is just sufficient to stimulate almost everyone’s tastebuds. It has the ingredients of a melo without excessive wailing (well it does get a bit wet though, just note the title…); a romcom without cringeworthy comedy (mostly); a makjang without full-blown psychosis (just regular hysteria); a conspiracy without frustrating mystery (but a few too many conveniences), and a slice-of-life romance (plus free homilies) without the plodding reality.

It manages to be a very clever balance of light and dark. Nothing stands out as particularly noteworthy in itself, but put together it becomes great comfort food. Somewhat like all our beloved, over-rated national dishes that tempt the foreigner into disappointment because they expect Michelin stars and it turns out to be your grandma’s cooking.

Overall, it failed to really impress in the creatively inventive/awesome stakes but it delivered a solid script; credible good characters (aside from the ML being ex-special services, puleeeeease…he would have been breakfast); dastardly bad characters and some hearty performances, especially from the leads (and a personal favourite, the shameless rum flip, Grace, played by Kim Ju Ryoung). However it stumbled on the plot front probably because it had too many chickens on the rotisserie. It worked well until about episode eleven, but then the plot began to curdle in certain areas as the focus shifted more to the melo. By the last two episodes, it was shredded and went into makjang meltdown followed by a layer cake of all the genres piled on top.

So, to sum up, if you want the equivalent of a Jamie Oliver everything-in-one-pan sort of meal, you have found it. It’s finger-licking quality with good home grown meat and veggies plus a grating of cheese. Such a thing is hard to achieve so credit to those concerned. It’s the sort of comfort food you’re happy to come home to, but not up there for a gourmet night out or a revelatory culinary experience.

‘Nuff said. There’s already at least 6 pages of “reviews”, posted well before it finished airing!

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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.

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Overhyped - Nothing New, Old Plot in New Packaging

Just another K-drama with complicated love-story amidst power-struggling conglomerate family, enemies from past & present, case of terminal illness, amnesia, accidents at the crucial point - finally happy ending with endless promises of everlasting love! The drama is the usual tried & tested K-drama formula that we have known in countless other stories, just executed with fresh casting. The lead pair & marketing efforts make this drama popular, in my humble opinion - which I respect & feel which is what made me take note & watch it. But sadly neither the story nor the characters had any depth for it to remain memorable or call it a drama worth the hype it has created.

PROS:
• Pace: Easy to follow storyline, but can be seen as sluggish.
• Good cinematography & OST (especially: Crush's Love You with all My Heart)

CONS:
• Nothing new/memorable/worth rewatching as hyped (Please see below to know what is "memorable" imo)
• Superficial acting:
They have casted such talented artists but they are doing the bare minimum. None of them resonated with me as the character lacked depth, hence did not make me feel the emotions they were out to portray (except for the villain and Hae-In's brother but that was so little). Going around in social media, that everyone's been crying so much seeing the lead pair - it did not work for me. I have seen men crying onscreen, in fact this is one of the best things I applaud K-dramas for - letting the men show emotions. This is one my first drama of the ML - he's good at the whole puppy eyes vibe and cute thing - but his tears really felt fake. The only point where I almost teared up was for the ending of the grandfather (chairman of Queen group).

OVERALL:
This drama has the same old ingredients with different packaging. There is nothing in this drama, that I will quote today or 10 years later. It is a good-to-average drama, if you don't watch it, you are not missing anything in terms of remarkable work in K-drama universe. My rating is still pretty basis the mechanism I have tried building, see it here: https://mydramalist.com/profile/omo-omo-omo)

WHAT I MEAN BY "MEMORABLE" DRAMA:
Read the lines below, as soon as you read it - the visual will pop up in your head, quite vividly. That's what I call the power of a good drama.

1. "Kim Bok Joo is used as shield by Jung Joon Hyeong" - Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
2. "Let's go to the Playstore" - Goblin
3. "Gwenchana Gwenchana" - Welcome to Waikiki
4. "Samantha and Rachel" - Business Proposal
5. "All Handsome Men are my Oppas" - Kill Me, Heal Me
6. "Red Light, Green Light (Mugunghwa kkoci pieot seumnida)" - Squid Games

Then there are some shows that I cannot even say one thing cause the whole drama is iconic and a trendsetter:
Boys over Flowers, Coffee Prince, Signal, Move to Heaven, Mr Queen, Misaeng, Strong Woman Do Bong Soon etc.

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UNREALISTIC & ILLOGICAL

I am sorry but the only thing that bothers me is the unrealistic story telling and the illogical out of nowhere events..

first, am i dumb or? how could she have a brain tumor removed and still look fine after surgery, no bandages no stitches no shaved hair ???! cmooon

also why would she trust Eung Seong? she could just google her name and a ton of articles will pop out of how she still loved her ex-husband and.. THE PRESS CONFERENCE !! It was on national tv and she publicly said that EungSeong threatened her like cmooon ugh

watching the last episodes feels like homework.. just so i can finish the drama :(
the main leads are the only thing that gives me patience haha

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best drama of 2024

The series beautifully captures the essence of human emotions, weaving a narrative that resonates with viewers on a profound level. The show evokes tears of both sorrow and joy, immersing audiences in a world where love, pain, and redemption intertwine. The actors deliver performances filled with genuine emotion. It's a masterpiece that leaves a lasting impact, reminding us of the power of empathy, forgiveness and love.
If someone asked me the definition of love, I would say Queen of tears.
I cried until the end of the episode. It's perfect, it's beautiful, this drama is a gem.

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Monotonous

My opinion of this series.
- Quick plot: The villians, their relationship, their intentions, are exposed in the early episodes (1 - 4) Thereafter, it seems the screenwriter ran out of ideas and thumb sucked the rest of the episodes. This is what makes the rest of the episodes monotonous.
Even the villians were drinking tea out of boredom, because they already achieved their goal.

The series should be named "Kings of tears." The male actors are crying in every episode.

The FL should have been made the villian - she is skilled at it, hence her role in the series "The Heirs "
She is not good at being affectionate or showing emotions.
The ML was behaving as if it's "HIS" last days on earth. Viewers should be informed that the ML has swallowed a river.
The aunt of the FL is an "overacto"r
The rest of the acting was partially okay.

The music was nice.

Rewatching is not worth it, unless I feel like irritating myself.

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being a chaebol isn't a piece of cake

Baek Hyun Woo, a "normal" guy, is the pride of the village of Yongduri, is the legal director of the conglomerate Queens Group, while chaebol heiress Hong Hae In is the “queen” of Queens Group’s department stores. They 2 married together due to an intertwined fate. We'll get to know how things change between them while they go trough the hardship of life. Why they love each other, why they hate each other and how they reconcile. This is also the story of a chaebol's family which face scammers who want to steal everything from them, and how they defend themselves.

the prior thing I really like about this drama is that it puts you in the position to rethink the way you analyzed the situation earlier. the same scenes viewed from someone else's perspective and everything shifts. I like this because life is so often like that. that's the closest it can be for me to a real story. We always end up seeing "abusive" RICH mothers who throw water and then a big envelope to the head of the shameless girlfriend of their son. This drama explain fully why these scenes are understandable.

this drama is the first for me where the description of a chaebol's life isn't romanced. the description of the chaebol's family too. and the way everything is described is damned logical and full of sens. you'll be hearing unforgettable sentences like "if someone leaves you don't bid him farewell, stab him in the back." (this definitely will stay in my mind....) and the way the story will unfold before your eyes will definitely explain why they all think this way. yes, a chaebol's family is a scary thing to encounter.

there is a lot of twist in this story, and I don't want to spoil your pleasure, so I'll just say this: the game will change at least 3 times, so if you don't really like the story be patient at least until the half of it. I want to share one scene I loved the most: the 2 families meet together while the children are mad at each other, and they are confused as if they are on the same team or not despite the circumstances, and one of them has this precious answer: we are like north and south korea. we are on the same team in the Olympics even though we fight against each other. we are together if we face the same enemy.

the chemistry between the leads is so good, and they are cute together. the writer made a very good job with cute scenes and touching dialogues. on each episode there is a 1 minute epilogue after the ending ost, don't miss it, it's very important to understand the characters.

what I didn't like:
there is some non sens (like taking a plane to the US with a real gold buddha 30cm high and holding it with one hand.... yeah).
there was no head lines about the narcissism of the villain. I'd really appreciate that writers fully explain the mental illness of the villains.
we also didn't get to know how everything began: it began with the mother of the villain, but we don't know what happened. how did she meet the family and why did she target that family among all.
the last episode was disappointing. the writer should have focused on the way to wrap things nicely, but he pushed the leads in an other complicated situation, so the last episode isn't as comforting as it's used to be.

that's a very good show though and I definitely recommend it.
when to watch: after work if you need to focus on someone else's problems.
audience: there is too much violence for under 15 people.
have fun!

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did not live up to expectations...

When I first watched episodes 1 to 4 I was shocked because based on the budget and story expectations I had, the plot was cliche and there was nothing engaging...given the deep plots introduced early in the drama I thought those will be the focus point for the drama. But eventually the plot just became messy because they added every single plot possible inside without giving proper closure to some open plots.

Plenty of loopholes, still dont understand how not a single family member went with her to germany for such an important surgery. The car crash and the kidnap and the getting s**t and stuff was so redundant to be honest. The villain's story just ended abruptly after dragging it for 16 episodes....the main plots were barely discussed, why did he want to divorce, why was she so cold to him.

Yes needless to say the acting and the osts are really good, but sometimes if the plot is so obviously not linking, it removes the relatability from the drama making it harder to understand the characters. For example, first half of the drama even though she had few months to live she focused so hard on getting into the trillion group (disregarding her health), the minute she just lost her company overnight suddenly all her desires disappeared??? literally the only person who was fighting back was the aunt. Even the family, how can a director and CEO of such a big company know nothing on how to handle the situation and they just dumped everything on hyunwoo to solve....

anyway i really tried to find why this was so hyped but really it is way too overrated and overhyped.

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Starpower shines, while storytelling stagnates

What worked for the show:

Major starpower across the board. Even outside of Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Ji Won, Park Sung Hoon and Kwak Dong Yeon are budding stars of their own and provide reason to tune in.

Strong middle episodes. Once the FL's family moved in with the ML's family in the rural town I was sure it was going to follow the trope of them being arrogant, rude etc, but actually the budding relationships among the family members on each side was the major positive driving force of the show.

Inverting the gender trope of the tsundre male CEO to female CEO. The drama industry needs more badass FLs.

What didn't work:

Over-focus on the antagonist in later episodes when the screentime could have been focused on the main couple overcomming the FL's memory loss. Like many kdramas this one included someone with psychopathy/sociopathy playing an overbearing evil character.

Childhood reunion trope. In this drama we find out that the ML not only saved the FL's life, but also kept her ipod as she was his first crush. I don't think this trope is natural, although extremely common in kdramas with the idea of fated love, but felt completely unnessary and forced.

Poor writing at times and overly convient plot devices. There are several issues with the plot in general, how are we supposed to support a character who actively feels relief when he finds out his partner is dying in a few months. Everything medical is spoken as a matter of fact and that medical science for experimental procedures is exact. The show treats her surgery which is a supposed rare technique with a few academic papers as a 100 percent success rate on curing her terminal cancer and highly likely to affect her memory. Medical procedures, even those not used for dramatic effect, have risk involved and uncertainty.
The certainty of how the medical side was handled made the show feel less realistic. How are the parents not following their daughter who is getting an experimental treatment in a foreign country with likely memory side effects?

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Perfect example of how great actors can’t make up for a weak story

I don’t care how popular a show is and how much attention it is getting due to a strong cast but if the story is shit the whole show is shit.
Honestly I couldn’t understand whether the story’s main focus was on issues of a married couple, illness of the female lead or the villains taking over everything. Because there was just too much going on and it made a mess.
I WISH OH HOW I WISH the focus was on the issues of the lead couple instead of all the other drama then this show could’ve been a master piece. But what a waste.

I tried really hard to relate to the characters but couldn’t. There was no single favourite character who will be remembered for their distinctiveness from this show. Characters like cold CEO Female lead and jack of all trade yet caring Male lead are the ones we have seen before multiple times. And don’t get me started on the dumb and incompetent brother!ugh

What intrigued my interest in the drama was how the ML wanted to end the marriage at the beginning of the show but that plot was thrown out pretty quickly without proper explanation. And that plot was the very reason giving some comedic side to the show otherwise it was just crying crying and crying. Honestly it got really annoying at the end.

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