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Kim Soohyun and Kim Jiwon are the real definition of powerhouses of acting
Didn't really believe in "less is more" until the last two episodes of this drama because what the hell? I'm thinking the writers had some sort of animosity towards Baek Hyunwoo because why was bro hit by a high speed car and then shot in the back all in the span of a couple hours?All that aside, I can understand why this drama blew up, because god were Kim Soohyun and Kim Jiwon absolutely AMAZING in it. I was genuinely blown away by their performances. I knew Kim Jiwon had it in her after watching her as Choi Aera in Fight For My Way, but she still surprised me. I just wish the stylists did more with her beautiful hair instead of giving us the straight blowout every time but oh well.
I think award shows should now introduce a best hug category because man those hugs that Hyunwoo and Haein shared were truly sensational. I will always think about the ones they shared on the steps of Berlin Cathedral and the church before Haien's surgery.
Besides that, I was planning to give this show full stars before the last half, when the villians started to seem very cartoonish with no real depth to their evil motives, and Hyunwoo and Haein never had a real conversation about why they fell apart in the first place, and they just started dating again when it would have been more enjoyable to see them fall for each other again. I understand that the thriller aspect of this show was just a subgenre, but if you're going to include it in your story, you should do it well. Seeing as this was directed by the director of Vincenzo, I had high hopes for it all, and while it was doing pretty good in the beginning, it fell through soon after because of how unrealistic it was getting.
I also enjoyed the representation of family in this drama. The character development that the Hong family went though was very nice to witness, but Hyunwoo's family was just so exceptional.
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Extremely overrated - riddled with bad writing.
The narrative began with promise, but as the episodes progress, the flaws in the writing become increasingly apparent. Thankfully, KSH's performance injects vitality into the drama, salvaging its appeal. While many commend KJW's suitability for her role, I struggle to perceive it; perhaps it's the writers failing to flesh out her character adequately. Her contribution to the protagonist's journey seems minimal compared to how the ML helped her, which becomes irksome. Furthermore, her constant facade of toughness feels unwarranted in various situations, detracting from the authenticity of her character.The shift from intense hatred to deep love between the main characters feels rushed and hard to believe. It happens too quickly, so it's tough to really get into their romance.
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This drama is amazing!!!
I haven't watched such a good K drama in a long time. The series reminded me of the Korean TV series that I used to watch with pleasure. The lead actors are definitely very good, there is a great harmony between them, I can say that it is the only series that I have been waiting for a new episode for the first time in a long time.I will probably watch this kdrama because of Kim Soohyun. His acting and emotions in this is chaotic and emotional. Kim Jiwon and her emotional acting. I am currently caught up to episode four. It's hard to have to wait each weekend for the next two to drop on Netflix.,Can’t wait for Kim Soo Hyun’s Superb acting skill, touching and melting my heart
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I wish more dramas were this riveting! Hate waiting for the new episodes... But I will.
When I first heard about the drama, I liked everything about it. The title, the description, the cast, so, I was looking forward to the drama. I knew that it would hold my interest from the first episode. A lot of spoilers down below, so avoid reading it if you don't like spoilers.Based on the the 1 episode I have seen, I love it! I can't wait to see how this one unfolds. Its so good to see Kim Soo Hyun be so emotional in his role. Before this, all the characters he has portrayed were so stoic. The drunk scene was so adorable! The distance between the ML and FL just makes me curious as to what caused it? Can it even be bridged?
With what little information we have at hand, I currently don't mind if they get divorced. In fact, one of my most prominent thought throughout the first episode was, "I hope he gets a divorce." He was so damn stressed! I have seen and read countless stories where it is the submissive FL that marries into a family that thinks she is not good for their son. And the son won't even stand up to them or speak for her. Here, while she defends him behind his back, she still lets them talk to him that way as if he owes them.
The FL looks kind of unrecognizable in the wedding scene in the beginning. I kept questioning, was that even Kim Ji Won?
At the end of the episode 2, we could all see how relieved he was when she told him that she only had 3 months to live. We could all hear the gears in his head. So, no need to file for divorce anymore, just endure for 3 months. Just started 2nd episode, which only confirms his feelings. I'm honesty not surprised though, throughout the episode we can see how hard he is trying to control his happiness. One would think, that it is not possible to salvage this at all. So far, the FL seems a bit heartless, so I'm wondering what she can do to convince us that there is more to her.
Episode 3 started out pretty boring, but we do have two interesting developments, our SML (Yoon Eun Seong) might be harboring some serial killer fantasies. I think, Mo Seul Hee [Man Dae's girlfriend], is behind the boar attack. I might definitely be suspecting someone is innocent, but she seems pretty suspicious at this point. At least in this episode we get to see that FL does have some feelings for the ML, my favorite dialogue so far, "You'd be the biggest waste." Never thought this could be said in romantic context with such possessiveness. One thing I find a bit hilarious about the FL is that she is delusional about her illness, arguing with the doctors that she will experience a miracle.
Episode 4 did not disappoint. The FL kind of reminded me of the Lee Young-joon from What's wrong with secretary Kim and Min-Min from Strong Woman, with her over-the-top self-praising shenanigans. It was quite fun to watch. What I liked the most was the ending, it was the first time the ML displayed genuine feelings for the FL (Most of the time he just wants to run away, which actually seems like a good idea for him in this setting) With the memory loss angle, I wonder if the FL is going to be cured and then loose the memory of falling in love with him again and mistreat the guy in future.
Okay. After watching episode 5, I'm sure that she is going to die and make us cry. Since we have only seen the FLs horrible side with a dash of niceness here and there, it was hard to like her in the first 2-3 episodes. But since then, we get to see more and more of her struggles and while not completely a decent character, its easy to identify her coping mechanism. She dealt with everything alone when she should have relied on her partner. Loosing a child can be a terrible blow to the parents, so it is not uncommon that they lived separately since then, relying on their own. I am starting to like the FL somewhat and like the ML, its going to be a bitter ending. Also, can't believe we have such a interesting cameo: Sebastian Roche! I thought my eyes were playing trick on me, so I had to google and it was confirmed!
Ep 6: Damn, she found out. I get that she is hurt, but once I want her to put herself in his shoes and think about all he has been through to take that extreme measure. Also, what the hell is wrong with the Hong family, is everyone crooked, except for the weirdo aunt that I very much enjoy watching. She seems to be the only other person who cares about people in that family!
Ep 7 & 8: Okay, the drams is called queen of tears because it is making us all cry. One thing you have to say about the makers of the show, they gave us such great cameos! First we had Oh Jung Se, then Sebastian Roche, and now Vincenzo. Who are we going to see next? The Vincenzo arc was too short for my liking it just ended abruptly, at least Oh Jung Se got a decent arc. I finally have started liking the FL, more so because she accepted that the reason for divorce was her. Can't believe that we are only halfway through, I just want them to drop all the episodes right now.
Ep 9 & 10: Gotta love Hyun Woo's mom, she treats Hae In so well, which can be readily seen in front of her treatment from her poor excuse of a mother. She even calls him a scumbag, calling him out on his behavior when he found out that Hae In was going to die. The epilogues are so good. I see many people comparing this one to Uncontrollably Fond, but I disagree. Apart from the terminally ill lead there's not a lot in common so far. Hae In is a lot better than Joon Yeong who was abominable to Noh Eul for the majority of their relationship. The bad times between that couple were a lot more with only a handful of good times, that as we can see is not the case with our Royal Couple Of Tears. I like how we get to see little tidbits from their past, the epilogues are always appreciated. Okay, while I'm not a big fan of Eun Seong, it was easy to see his devastation when Hae In sold him out in front of the people. He did deserved it, after all, who told him to threaten the Queen? He found out that the woman he loves is going to die, so the best he could come up with was threatening her? What an idiot.
Ep 11 & 12: Okay so much happens in this episode. Everyone's reaction was as expected when they found out about Hae In's condition. I'm not a fan of her mom's so what she said still doesn't get her off the hook for me. I'm a bit upset about the amnesia trope, it is one trope that I never want to see again. So damn convenient to use but just doesn't make for a good story. Poor Hae In, the tumor is slowly taking away her abilities to recognize people. The last part of ep 11 was so heartbreaking. Glad, there was an epilogue featuring cute Hyun Woo. Ep 12 was a bit slow. I enjoyed the scenes with the leads and skipped most of the other scenes with Eun Seong and his mother. I didn't much like Soo Cheol in the beginning, but he has grown on me. While he may not seem like smartest of the bunch, he is so damn good to Da Hye and their child.
Ep 13: The part about the Baek asking for snow for rehearsal was a bit confusing why was he so excited? The later excitement I get that he found out about being Hae In's first love. That was great scene. With Eun Seong also living for Germany, it is clear that he plans to take advantage of Hae In's memory loss and might claim that he is her husband or boyfriend. We'll find out tomorrow.
Ep 14: Called it! It was such an obvious route to go with the writing. But you do feel for Eun Seong, despite his character traits, in any other drama he might have been the ML who ends up with the FL. Here, his love is just unrequited. Why does the poor bear, Soo Cheol, keeps suffering. I hope he lives happily and stops with all the blunders.
Ep 15 & 16: I didn't enjoy the final two episodes as much as the rest of the series. To me, it was all a bit over the top, but the with the way the story was set, it was bound to end up like that. I never really hated Eun Seong's character, the same couldn't be said for his mother. I was a bit surprised to hear that Hae In did clue in Baek about her family before they married. (I didn't' like how she treated him in the beginning) But I'm glad that they have rediscovered each other.
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A Cliche Perfected
Queen of Tears is a story full of cliches. To that point I will not argue and agree. What makes Queen of Tears special is that it perfects those cliches. I'm pretty picky with the dramas I watch and I will say that regardless of the cliches present, they are shown in a great way to make a moving tv show. Please watch this drama, but be warned as I cried for 8/16 episodes. (not due to sadness, just great seeing amazing relationships between people)Was this review helpful to you?
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Exceptional at First, Horrible in the Middle, Kind of Redeeming at the End
The final review-This drama was a wild ride. I started my review halfway through and focused mainly on its strengths. Now that I've finished, I'll go back to discussing the overall strengths, and also include the weaknesses because there are some big ones.
Strengths-
The cast - The cast carried this drama, especially during parts that were poorly written. The ML and FL were perfect in their roles, seemed to have a good vibe and connection during the story that made their love for each other believable. It wouldn't surprise me to hear that these two actors enjoyed working together. I really loved the actors playing Soo Cheol and Da Hye and were my favorite secondary actors.
The production value - whether it was sets, lighting, film angles, costumes, or the soundtrack, the production value was high. There were many moments during the drama that were just beautifully filmed.
The storylines/writing - The main plot and subplots were good overall. I'll discuss where the writing went off the rails later, but in general the storyline was interesting and made for a good drama. While there were problems with the writing in certain episodes, the final episode brought everything to full circle and wrapped up all the storylines well. The ending showing Hyun Woo as an older man putting flowers on Hae In's grave was especially beautiful and touching. I like the final scene with Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Ji Won facing the camera with their heads together and smiling. I just thought that was one of the sweetest endings I've seen. It was so easy to like these two characters, and this was just a perfect way to have an ending with these two.
Weaknesses-
The storylines/writing - Episodes 12-15 were especially hard to watch. I really believe that this story didn't have enough to stretch it to 16 episodes. But in order to do that the writing became repetitive, unbelievable, and stupid. There is already a certain level of unbelievability built into the typical Kdrama love story, but this took it way, way too far. Real human beings would never do what some of the actors did, the actors had to be overly dramatic and over act in certain scenes that bordered on comical because the writing itself was so poor, scenes in slow motion that stretched out exhausting and frustrating the viewer. It was a chore to watch certain parts of this drama. You can read more about my impressions below.
I think a missed opportunity that would have tickled the viewing audience would have been if Hyun Woo woke up from his hospitalization, looked at Hye In and said, "Who are you?" Now that would have been priceless. Overall, the writing in the first episodes was good, then it was just horrible, but came back to better in the final episode to wrap up the story.
After 14 episodes-
I was going to wait until I watched the final episodes next week, but decided to add to the initial impressions. I'm in the middle of episode 14, and I have to say I'm getting frustrated and bored. After Man Dae's death (Hae In's grandfather) the storyline goes downhill. Really good subplots kept this story going, but at some point, some of the subplots wrapped up, others plodded along slowly, and others seemed to fizzle. Attention came back to the main plot, Hae In's brain tumors and her inevitable death unless she receives a surgery that will destroy her long term memory. Here is where Queen of Tears becomes stupid, and I have to say, the writer missed an opportunity to show the realities of a terminally ill patient when faced with hard options. Instead we get to see a really selfish Hae In who refuses to get the surgery even as her husband and family dissolve in grief and sadness in front of her. Nope, she doesn't care in the least. She only changes her mind when faced with other womens' interest in Hyun Woo. Really?? Jealousy is what motivated you?? What a supremely shallow, selfish and controlling take on wanting to fight a terminal illness to live. Hi Darling, I've decided to live, not because I love you and want a future with you, but because even if I can't remember you, I'll be damned if anyone else can have you!!! Hyun Woo run away!!! Run as far from this woman as you can get!!! This borders on controlling and possessive behavior, and I'm disappointed in the writing. Most likely it is due to trying to extend the story to 16 episodes when really it could have been finished by 12 episodes.
The fakeness of her terminal illness really bothers me too. In the beginning it wasn't as fake as she first found out how serious the diagnosis was, but it certainly got to the point of unbelievability. I've known people who have had cancer and tumors. I've known people who have had major surgeries to remove tumors. I've known people who have had brain surgery. It's really an injustice to gloss over that part, keeping her healthy, looking perfect, and she comes out of brain surgery with a full head of hair and wearing only an oxygen mask. Queen of Tears has dissolved into scene after scene of overly-dramatic overacting that doesn't do the true storyline any favor. It's really a huge disappointment right now.
After 8 episodes -
I'll add to the review once I've finished this drama. Netflix is dropping only 2 per week. Let's start with the strengths:
The cast - The ML and FL are perfectly cast. I especially like Kim Ji Won. Talk about the Queen of Stoic! She is a master at keeping everything inside so as to remain cool, calm, and in control which is just what this part called for. Well done Ji Won!! Kim Soo Hyun balancing heartbroken, corporate, and comedic parts all at once, without missing a beat. The storyline of a couple getting into a marriage and it not being what they thought is not that riveting, but add the element of losing a child, a loveless marriage Hyun Woo's wants to end, and Hae In's medical diagnosis and you have a super-charged, "stick-to-the-screen" viewing plot that sucks you in. I'm loving it!
The Surprises - Vincenzo??! VINCENZO???!!!! OMG!!!
The sub-plots - How to take down a Chaebol family 101. Disintegrate from within. This sub-plot really keeps you coming back for more. Why? They keep revealing that those who want to take down this family are well-intrenched inside the main family. This took years! It's pretty impressive. This sub-cast of characters are amazing, starting with Park Sung Hoon, who plays dastardly so well! Kudos to the casting director for getting Park Sung Hoon, and kudos to the screenwriter Park Ji Eun for this impressive main plot and subplot intrigue. I'm glued....literally glued to the storyline.
The cinematography - There are many, many good shots, but one in particular was in episode 8 when Hyun Woo and Hae In are standing in the rain and he is helping her remember---the blending of tears, rain, camera angles, and the slow down of the rain drops with music was poetic in its dramatic value. Cinematography, editing, the music score, it all came together for so many moments in this drama. I'm looking forward to the remaining episodes.
The soundtrack - The music is really adding to the emotional highs and lows this drama takes you on. I haven't enjoyed a soundtrack this much since Our Beloved Summer.
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QOT MY BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE YEAR.
“What soapy tragic trope will we put in?” writers: “ALL PLS” ☺️I think my harsh criticism comes with how excited i was for this drama, and how much I truly enjoyed it at the beginning. I tuned in week after week, I was sure this was one would be drama of the year but wow was I wrong—
I’ll start with I loved THEM. I really do love Kim Soohyun as an actor and really watched for him. I was really impressed with KIm jiwon despite not liking her previous work.
The leads were amazing they were a real match made in heaven. I think if there’s something the directors did good is cast the people they casted. The leads had such an amazing chemistry, and I hope they win couple of the year because they truly deserve it.
I’ll start with this drama was falsely advertised as a rom-com but its full drama which starts to fall apart by ep 12. I feel like the writers room was a complete mess and i don’t know what happened. Memory loss ✅ car accidents while crossing the street✅, murdering step mother ✅ kidnapping and lying to the amnesiac✅, taking a bullet for the lead✅, almost getting killed MULTIPLE TIMES✅, falsely accused of murder ✅ Our hero saved fl in the past ✅, met as children✅ villains stole all the money✅ I know I am missing so many more but-
NAME A TROPE AND I CAN GUARANTEE THEY PUT IT IN.
I’t was excessive in my opinion to the point it became boring and extremely predictable. i have to be honest and admit that after episode 12 I hated this drama and skipped all the unnecessary banter of the villains, and other characters I did not care for. I can be honest and say that WE DID NOT NEED THAT MUCH TIME FOR THE AUNTIES RELATIONSHIP like who cares?. The mother getting forgiveness so easily was another down-head. I can say at the beginning despite her being a horrible mom i did not dislike her and found her character quite entertaining. But after her being forgiven so easily is when my dislike began.
I think the biggest character disappointment was the grandpa. WHO THE HELL SIGN CONTRACTS BASED ON VIBES LMAO. Prob the most unbelievable story line of them all. I feel the writers couldn’t pick between making him a silly little guy or a serious chaebol grandpa.
The character I enjoyed the most was Soocheol i honestly didn’t expect to like him as much as I did, and if there’s anything to take away is that HE WILL STEAL YOURT HEART WITH HIS PURE LOVE FOR HIS WIFE. I am soooooo in love with him and his character and I am excited to see him acting again hopefully as a lead this time.
I thought I wanted this drama to win drama of the year and now that I’m pretty sure it WILL win i am feeling quite upset.
The writers put every single trope out there, and forgot the most important one which is the leads rekindling their love in the country side and she get magically cured with the power of love. Who really cares about a power fight? I just wanted to see THEM but even them reconciling was surrounded by hurt and bad energy that it’s hard to even feel relieved by the end. Why was she acting so weird by the end? After crying so much for him to wake up? I get wanting to get to know each other but then we should’ve gotten all that an episode before the end.
The ending was beautiful it was nice to see her welcoming him into heaven but i say this with a snear on my face because in the end i ended up hating this drama n and eating up all the praises i gave it at the beginning of the drama.
I have a huge feeling this will become a fan favorite and I’m already dreading it being called a classic in a couple pf years.
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It didn't really impressed me
I thought this drama will go to my favourite list at first. I really liked the first episodes but later it just kept adding more clichés to the plot. I felt like they added those on purpose to made the episodes longer. I also didn't vibe with the episodes length I just mentioned. Hour and half just seems too much to me and it easily gets boring.This show isn't anything new. Rich female lead that have it all because of her parents and her husband that can't stand for himself and is stomped on by his wife. Like I do enjoy strong female leads in drama but this just wasn't it.
Also the fake illness? Was it really necessary? They couldn't think about something more realistic so they just put a fake one there. That made me really ask myself how dumb is this going to be in later episodes.
The only great thing on this was the visuals of actors and camera angles, nothing more.
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Trust me, when you realize that what you wish you want is never truly what you wanted..YOU CHANGE
First of all, this is my first kdrama. I have watched more than 80 cdramas but I haven't watched a single kdrama yet.. Recently, I admitted to myself that k drama directors are really innovative and somehow I thought of watching one... I just found this drama name interesting and I started it reluctantly... just imagine, I thought of watching a single episode each day but I ended up finishing the 10 episodes in less than a day only to realize that this is still ongoing series and I really doubt if I can control myself till April 28... BHW & HHI are the main leads and trust me, I found it so realistic and their thinking is so natural and the story is too perfect. I still kind of feel bad for HHI but somehow I can't see anyone better for her than BHW.. Trust me, when you realize that what you wish you want is never truly what you wanted ... YOU CHANGEWas this review helpful to you?
From Laughter to Tears!
I think "Queen of Tears" is definitely worth a watch, even though it has a bittersweet ending. Some viewers were disappointed with the last three episodes, but I felt it was a bit rushed, especially towards the end. There were a lot of cliché scenes that didn’t quite fit.The first half of the story felt pretty realistic, but the second half leaned more towards melodrama, which might be what the audience wanted instead of a romantic comedy. Both main characters have their flaws, leading to a lot of misunderstandings and miscommunications.
The pacing is mostly good, although it slows down a bit in the middle and feels rushed towards the end. The cast is fantastic—Kim Soo Hyun really shows off his acting skills, and Kim Ji Won is surprisingly versatile.
The soundtrack is another highlight, especially "Hold Me Back" by Heize, which really stands out. The chemistry between the lead actors is undeniable; it's hard to picture them with anyone else.
Overall, I’d recommend "Queen of Tears" if you’re in the mood for an emotional drama. There are some unanswered questions, and I really wish they’d shown more about how they lost their baby. I’d love to see a season two or at least a prequel about their office romance. It's definitely worth trying, but I believe it's not going to happen because of how it ended.
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Don't fall for the hype, keep the expectations low and similar to what kdrama usually do
I had to fall for the hype and start it earlier than I planned, it was going well but you can see that the writers tried to mix storylines from multiple dramas without a core story.Kim jung Nan character and acting is everything that is wrong with most kdrama, there's always that one character they get wrong by making them annoying and using them for all the dumb stuff no one else would do.
the leads chemistry and acting is spot on but how does one who is supposed so sick NEVER looks sick. is it part of contract to always make her look impeccable.
the ending is almost close but almost every single twist can be guessed long back due to similarities with other series so I don't have much hope but they will end it well as usual so a boring 7/10 as usual which is not a bad thing
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STUPIDLY OVERLONG
Soo-chul a waste of space: Da-Hye had a more meaningful arc & his dead brother had more impact on the story by the way his mother reacted to his deathThe last 2 eps were a makjang meltdown. Clichéd & lazy. Makjang is fine in a makjang Drama, not here.Better as 14 60 minute episodes, with a different end.
BUT, some outstanding TRUE romcom - lol & sweet. The OTP worked, both of them. Lots of thoughtful and intelligent conversations between them, which was a delight And they dampened my eyes even when I knew how it ended, which is a tribute to the power of their acting.
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